Twill: OO Holy bazooka! I'm over one hundred reviews! WOW. I never
thought I'd reach this far. This is so cool! runs around the room with a
big smile, giggling I'm very, very, VERY flattered that everyone has
enjoyed this so much! And I'm amazed, stupefied and flabbergasted. THANK
YOU ALL! coughs Okay. I should get on with what I have to say right?
Cast: Right!
Twill: I have finally included Yami's POV! I'm not sure if he's very interesting- I rather like using him in third person-y style- but hey, if you like how he turned out then maybe I'll use him again! And the plot's moving forward again! You finally get a bit of a hint as to why Ryou's been targeted, and what the Change of Heart's plan is. I'll explain why Bakura and Marik are on the floor in the next chapter ;
Bakura: About time. You need to update more.
Twill: shoves him back into the cast bag I do apologize with how long this took to get updated, but I was working on all my other stories ; and all the fun stuff in a normal life. Please forgive me! Okay. Next item on my list of stuff to say... Draggy was right about the fourth (it's fourth right? checks Yep) pairing that was hinted at last chapter, when Malik left the school. Go check her review if you really want to know, or you can just wait and see. Okay! That's all. Now you can read!
Seth: Twill does not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its plots, characters etc. She likes to think she does, but really doesn't.
//I have nothing to say// = yami thoughts
/Can I speak?/ = hikari thoughts
Listen to my words = Change of Heart speech/thoughts
---
Captured Castle: The Final Key Dissolved
---
Ryou's POV
I could bear it no longer. I was starved for oxygen and had been for what seemed like eternity. It had been so long that I had lost all sense of time and space. Which way was up? Left? Where was freedom? In this place of madness and twisted reality I could no longer judge where I should expect release to come from.
Though I had dreamed of this same place not long before, the waking world it turned out to be was far worse. I wished I had remained dreaming, for while it may have been hard to bear, at least it was not impossible. I had relief from the sand and crushing darkness when I dreamed. Here, I was left to scream in silence. What I would give to bake under the harsh desert sun. At least then I could see the sky. I greatly missed that ocean of blue.
What had I done to deserve this? Was it how I looked or acted? Or could it be because of Bakura? Perhaps I was being punished because of him. It wouldn't be the first time. But what crime deserved this silent grave of pressure and confusion? Wait... am I floating? It's the strangest sensation, to be trapped with no way to escape and yet feel as though you're drifting away. I had so many questions and only myself to ask them.
Hours, days, years, I couldn't tell how old I was anymore. I couldn't remember what air tasted like nor if there was any sensation in the world that wasn't a numb, crushing pain like the breath of life being stolen from you just as you inhale. Names floated in my consciousness now, and I couldn't remember the faces they were attached to. No, that wasn't true. I could still see one face and I knew the name that belonged to him. Bakura. The other half of my soul. He wasn't cursed to ancient sands for all eternity. He was somewhere with friends, my friends, living it up without a care. I was serving his time. I was acting as prisoner in a too-real game of cops and robbers. And I wanted out.
'I would give anything to see the sky again.'
I felt a hotness trail down my cheeks. At least they were still there; I had lost track of my body long ago. So I was crying. Crying for him, and his fate that I had to bear. It was strange to me, then, to realize I was crying because of some nameless face. But he was the cause of my suffering, wasn't he? Then why was I crying? I felt some deep...longing. He and I, it was wrong for us to be far apart. And it was wrong for me to be here. So very wrong...
But why did it matter? I knew that his face, the only one I could clearly remember now, was important. He had to relate to me somehow, I knew it, I felt it. The only thing I was now... trapped. So then, what did that make him? My guard? My executioner? For this could only be hell after death.
'What color is the sky?'
Ah, the reason was clear to me now. I knew this face, this haunting yet beautiful face, because it was burned into my mind. The only way for that to be true, was if he had done something worth remembering. Strange that I couldn't remember the deed, but I could remember him. But he, this face, was the sole reason for my pain. I ached now, not only my chest from the weight of the world, but from a burning fire within. Yes, he was my pain. My heart throbbed and then fell still in a silent hum. The burning faded and I became numb. At least I couldn't feel the pain anymore. That was nice.
Where was I? I couldn't remember anything except darkness. Why was I here? I couldn't remember that either. My mind screamed that it had known, not long ago, but that knowledge had been lost. Nothing remained of my identity now. Nothing mattered anymore. There was no hope of ever finding the way out. I might as well lay here, the bitter taste of sand the only reminder I was here at all. What was my name anyway? Maybe that was why I was here... I was someone undeserving of life and so condemned to spend my existence in a hole of nothingness.
'There is no sky.'
Yami's POV
My soul room was strangely quiet when I entered. Though used to strained silences, I could feel there was something unnatural about this. It was as if my ancient memories were straining against their seals to remind me of something crucial. And it had something to do with what was happening.
Already I had felt as though the circumstances were oddly familiar. And as such I had followed my instincts on how to act when recovering the thief and dealing with his possessed hikari. There was no denying that Ryou was not himself, but rather an entity not to be taken lightly. I had told Yugi only part of what I was certain, but it would not be long before he would figure it out for himself. Or wrestle it out of me with his darned pout.
I sighed.
My footsteps echoed hollowly off the many twining staircases and passageways that littered what you might call my mind. Even after the trials at Battle City, I was still not fully in control of my memory. I had regained a section of my time as Pharaoh, and other scattered memories. Some included the failures of past owners of the puzzle to unlock its mysteries and their resulting decent into madness and chaos. Thankfully they all remained mortal and therefore did not reemerge seeking vengeance. Two such characters were enough for me to handle, no matter how seamless my performances were. It was impossible to describe just what a challenge it had been to stop both the thief and his maniacal companion during their tours of power. I maintained my attitude for Yugi's benefit. After all, a Pharaoh is meant to lead his people, not be led by them.
Was it just my imagination, or were the passageways smaller?
I looked around and was rewarded with a solid, if silent, yes from my surroundings. Where there had been a good half a meter of space between me and the ceiling, there was now only a few inches. If I stretched slightly, I could rest my hand on the cool stone. Odd... I narrowed my eyes and began looking for a reason to explain this sudden shrinkage. My search produced one plainly simple answer: sand. The floor was covered in enough sand to raise the walking level up.
"How did this happen?" I crouched down to scoop up a handful. The warm grains slid like water through my fingers. I frowned. Sand such as this should not be warm. In fact, it felt as if it had just from the desert, close to noon. Impossible.
//Aibou?// I reached out tentatively to Yugi's mind. He was still in school and I did not want to cause him to jump on the midst of his friends.
/Huh? Oh, hi Yami/ His thoughts were accompanied by a warm mental smile. I could see a similar one forming on his lips even now... /Do you need something?/
//...Yes. Check your soul room and tell me if anything is out of place.//
/But it's the middle of class. It'll look really weird if I suddenly pass out and then perk up again./
//Act as though you've dropped something. When you reach down to pick it up, lay your head on the desk and then check. No one should notice.//
/Hey, that would work! Just a minute./
As I waited for Yugi's answer, I began to walk up a set of stairs to the next level. Here, sand covered the floor as well, though not as much. It too was warm to the touch.
/Finished. Nothing's out of place, though it could be a little neater. Anything wrong?/
//No. I'm just trying to... work something out.//
/Oh, okay. I'll talk to you after school, then./
//Of course.//
For the King of Games, this puzzle was proving to be difficult. I had thought it could be a result of the recent appearance of shadow realm monsters in the mind of the thief, but if it didn't extend to Yugi, then that wasn't a possibility. As to what else could possibly cause such a phenomenon, I hadn't a clue. Perhaps it was coming from one of my locked away memories.
Ryou's POV
In a sudden heave, my fiery prison spat me out, tumbling, into an emptiness so profound I could not orient myself beyond knowing that the sand was down. Or it was until I discovered I wasn't returning to its searing kiss. I coughed up sand and grit until it felt like I might cough up my lungs themselves. Even then, I still could not fill them with the sweet, cool air I felt around me. Was this some new punishment for a crime I couldn't remember?
Little one, are you able to hear me?
I tried to twist towards the sound of that voice. It was familiar, somehow. My savior? Could it really be possible that I was to be rescued from this place?
Ryou? Please answer me
My name...Ryou. I could remember now. I knew who I was and where I had come from. But there were other gaps which still nagged- why was I here?- and I fought back the surge of frustration which threatened to send me to tears. I coughed weakly in response and tried to find the owner of such an enchanting voice.
Ah. There you are. Are you ready to leave this foul place of sand and darkness?
I could only nod, still not able to find my own words to speak. Suddenly I could feel a soft embrace envelop me, as if I was being gently carried. The weariness that I had been fighting against seemed to press down even harder now.
Tell me, do you still love the dark?
At first I didn't understand what this meant. Then I guessed 'the dark' meant the place I had just been. How could anyone love a place like that? I shook my head firmly. A light laugh came from close to my ear. I shivered in spite of the raw, burning sensation that covered my body from the rubbing, burning sands far below.
Good. Now, let's get you out of here
With a sigh of utter content, I allowed myself to drift off into my own darkness- that of sleep. The last thing I could hear before completely submitting to the beckoning dark was the steady sound of wings flapping.
No POV
The bell rung at Domino high precisely when it did every afternoon at three thirty and the same front runners of students eagerly pushed their way through the halls to be out first. Yugi emerged among them, in a hurry to get back to the game shop and his grandfather. Within minutes the hordes had dissipated and only a few remained to casually take their leave. Malik was one of them, after being pushed to one side by a tall brunette that nearly wound up dancing around like a chicken, thanks to his rod.
Ryou also exited the building later than usual. He walked with a slight stagger to his step, very peculiar for the normally composed, pristine image he portrayed each day. It also appeared that he was distracted, muttering things under his breath as he began to trek home. Not long into the walk Ryou broke out into a run and sprinted the rest of the distance.
Inside, Ryou became a very different person.
He flung aside his backpack and school texts while shrugging out of his jacket. These items were left strewn haphazardly across the floor as he walked. His target was more important; the bathroom should have guests.
Rounding the corner, Ryou was rewarded with the sight of Bakura and Marik lying in crumpled heaps on the floor. He smiled without emotion- an eerie mix of satisfaction and contempt which negated the expression. Small pools of their blood had formed next to their still forms. Neither one appeared to be anything more than a corpse- they did not breathe. Their sightless eyes stared beyond even the empty space in front of them. Ryou stepped closer.
He bent down to lightly touch the forehead of his yami. It was smoldering against the cool, pale skin of Ryou's fingers. Marik's flesh yielded the same burning sensation. If they were not already dead, they would be in the grip of a dangerous fever that could extinguish the flames of their lives the longer it raged. As it was, this sickness served to keep the two out of the way until Ryou's mission was complete.
Or rather, the Change of Heart's mission.
Inside the hikari of the ring, the creature of spun magic smirked. It would not be much longer now. All of the keys were within reach and all thanks to Ryou. His light was much easier to corrupt than the Pharaoh's young one, or even the tortured soul of the outsider Malik.
Ryou's soul drifted in its own fevered sleep. He believed he was being punished because of someone else's misdeeds. True enough. Bakura was the one who would be taking the blame for this, if the white-haired hikari were to ever see him again. But this did not matter to the Change of Heart. Ryou had given up his belief, his kindness, his honesty, his soul, and now his heart to the swirling darkness of the realm beyond. These were they necessary tokens to unlock a gate between the two worlds of monster and master. The tide was turning in favor of the shadows. Ryou's face twisted into a smile hardly fitting for his gentle face.
On the floor, Bakura lay motionless. Only a few fingers on his right hand twitched occasionally, letting the world know he was still fighting.
---
Twill: Yes! Chapter eleven is up and done! I'm very happy about it. A little shorter than usual, but not bad. Let me know what you thought of Yami. Also, who would you most like to see next? I'm leaning toward Bakura and Marik myself, but if I see a huge vote for someone else, I might just switch on over! Um, all that's left for me to say is R&R!!!
Cast: Right!
Twill: I have finally included Yami's POV! I'm not sure if he's very interesting- I rather like using him in third person-y style- but hey, if you like how he turned out then maybe I'll use him again! And the plot's moving forward again! You finally get a bit of a hint as to why Ryou's been targeted, and what the Change of Heart's plan is. I'll explain why Bakura and Marik are on the floor in the next chapter ;
Bakura: About time. You need to update more.
Twill: shoves him back into the cast bag I do apologize with how long this took to get updated, but I was working on all my other stories ; and all the fun stuff in a normal life. Please forgive me! Okay. Next item on my list of stuff to say... Draggy was right about the fourth (it's fourth right? checks Yep) pairing that was hinted at last chapter, when Malik left the school. Go check her review if you really want to know, or you can just wait and see. Okay! That's all. Now you can read!
Seth: Twill does not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its plots, characters etc. She likes to think she does, but really doesn't.
//I have nothing to say// = yami thoughts
/Can I speak?/ = hikari thoughts
Listen to my words = Change of Heart speech/thoughts
---
Captured Castle: The Final Key Dissolved
---
Ryou's POV
I could bear it no longer. I was starved for oxygen and had been for what seemed like eternity. It had been so long that I had lost all sense of time and space. Which way was up? Left? Where was freedom? In this place of madness and twisted reality I could no longer judge where I should expect release to come from.
Though I had dreamed of this same place not long before, the waking world it turned out to be was far worse. I wished I had remained dreaming, for while it may have been hard to bear, at least it was not impossible. I had relief from the sand and crushing darkness when I dreamed. Here, I was left to scream in silence. What I would give to bake under the harsh desert sun. At least then I could see the sky. I greatly missed that ocean of blue.
What had I done to deserve this? Was it how I looked or acted? Or could it be because of Bakura? Perhaps I was being punished because of him. It wouldn't be the first time. But what crime deserved this silent grave of pressure and confusion? Wait... am I floating? It's the strangest sensation, to be trapped with no way to escape and yet feel as though you're drifting away. I had so many questions and only myself to ask them.
Hours, days, years, I couldn't tell how old I was anymore. I couldn't remember what air tasted like nor if there was any sensation in the world that wasn't a numb, crushing pain like the breath of life being stolen from you just as you inhale. Names floated in my consciousness now, and I couldn't remember the faces they were attached to. No, that wasn't true. I could still see one face and I knew the name that belonged to him. Bakura. The other half of my soul. He wasn't cursed to ancient sands for all eternity. He was somewhere with friends, my friends, living it up without a care. I was serving his time. I was acting as prisoner in a too-real game of cops and robbers. And I wanted out.
'I would give anything to see the sky again.'
I felt a hotness trail down my cheeks. At least they were still there; I had lost track of my body long ago. So I was crying. Crying for him, and his fate that I had to bear. It was strange to me, then, to realize I was crying because of some nameless face. But he was the cause of my suffering, wasn't he? Then why was I crying? I felt some deep...longing. He and I, it was wrong for us to be far apart. And it was wrong for me to be here. So very wrong...
But why did it matter? I knew that his face, the only one I could clearly remember now, was important. He had to relate to me somehow, I knew it, I felt it. The only thing I was now... trapped. So then, what did that make him? My guard? My executioner? For this could only be hell after death.
'What color is the sky?'
Ah, the reason was clear to me now. I knew this face, this haunting yet beautiful face, because it was burned into my mind. The only way for that to be true, was if he had done something worth remembering. Strange that I couldn't remember the deed, but I could remember him. But he, this face, was the sole reason for my pain. I ached now, not only my chest from the weight of the world, but from a burning fire within. Yes, he was my pain. My heart throbbed and then fell still in a silent hum. The burning faded and I became numb. At least I couldn't feel the pain anymore. That was nice.
Where was I? I couldn't remember anything except darkness. Why was I here? I couldn't remember that either. My mind screamed that it had known, not long ago, but that knowledge had been lost. Nothing remained of my identity now. Nothing mattered anymore. There was no hope of ever finding the way out. I might as well lay here, the bitter taste of sand the only reminder I was here at all. What was my name anyway? Maybe that was why I was here... I was someone undeserving of life and so condemned to spend my existence in a hole of nothingness.
'There is no sky.'
Yami's POV
My soul room was strangely quiet when I entered. Though used to strained silences, I could feel there was something unnatural about this. It was as if my ancient memories were straining against their seals to remind me of something crucial. And it had something to do with what was happening.
Already I had felt as though the circumstances were oddly familiar. And as such I had followed my instincts on how to act when recovering the thief and dealing with his possessed hikari. There was no denying that Ryou was not himself, but rather an entity not to be taken lightly. I had told Yugi only part of what I was certain, but it would not be long before he would figure it out for himself. Or wrestle it out of me with his darned pout.
I sighed.
My footsteps echoed hollowly off the many twining staircases and passageways that littered what you might call my mind. Even after the trials at Battle City, I was still not fully in control of my memory. I had regained a section of my time as Pharaoh, and other scattered memories. Some included the failures of past owners of the puzzle to unlock its mysteries and their resulting decent into madness and chaos. Thankfully they all remained mortal and therefore did not reemerge seeking vengeance. Two such characters were enough for me to handle, no matter how seamless my performances were. It was impossible to describe just what a challenge it had been to stop both the thief and his maniacal companion during their tours of power. I maintained my attitude for Yugi's benefit. After all, a Pharaoh is meant to lead his people, not be led by them.
Was it just my imagination, or were the passageways smaller?
I looked around and was rewarded with a solid, if silent, yes from my surroundings. Where there had been a good half a meter of space between me and the ceiling, there was now only a few inches. If I stretched slightly, I could rest my hand on the cool stone. Odd... I narrowed my eyes and began looking for a reason to explain this sudden shrinkage. My search produced one plainly simple answer: sand. The floor was covered in enough sand to raise the walking level up.
"How did this happen?" I crouched down to scoop up a handful. The warm grains slid like water through my fingers. I frowned. Sand such as this should not be warm. In fact, it felt as if it had just from the desert, close to noon. Impossible.
//Aibou?// I reached out tentatively to Yugi's mind. He was still in school and I did not want to cause him to jump on the midst of his friends.
/Huh? Oh, hi Yami/ His thoughts were accompanied by a warm mental smile. I could see a similar one forming on his lips even now... /Do you need something?/
//...Yes. Check your soul room and tell me if anything is out of place.//
/But it's the middle of class. It'll look really weird if I suddenly pass out and then perk up again./
//Act as though you've dropped something. When you reach down to pick it up, lay your head on the desk and then check. No one should notice.//
/Hey, that would work! Just a minute./
As I waited for Yugi's answer, I began to walk up a set of stairs to the next level. Here, sand covered the floor as well, though not as much. It too was warm to the touch.
/Finished. Nothing's out of place, though it could be a little neater. Anything wrong?/
//No. I'm just trying to... work something out.//
/Oh, okay. I'll talk to you after school, then./
//Of course.//
For the King of Games, this puzzle was proving to be difficult. I had thought it could be a result of the recent appearance of shadow realm monsters in the mind of the thief, but if it didn't extend to Yugi, then that wasn't a possibility. As to what else could possibly cause such a phenomenon, I hadn't a clue. Perhaps it was coming from one of my locked away memories.
Ryou's POV
In a sudden heave, my fiery prison spat me out, tumbling, into an emptiness so profound I could not orient myself beyond knowing that the sand was down. Or it was until I discovered I wasn't returning to its searing kiss. I coughed up sand and grit until it felt like I might cough up my lungs themselves. Even then, I still could not fill them with the sweet, cool air I felt around me. Was this some new punishment for a crime I couldn't remember?
Little one, are you able to hear me?
I tried to twist towards the sound of that voice. It was familiar, somehow. My savior? Could it really be possible that I was to be rescued from this place?
Ryou? Please answer me
My name...Ryou. I could remember now. I knew who I was and where I had come from. But there were other gaps which still nagged- why was I here?- and I fought back the surge of frustration which threatened to send me to tears. I coughed weakly in response and tried to find the owner of such an enchanting voice.
Ah. There you are. Are you ready to leave this foul place of sand and darkness?
I could only nod, still not able to find my own words to speak. Suddenly I could feel a soft embrace envelop me, as if I was being gently carried. The weariness that I had been fighting against seemed to press down even harder now.
Tell me, do you still love the dark?
At first I didn't understand what this meant. Then I guessed 'the dark' meant the place I had just been. How could anyone love a place like that? I shook my head firmly. A light laugh came from close to my ear. I shivered in spite of the raw, burning sensation that covered my body from the rubbing, burning sands far below.
Good. Now, let's get you out of here
With a sigh of utter content, I allowed myself to drift off into my own darkness- that of sleep. The last thing I could hear before completely submitting to the beckoning dark was the steady sound of wings flapping.
No POV
The bell rung at Domino high precisely when it did every afternoon at three thirty and the same front runners of students eagerly pushed their way through the halls to be out first. Yugi emerged among them, in a hurry to get back to the game shop and his grandfather. Within minutes the hordes had dissipated and only a few remained to casually take their leave. Malik was one of them, after being pushed to one side by a tall brunette that nearly wound up dancing around like a chicken, thanks to his rod.
Ryou also exited the building later than usual. He walked with a slight stagger to his step, very peculiar for the normally composed, pristine image he portrayed each day. It also appeared that he was distracted, muttering things under his breath as he began to trek home. Not long into the walk Ryou broke out into a run and sprinted the rest of the distance.
Inside, Ryou became a very different person.
He flung aside his backpack and school texts while shrugging out of his jacket. These items were left strewn haphazardly across the floor as he walked. His target was more important; the bathroom should have guests.
Rounding the corner, Ryou was rewarded with the sight of Bakura and Marik lying in crumpled heaps on the floor. He smiled without emotion- an eerie mix of satisfaction and contempt which negated the expression. Small pools of their blood had formed next to their still forms. Neither one appeared to be anything more than a corpse- they did not breathe. Their sightless eyes stared beyond even the empty space in front of them. Ryou stepped closer.
He bent down to lightly touch the forehead of his yami. It was smoldering against the cool, pale skin of Ryou's fingers. Marik's flesh yielded the same burning sensation. If they were not already dead, they would be in the grip of a dangerous fever that could extinguish the flames of their lives the longer it raged. As it was, this sickness served to keep the two out of the way until Ryou's mission was complete.
Or rather, the Change of Heart's mission.
Inside the hikari of the ring, the creature of spun magic smirked. It would not be much longer now. All of the keys were within reach and all thanks to Ryou. His light was much easier to corrupt than the Pharaoh's young one, or even the tortured soul of the outsider Malik.
Ryou's soul drifted in its own fevered sleep. He believed he was being punished because of someone else's misdeeds. True enough. Bakura was the one who would be taking the blame for this, if the white-haired hikari were to ever see him again. But this did not matter to the Change of Heart. Ryou had given up his belief, his kindness, his honesty, his soul, and now his heart to the swirling darkness of the realm beyond. These were they necessary tokens to unlock a gate between the two worlds of monster and master. The tide was turning in favor of the shadows. Ryou's face twisted into a smile hardly fitting for his gentle face.
On the floor, Bakura lay motionless. Only a few fingers on his right hand twitched occasionally, letting the world know he was still fighting.
---
Twill: Yes! Chapter eleven is up and done! I'm very happy about it. A little shorter than usual, but not bad. Let me know what you thought of Yami. Also, who would you most like to see next? I'm leaning toward Bakura and Marik myself, but if I see a huge vote for someone else, I might just switch on over! Um, all that's left for me to say is R&R!!!