A/N: Hi again, I'm back! I'm kind of glad that BR has gone this far…thanks to all the reviewers and sorry I can't reply to any of them… My head hurts right now but I have nothing else to do but finish writing. Well, enjoy this chapter as it brings you closer to the inevitable end.

Don't own Yugioh! Or any of it's amazing characters, nor do I own The Eagles and their song Desperado. All that I own is this story.

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What had happened to me? Did I hallucinate and imagine them? Am I going crazy… I could have sworn I heard them just right here… Amane, Mother…

Ryou blinked and glanced around uneasily. There seemed to be no one else enjoying the park's beauty…like he had scared all the people off. He sighed unhappily and stood up, shaking off the laziness he had built up. The ducks near him quacked and ran away, a few feathers floating behind them. I wonder what time it is…by the looks of it, it must be late afternoon. I didn't think that I had stayed here that long, but I guess letting your mind wander takes up time. A lot of time. Hm… I wonder where Yugi and the others went off to… and I still need to buy that damned radio I set off to get in the first place. Ryou growled and stretch again to wake himself up. He turned in the direction of the local store and headed off. He didn't want to stay out later than he had to; he feared what Bakura might do to him if he was late for an "appointment".

The afternoon sun didn't seem to be as unforgiving as many people would make it out to be. He walked calmly down the cement path out of the park with his hair still somewhat covering his face. Getting annoyed with this the boy threw back his head and tried hard to get the locks of hair tamed. Once satisfied with the way his hair stayed in place, he continued on with his journey to the local drugstore or something. He didn't much feel like being around people anymore. The ducks and geese around the pond quacked as he left, returning to their resting spot near the bench he sat at. Sorry to have gotten in your way…

All around him people were enjoying the day with others. They laughed, they joked, they played around. Everyone seemed to be having such good time. Everyone but the pale skinned boy Ryou. He felt like such a stranger in this world because everywhere he went people gave him strange stares and whispered amongst themselves. How he wanted to feel like he belonged, like he was meant to be alive. Was this his punishment for allowing his mother and sister to die? His punishment for not being there when he was needed?

"Your prison is walking through this world all alone. Don't your feet get cold in the winter time, the sky won't snow and the sun won't shine…it's hard to tell your night time from your day…you are losing all your highs and lows, ain't it funny how the feeling goes away? Desperado why don't you come to your senses? Come down from your fences, open the gate? It may be raining, but there's a rainbow above you, you better let somebody love you….before it's too late…"

Ryou listened to the string of American music floating around and chuckled. (Yes, apparently they translated the Eagles' classic Desperado into Japanese!) Right about now, it sort of suited him. Yet, it didn't in a manner. Oh well, fifty- fifty then.

I'm a stranger. A stranger to people, a stranger to myself. Who am I?I lost me a long time ago…

Even knowing this, Ryou pretended to smile and laugh. He had lost himself in a war waged between his mind and his emotions…he guessed he had surrendered himself and allowed his emotions to take over. He wished so much he had not let that happen…he knew deep down inside that he was supposed to be in control. He knew that he should help himself; that he should save himself. The only thing that stood in his path was the weird fact that he didn't help himself; as to why, he didn't know.

Taking a glance around the area he had apparently entered, he smiled and sighted the small mini mall thing right around the next group of people. Those damn people who condemned him when he was just an innocent little boy. Of course he didn't blame them. No one could blame them…it was kind of rude to do so. He could only place the blame upon himself, and in doing so he would then mutilate as a way to get the pain out of him.

Ryou's eyes fogged over when he thought of the knife… the blood…the pain. He growled and shook his head. That wouldn't be dealt with right now… It was a secret to his heart to keep.

When he crossed paths with the crowd of people…he felt a wandering aura that kind of scared him. He shook it off and glanced at the faces of the normal teenagers. They laughed and laughed and spoke normally. The instance he passed by, the teens stopped talking and stared at the pale youth…he felt their eyes examine his every movement like vultures eyeing a decaying carcass. The instant seemed like an hour but he got through it and opened the door of the drugstore hastily so as to get away from their leering eyes.

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A/N: Sorry I have to end it there. I'll update it again soon my pretties! With Love, Ryou Marik! (I have no internet at home so I'm sorry if this is getting to you kind of late….yea, I'll get it back again soon, so have no fear! Thanks Jess for posting these chapters….)