After years of waiting, I finally give you chapter four! Review if you wish!
Bakura stood awkwardly in the middle of the room as the rest of his friends retreated to the safety of the world outside Dr. Clarington's office. As they left, each person gave Bakura a reassuring look or gesture and promised to meet up with him again once he was done. Finally, the door closed and Bakura was left alone in the room with only the 'good doctor'.
"Is this your first time with a psychologist?" Dr. Clarington asked as she put the chairs and sofas back in their original places about the room.
Bakura nodded his head. Seeing how she was struggling moving some of the bigger pieces of furniture, he instinctively walked over to assist her.
"Oh, thank you very much Ryou." She said, accepting his help. However, it was only after placing the couch in the desired spot, that he realized exactly what he had been moving. The sight of it caused his stomach to grow unbearably cold. The psychiatrists couch. When Dr. Clarington, realized his look, she placed her hand gently on his shoulder. "There's no need to be nervous. I just want to understand you a little better."
"Oh, don't worry, I'm not nervous." Bakura blatantly lied.
"Good. Then why don't you just sit down right there and we can have a nice little chat." She smiled, pointing at the couch as she sat down in a chair adjacent to it. Bakura took a mighty gulp before slowly sitting down on the couch.
He'd seen many television shows that started off just like this. The evaluator would ask the patient to sit down on the couch. Next thing, the person is saying he hates his mother and wets the bed, spilling his guts all over the floor, and men in white jumpsuits come to take him to the loony bin, where they pump him up with drugs until he's lost all will to live and walks aimlessly around in a smock and pink bunny slippers. Bakura hated pink! He refused to wear bunny slippers! He had to stay calm! As long as 'you know who' didn't make an appearance, she had no reason to believe he wasn't just a normal kid. Bakura's heart raced as he awaited the first penetrating question.
"So how was your day today?" Dr. Clarington smiled pleasantly.
"Alright I guess." He answered, confused but still on edge.
"That's good. Hit any traffic on the way down here?"
"No actually, we walked."
"Really? Oh yes, well I suppose that might be the case. You're not old enough to drive yet, are you?"
"Yes, it's just we didn't have a car."
"I see. Well, I had a horrible time getting up here. Construction and whatnot." Dr. Clarington gave a soft smile that made Bakura feel embarrassed. She was kind of pretty for an older woman. "Talk with Yugi a lot during your walk?" She asked, shifting gears slightly.
"Um, I don't know. I really can't recall. We might have talked a bit."
"I get the feeling that the rest of your friends are a bit wearier of you than of anyone else."
Bakura fidgeted a bit in his seat. "Maybe. I hadn't noticed it before."
"Are you sure about that?" Dr. Clarington took out her notes and flipped a few pages. "Because from time to time, you get anxious when you're the center of attention. I couldn't help but take note of the fact that you almost seemed panicked about having to talk about yourself. And then again, when each person had to describe you, it got quiet and you looked nervous."
"You noted all that?" Bakura's heart was racing in his chest at a thousand beats per minute. "How many notes did you take on me?"
"I'd say about three pages." Bakura's eyes bulged. He was done for, he knew it. "Oh don't worry. That's light. I must have at least five pages on Mai and Tea alone. It's really nothing to worry about. It's my job to evaluate your interactions with people."
"But that's sociology." Bakura said, becoming confused.
"Yes it is." She nodded. "I minored in sociology, while receiving my Masters degree in psychotherapy. After that I studied work in both psychology and psychiatry." Dr. Clarington pointed toward the left wall where a large display revealed several different diplomas.
"Wait. What's the difference between psychiatry, psychology, and psychotherapy?"
"Well it's kind of hard to explain completely but… let's just say I've been in school for a long, long, long time."
"How long?"
Dr. Clarington gave a sort of strained smile. She didn't like talking about her age. "Long enough to both evaluate and treat sane and insane individuals, families, and social groups. That's all I have to say about that. Why, do I look old?"
"No, you look quite young actually."
"Thank you." Dr. Clarington returned to her notes yet again. Bakura wondered what exactly she had written on him. "Do you mind if I ask you about that chain on your neck?"
Bakura flinched suddenly. "Um, no I don't mind. My dad got it for me on an expedition in Egypt."
"Yes, you told me that already." She replied with a smile, but a determined look. "It's just that I noticed that Yugi has something similar around his neck. His Puzzle. He said his grandfather gave it to him. Do you know if they are from the same place or…?"
"No!" Bakura blurted out quickly. "I mean… Yes… I mean, they are but…" He grabbed at his head. He was feeling a bit of pressure and he was afraid of loosing control of his body.
"It's ok Bakura; we can change the subject if you want. Do you need something to drink? A glass of water?"
"No I'm fine, really. I just haven't been having a great week."
"Well it's okay to be stressed." Dr. Clarington assured him, putting her notepad down on her lap. You've been thrust into a very stressful situation. But I assure you, you have nothing to worry about here. I'm just trying to understand the kind of people Yugi hangs out with."
"You're right" Bakura's head pain was easing now. Things will be fine as long as I can hold HIM at bay! "I'm sorry; I don't know what got over me"
"It's fine. I'm used to handling some pretty bad cases so there's nothing a normal kid like you could do that would throw me off completely." Dr. Clarington laughed getting up from her seat and walking around the room. But all the while she kept thinking that he was definitely hiding something very big, and it had to do with the ring around his neck.
She didn't like having to push results out of people, but she had to get treatment for Yugi as soon as possible and she only had one day to interview this character in her office now, so she had to work fast and get some answers.
"You know, I've heard some things about you Ryou."
"You have? What kind of things?"
"Nothing too bad. You seem pretty involved in Ancient Egyptian study."
Dr. Clarington took a deep breath. She was about to either hit gold or fall flat on her ass. Suspicion was the only thing causing her to say this next statement and she prayed she was right or else she'd loose him and anything significant he had to say. She walked over to her desk and pulled out an item she'd used with Yugi as well and walked it back over to Bakura.
"Just like Yugi. You're into Duel Monsters and its Ancient Egyptian origins, right? Isn't that why you both wear those items?" As she said this she put a replica of one of the stone slabs from the museum in Bakura's hand.
Bakura's eyes widened in fear. He could feel the Evil Thief trying to emerge and take over him again. "NO!" Hysterical, Bakura threw the slab replica across the room with so much force that he nearly fell off the couch. Screaming loudly, he writhed in pain, curling into a tight ball.
As he screamed, a side of Bakura's face curled into a malicious grin. A cackle began to emerge.
Years of experience and practice taught Dr. Clarington that it was best to keep her distance and wait out the trauma and to simply make sure he doesn't hurt himself. This display was the warning sound of a very serious mental condition, and she was mentally preparing herself to face what was to come.
Eventually the cackling died down and a very different Bakura sat up on the couch giving Dr. Clarington a look she hadn't seen the boy make before. It was scary and slightly lustful. Slowly, he stood up.
"Ryou?" Dr. Clarington asked, keeping her professional calm. A broad smile surfaced, and he seemed about to speak when without warning, his left arm shot straight out and grabbed the Millennium Ring and snatched it right off him own neck, throwing it across the room.
Bakura immediately painfully screamed out and fell to the floor. This time Dr. Clarington walked up to him and nudged his shoulder. This time, the old Bakura looked back at her with teary eyes.
"Ryou? Are you okay dear?" She'd gotten the result that she wanted but she felt terrible for the boy. Bakura looked up at her, sobbing openly.
"I'm not insane!" Ryou cried. "He's real, he's in that THING!" He screamed determined, pointing at the Millennium Ring. "He takes over me, he makes me do horrible things and I can't stop him. I've been trying so hard. Please, I'm not crazy!"
"I don't think you're crazy Ryou." She assured him. Ryou looked up at her both dumbfounded and exhausted from his struggle. "Just like, Yugi, I don't think you're crazy or insane. I think you're a victim. A victim of something that's completely out of your hands."
Bakura looked up at her with hope. "Really?" He asked, sitting up and trying to pull himself together.
"Really." She smiled at him and patted him on the head. As she stood up she offered him a hand. "Now tell me. How often does this spirit try to take control of you?"
"Not so much anymore" Bakura sniffed. "It's mostly small fragments of him now. He's much weaker since… since his undoing back in Egypt."
"Well, I'll tell you what. You can get your stuff together and head back home, okay. Try not to put the Ring back on if you can help it. And maybe we'll talk again later. Maybe we can figure out a way to help you out."
Not very convinced, Ryou nodded his head and gathered up his things. He gave Dr. Clarington a quick 'goodbye' and left the office, very confused and even more worried. He knew that despite her comforting words, he and his friends were in big trouble.