Disclaimer: Same as always, kiddies. I don't own YGO though, I am accepting gifts.

Author's Note: I am such a lame noob sometimes. I had free time, but I totally squandered most of it not writing. Ok, I squandered all of it. But as consolation, I am putting off making my gourmet residence meal of EasyMac until I get this finished. Thank you to all 69 reviews (snicker) I have such a dirty mind... and almost 5,000 hits! You guys are the best. I would throw you a party but I am poor. Love you anyways! Oh, P.S, flashback alert, though I am sure that you could have figured it out.


Ryou took a deep breath, and decided that it was time. Bakura was using his body, and the tomb-robber was laying about the house, not doing much of anything as he draped his lithe form over the back of the couch like a feline. Bakura, most importantly, was wearing the ring, which meant that Ryou could make himself appear in spirit form to the outside world.

Disregarding the faint shudder that clawed along his mind when he stepped out of the ring, Ryou made sure he stood right in front of the lounging white haired body that should have been his own. Ryou also kept his brown eyes ahead, for when he looked down at his transparent form, he felt ill. "Bakura." He said, surprised at how calm it came out.

The thief jumped and cursed viciously in Egyptian, rolling off the couch back, and onto the cushions. Ryou could already see the glint of a knife in the boy's pale hand, as the white haired Egyptian looked around for the intrusion. When his deep brown eyes found Ryou, he sneered, but still relaxed visibly. "What the hell do you want?" he tucked the knife away with a smooth twitch of the hand.

"I need to talk to you."

Bakura scoffed and put his hands behind his head to lean back, the picture of indifference. "Shut up and go back in the ring."

Ryou knew he had the thief now. He had been watching, and the host had learned. Ryou knew that once he projected his spirit form he was out, even if Bakura threw off the ring. But if perhaps Bakura did not wear the item, or pulled it off before Ryou could come out, then the host was stuck, trapped in the confines of the ring. Ryou replayed over and over in his head what he and the Pharaoh had spoken about. "I have…a proposition for you."

Bakura tried to mask it, but he was interested. He popped one eye open and regarded the see-through body of Ryou. "What could you possibly offer that would interest me? I have your body completely under control and through you, I can get close to the baka-pharaoh." The thief leaned back on the couch again and turned his head away. "So go wash the ring with your tears or something."

Biting his lip, Ryou tried not to look worried. Everything hinged on Bakura's co-operation. Ryou needed the pharaoh's help, and the only way to get that, was to help Yugi; and to accomplish all this, he needed Bakura out of the way. "There is something I can do for you Bakura, something that I know you want." He tried not to shiver, but his voice came out tremulous.

The tomb-robber absently flicked the ring, just to hear the jangle of the gold spikes in the cool night air. "Mm." he purred, neither agreeing, nor disagreeing in the least. He could not give his host that satisfaction to know he had him interested. Very interested.

"And in return, all I need you to do is give my body back to me for 12 hours." Ryou took a step forward, desperate.

Bakura got up abruptly. "Not a chance," he barked and turned to stalk down the hallway. Violently as he passed, he slammed the knife into the wall, embedding it up to the hilt in the plaster. Ryou heard the bedroom door slam shut and he walked calmly to follow. Normally he would never aggravate the thief further, but this time he wasn't getting away. The boy ghosted through the closed door, and into his own moonlit bedroom.

He was greeted by the ring being hurled at him, thought it passed through to clunk against the wall. Bakura hadn't thrown it hard—he would never damage something so hard won by throwing it at the likes of his host. "I told you no," he hissed through his teeth, as he stood in the center of the room.

Undeterred, Ryou walked to stand an inch away from the thief's face. It was true, since Bakura had taken off the ring, Ryou could only go so far from the item, but for now, the Egyptian with the stolen body was trapped. "It is twelve hours, Bakura. You spent millennia in the ring before this, so—"

"And I won't go back," the thief looked as if he wished he could knock Ryou across the face, but simply clenched his firsts instead. "You are forgetting, stupid Yadonushi, that I currently own you, and this body of yours, until I make the baka-pharaoh pay." Pure hatred dripped from his tone and his brown eyes were cold in the moonlight.

"You are forgetting, Bakura," Ryou said back, emphasis on the name, "That you are living my life." He threw an arm out to encompass the room they were both in. "My room, my apartment, my body."

In response, Bakura went to the bed and flopped onto it, stretching his legs out over the rumpled blankets, and said nothing. To all appearances he went to sleep.

Irritably, Ryou walked over and wished he could poke the thief in the ribs, but instead simply loomed over his stolen body. "I am still here, and I am not letting you go to sleep and ignore me." Bakura's cheek twitched, but he did not open his eyes. Ryou kept talking. "You can't even make me be quiet, unless you come into the ring, and since you hate it in there, you won't." another twitch, this time the corner of his temple. "I can stand here forever and talk; spirits don't get tired at all. I can say whatever I want, and you can't stop me!" Bakura rolled over and faced his head to the wall, and discreetly gave his host the finger.

"I'll sing it, Bakura. You know I will." Ryou allowed himself a grin as a visible shiver went up the thief's spine. "And no one will hear it but you."

Bakura growled and thrust the pillow over his head. "I don't care what you do, you pathetic Yadonushi, the only thing I want is for you to shut up!" even muffled by the pillow, Ryou was sure the neighbors had heard the yell.

Ryou knew the tomb-robber was on his last legs. He took strength from the knowledge that it would all be over soon. But if this didn't work, Bakura would rip his soul to shreds in the ring, and he would never see outside again—Ryou bit off the panicky thoughts and started singing, slowly at first in his wavering off key voice. "This is the song that never ends,"

Bakura groaned and smashed the pillow harder over his ears. Ryou moved closer and sang louder, "Yes it goes on and on my friends, s-o-o-me people sta-a-arted singing it, not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because—" Ryou took a breath and yelled, "This is the song that never ends—"

"SHUP UP!" Bakura roared back, almost drowning out Ryou's sing song, "I loathe that infernal song!"

"—yes, it goes on and on my friends! Some people sta-a-a-rted singing it—"

Jumping to his feet, Bakura hurled the pillow through Ryou's form. The host just kept singing the same lines over and over again like he used to do to pass time in the ring, drawing out all the vowels. The thief grabbed for anything to hurl at the boy in his rage, as pictures and coat-hangers dented the walls. "SHUT UP, SHUT UP!" He blew through the door and out into the hallway, as Ryou skipped viciously along side him in the air.

"—Forever just because! This is the song—"Ryou had leaned close despite the thief's erratic movements, and bellowed in his ear, "THAT NEVER ENDS, yes it—"

Bakura was intent on getting out, getting away, killing the boy, crushing him into…

"Going to run from me, tomb-robber? Run from a silly song?" Ryou said calmly as Bakura hissed and lunged for the door's handle. Ryou blocked the way, and how the thief hated the clammy feeling of his arm passing through the spirit, so he paused just long enough for the host to say quickly, "I'll help you."

"You could help me by disappearing!" Bakura's rage hadn't died and his fingers brushed through Ryou's chest when he tried to escape. The Egyptian yanked his hand back as if he had been burned. "Get the hell out of my way!"

"You are here to destroy the pharaoh." It wasn't a question, and it briefly gave the thief another target for his anger, as Ryou spoke. "And likewise, he is here to destroy you. Together you just cancel each other out, no one winning no one losing. But he has his partner Yugi to help him—" or he will soon, if I have anything to say about it, Ryou thought. "And you have no one. It's two against one as it stands."

Bakura almost stumbled at his host's words. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously, though his hand began to fall away from the doorknob. "You are saying that you—you—would help me destroy the baka-pharaoh? I don't believe you."

Ryou was aware that his heart was in his throat. "All you have to do is let me have my body back for 12 hours. I need to say my goodbyes, do things you never allowed me to do before. Then, I'll give up." He felt himself tremble, despite being a mere shadow. "I won't help you, but I won't fight you."

"And after the 12 hours, as if you would give the body back to me! I don't trust you to—"

"I don't trust you either, but there's no choice. From now on, you either agree or I attempt to make your life a living hell." Something gleamed in Ryou's dark eyes. "And it won't be little child's songs, either."

"I can deal with you," Bakura grinned. "I have dealt with you before, I always win." But he couldn't deny that there was perhaps something different about his host, something harder in his eyes.

"Now that I am out, I can stay this way forever. You could go into the ring and shut in me in my soul room, or cast me to the shadows. But that leaves my body empty. Even if I just get control of an arm, I can ruin everything. Insane asylums, mental hospitals, cages… I can make you look crazy, Bakura, just with the twitch of a hand." He was banking on the thief's fear of this time that was not his own ancient Egypt, and it looked like it worked. "You can't destroy the ring, without yourself as well. And if you try and leave it behind to get rid of me, you can't access its shadow powers, and therefore you can't defeat the pharaoh."

The tomb-robber barked out a laugh. "You think you thought of everything, do you?"

"I have thought of everything. So many days spent in the ring, so much time to plan this all, Bakura." And now that it isn't just my little dream, Ryou thought, clenching a fist. I can hit two birds with one stone. I help Yami and Yugi, and they can help me. My freedom was gone anyways, so it is no hard price to pay. Bakura doesn't know that I can only exist as a spirit outside the ring for maybe 30 minutes. Already it is tugging on me…He better agree soon…And by doing this, I get to say goodbye to them, to the world. Ryou hardened his expression. "Do we have a deal?" if Bakura had looked carefully, he would have seen his host flicker in spirit just a little.

The thief thought, his ancient mind calculating every possible outcome. He opened his mouth, and then shut it. He spun on his heel, stalking to the kitchen and throwing open the cupboards with a bang. "When?" he spat over his shoulder, not looking at the infernal boy who he relied on.

"Right now." Ryou glanced at the clock, it read 11:22 PM in cool mint green fluorescent. "Until 11:22 AM tomorrow."

Bakura crushed a box in his hand. "Now?" he hissed, annoyed to find his palms sweaty with what might be called fear.

"Just go in the ring. You'll know when time is up, and come out to take over again." Ryou knew he had to get the thief to agree before he changed his mind. "And after that, you have a compliant host." He couldn't help but add a bitter sting to the words.

His eyes uncertain, Bakura walked to the bedroom, his feet padding the carpet quietly. He hesitated, then went in and picked up the ring. He locked eyes with the ghostly youth. "If you try and trick me boy," and his voice was so maniacal that Ryou shuddered. "Nothing can save you. I'll tear you to shreds until you beg to be cast to the shadows."

"I know."

Bakura shifted on his feet, and closed his eyes. He felt the press of gold on his calloused palms, and he searched until he found the bond between himself and Ryou. He breathed deeply and pried his shadow magic off of Ryou's soul door, leaving it open for him to exit. Bakura then stalked over to his own dusty soul room, opening the door with his touch, and immersing himself in the glow of thousands of riches and the dark wisps of shadows. Behind him, he slammed the door shut, intending to sulk alone.

Ryou exited his room, and rushed down the hallway that led to his body. He couldn't help but grin, even with the sharp stab of knowledge that this would be the last time. He was blinded momentarily, but when he blinked and opened his eyes, he was free. He promptly stumbled, not used to his own feet, and sat down, his back to the wall. Even in the darkness when the moon was hidden behind thick cloud, Ryou laughed in his rough voice, not stopping for a long, long time.

He felt his body, running his hands over his face, and arms just to feel smooth skin rather than cool air. He got up, and his legs wobbled a bit as his mind remembered how to use this thing called a body. The first thing he did was to pick up the ring, and shove it into his long ignored backpack. Still smiling—oh, how good it felt—he got to work. He had so many things to do, so much he wanted to do! But business comes first…and he had to hurry.


So wee, that was exciting. More insight into Ryou and his motives… Hope it all made sense and you enjoyed it. Review please! Or my German power hungry friend will take over your world. Hahahaha, beware the zeppelins! And for some clarification: baka means "stupid" or "idiot". And Yadonushi means "king's property" or "host". (At least that is what I am pretty sure it means. My source wasn't so great…if you know any other translations, feel free to tell them to me.)