Glad to see even a few people like my work. Hey if no one reviews then I can never know. Ah well I'll stop yapping for you.

Disclaimer: I don't own nothing…. Sadly

A/N: There will be yaoi in this fic – It won;t really be the focus but I feel that I have to let people know (maybe I should have mentioned this earlier.) I just can't imagine the YGO cast with anyone else… lol.

Ok now I'm done. On with the show.

The Darkest Magic

Tifa Strifeheart

Chapter Two

Suppressing a groan Seto Kaiba straightened and glared at the annoyance that just stepped into his office. Katsuya Jonouchi had been a thorn in his side since the day that he had met him and had only become more so in the years that they had known one another. The years and Yugi's disappearance had mellowed Jou out in his opinion, not enough to make him less annoying but enough to just make him bearable. "What are you doing here?" He watched as his former classmate plopped down on onto one of the two chairs that were on the opposite his large wooden desk. The mongrel grinned even wider.

"Reporting for duty!" He rolled his eyes. He had no idea when this chumminess began and he had no idea how he was supposed to put a stop to it. Sometimes he wished that he hadn't been the one to have given the blonde a wakeup call – he wouldn't be forced to deal with him now. But that was the responsibility that Yugi and Yami had dumped into his lap and his pride wouldn't let him drop it. He had been the last to see either of the two and that settled uncomfortably with him. If he didn't know better he would have thought that the other two had planned this, waiting just out of sight till the moment that he dropped the ball and let one of their friends down. Just thinking about it had him turning to his computer, with a few clicks on a secure online database that he himself had created, he checked the status of all those that were on it. "Click that one!" Way to used to Jou for his own good, Kaiba didn't flinch at the sudden voice at the side of his head. No matter how many times he told the other not to lean over his shoulder the idiot never got the message. Sighing he clicked the profile the blond had pointed out.

"Are you happy now Mutt?"

"Aww… Anzu only came second. I was sure she was going to beat everyone." Jou straightened then made his way back to his seat. "How's Honda doing by the way?" Rolling his eyes Kaiba hit a few keys.

"He past the pre-examination; the years finals are coming up." Jou sat down in his chair again with a long whistle.

"Wow, I didn't know that the guy was so smart. Honda a doctor; to think that he had it in him all this time." Kaiba just snorted. Jou gave him a look. "You know Moneybags, some people, myself included, would find you watching my friends a bit weird. And not weird in the good way. He placed his hands on the back of his head and began to rock the expensive chair on its hind legs, it was only a few inches and it was that fact alone that kept Kaiba from barking at him to stop. "I mean you had a program written up for spying and everything. You sure you haven't done some stalking in your time."

"What the hell makes you think that I care enough to spy on you and your little friends?"Letting go of his head Jou shrugged elaborately.

"I don't know Kaiba. Maybe you have a-" Kaiba frowned at the boy across from him after a few seconds. Not only had the blonds words frozen mid sentence but Jou was frozen mid-movement as well. His eyes were half closed with arms somewhat a part and his mouth slightly open. It was as if someone had had pressed pause on a video tape. His frown deepened and he slowly began to rise. Something was wrong, Jou's chest wasn't moving.

"Jou…" As if his name was a trigger, Jou let out a cry and Kaiba saw his hands clutch his head seconds before the chair went toppling over backwards spilling it occupant onto the carpeted floor. In no time Kaiba was around the desk and kneeling beside a shaking Jou. Afraid for hurting the other man, Kaiba watched as Jou convulsed violently on the ground, hands gripping the hair on his head as if he intended to pull it out and crying out in pain. There was a knock on his down and before he could say anything his secretary had popped her head in the doorway.

"Sir, is anything the matte-" Her eyes widened as she saw Jou and for once Kaiba forgot to bark at her for entering his office without permission.

"Call my doctor, immediately!" She nodded and scurried out of the room. When his eyes returned back to Jou, the man's convulsions had gotten worse. Knowing he had to do something, Kaiba reached out and grabbed Jou forearms. He didn't even get the chance to think that it was a mistake before his senses were overcome with heat and his office melted away. Before his eyes were the pyramids, and the visions flashed through places he had never been but knew well, people he had never met but looked familiar. He could feel the hot Egyptian sun burn his skin and the harsh winds dry his tongue.

As suddenly as it all started it was over and he was panting on the floor of his office eyes staring at Jou who had now calmed down and seemed to be sleeping peacefully. Groaning he pulled himself onto his knees still watching Jouonchi and if was for this reason that he saw Jou's necklace. A top two buttons of his dress shirt had somehow come undone in the commotion and nestled there in the hollow of his collar bone was a miniature golden set of scales. There was no mistaking the millennium item. He had only seen this item a handful of times and much larger but there was no mistaking it. It was the millennium scales, but why the hell had Yami given them to Jou? He reached out to touch them when a flash of gold at a distance caught his eye. Reluctantly he turned his head and there it was; the millennium rod seemed to be calling out to him. It was lying a few feet from the top of Jou's head and even as he slowly approached it he remembered the last time he had seen it.

& & Flashback & &

"What?" Across the room Yami raised an eyebrow at him his smirk only getting wider.

"The gods would like to return this to you." Out of the sack he pulled out what was undoubtedly the millennium rod. With a twirl the pharaoh held out the items hilt to him. Kaiba didn't even have to glance at his little brothers amazed look instead he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back into his chair.

"And what the hell makes your gods think that that thing belongs to me?" Yami frowned.

"It has always been yours." He was shaking his head before the other finished. Everyone else in the room was watching their interaction and this was something he would not back down from.

"It's not mine and I don't want it." Yami opened his mouth then stopped. He cocked his head for a second as if listening to something none of them could here then with a sigh he shook his head.

"If that is how you are going to be Kaiba then fine." With that he slipped the item back into the bag with all the others.

& & End Flashback & &

That had been the last time he had seen the item. He stared at the gold in his hands trying to deny the feeling of relief he felt at just holding it. What was Jou doing with it? How long had the Mutt been carrying it around with him and why? This thing had haunted his dreams for months now. In them he saw this item held by a man that was him and not him. Flashes of that person's life had been melting into his own memories to the point that he had to concentrate in order to distinguish those from his own. With the Rod in his hands it felt like he was coming back to a home that he had never had. And that was how the doctor found him; sitting on the carpeted floor beside Jou's prone form staring at the rod that he refused to claim as his own and yet knew belonged to no other.

Ryou watched with growing happiness as his little sister took her first step. The feeling of happiness was ruined slightly by sadness. Now that his sister could walk she would soon be able to take on the sands of Egypt all by herself. Right then and there he decided that he would become stronger so his sister could always come to him. Relived now he ran to his sisters side and only grinned wider when she smiled up at him when he took her little hand. Slowly he led around his most important treasure. He would always be strong for her. Always…

Ryous blinked as he swan back into consciousness slowly he placed a hand on his eyes to block out the afternoon sun. Another one of Bakura's memories. Reliving parts of Bakuras like had become less and less frequent rather now the knowledge was in his mind whenever he wished to know. It was a result of having the core of Bakuras memories in his soul for so long. Even now that it was back in Bakuras soul room it still affected him and that was probably the reason behind their closeness; Ryou understood the other now. Sure Bakura still scared the crap out of him at times…

"Stupid kid's going to destroy everything if he keeps that up." Ryou turned on the couch to stare at Bakura who was sitting on one of the other living room chairs.

"Has he sent Domino to the Shadow Realm yet?" Ryou had felt the pulse of shadow magic; it had been what had woken him up.

"That's what you say now. And when that mutt plunges that infernal city into the shadows then you'll be sorry." Ryou just sighed as he watched his other. There was a long moment of silence.

"Well, you could always teach him, you did teach me."

"That's different." Ryou raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?" Bakura gave Ryou that seemed to shout how stupid he was before sighing.

"Yes, oh. I could teach you the Ring because I know it and you can use it. Each item manipulates the Shadow Realm in its own way even if the results are the same. You may be able to use some of the skills of another item but there is a reason why each is destined to a person." He shook his head. "Then there are abominations like Malik who can prostitute themselves to all the items." Ryou frowned as he pulled himself up into a sitting position. "That's why that stupid pharaoh never bothered with the other items.

"The Jou has to learn how to use the scales by himself?" Bakuras frown deepened.

"He hasn't destroyed the world yet. Look, as far as I know only one item that can mimic, to an extent, the properties of another item and the person that is destined to wield it can instruct others on item use." He smirked then. "Ironic that it belongs to a High Priest that has his head so far up the self denying ass that he's as good as useless."

"You mean Seto." Baakura nodded and Ryou whistled.

"He did instruct the Pharaoh back then." He leaned back in his chair uncaringly. "Whatever. Now that the Mutt has the scales he's going to have to face who he really is whether he likes it or not." His curiosity only spiked even more but by the smug look on Bakuras face he was going to have to beg. A matching smirk came to his face. A lot had changed in these past few years; they'd see who would be begging at the end of the day.

Night had long ago fallen in the little city and the majority of the populace was asleep. Being the small town that it was it was the movie theatre that was the last to close at 11 p.m., with nothing to do teenagers were inside wither in their own home or those of friends. Children had long ago been sent to bed and the last of the adults was buckling down for the night. As always by the wee hours of the morning the town resembled that of a ghost town only porch light giving a dim appearance of life. The streets were silent and the meagre police force sent out an officer once in hour in one of the town's three police cars. Brian Stuntly was a duty tonight. In his 15 years on the force the most action he had seen was the robbing of the Trentons home a few years back and they had caught the kids that just wanted to get back at their teacher. That was why he sat up at the person he saw sulking into an ally. He stopped the car and glanced at the clock on his way out. Four thirty-four in the morning; nobody was out at this time not in this city at least.

In the ally he could clearly distinguish the sound of feet slowly walking away from him. He frowned, if it was a thief wouldn't they be running or walking fast or something. His frown deepened as he pulled out his night stick from his belt and took pursuit at a quick walk in the back of his mind he tried to recall the last time he has used the long object. The footsteps didn't get any faster and the fact started to get on his nerves. Lord help the kid when he found him. Suddenly the footsteps stopped and Brain picked up the pace; he wasn't about to lose whoever it was parading around in his city. He had to keep himself from crying out in triumph at the alight that spilled around the corner ahead. For a moment he wondered what kind of flash light was that cold but mentally shrugged it off as he whipped around the sharp corner, words about hands in the air already bubbling to his lips.

Brian never got the chance to speak.

The nervous man watched the body fall to the ground with a dull thud. He didn't know what scared him more; this apparition that had appeared and killed the man without even appearing to notice that the muggle was there at all or his master that was watching events through his eyes now. He felt his masters presence within him shift. The apparition spoke. Its words were hypnotising to him in a language that he did not understand yet even though his ears didn't understand what it said a voice that for once wasn't his masters whispered into his mind.

'In charge – you are not. I will speak to the one in charge. Your master.' The whispers sent shivers down his spine. Without hesitating he turned his back on the apparition not knowing if this was scarier then facing it. Above his head he felt his usual turban shift of its own accord and then fall off his head to the ground. The appearance of his master always seemed to make the temperature colder than it had to be and he shivered. 'You are the master.' The voice spoke into his mind and his master listened into his thoughts. He was hardly worthy to share a mind with his master he never heard his lords thoughts... he wasn't sure that he wanted to.

"Yes. I am the one." His master's voice held his letters till his speech had a hiss the quality of a snake's. His master's resemblance to a serpent never ceased to frighten him – his master was as cold and deadly as any snake.

'You are… incomplete.' He felt his Masters anger flare and had to crush the urge to cower that came over him.

"Yes. My enemies seek to destroy me. They have failed but have left me broken." There was silence that went on for a long time to him, not being able to see the creature behind him any longer only made it worse.

'Yes. Enemies. Even blood can betray. But blood they always remain." From a place separate from his mind and somehow apart of it at the same time, he felt his master flinch at the words, his separated mind radiating bitterness. He only barley wondered what his master could possibly been thinking off. As soon as the thought appeared he crushed it, trying to sense if his master had noticed. After a moment he decided that his master was not paying him any attention but then he could never know when his master's retribution would come.

"And it is because of these enemies that I have summoned you here – to destroy my enemies." The being was silent and that made him twitch. He had never known anything to leave his masters request unanswered.

"There are always enemies that need to be destroyed." For a moment he felt his Lords anticipation.

"Then we can assist one another. With your power and my knowledge of this world together we can destroy both of our enemies."

"The world has changed – you will make it easier. You bring enemies to me I will lend you strength." The orb that the others had brought to them glowed golden at his feet. He almost flinched away from it – the thing had freaked him out from the moment he had seen it. It resembled an eye to be truthful. Slowly it rose from the ground and disappeared behind him."An incomplete ally is not one that I will accept. For now I will complete you." There was sudden flash. "This is only temporary, power only extends so far." The light became blinding before he blacked out.

They watched as the two-human stared to walk away. They had faded to a point to that human eyes could not see him and now they watched and planned. The darker of the two they felt would be useful. There was a hunger inside of that one that they could use yet something would have to be done to complete the dark one. They felt the power of the item go with the two-human. The shadows were weak as of now – they had no way of claiming what was theirs at this time. Soon their strength would grow and then they would be able to take back all that was there's.

Their mind flashed to a time when there was no 'them' but an 'I' – but that time was long past. Now they had returned and they would destroy those that were left behind; those that had banished their parts to the darkness. Slowly they began to fade out of this world and back into the one that they had existed in for so long. Soon they would rule both the shadows and the world of light. And then only the deserving will rule by their side.

Voldemort flexed 'his' fingers. He had no knowledge of what that thing had done but he had never felt this alive since that day almost eleven years ago. A snake like expression broke out on his followers face. He didn't know what kind of power that the creature had but he knew that he wanted it. With that type of dark power he couldn't begin to imagine the things that he could do with it.

He frowned suddenly as he felt his strength began to flag. He could feel his minions mind begin to stir. The being had told him that it was only temporary – he would have to conserve his strength. He receded back into the mind of the body he inhabited settling back into his unconscious lull the last thing he bothered to noticed was the foolish mans confusion from his sudden black out.

End Chapter Two

Sorry that that took so long. I actually suffered from writers block till the end of summer then school slapped me and so yeah. Don't really expect quick updates (you probably don't anyways lol) If a lot of people like it – and actually let me know – I'll try to make time, but if no one is really anxiously waiting I won't be in much of a hurry. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.

Kudos

Tifa