It had been over a month since Bakura or Yuugi had last come in contact with Yami. For Bakura, though he was upset at his inability to bring about his revenge on the Pharaoh, he had been able to terrorize the Yuugi-tachi without restraint. There wasn't any serious damage – no one died yet – but he made sure that the mere presence of Ryou had the midget Hikari shivering in fear at the possibility of his arrival. Yuugi, of course, is number two on his hit list, second only to his Hikari. Bakura was absolutely sure that Yami's sudden disappearance was the midget's fault and he wasn't going to stop until the Pharaoh returned.
For Yuugi, being cut off from Yami's presence was hell. He became withdrawn, and although the times he was in the presence of his friends it didn't bother him much, at night when he lays in bed and looks toward the spot his Yami usually occupies when he goes to sleep, he begins to cry. He didn't know what he had done to cause Yami to abandon him and even looked forward to Bakura's torture as a punishment. At times he even wished that Bakura would banish him to the shadows. He would do anything to have Yami back.
At the moment, Yuugi and Ryou are walking down the streets of London. They had been chosen to participate in a tournament to promote new dueling technology created by Zigfried von Schroeder. As this was a duelist only invitation, and Jonouchi was unable to attend, Ryou and Yuugi were the only ones there. Kaiba Corp. and Industrial Illusions were also featured, and because of this Kaiba Seto and Pegasus J. Crawford spent most of the time, outside of watching duels, at each others throats. As a way to pass time until the semi-finals in two days, and to free themselves from the tension of being in the same room as Kaiba and Pegasus, Ryou decided to show Yuugi around his home country.
They had just finished eating dinner, and were walking down a quiet road laughing about the fight that broken out, when Yami no Bakura finally decided to take control again.
"So…" Bakura begins, "It seems the Hikari's had some fun today, and yet again, the Pharaoh decided not to show."
Bakura towered over Yuugi, pushing him into a seemingly abandoned alley. Yuugi's hand grips a corner of the Sennen Puzzle in terror. He watches as Bakura pulls out a knife from nowhere and places it against Yuugi's cheek.
"Now, young Hikari," Bakura whispers, shifting his body closer to Yuugi, "It's time for me to have some fun."
The word "No" echoed throughout the dark chamber, rousing the spirit from his sleep.
"Please…No." Yami hears whispered faintly. "Please. Yami help me…"
The Pharaoh turns himself over, blinking open his eyes and releasing his grip on the shadows that held him in. Now that the shadows have retreated, he could hear the echo of the frantic pounding on his soul room door and feel the terror and pain flowing through the link to his Hikari.
This sudden onset of emotion jolted Yami into a hyper-aware state. He bolted out of his room, up and down stairs and through the doorways of his maze-like soul room. He couldn't believe that he had to wake from his peaceful slumber to this. It seemed his Hikari gotten into some trouble and once again he has to save him. Yami stopped directly before his shaking door, turned the handle, and pulled it slowly inward.
Yuugi gasped, his eye widening in disbelief as he watch the soul room of his Yami finally open. He looked up at the older teen, and threw himself at Yami, his hands gripping at Yami's waist as he cried into him, his soul flinching at the pain Bakura is inflicting into his body.
"Why?" Yuugi cried, "Why are you letting him do this to me? Why did you leave me alone? You promised to be with me forever, so why?"
Yami took in the disheveled appearance of his Hikari, his initial anger still tangent but held back. He knew there was no real reason for it, and to show this to Yuugi would only lead to more histerics. Without speaking a word, Yami slowly removed Yuugi's tight grip and lifted him, cradling Yuugi to his chest as he moved towards his Hikari's once joy filled soul room. Yami gazed over the mess that had become of his Aibou's soul room. What was once a bright and airy room filled with puzzles, joy and delight, is now a room that could rival one of the many rooms of his soul lay the saking figure down and placed a hand gently against his head.
"Rest," Yami told him, the only word spoken before he locked the room and took control of his host's body.
AN: It's been many many year's since I opened this particular piece of work and I apologize to all those who had begun to read and love this work. Now that I have many more years of writing experience I hope (though I cannot promise) that I can provide to something much more complex than I originally plotted out. My whole plan is out the door (and truly forgotten) and so I'm flying now at the seat of my pants. Any tidbits and requests are open. Hope you enjoy whats to come.