The Requisite Author's Notes, Part the Second.

Ah. Here at last (it wasn't that long), part three. This one's kinda longish, but I'm sure no one minds that. Once again, I would like to thank my reviewers, and my spiffy beta-reader, Tyger Dracofire. This part is much better thanks to you. Ain't life grand?

Ehh… linguistic notes for the last part: Barakah is an Arabic name, meaning, amusingly enough, "blessing." Ryou picked it as his alias before he knew what it meant, because it sounds something like one of his actual names. I picked it because it amuses me. Fareed is an Arabic name that I just happen to like the sound of. It can also be spelled Farid, but I like the other way better. Oh, and, because it came up, a fence is a person that a thief sells stolen goods to, essentially.

Further notes: In case you hadn't figured it out yet, the notes for a particular part will come in the Author's Notes for the next part, so as to avoid things like spoilers. ^_^

More further notes: Italics, in case you hadn't noticed, are thought (and emphasis). "Speech in italics," is mental communication. I think that covers everything. Enjoy!

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Ryou had only half expected a reply; he had thought that maybe that voice that had sounded like his own, but somehow wasn't had only been his imagination. What he hadn't expected was to be answered by laughter.

"So, you finally notice me?" The tone of voice was strangely familiar, and not just because it sounded so much like his own. "I am you," the voice said, in reply to Ryou's earlier question. "Or rather, you are me. I have been around much longer than you, little host."

"What-" Ryou had barely formed the thought, when he was interrupted by the voice.

"Later!" it snapped. "For now…" And suddenly, Ryou found himself picking up the Ring, and holding it away from himself. He watched in amazement as the pointers rose, and pointed out into the desert. He looked down at the Ring, and then back out where the pointers indicated. He could feel something, in the back of his head. The Ring was trying to give him some kind of information, but he didn't know what it meant.

I wonder… he thought. Curiously – but with caution – he began walking in the direction the Ring was indicating. He somehow got the impression that the voice in his head was grinning.

Ryou passed over the door. He could feel a tugging sensation coming from the Ring. It pulled him along for about twenty meters, and then the pointers angled sharply down.

"It seems as if we have someone using a Millennium Item down there," the voice commented.

"You mean… Like my Ring?" Ryou asked, looking down at the aforesaid object.

"Yes. Like my Ring," the voice replied.

"Wait just a minute…" Ryou began.

"You are me, little host," the voice interrupted. "Now we must leave this place. I would wager a solid gold Horus-idol that what we just felt had something to do with that new little friend of yours." Ryou hesitated. "Move!" the voice commanded. "Move, or I'll move us." Reluctantly, Ryou complied. "Good. There are at least two Items down there; we have only one. If whoever was using them found us, and became hostile, we wouldn't have stood a chance. This will require some thought." There was silence, broken only by the soft sound of Ryou's own breath, and the sound of his feet on the ground.

"Who are you?" Ryou asked again, some minutes later. He had taken shelter from the increasingly hot sun, making use of a large outcropping of stone that he had used before for the same purpose.

"I've already answered that question," the voice replied, irritably.

"Fine then," Ryou snapped back. "What are you?"

"Better," the voice said. There was a hint of approval in its tone. "I am a spirit inside the Millennium Ring. And you are," he continued, before Ryou could respond, "for want of better terms, my reincarnation, and host body." The voice – the spirit – paused, and Ryou got the distinct impression of being regarded critically. "I suppose that you could have been worse," the spirit said. "Perhaps I should consider myself lucky that I should have such a… suitable host."

"What does that mean?" Ryou asked, frowning.

"We have a great deal in common, little host." A sly, sinuous smile lay behind the words. "A happy coincidence, I'll admit, but I doubt that it could have turned out better if you had been in my hands since birth." Ryou jumped; he could have sworn that he felt a proprietary hand trace its way down his face and grip his chin for a moment. "I have told you enough. There are things I must think on as well." There was a sensation of something settling, and then there was no trace of the voice, except for a faint, dark, sense of presence.

So now what? Ryou thought to himself. It was still too hot to leave the shelter of his stone. Damn this pale skin of mine, anyway. He sighed, and leaned back into the sand; this wouldn't be the first time that he had waited out the heat of the day under the shelter of a stone, and he knew that it wouldn't be his last. Might as well be comfortable. As soon as he had gotten settled, Ryou picked the Ring up from where it lay against his chest, and held it in the air. It glinted brightly where a small beam of sunlight fell across it. The spirit of the Ring had certainly given Ryou a lot to think about.

Among other things, the spirit had said that Ryou was his reincarnation – and his host. The "host" part was easy enough; Ryou could sense the spirit in his mind even now. But if the spirit was in the Ring, how could Ryou be his reincarnation? There had to be an answer; the spirit would know, Ryou was sure. He made a note to ask. And then there were the Millennium Items that his Ring had detected. That must have been what it was trying to tell me. He gave the Ring a considering look. I wonder…

He focused on the Ring then, his brow furrowing in concentration. A feeling of glee went through him as it responded, one pointer rising to point back to the tomb-like home of Malik and his sister – and at least two Millennium Items. One of which might, even now, be in use.

Yes- he realized. It is. An involuntary shudder ran down his spine. He had been aware of the other Millennium Items in a vague way, as part of the legends. If his Ring were real, after all, wouldn't the others be? But he had never thought that he might encounter them, even indirectly. Absently, he wondered how much like his Ring they would be. Would they look similar? Would they have similar magic? The thought sent a chill through him. Can I be found like this? he wondered.

"Don't worry about it," the spirit said unexpectedly. "The Ring is the only Item that can be used to detect the others. Now put it away; it's cool enough now that we can return safely." Ryou looked at the Ring; the pointer was still floating. Reluctantly, he released his concentration, and replaced the Ring under his caftan. He sighed.

"It feels good, doesn't it?" the spirit asked. Once again, Ryou got the impression that it was smirking at him. He nodded. He felt safe, and comfortable with the Ring. The spirit – he wasn't so sure. He knew that there was something the spirit wasn't telling him. A lot that the spirit wasn't telling him. It was difficult to trust something that made the kind of claims that the spirit did, and still hide things from him.

"Of course there are thing I'm not telling you!" the spirit said in exasperation. "You are a child, little host. There are things that you are just not ready for – mentally or physically. Have patience. Besides," it added after a brief pause, "if you cannot trust yourself, then who can be trusted? It would not be in either of our interests for me to play you false. Nor would it be in your interest to distrust me so. So just-" Whatever the spirit had been about to say was cut off abruptly, as the Ring sent a tingle of warning through both of them. One of the pointers began to rise, and the Ring started to float of its own volition. Ryou hastily clasped his hand over it. Ahead of him. Whatever it was, was ahead of him.

What- Ryou thought. He concentrated, but he still couldn't understand what the Ring was trying to tell him. Except that there is a Millennium Item up there. And – I think it's close.

"Let me out." The tone of the spirit's voice was more serious than it had been before.

"What?" Ryou replied.

"Your body. Let me use it, quickly. There is danger, and I can better defend us."

"But it's my body!" Ryou protested.

"How many times must I tell you, host?! I am you! Just trust me!" Suddenly, as if looking into a dark mirror, Ryou saw… himself. The image was a little hazy, and translucent, but he felt it solidly when the image grasped his shoulder. "Do you believe me now?" The intensity in what could only be the eyes of the spirit was unnerving. "I could take your body by force, little host, and I will if necessary. I would rather you cede to me of your own will. Now, will you trust me?" Ryou swallowed, and found himself nodding. His eyes were wide with shock. "Then let me out!" The Item that the Ring was detecting was getting closer. Ryou looked the spirit in the eyes. There was something… odd about them.

But is there anything else I can do? Ryou knew almost nothing about the Ring, and even less about the other Millennium Items. He can defend us, maybe. I can't. And I have to live. The spirit smiled, and Ryou knew that it had sensed his decision.

"Fine," Ryou said.

"Good." The spirit's smile broadened as it faded from view. Ryou felt it wrapping around him, and melting into him, spreading through blood, and bone, and soul. "Oh yes…" Ryou's finger's flexed, and he knew that it had been not him, but the spirit that had moved them. "It's been so long…" Ryou felt his senses fading, and panicked.

"No!" Blindly, he clung to – something. He wasn't certain what it was, but the fading sensation stopped. Sort of. He opened his eyes, without realizing that he had closed them. Where am I?

He was standing in a corridor. It stretched in two directions, fading quickly into darkness. Behind him, there stood a door, gaping half open. A dim light shone out of it, and it seemed somehow familiar. Across from him, stood what had to be the spirit. This time, instead of looking into a dark mirror, it was as if he were looking into a mirror of the future. Or maybe the past, Ryou's thoughts supplied. The spirit stood well over a meter-and-a-half tall, and was dressed in the fashion of ancient Egypt. A white kilt hung around its hips, and a long red robe around its shoulders. Its feet were clad in sandals. The spirit's face looked like a mature version of Ryou's, with the same blue-violet eyes, and framed by the same wild white hair. Its skin was a deeper bronze shade than Ryou's own, obviously natural instead of sun-given, and it had a trio of scars across its right eye and cheek. I wonder how the spirit got those? Behind it was another door, made of stone, but mostly hidden by the spirit itself.

"We don't have time for this!" the spirit snapped. It didn't surprise Ryou to find that it sounded much like he had imagined an adult version of himself would sound. The spirit looked angry, and against his will Ryou found himself frightened. "Let go!" It took a step towards Ryou, but in spite of his fright, Ryou stood his ground. "Let go," the spirit repeated, more softly this time. Its features likewise softened, but the intensity in its eyes did not. It reached out, and gripped Ryou's shoulder. "I won't shut you out. I was only trying to protect you." The spirit knelt, and wrapped its arms around Ryou. The embrace was warm and dark, like everything else about the spirit so far. And oddly familiar. "I need you little host. Harm to you is harm to me. Let go; I will not allow harm to come to you." For a brief moment longer, Ryou hesitated. Then, he closed his eyes, and, leaning his head against the spirit's shoulder, he let go.

The corridor faded, and suddenly, he was seeing through his own eyes again, looking out at the desert as if through a window. He could feel his body, hear his heart and breath, but they were at a remove. It was – peculiar. And he found, when he tried to move something, that he couldn't. He wasn't cut off from his senses, but the spirit was definitely in control.