a Light from Beyond:
a Persistent Wish, a Debt is Due
"I wish I could see her," his host's voice echoed in the dark emptiness of the Ring.
"Who cares?" the Spirit demanded aloud to himself.
The echoes returned insistently, "I wish I could see her."
"My rent's come due, has it?" The Spirit grumbled under his breath, "Why this one? Why doesn't anything else he wishes for nag me?"
"I wish I could see her."
"I got it, all right?" the Spirit shouted in annoyance. "I'm not required to grant his every wish!"
"I wish I could see her."
"Do you have any idea how much power that would take?" the Spirit shouted back.
"I wish I could see her."
"No, I didn't think so. He never cares. He must think I'm some sort of djinni."
"I wish I could see her."
"I hate consciences," the Spirit grumbled under his breath. "Why should I care if my host's crying himself to sleep? He's weak; it isn't that unusual of an occurrence."
"I wish I could see her."
"Yeah, yeah…" the Spirit grumbled. "Just shut up!"
"I wish I could see her."
The Spirit tried to ignore the heartfelt plea.
"I wish I could see her."
The Spirit could hear the despair in his host's voice, the loneliness, the yearning, the heartbreak, the hopelessness.
"I wish I could see her."
"I wish I could see her."
"Grow up, host. She's dead, not just moved away. She can't come back. You're alone."
"I wish I could see her."
"I wish I could see her."
"I wish I could see her."
The Spirit muttered, "Fine. Obviously I can't ignore him." He stood and glared out, thinking. Finally, he said, "It's my host's birthday today, isn't it? And no one said anything to him, and he feels forgotten. Now, now…can't have my host feeling neglected, can I?" He took in a breath and began to gather his Shadow magic. "Happy birthday, Bakura Ryou. But make no mistake. This is not a present, this is my rent. And considering that the drain from using this much magic in one go will practically destroy me, I'll be forced to do nothing for a while afterward. You'd better appreciate this, host," he threatened.
Of course, Bakura did not hear him; his host was safe in the refuge of sleep.
"Well, I think this'll cover my rent for quite a while…" The Spirit concentrated harder on gathering every last shred of Shadow power he could call on. The magic crackled at his fingertips, sparking and sizzling, impatient to be put to use. "I guess I should get started."
"I wish I could see her."
The Spirit disappeared.
"I wish I could see her…"
\\\
"Ryou," a voice said. A small hand shook his shoulder and insisted, "C'mon, silly, wake up."
Bakura groaned and opened his eyes slowly, blinking quickly, and shielding his eyes with one hand from the light filling his room.
He rubbed his eyes, mumbling to himself, "What time is it?"
"Eleven thirty," the voice informed him cheerily.
"Why am I awake?" Bakura asked himself as he sat up, his fogged mind still not fully comprehending the voice that continued to speak to him.
"Because I woke you up, sleepy-head!" the voice declared. Giggling, it added, "You certainly weren't going to wake up on your own."
Bakura finally managed to open his eyes and keep them open. He saw the figure standing by his bed and blinked again.
Smiling at him, the girl teased, "Don't you wanna see me anymore, Ryou?"
Bakura looked at the girl in amazement; finally he asked, almost afraid of hearing a 'no,' "Amane?"
Amane smiled at him as she answered, "Yup!" She jumped up onto the bed, sitting beside him and taking his hand. Looking down at the very different sizes she mock-pouted, "You're growing up without me."
Bakura looked at her as he answered, "You're still exactly how I remember. You haven't aged a day."
She looked over at him and gave him a huge smile, "Of course not." She reached behind her and pulled out a flower crown, made of purple and white Clover flowers and happily settled it into his hair. She hugged him as she said, "Happy birthday, Ryou."
"Thank you," Bakura managed, nervous that at any minute, she would disappear back into dreams.
"Seventeen already? Time sure passes quickly…and you're getting so big." She finally released him. "Oh yeah. And Mom says happy birthday, too. She would've come, too, but the mean guy who opened the gate for me said only I could go."
"What mean guy, Amane?" Bakura asked.
"The white-haired guy who came to get me. He was rude, and he seemed mad at somebody. It scared me, Ryou, because…when I first saw him, I almost thought he was you…"
Bakura paled, finding it impossible for him to speak.
"But he's nothing like you. He was real grumpy and kept muttering to himself about weird stuff like wishes, rent, and inconsiderate hosts." She looked up into Bakura's face and confided quietly, "I almost didn't come, because he scared me. He was just so mean! But he explained that he was taking me to see you, so I went with him. But he wouldn't let Mom come. She was sad, but let me go. She sends all her love, Ryou."
Bakura swallowed around the large lump in his throat, "Tell-tell her I love her, too."
Amane giggled, "You're so silly, Ryou. I don't need to tell her that. She already knows that. Besides, you just told her yourself."
"I-I did?"
"Yup! Whenever you wanna tell us anything, just say it, and we'll hear you. We're always listening."
"Oh," Bakura said quietly. A tear leaked out of the corner of his eye.
Amane reached up and wiped it away gently as she asked, "What's wrong, big brother? Why are you sad?"
Bakura wiped his eyes quickly as he answered, "Nothing. I'm not sad, Amane."
"Then why are you crying?"
"Because I'm happy," he answered quietly, hugging her tightly.
Amane hugged him back as she matter-of-factly informed him, "That mean guy thinks you cry too much."
Bakura tried not to laugh as he answered, "He does? Yeah, I guess he would."
"Oh yeah, and that glaring guy also said…I can only stay half an hour…" Amane remembered quietly, saddened.
"Half an hour…" Bakura muttered quietly. "Wh-what would happen if you stayed longer?"
She looked at him sadly, "The gate would shut permanently, and I'd become a lost soul."
Lost soul…? I can't let that happen. I'm not that selfish.
He glanced over at the clock. "So, until midnight, then…"
She nodded, then said, slightly amused, "You know that mean guy? He's just as silly as you can be sometimes, Ryou. He was trying to tell me not to talk to you, but I told him he's stupid, I'm going to talk to you if I want to, bugger all his stupid wants!"
"Amane…Mom always says—"
"Yes, I know, I'm not supposed to use that word, but I mean it! He just didn't want us talking because of some weird thing about a wish, and magic, and all this strange stuff. I didn't understand him at all. He seemed to think us talking was bad for you, or something. But how can it be bad?"
Bakura smiled at her and assured her, "It's not, Amane. He just dislikes giving anybody anything, and when he has to, he makes sure it's as little as possible." He felt odd talking about the Spirit so casually like that, as if he knew the Spirit personally. Also, he did not want Amane asking any awkward questions. He switched the topic, "Oh, Amane…I…" He stood. "I wrote you letters…"
Amane grabbed his hand before he could get to his desk, saying, "I know. I got them all. Don't you remember what I said? If you say something, or write something, we know of it, and we hear what you say." She tugged on his arm. He sat back down beside her. She apologized, "I would've written you back, Ryou, but it's not allowed." Her face brightened and she hugged him again, "I'm so glad I can finally talk to you, big brother."
"So'm I, Amane," he answered, hugging her tightly. He shut his eyes as he swallowed, fighting the urge to cry again. "I missed you so much."
"I know. I missed being with you, too."