AN: Again with the basics, I own naught, see my statement in chapter three for if I had owned it, and Sarah, here is your chapter, and I greatly appreciated the loving review. That made my day, which up until then had been horrible. This chapter is for you, and email me if you want to see what happens next. Oh, by the way, another one of my songs in here, it's 'Back to the Past'. Very well, on with my fic.
All morning Seto and I watched the matches carry out in silence. We had nothing to say to each other at the moment, or so I thought.
"I'm sorry." He said softly after a while.
"You're ... what?" I looked up at him confused.
"You were right. I'm the reason they couldn't figure it out on their own. I want to make it up to him."
"Yugi thought you might come around, so he made one request for the match he had with Yami tonight."
"Anything."
"During the match, towards the end, Yugi is going to give me a cue to play the song Ryou gave me- it's the song he wrote after he left. He wants it to 'accidentally' be played."
"Under one condition, I'll do it. Let me hear it now."
"Fine." I opened the file and double-clicked the song. I couldn't help but cry during it, and I felt wet drops on the top of my hair. Seto was leaning on the back of my chair, slumped over, and he was-
I couldn't help but restrain an awe-filled gasp, even if it was quieted for fear of him noticing and putting on his poker face. The file ended and I closed it.
"Ryou told me the truth... he was right, Yugi should hate us... he has every right to. Mokuba, keep an eye on things up here, I'm going to go talk to the others."
"Seto, the deal was they couldn't hear it before the duel!"
"They won't hear it, any of it. I'm not speaking to them until after tonight if they're lucky. I'm going and talking to Yugi."
"Good luck." I muttered after he shut the door behind him.
I heard a someone ringing me from the comm at the door. I hesitantly peeked at the caller, knowing full well that they could have found my room. It was Kaiba, and he looked-
"What the-?" I gasped in awe, "Is he actually... no way, he couldn't be... Is Kaiba crying!" I pressed a button to talk.
"Kaiba, what's wrong?"
"I was." He moaned as he quickly turned away from the camera and wiped away the tear that had fallen. He had a reputation, after all.
I opened the door and allowed him in, "What do you mean?"
"I was the only person who had enough influence to stop what was going on, but I ignored it. I ignored you, Yugi, and because of me, so much has gone so horribly wrong!"
"Seto, stop speaking nonsense! You didn't really see just how bad things were!"
"Yes, I did. Mokuba told me what was happening several times, but with Kaiba Corp, I didn't really attention."
"Not, he couldn't tell you everything, because not everyone even knew what Yami was doing!" I said as I rolled up my sleeves and showed him my wrists. The skin was marred with slashes and cuts.
Seto's eyes grew wide, "Oh damn..."
"I tried to commit suicide maybe once every two or three days. Many of the scars have been reopened several times. Yam would always wait until I was about to die before he would heal me, and then he would beat me, and heal me again. When he threw me back in my cell, he would yank me up by the hair, and then whisper in my ear. 'I'm not done with you.' That's what he'd say. Well, I was done with him, so I moved on, using whatever means required for my escape."
"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... Dammit, I should have seen it, I should have known that once the yamis had bodies that the hikaris would suffer."
"Malik's lucky, he and his yami seem to get along fine."
"Well, I look forward to watching you kick their asses tomorrow, Yugi." Seto said as he made himself presentable again, blotting a wet rag over his eyes to reduce the redness and swelling.
"I'll give them hell for you." I put my hand on his shoulder.
"Hikari..."
"Oh, stop saying that!" I snapped as I handed back his deck.
"B-but you're my hikari-"
"Would you really watch idly as your so-called friends tortured and abused your precious hikari?"
"They told me they'd separate us if I got in the way!" He sobbed, "I couldn't stand the though of losing you!"
"Shut up and play."
"No."
"What?"
"I pass. I refuse to play until you hear me out."
"Fine, then I'll set a trap, summon a Giant Soldier of Stone, and play Dian Keto to bring me up to 2700 LP. Your move."
"I felt all the pain you felt, hikari. A yami always feels the pain of their hikari-"
"Then why the hell did Yami hurt Yugi!" I shouted at him, "Why did that bastard let his hikari almost bleed to death every other night and then beat him after he healed his wounds. Yugi still cries some nights from remembering him."
"He embraced the pain after a while, and because of the lies planted in his head, he thought that feeling the pain was a just price for watching his 'traitorous' hikari cry out in pain."
This made me look up and make eye contact, "Tomb raider, what did she tell him?"
"That Yugi had been cheating him out, him and all his friends."
My knees buckled, I fell to my knees, "Then it was all a lie. Who did it, Bakura?"
"Anzu... Anzu did it so that she could have Yami. She was jealous of Yugi, so she lied to Yami to tear them apart."
So it was a lie... that changed everything. My feeling betrayed what my mind had once thought. I looked at Bakura with longing in my eyes again. Oh Ra, what am I thinking? I'm longing to be in the arms of the very man who beat me! His hand was forced, he didn't want to hurt me.
"I'll kill that bitch..." I growled, "Now, play."
"I forfeit, my hikari-"
"No, I want to beat you fair and square. Please, for me, Yami Bakura. Play."
"Very well, Ryou. I'll play for you."
A smile lit up my face for the first time all day. This wasn't a battle over our titles, for we both knew that we would forfeit the next round against Yami Yugi anyway. This was a casual duel to see how much we had both grown in our time apart. As expected, I won because I had been learning from Yugi, Chris, and Tatiana. Bakura, hadn't really dueled with anyone outside the gang, so he hadn't gained much experience. As we were escorted off the field, I told them that I forfeited the tournament, so I could leave with Bakura and catch up.
After yet another day of dueling and occasionally exchanging insults with my enemies, the moment had finally come. I was standing in the tunnel hat led to the arena in which our final duel was going to be played. I looked through my deck and said softly, "Well, my friends, the time has come to see which is stronger, the darkness or the light. Help me defeat the monster who has hurt me for too long."
Having said that, I felt better. I took a deep breath, wiped the sweat off my forehead, and listened to the cheering crowd roar even louder. Yami had arrived, and it was time to face him. I ascended the stairs and ventured up into the crowd with a determined look on my face.
"Well, well, you showed up after all, my little hikari-"
"Don't call me that. You're not me, in any way! You're a cold, heartless, bastard who beat the person he swore to protect for three years before they ran off! I was so sick of you and everyone else hurting me, and making me clean up after them!" I said as we walked forward, adding so only he could hear, "I can't believe I shared a body with you once, I feel violated. Well, tonight I can finally move on."
"You're still the child I met all those years ago."
"You're still the bastard who nearly killed me over a thousand times, now if you please, let's duel."
"Yes, let's. I look forward to destroying you."
As we dueled, each move was no surprise, his strategy had not changed much, therefore it was easy to counter it. What was harder to combat was his insults.
"For a kid who died in a fire last year, you look pretty well."
"For a five thousand year old spirit, not doing bad yourself. So, how are things going? How much money have you taken out of my accounts and Ryou's savings?"
"They're empty."
"Okay, I've established I'm dealing with the real deal. So, who're you sucking dough out of now?"
"Various sources I'm not disclosing here."
"Good answer. So, who's getting kicked around now that we're gone?"
"No one."
"Mokuba left? Bakura left?"
"What are you talking about? Why would that lousy tomb robber ever leave?"
"To be with his lover, his hikari. In fact, why don't I call Ryou and see where they are. Thousand yen says they're at a bar or his place, catching up."
"No way Bakura would still fall for that weakling albino..."
"Whatever..."
"So, why'd you try to burn down your grandfather's shop?"
"Okay, that's low!" I snapped at him, "It's not grandpa's shop anymore, after you and the others closed it! The shop had already been destroyed, and the only things I did was set fire to the puzzle and the pictures of the group with me."
"I find that hard to believe."
I looked up and to my right, where Seto and Mokuba were watching.
"I think it's time I let everyone hear something. Mokuba!" I gestured to him.
He nodded and the piano and soft guitar was broadcast over the speakers, filling the entire building with song. I then looked at him.
"Just listen, Atem. Just hear me..." I said, a single tear rolling down my cheek as I backed up and leaned against something for support. Then I realized. This wasn't the song I'd told Mokuba to play. I looked up at the booth and saw Ryou talking to the Kaiba brothers.
"Why did they change the tune?" I whispered.
"I look back on those bright days,
Days with my light, days without shame,
Just days of flight, not days of pain!
When we had never thought it'd stop,
We were so close, and so, so wrong,
We're never alone, and so, so strong.
Now let me back,
Back to those times,
When all that was,
Wasn't just 'Truth and Lies'!
Return to that,
Yes, there I'd stay.
Content with life,
That was our way.
Back to the past, back to the day!
Back to the light, our truth and way!
Back 'fore the lies, the hurt, the pain!
Back 'fore the anger came our way!
Yes, let's go back, and back to stay!
Before the lies send us all –
All away…
Saw the light first time tonight,
First time in years I've seen it right.
Away from fear, away from night,
Away from Hell, away from plight.
I saw 'em filled with that soft light,
Same as before, but not as bright.
Same old spark, same old pride,
Same old kindness, same old time.
Now let me back,
Back to those times,
When all that was,
Was not just pride!
Return to that,
and there I'd stay.
Blissful ignorance,
That was our way.
Back to the past, back to the day!
Back to the light, our truth and way!
Back 'fore the lies, the hurt, the pain!
Back 'fore the anger came our way!
Yes, let's go back, and back to stay!
Before the lies send us all –
All away…"
The video screens came to life and there was a girl sitting at a bar. Ara had played her. I played the guy who was walking up to the bar and sitting down next to her.
"Bartender, one shot of scotch, please."
" Never imagined you'd turn out as a drunk."
"Make that a double... I never imagined you'd turn out the way you did either."
There was a brief pause while the bartender gave her the glass.
"So why'd you do it?"
"Do what?"
"Cheat on me."
She laughed, "What are you, on dope or something? I never cheated on you!"
"But-"
"Who told you that god-awful lie? Tina? Tina hated me, she was jealous of us. Trust her to finally break you!"
"So I..."
"What? You really thought I cheated on you? Oh my god, how untrusting can you be! I loved you, damn it! I still do. If only you felt the same way... Goodbye."
She got up to leave, but he stopped her, grabbing her arm and turning her back to him.
"I still do feel that way, Ara. Don't leave me again."
"So this can happen all over again?"
"It won't! I trust you! I love you! I'll love you to the end of time, just don't ever leave me!"
"Then come with me."
"Where?"
"I'm going back."
He paused for a sec and then nodded to her, "Let's go."
The screen turned off, and I looked over to see Bakura and Ryou and, arms around each others shoulders. I then looked at my own yami. He was looking at me with something I hadn't expected. Hurt.
"We're back in the past, back in the day!
Back in the light, our truth and way!
Back fore the lies, 'fore the pain!
Back 'fore the anger came our way!
Yes, now we're back and back to stay!
And now the lies can't chase us all,
All away...
Returned to that,
Yes, here we'll stay.
Content with life,
That was our way..."
The song ended, and I looked over at him.
"Not the song I had intended, but-"
"That bitch! Why didn't I see this? How could I not tell she'd lied..." He muttered, running his hand through his hair.
I looked at him with disgust, "You're joking. You thought that I had the balls to cheat on the best man a guy could have. Apparently you assumed I had as little brains as you do, too- What were the hell you thinking!" I turned away, back towards the stairs, "I forfeit." I said, placing my hand on my deck before yanking it out as the contraption deactivated, "See you later, Atem."
"No, Yugi! Hikari, wait!" he yelled after me, but I didn't hear him as I ran. He could have hurt my body all he liked, but to have believed some lie, to have thought so little of me before all of this started, that hurt my heart.
My feet carried me out of the building and to the subway station, which I took back to my house. Once there, I double-locked and bolted the door behind me before I just slumped to the floor and cried. The exact reason why I was crying so many tears was unknown, but I assumed that all my pent-up sorrow finally beat down the dams and flooded my mind.
My heart was on fire, my head was nonfunctional, and my wrists were itchy. Extracting the switchblade he'd gotten after the first time someone tried to mug him after his move here, he relieved the itch, which helped soothe the burning. The brain was too far gone to employ any ways of stopping him from hurting himself further.
On a nearby street, running in front of white-haired doppelgangers, a odd-haired man with crimson eyes and a neglected regal air felt slashing, and then the unmistakable panic of his bond he had not felt in years. Running faster, if possible, he shook his head, "No... I'm not gonna let anyone harm you again, Hikari, not even yourself!"
To Be Continued
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-Ara, Goddess of the Broken