Yeah, more reviews! Thanks lots to Anei Aikouka, Lluvia, and UnknownDarkMystery. Ah, yes, Yami Bakura is a bit of a grinch. But at least he's not green.
This chapter is why Gift is rated 'T'- just a little bit of violence. Hey, I'm trying to be true to the characters and Yami Bakura is not a soft squishy kind of guy.
Are we supposed to have disclaimers? Whoops.
Disclaimer: I, sadly, so not own Yu-Gi-Oh. If I did, the Pointy Fingers of Doom would be burned in a bonfire. All the characters belong to Kazuki Takahashi, and if by some weird fluke of somebody's computer Takahashi-san is reading this, I would like to congratulate him on a wonderful manga and great TV show. Just get rid of 4Kids Entertainment and it would be perfect.
Chapter 3 – Aggravations
It was several hours later that Bakura was ready to head back to their house. The spirit followed him down the street, rather bored with the whole thing. He'd lost count long ago of the number of stores they'd visited, and even more quickly the number they'd left empty-handed. As it was, his host had two very large bags full of what he'd decided would make good Christmas gifts. His yami, however, had decided that he could live without this holiday. He couldn't wait to be done with it all.
Without warning a rough hand grabbed Yami Bakura's shoulder and spun him around. In less than a second, he was slammed against the brick wall of a small alley, staring into the face of a very large teenager.
He was built like a gorilla, complete with a squashed nose and fists the size of small pumpkins. He was also wearing the uniform of Bakura's rival school.
"Hello pretty boy," he sneered, a cruel glint in his eye. "Let's make it short, huh? Anybody walkin' 'round this part o' town has some money on 'em. So hows abouts we make this real easy and you hand it over."
Yami Bakura stared steadily back at him, making no move toward his pockets. "I would advise you to remove your hand from me before you loose it."
The gorilla's face darkened and his grip tightened on the spirit's shoulder. "A'right, buddy. We can do this th' easy way, or the hard way. Pick one."
Yami Bakura's eyes narrowed. "Very well. You've had your warning."
His foot lashed out and caught the thug behind the knee, knocking him to the ground. Within a moment the thief was kneeling on his chest, considering him boredly. He shook his head. "You're not worth my time."
Yami Bakura stood and turned, intending to return to his host. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a flash of movement and a glint of metal. He spun quickly, crossing his arms over his chest in an automatic defensive shield. The cold blade of a knife slashed his arm as it became apparent that the gorilla wasn't going to leave well enough alone.
"Where do ya think your goin', pretty boy?! You asked for it!"
The Millennium spirit's glare could have incinerated solid granite. His hand flashed out and an explosion of dark energy shot forth from his palm, engulfing the would-be mugger. Then the little alley was still again.
Yami Bakura stepped silently over to the unmoving body on the ground and snatched up the little knife, jamming it in his pocket. "Foolish mortal," he growled darkly, then turned his attention to his sliced skin. A straight, nasty-looking slash ran the length of his forearm, leaking bright red blood.
Yami Bakura cursed as he surveyed it. The stinging pain didn't bother him at all, but the obviousness was a problem. If he returned to the Ring or to a spirit form, any wound on his physical body would be transferred to his hikari. And he did not feel like explaining where it had come from. Shit. He would have to remain solid and wait for it to heal.
Yanking his sleeve down over the cut, he stalked off in the direction Bakura had gone. He was in a foul mood and he wanted to get home.
Yami Bakura walked up next to his host on the street corner and stayed there for a moment, inspecting his newly-acquired pocket knife. Bakura turned and started in surprise at finding his yami so close. "You're back. Where were you?"
"'Browsing,'" Yami Bakura growled, irritated at the blade's poor quality and the stinging in his arm.
His hikari sighed and began making his way toward their home again. He glanced over at his darker side and frowned. "Where did you get- You didn't steal that, did you?"
"Perhaps," was the reply. "Call it a trophy if you will."
"Yami, you can't simply take things from people."
"Oh?" He turned the blade over in his fingers. The casing was poorly made, too. "And who are you to tell me what I can and cannot do? I am not bound to your rules, boy. You would do well to remember that and respect it."
Bakura looked steadily at him. "Yet you never respect me," he said softly.
Disgusted with the worthless knife, Yami Bakura tossed it into the gutter.
"You do realize that because of you my chances of having a normal life have been shot to hell." The spirit glanced up in mild interest. He couldn't remember his host ever using the word 'hell' before. "My life is complicated enough, what with school, and homework, and living on my own. A voice in my head talking to me only adds to the confusion."
The yami's eyes narrowed. His temper was at the moment on a very short fuse and the slightest thing was pushing it to the boiling point.
"It gets difficult sometimes, and at points I wish you would simply disappear."
"I would advise you to be careful, host," Yami Bakura snarled through gritted teeth.
Bakura closed his mouth and bowed his head a little in apology for being so rude. "I'm sorry, yami. I really am. I didn't mean to say it that way." The spirit grunted. "I know I have no room to complain. I simply…wish I understood you, that's all. If it weren't for the fact that you needed me to survive-"
Yami Bakura rounded on him. Slamming him backward against the brick wall, he pressed his face close, eyes flaming. "You watch your tone, boy," he hissed. "I will not stand for crap like this tonight. And get this straight: I need no one!" With that, he cuffed his host over the head and stormed off in the direction of their house.
Left alone in the cold, Bakura watched him go, his gaze sad.
"Yami…"
Fight scenes aren't really my forte. What do you think? Good? Bad? Okay? Let me know.
Happy Halloween to all!