Rebirth

Chapter 6: The Final Letter

Yuugi stared at the clock, feeling his heart racing in his chest. It was already past ten at night. His grandpa should've been home by now. He was worried about him—worried that perhaps he had been right about the bounty hunters. What if they had him? What if they had hurt them? He was scared and alone. All he wanted was Yami to come back and then he'd feel safer. He was too scared to call Jou, Honda or Anzu this late. Their parents most likely would tell him to go to bed and call back at a more appropriate time. And what could he say—that some bounty hunters had his grandpa?

And I can't get in touch with Yami! It's not safe and even if I wanted to risk it I have no idea how to get a message to him. I'd have to wait until he returns from Egypt but I don't know how long that could take. I can't stay here by myself that long worrying like this!

Something didn't feel right and it wasn't just the fact that his grandpa hadn't come home. Yuugi felt as if there was something he was missing—something that was right there in front of him that he couldn't see. The ordeal with the girl had him completely confused. If the bounty hunters had forced her to write the letters, why hadn't they used her long before when he had first heard about them? And why would they have her send flowers to him? It didn't make any sense at all.

The biggest question on his mind was: how did the bounty hunters even know who he was? His grandpa certainly wouldn't have mentioned him. And if they had found out that Sugoroku was helping Professor Hawkins why wouldn't they have sent the letters to his grandpa? How had they found out Sugoroku had a grandson who was living with him, unless…

Unless they already knew. But if neither my grandpa nor professor Hawkins told them about me, how could they have found out?

It was a mystery that seemed only to get more confusing as he delved further into it. He didn't even understand why they wanted the Orb. After all, it couldn't sell very well on the black market if no one knew what it was. The only people who truly understood it were the Egyptians and even some of them didn't know everything about it. His grandpa and Professor Hawkins had studied all about Egypt and the pharaohs and they didn't even know anything about the true power of the Egyptians (like the Orb and the prophecy).

Yuugi's eyebrows furrowed in thought. He was trying his best to remember what had happened the first time around with Kontar. It was around that time that Arthur started having run-ins with the bounty hunters, but nothing Yuugi thought of seemed to have a connection.

He rubbed his temples from exhaustion and lay his head down on his arms. It pained him not to have Yami by his side yet at the same time he didn't want to involve Yami in his problems. He had enough to deal with since Isis' disappearance, not to mention Yami was still healing from the last ordeal. Yuugi's eyes began to close slowly, the exhaustion weighing down upon him. He was ready to fall asleep when a noise caused him to blink tiredly and lift up his head. The noise sounded familiar, coming from a distance in front of him. Turning his eyes toward the door he realized he was hearing knocking. Was his grandpa finally home?

Yuugi jumped down from the stool he was seated on and went to the door. The doorknob was warm to the touch as if someone had already been holding onto it. He found that strange since he was the only one there, but shrugged his shoulders and opened it. His eyes blinked into the darkness before him not finding anyone there. The only light outside was from a street lamp several meters away. Yuugi turned his head in every direction but couldn't see anyone there. Did he just imagine it? He sighed heavily and moved to close the door when he noticed something lying inconspicuously on the ground.

It was shaped like a square and small, almost unnoticeable. Slowly he bent down toward it touching it lightly with his fingers. His hand was beginning to shake uncontrollably as he made out exactly what it was: a letter. If the girl had knocked though how did she disappear so fast? Feeling a bit scared, as if he was being watched, Yuugi hurriedly picked up and went inside and shut and locked the door. He backed away from the door until he went back to the stool.

Studying the letter carefully, he observed that there was no name scrawled on the front. He knew his heart was hammering loudly in his chest but he opened the envelope anyway. He was afraid of what he would find upon opening it. Perhaps she had written him an apology…He shook his head the moment the thought entered his mind. She couldn't have; she didn't even seem to want to admit she knew him. The letter felt heavy in his hands as if it contained a huge secret—one too big for him to handle on his own. His mind told him to wait until either Yami or his grandpa came and then show it to them, but despite his attempts at convincing himself it might be dangerous he unfolded the letter.

Yuugi,

I think it's about time we met, don't you? I figure you're curious as to why these letters keep coming to you and why I've sent you the flowers. Everything will be explained to you—all in good time. I am conveniently out of your reach but there is a way you can find me. The flowers that I sent to you aren't just any flowers—they're a symbol of power. They will get you passed my servants who guard the place where I am at. Bring one of each color to show them. The place you are going to is the city over from Domino: Saga Heights; not too far from you if you take the bus or train. However, my place is well hidden from just anyone. Allow yourself to be dropped off by a place called The Rathsi—it's a restaurant, so-to-speak…

Once inside someone will approach you and ask you if you want to dine. Show them the flowers and they will take you to where you need to go. Bring this letter as well as the others I've sent you. Do not forget that—it's vital. You will be shown to where I am so we can finally talk face to face. I can sense already that you are wary about coming. I'm sure to you I am a stranger who you mistrust greatly, but it would be in your best interest to come, little Yuugi, for I have a couple people here with me that you might know…If you wish to see them again I suggest you do as this letter tells you. I will expect you no later than noon tomorrow. If I were you I wouldn't waste time trying to figure out who I am and if this letter is telling the truth. I am sure you can sense I'm not lying. Until we meet again.

M

Yuugi's heart was still beating fast as he finished reading it. What did this person mean by 'again'? Fear welled up inside him nearly consuming him as he realized this had to be a trap. But what choice did he have? The letter hinted that this person had his grandpa and Professor Hawkins. He knew it was dangerous, but could it be more dangerous than what took place with Kontar? He wished again that Yami was there to help him but remembered he was already dealing with serious issues of his won. Maybe if Yuugi told them (since he was assuming it was the bounty hunters who were writing to him) a bit about the Orb—leaving some things out of course—and told them they could keep it along with the crown Yami gave him then perhaps there was a chance they'd set his grandpa and Arthur free.

It made tears sting his eyes thinking about giving up his crown—the crown that Yami had poured his love and friendship into making. Then again, it wouldn't change what they had together and Yuugi was certain if Yami really wanted to he could have another one made so it wasn't a complete loss. And if his grandpa and Arthur were freed then it would be worth it. Yami would understand—he always did.

Yuugi sucked in a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves and find some inner strength. It was time to face whoever was hiding behind the letter. Perhaps it was the little girl's father, or uncle, or anyone for that matter. He did want to know who was behind it so he could piece together what was missing. Quickly, he ran to the kitchen and reached up to one of the cupboards where in a jar there was extra money. He pulled some out planning to buy a train ticket. If he needed to get there by noon it would take some time, especially if he got lost. He could always sleep on the train anyway. Once he was certain he had enough he grabbed the letters and the flowers and put them in small bag which he carried with him. It was time.

XXXXX

It was damp and gloomy with the smell of something beneath the dirty water and ancient rocks. It was almost impossible to see anything as if it was a completely enclosed space with no light, no holes, no air…

Ryou found the cave to be uncomfortable and more than a little creepy. It had been several days since he had arrived in Egypt and had met Bakura at the train station like planned. He hadn't said a word the entire way as he had led him to the small inn he had been staying at. They shared a room together, which Ryou felt slightly bashful at, despite that Bakura let him have the bed since he really didn't sleep much. Ryou wondered why he just didn't stay at the palace when he most likely would be allowed to stay there. It was free and much larger, but apparently Bakura wanted to keep a distance between him and Yami.

They had been in the cave for several hours already searching for some hints as to Isis' disappearance. Ryou was curious as to why Bakura was searching for her when Yami was already getting together a large group of helpers, but he didn't dare question Bakura out loud. He didn't want to make the other boy upset. He seemed very determined to find something though Ryou wasn't sure what…yet. Secretly he was trying to figure out where Bakura stood and why he wanted to help. So far all he could figure was that it had something to do with the Millennium Items and since Bakura had one it would of course concern him as well.

I can't see a thing! I don't even know which way Bakura went. He said he was going to check something out but that was at least a half hour ago. I hope he didn't leave me down here all alone!

Ryou shivered, rubbing his arms despite the fact that it wasn't cold down there—just damp and creepy. He had stayed in the area that they had split up in—an area with mostly rock although there was a small stream of shallow water leading up to a small pond-like niche. The cave was much too big to be even called a cave, with the exception that it was wet, there were bats inhibiting it and it looked like a cave. The openings were carved completely out of rock, as if someone had dug the cave out, but left it looking natural. He stepped forward wanting nothing more than to get back to the inn and take a nice shower to clean himself up. They had been up since dawn going to several different places trying to find a lead but so far nothing had come up.

He sighed heavily and looked down, just barely able to make out the cave floor below him. His eyebrows furrowed as he saw something etched into the stone. Reaching down he brushed his fingers along the strange lines to find that it was a symbol. Someone had obviously been down there before. Ryou couldn't make out what the symbol read and was about to stand back up when he heard something from behind him. He immediately froze in place, wondering if perhaps they had been followed. It sounded like someone was carefully walking through the shallow stream behind him, coming closer. At first it just sounded like a couple drops of water falling but then he could distinctly hear footsteps. Ryou found it hard to breathe and fleetingly questioned whether he should run or not. Something suddenly grabbed his arm and he let out a shriek jerking backward and slipping on the wet stone, falling directly into the niche full of water.

His clothes became soaked at once and he could smell the damp metallic scent of the cave water. His heart was beating rapidly not knowing what he should do. Whoever was there obviously knew he was there now. Footsteps came closer and Ryou felt himself panicking inside. As they drew nearer he could see a shadowed form come into view. He blinked as he saw the glinting of a familiar object around the person's neck.

He licked his dry lips, suddenly feeling extremely foolish. "Bakura—is that you?"

"Were you expecting someone else down here?" the voice asked, a hint of amusement playing at the tone but disappearing almost instantly.

Bakura's form came more clearly into view and Ryou stood up trying to ring out his clothes as much as possible.

"I'm sorry, I'm a little jumpy," Ryou said, thankful that it was dark so Bakura couldn't see him blushing.

"I can tell," Bakura replied, crossing his arms casually as Ryou stepped out of the small pond. "I found something interesting, come on."

Ryou followed behind Bakura hearing his shoes squeak from having been soaked. They came to another small place where the water was deeper and had to walk on thin and unstable stone in order to get across. Once they reached the other side Ryou was surprised to see that some moon light was coming down in the cave from some holes in the top for he could see much better. The cave in actuality was beautiful in some places. There were crystals growing with the stone in some places and the light played on them, creating rainbows and other colors that reflected around. He was so intrigued he didn't notice when Bakura stopped, causing him to bump into his back.

Bakura turned and faced him, staring at him with a neutral expression. Their faces were only a foot away and Bakura immediately looked down.

"S-sorry," he said quickly, feeling more like an idiot every second.

He honestly didn't know why Bakura had chosen him to help. He hadn't done that much for Yuugi before during the first ordeal and he was finding that he wasn't giving Bakura much help either. It wasn't entirely his fault since he didn't even know what they were searching for, or what exactly was going on, but for some reason Bakura wanted him to come to Egypt. Ryou was tempted to ask why but held back, afraid of the answer he might get. For some reason, he was growing slightly attached to him, despite the fact that they had hardly seen each other.

Bakura ignored the fact that he was being a little klutzy and pointed to something in the cave. Ryou leaned forward a bit to get a better look and saw more markings etched into the cave wall. They looked just like random lines coming together but when he glanced back up at Bakura he noticed he had a grim expression as he too stared at the wall.

"What is it?" Ryou asked softly.

Bakura's eyes darkened but he didn't turn to face him. "It's a sign. Someone has been here before us which means this must've been their hideout. If so there's probably more here than meets he eye. Unfortunately we should be heading back to the inn before they lock up for the night. We should come back tomorrow during the daytime and search more thoroughly."

Ryou hesitated for a second then asked, "What exactly are we looking for?"

Bakura finally turned to face him and stared at him evenly. "A piece of clothing or anything solid that could verify if someone was here or not. These markings don't prove much since anyone could've written them. There is a chance that it's a dialect I'm not familiar with, which means I'll have to get a sketch of these markings, but right now we really can't do anything."

Ryou nodded not commenting anymore. Bakura didn't say anything and just turned around and began heading back the way they came. Ryou followed silently lost in his own thoughts. They got atop the ground and walked back to the inn, which was a couple miles away. By the time they got back Ryou was mostly dry. The inn was just beginning to close as they arrived and they made their way to the room.

"You should change," Bakura said bluntly as Ryou closed the door behind them.

Ryou blinked in confusion then turned away feeling bashful. He didn't want to tell him that he felt uncomfortable changing in front of him, but Bakura seemed preoccupied with his thoughts anyway. Slowly, Ryou began to take off his clothes. Luckily he brought a small bag with him with some clothes and items he might need. He hadn't been sure how long he was staying there and his parents thought he was just visiting Yuugi in Egypt for a few days. He took off his shirt then his pants searching in his bag for a new set of clothes. He looked up to make sure Bakura wasn't looking then slipped on dry pants. He dug around in his bag looking for a shirt.

"Here."

Ryou jumped as he heard Bakura's voice right nearby. He was standing only a couple feet away and was holding a shirt out to him. Ryou tried his best not to blush, even though he was only without a shirt. He was an only child and hadn't had much experience with dressing in front of other boys. Even Yuugi wasn't as shy as he was when it came to privacy.

"Thank you," Ryou said quietly, reaching out to take the shirt and quickly slipped it on.

When it was on he looked and saw that Bakura was still watching him. He quickly had to turn away, pretending to put things back in order in his bag as his cheeks turned slightly pink. When he heard Bakura's footsteps walk away he finally had the courage to turn around. Bakura was seated on the couch by the fire and seemed lost in thought. Ryou quietly approached and stared at him, feeling awkward about the silence that was usually between them.

"You can sit down if you like," Bakura gestured to the couch he was sitting on.

Ryou felt his heart skip a beat but felt rude not sitting down after Bakura offered. He sat down beside him and leaned back staring at the fire since he was unable to look elsewhere, especially at Bakura. He didn't know why he was feeling so flustered. Sure he didn't know Bakura as well as he knew Yuugi and his other friends, but he normally wasn't this bashful when it came to meeting new people. He wondered why he was especially shy around Bakura. He hoped that it wasn't because…

Ryou immediately shook his head, blushing slightly. He couldn't possibly think of that! In order to convince himself he quietly cleared his throat.

"So, um…do we have any leads?" he asked, unable to look at Bakura.

It was silent for a couple seconds in which his heart was beating so loud he could scarcely hear himself breathe. Then he heard Bakura move and lean back on the couch.

"Nothing much. I have an idea of who could be behind it but I have to be sure," he answered.

"Who do you think is behind it?" Ryou asked, before he could stop himself.

Bakura turned toward him—his eyes alight with a mixed emotion that Ryou couldn't quite place. At first he seemed unwilling to answer but his expression softened to some extent.

"Just an old…acquaintance," he replied. "I used to be friends with him…or at least we worked together. I soon realized it was possible for him to not be very helpful when you need it. He thought I had died and therefore just went on without me, not even attempting to locate me. I don't know why I was surprised by that," his lips curled upward a little. "After all, I probably would've done the same thing."

Ryou felt his stomach tighten in response. Did that mean that if anything should happen to him Bakura wouldn't help him out? He suddenly didn't feel so connected to him. He tried not to show anything on his face and instead let the silence take over. He wasn't sure what else to say anyway. Perhaps Bakura was just using him for a little bit till he got something then he'd send him on his way.

But what if this person he knows finds us and we get split up or something? What if I'm attacked or I get lost and Bakura just forgets about me!

At this point he didn't know whether or not to trust Bakura at all. Perhaps it was best to keep an eye on him as well as an eye out for anyone else who seemed suspicious. He momentarily wished he had chosen not to come help Bakura only for the fear that he might not ever return home. A part of him however wanted to stay though it was in the back of his mind. At the front of his mind he realized it was too late to turn back—he would just have to be careful and not put his life into Bakura's hands. He now realized what Yuugi had somewhat gone through with Yami, not knowing whether or not to trust Hadi and some others and having to get through dangerous situations.

If Yuugi can do it though so can I. I've got to learn to face my fears otherwise I'll never be strong.

A memory came to him of when his adopted father wanted him to try out for baseball at the age of seven. He was too afraid because of bigger boys that were on the team. He remembered purposefully playing bad to not get selected onto the team and could see his dad had been disappointed, though he had patted his arm saying they could try something else. Fear had always been a part of him, but he couldn't let it control his life. For one, he would've never gotten the courage to help Yuugi out when he was in touch situations in the past and he never would've gone into Duel Monsters if Yuugi hadn't guided him there. There was a reason he was there with Bakura at that time and he was certain to find out what the reason was. But he now knew that he couldn't be paranoid about every little thing—he'd just have to go with the flow and hope that fate knew what it was doing.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Author's Note: I know it's a little shorter than the other chapters, but I really wanted to get it up. It was supposed to be a double chapter but since I've already taken so long with updating it I decided to finish up the second part for the next chapter. The next chapter should be much longer. And finally you'll get to see what Yami's doing and what Yuugi is in for. Thanks for being patient!

xxxPreview to next chapter xxx: Yuugi gets in over his head when he finally finds out who is behind it all. He puts himself in more danger than he realized and finds out that everything is indeed connected together. Yami discovers a trace of where Isis has gone and sends out helpers to find her. What they find is more than they bargained for. And finally Ryou and Bakura delve deeper to find out something that no one else knows…something that is darker than anyone, even Yami, could've imagined. Along with their discovery their relationship begins to take on a new shape.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed! I know I normally leave comments for everyone but I really wanted to get this up, so next chapter I will! There hasn't seemed to be any questions so far, but if anyone is confused let me know!