Well here's another chapter.
The Darkest Magic
Tifa Strifeheart
Chapter One
No matter how many times the water fell from the sky Ryou Bakura could not just get used to it but that was all it seemed to do here in London. He sighed and leaned against the window sill. Rainy days always brought bad memories; after all, it had been raining the day of Grandpa Mutous funeral. He sighed again.
It had been over two years since the day they had discovered that Yugi had gone and rationally Ryou knew that he couldn't blame his little friend yet at the same time it hurt that he hadn't trusted them enough to come to his friends. He had gone to the funeral in part for himself and in part for Yugi. It didn't really surprise him that everyone had turned up. Jou, Anzu and Honda had been in tears so had Rebbeca and Auther Hopkins. The Kaibas had shown up as well, a stony faced Seto holding the hand of a sobbing Mokuba. There had been quite a number of people, a lot whom Ryou didn't know, all there to pay their respects. But even with the large numbers didn't seem to make up for the gaping emptiness where Yugi and Atem were supposed to be. It had all been so heart breaking.
After that life went on, they all grew up and graduated but nothing was the same anymore. Yugi's absence hurt them all, in his opinion it had effected Jou the most. Right after the funeral the blonde boy seemed to digress. He once again began to bully the populace of the school. They had tried to stop him but it had been to no avail. Only Honda had any idea what the other was going through and even he hadn't been able to get through to his old friend. Both Anzu and he himself had been at a complete loss and could only watch as their friend got further and further away. The solution had come for the most unexpected place: in the form of Seto Kaiba. The CEO had taken the blond somewhere after he had picked a fight with the brunette. None of them really know what words were shared, Jou had never told them, but he had come to them the next day, repentant and slightly banged up.
After the events with Jou, Kaiba had begun to sit with them at lunch and hang out with the group occasionally. They could only consider him a friend by the barest of threads but that seemed to be enough. It helped Anzu for one thing. Now that she once again had people to preach of the wonders of friendship to again she had slowly begun to climb out of her depression. She began to study dancing with more vigour then before telling them that she had promised Yugi that she would do it and that was what she was going to do. Ryou smiled at that memory. She had gotten her wish. He had her latest post card from New York in a rubber banded bundle in his desk.
He on the other hand had not been allowed to sink into depression as so many of his other friends had. Unconsciously he lifted a hand to touch the ring that hung around his neck shivering slightly as the cool metal pressed against his chest. The item never seemed to warm when it was like this, vacant of the spirit that had possessed it for so long. There had been so much that had changed but at the same time so much had stayed the same. When Atemu had handed him the ring back he had felt the urge to throw it away or to tell the ancient pharaoh that he didn't want it; but he couldn't. And that was how he and Bakura met again.
& & Flashback & &
Safe for the moment in his bedroom Ryou stared down at the item in his shaking hands. He had hid his fear as best he could from the others but he didn't think he had fooled the pharaoh for a second. Atemu had taken him aside on the plane back to Japan and had told him that he was the only one who could care for the ring and the spirit inside. "As much as I would prefer to be rid of the Tomb robber, this is how it should be." Ryou shook his head. So much had happened to him from the day that his father handed this item to him and he had thought that he could finally be rid of the abusive spirit within it. With a sigh he slipped the ring over his head and resigned himself to his fate. After a long time and no sudden appearance of the yami Ryou frowned. Settling down on his bed, he closed his eyes and went to a place he had only been to a handful of times.
If what Yugi and Atemu had said was right then this place he always found himself was a reflection of his soul. The picture on the bedside table only proved this fact. He had no pictures of his little sister in the real world. He glanced at the cleaner that sat at the foot of the bed, a cloth resting against it. If this was a reflection of his soul then he could figure out what that meant. If only wiping away the past could be as easy. Ignoring the rest of the rooms decorations, Ryou turned to the only door and opened it. The door swung open soundlessly leading into a infinitely dark hall, the only thing that he could make out was the heavy door across from his. Taking a deep breath, Ryou took a step towards the other door and turned the knob. It as heavier then it looked and he had to lean his body against it and push it open in one motion before he lost his nerve. What he saw shocked him.
It was an old room, one mad of what was apparently mud stones but large in a way that he doubted a mud home could be. There was a bed that seemed to be a cross between a modern day bed and what would have been spreading on a floor. Littered here and there were apparently treasures, some that appeared of immeasurable value and others that didn't look to be treasures at all. But none of that is what had Ryou frozen at the door. There were holes, large gaping holes that seemed to lead to the shadow realm itself. Only by a bare minimum was their more wall then hole. He watched in horror as one of the little treasures on the floor was slowly sucked into one of the holes of darkness. Is this what Zorc had done to his yami? He was still trying to understand when he heard a cry from the other side of the room.
Bakura, was holding on to what looked like a soccer ball sized glimmering ruby that was slowly being dragged into one of the larger holes. He cried out in frustrated anger as he lost an inch to the shadow realms pull. Before he knew what he was thinking, Ryou was across the room and helping his yami pull back the treasure. As soon as his hands touched the shimmering surface his senses were flooded.
Feelings of joy and happiness, crashed into him, there was also sadness and anger as well but the underlying tone to all of those emotions was contentment. Rather than the room around him he saw what had to be a child Bakura arguing with an older man, playing with a younger girl holding the hand of an elder woman. The child laughed in front of his eyes, he cried and he lost his temper. There he was training his first horse and again with the body of his first kill raised high above his head. It was as if a life was flashing before his eyes and suddenly Ryou was back tugging on the large gem for all he was worth and understanding what these treasures were and why this one was the most valuable. They were Bakuras memories. And this one was his memories of his village. With a final jerk the ruby was pulled out of the grip of the shadows and sent both of the sprawling.
Touching the place where his head had connected with the floor Ryou sat up and looked around for his yami. Bakura was up on his knees holding the ruby as if it were breakable glass. Something was obviously wrong with his yamis state of mind. Not wanting to startle the other, Ryou called out to him softly. When there was no reply he got onto his knees and slowly moved to the other who was still entranced by whatever it was that the ruby was showing him. "Bakura." The other started, grabbing the orb to his chest tightly and staring at Ryou with confused eyes to his surprise, the look hurt him. He shook of the slight stab. "Bakura, it's me." Recognition flashed into those eyes for an instant.
"R-Ryou." He nodded and raised a hand.
"Come on Bakura. We need to get you out of here." Redish brown eyes stared out the outstretched hand then at the ruby in his arms and finally returned to Ryou. Ryou smiled comfortingly a small part of his mind questioning why he was being so nice to someone who would only hurt him later on. "You can take it with you." There was a long moment of stillness before the thief took his hand. Ryou rose to his feet and helped to other up. Slowly they made their way out of the broken soul.
& & End Flash Back & &
Ryou smiled faintly at the memory. After he had made Bakura comfortable in his own soul room he had gone to see Atemu. The pharaoh had not been surprised. He had explained that the influence of Zorc for all those years had begun to tear apart the very essence of Bakuras soul and now that the evil was gone there was nothing to fill the holes where it had been. And just like the pharaoh had said it had taken months to get through his other half. He had monitored the slow repair of Bakuras soul room while the dark spirit had dwelled with in his. The time that they had spent so close together had changed their bond as well. He was always aware of his recovering yami a sensation that he had never experienced before and at times he would get flashes of the others memories and feeling. At those times it was when Bakura had been viewing his memories inside Ryous soul room.
Now, over two years later, Bakura was back to his old self. Well almost. With all his memories intact he seemed a kinder version of himself if such a thing was possible. Even though not many of the others had noticed the difference as Bakuras light Ryou could tell and he was grateful for the change as a whole. The door suddenly slammed and he turned in time to see Bakura walk into the living room shaking his mane of white hair. Ryou smiled as their eyes met and watched his other cross the room in that silent way of his.
The thing that had shocked him the most is that when all of Bakuras memories had returned he had apologized – for everything. Well no one else would have considered it an apology but he saw it for what it had really been. He had explained that he had only wanted his light to be stronger and a voice that he no longer heard had told him that pain was the only way. He didn't want what had happened to him to ever happen to his own light. After getting over the horror of Bakuras logic he had been touched in a twisted kind of way.
"Welcome home." Bakura had stopped and Ryou could only stare up at him. Suddenly the thief smirked and engulfed him in a bear hug. With a cry Ryou began trying to push the larger man off of him. "Ahh… Bakura!" Bakura just chuckled as he pulled away and then began to peel off his wet cloths. Ryou stared down at his suddenly damp clothing in dismay.
"Well that's what you get for not being on guard." Ryou just huffed deciding to not cross his arms when they brought the wet shirt closer to his skin. Bakura glanced at him his smirk fading as his hands holding the wet shirt he was taking off stilled.
"I felt them." Ryous amusement faded and he froze. He didn't share with the others but they had been searching; for so long now. He didn't want to hope. "It was only for an instant so short I couldn't even focus on it but it was defiantly the millennium puzzle; and it was close by."
Amber eyes snapped open still cloudy with the remnants of sleep and dreams. Finally beginning to see what was actually in front of him, 20 year old Katsuya Jonouchi squeezed his eyes shut against the morning sunlight with a low groan. Just as he was about to roll over the blaring screeching of his alarm clock started up. Not only were the gods out to take eyesight but his hearing as well. Pulling himself up he slammed down on the alarm clock with a bit more force than necessary. It had been months since the darn thing had actually woke him up but what could he say. Old habits die hard. Pulling himself out of bed he sighed. Only when his uniform was laid out on his bed did he head out of the room and to the bathroom.
Stepping under the spray Jou sighed in pleasure. It was only here where he let time slow down if only in his mind. These dreams were really beginning to get to him. Not necessarily in a bad way but in a way that wasn't pleasant; at least thins time. At other times the sheer strength of the memories didn't wait till he was asleep and then they were painful. Atemu had warned him that acceptance would cause something like this.
& & Flashback & &
"What do you mean?" Jou stared down at the glimmer in his hands.
"It'll help you remember. You were there all those years ago, I remember now." Jou frowned.
"Wait. That can't be right. We all went back there and there wasn't anyone who looked like me. If I was there then where was I?" Atemu sighed and shook his head.
"That's why I'm giving you this. So that you remember; but it won't be easy."
& & End Flashback & &
Slowly he was remembering. What he saw in his dreams seemed to be clearing then his own memories of this life. And the visions both mesmerized and horrified him. It changed so much about his life now that he was seeing into the past. Some things were still blurry faces and names but he knew that those would be revealed to him in time. Turning off the water, Jou wrapped a towel loosely around his waist and stepped out of the bathroom. The silence in his house was comforting as he walked towards his bedroom. So much had changed since Yugi had left, he dimly wondered of what his little friend would think of him now. Jou's chuckle at Yugi's imaginary reaction faded as he stepped into his room and light hit the gold pieces sitting on his desk. Almost without thinking, Jou walked across the room.
Running a finger along one golden edge, Jou felt the power of the millennium scales like a pulse. Atemu had said that this piece was his, it had just taken the item longer to find him then it had the others for some reason. He was sure that the pharaoh knew what that reason was but if he hadn't wanted to tell then it hadn't been Jous place to push it. His eyes were drawn to the piece beside the scales. The Millennium Rod seemed to radiate an impatience that made Jou smile. Two years and it was still waiting for its master to claim it. Kaiba was such a prick but something told him that he couldn't hold out much longer.
Turning away from the items Jou stared at the uniform he had on the bed. Two years ago the sight of such an outfit in his room would have disgusted him now the memory of his childish hate made him want to laugh. Once in it, Jou brushed at the KC logo on the collar. What would Yugi think if he was to see him now, working for Kaiba. He chuckled again turning back to the items. Picking up his scales with an ease that had taken him years to develop, he tapped into the pool of magic that the item gave him access to and watched at the golden set shrunk in size. Smiling at his work he place the miniature scales on the fine chain that he bought for them then slipped the millennium rod into his tailored pocket before stepping out of the house and locking the door behind him.
This whole shadow magic thing he was taking slowly. With no one really around to teach it to him he was using the instructions of a blurry faced teacher in his dreams and his own instincts. This is how it had been for a while now and on the Ishtars last visit Ishizu had described his style as one she had ever quite seen before. He slipped into his car and set off to the office. Not too long later he saw the looming building that was Kaiba Corp. and, like all times before, the sight of it brought back the memories of the time that Kaiba had helped him the most. He had been shocked and hurt when Yugi had left without warning and only wanted to find his best friend.
Then his father had died.
It had been a case of alcohol poisoning that had done it but that hadn't been much of a surprise. Though not the best father in the world he had loved his old man. And for his son he had tried to get over the alcohol but sadly the alcohol had beaten him. For Jou it had been a double blow and he just had a meltdown. He parked in his usual spot and got out of the car. He couldn't really remember the weeks after Grandpas funeral he had just lost it. The clearest thing from that time was Kaiba in his face pounding on him and telling him that he was no longer a person willing to call himself Yugi's friend. He had fought back but every word that the CEO had said struck home. What had really got to him was when Kaiba had asked him if he was becoming the person that he wanted Yugi to meet when he returned. Under those blue eyes that seemed to see all of his secrets Jou broke down telling his declared enemy everything he had been holding in.
'Shh. Stupid Mutt. I promised Yugi that I would take care of all of you.' He chuckled under his breath as he got off the empty elevator; all the people that had filled it slowly disappearing long before it reached the top floor. Now here he was. After months of protesting working for one of the largest gaming companies in world. He nodded to the secretary in the reception. She nodded back not bothering to stop him or warn her boss of his arrival. Here working for a boss with one of the biggest egos in the world. He threw the door to the head honchos office, a large grin on his face.
"Good Morning! You miss me?' His grinned widened as Kaibas lifted his head from his work to glare at him already annoyed. The rod in his pocket stood at attention so to speak. Today was going to be a great day.
So what do you think. Yeah we'll get to the Harry Potter world eventually… I promise?
A few shout outs.
xDarklightx: Three words but I was so happy. Glad that you liked it.
Ning Jun: I know it was so sad! I really tried not to but it had to happen. He will be missed though.
Well that's it for this chapter tell me what you think. I'll try to get another chapter out before school starts ok.