And I have some spare time... so you lucky [?] people get another chunk of the story...

Disclaimer: come on, guys, you know the drill.

They drove back to the house in silence. As Raven had said, the way was clear and easy to find; all it took was to follow the brightening lights in the distance.

Yami had so far refused to come out of the Puzzle. Yugi claimed that he even refused to talk to him, apart from choked apologies. Seto wasn't surprised. Not only had the Pharaoh allowed himself to be drawn into the evil of the Orichalcos, he had also lost the duel, and Yugi's soul along with it. As harsh as he might appear sometimes, it was known to all how much Yami cared for his light.

When they arrived back at the ramshackle building they found that the lights were already on and Raven's bike was already in the garage.

'She's home,' Joey muttered.

Yugi stiffened; despite the others telling him that Raven was responsible for returning his soul, Seto had noticed that the young duellist still shut down whenever she was mentioned. Not surprising, really.

'Wonder what we're having for tea tonight?' Tristan said, setting off a chatter about takeaway and other food.

Seto growled and stalked ahead. Idiots. At least inside the house he could relax. He entered the kitchen and glanced around. Maybe there's some salad around—'JESUS!'

Raven lay unconscious on the ground.

'Kaiba, you alright?' a voice called from the garage; Ryou's.

'She's out cold,' he shouted back. He rushed to her side and quickly checked her over; to his relief, there was no blood or bruises.

'What happened?' Mai exclaimed.

'Do I look like I know?' He glanced down as the girl in his arms groaned, eyes fluttering open.

'…Kaiba?'

'Hush,' he said firmly. Slowly he helped her to a sitting position, letting her lean on him for support. 'What happened?'

'Nothing.'

'Bullshit.'

Glaring out of one eye, she spat, 'Losing a soul is tiring, fuckwit.'

'And? What else?'

'Nothing.'

He growled, feeling her stomach rumble. 'When was the last time you ate?'

She opened her mouth, then closed it.

'Almost three days, Raven. It won't do.'

'I'll eat when I damn well feel like it.'

'You'll eat right now if you know what's good for you,' he snarled. 'What if this had happened while you were riding?'

'Would it be such a bad thing?' Yugi growled.

'Exactly my point,' she snarled, glaring at him.

Kaiba noticed that everyone except Yugi now looked very uncomfortable; everyone but Yugi knew how Raven was feeling. At least, they could guess quite well. He had to admit she was a damn good actress.

If she was acting.

'Enough,' he interrupted. 'Enough. Raven, you are going to eat. I don't care if you want to or not, you will eat and you will eat now.' It wasn't so much an order as a firm request; he knew that she was fully aware that nobody could make her do anything she didn't want to.

'No.'

He frowned. 'Look, just go to your room. I'll bring food down. We need to have a little talk anyway; I'll be there in a moment.'

To everyone's surprise, Raven only sighed, stood and walked dejectedly down the hallway. 'Okay.'

Seto turned to face the companions. 'Explain things to him. Now.' This time it was an order. Hurriedly, he collected a few cold pieces of pizza and took a bottle of water down to Raven's room. Behind him, he could hear Yugi asking the others what he meant; excellent. That would keep them occupied.

Pausing before he entered Raven's room, he fixed a cold glare on his face. He didn't bother to knock. 'Up to your old tricks, I see.'

'Not like anyone gives a shit,' she replied, swiftly carving another gash into her arm. She stretched it out, admiring her handiwork. 'Keeps me occupied.'

'Scars last forever. You do know that, right?'

'It's not like the mental ones will go away any sooner.'

He sighed and sat down next to her, putting the plate on the bed. 'I know you're not hungry, but if you don't eat soon you'll collapse again and we need your help with this mess. We would have lost your brother today if it wasn't for you.' He watched carefully, gauging her reaction.

She stiffened momentarily before carelessly slipping her tank top over her head. 'Wouldn't have mattered much. It's Yami's duelling that we need more.'

'You… ah…' Blushing, he turned to face the doorway.

'Oh, don't be such a prude. I just need a different place to cut. I'm sure you've seen the female body before.'

He could feel his blush darken. 'No, but that doesn't mean I need or want to see yours.'

She laughed. 'Oh, really? After what happened that night we were drinking—'

'What?'

'Seto, you really thought I didn't notice my bra in the corner?' Her voice lifted a little.

'No, but I was hoping you didn't notice the droplet,' he grumbled.

'I did. You're good, though. It wasn't jizz.' Her calmness and complete lack of concern unnerved him. 'I think it was just drool. Definitely not jizz.'

At least something's going my way, he sighed to himself. 'Fine, you win. Cut later. Eat now.' He didn't really want to think where she was cutting if it required the removal of her top. 'And put your shirt back on.'

'You think I'm cutting my chest?'

He almost cursed aloud. He still hadn't gotten used to her habit of speaking his thoughts; at least, that was what it seemed she was doing. 'Yes.'

'I'm not. I removed my shirt because I didn't want to get blood on it. The cuts are on my ribs, not my—'

'Yes,' he said hastily. Despite his previous experiences—Seto Kaiba was not a virgin by any stretch of the imagination—he still preferred to maintain the image of a suave businessman. A businessman did not talk about breasts. Or think about them…

'You're drooling,' a voice said, and Seto snapped back into reality just in time to see Raven turn around, blood running down her ribs. Her tank top was back on though; something he was grateful for. Things—one thing in particular—was hard enough already.

'I wasn't drooling.' He subtly wiped his mouth and picked up a piece of the pizza. 'Now eat.'

She sighed and reluctantly picked up a piece, taking a cautious bite out of it. 'Why are you doing this?'

'Doing what?'

'Doing… this. You know. Being nice to me. Looking after me. Sticking up for me.' She chewed the piece, swallowed it. 'You said you weren't going to be there for me anymore, Kaiba. So why are you still being nice?'

He gave a short laugh, heart hardening. He'd know this was coming. And he knew what he had to do. 'You think this is nice? The only reason I'm doing this is because until you're somewhat sane again the efficiency of this whole operation is compromised.'

It was a lie. A horrible, cruel lie. But it was necessary. 'We need you to be at peak efficiency if we're going to have any chance at defeating these idiots. That means no more cutting, no more starving. That means actually being somewhat healthy and responsible.'

Raven's eyes narrowed a little, but he ploughed on. 'I'm not being nice to you because I want to, girl. Far from it. In fact, there's nothing I'd like more than to have let you die last night. But as much as it pains me to say it, we need you for this.' Wiping his mouth, he stood and turned his back. 'So eat up and clean those cuts of yours. I expect you back out there in a few hours. We have plans to draw.'

He left before his voice cracked. It was necessary, it was needed, it was what had to happen. She wasn't good for him. She'd only drag him down. She wasn't Ravana; she was Raven. Raven. Raven.

The urge to slam his fist into the wall in frustration was getting harder to resist.

Idiot. He chastised himself. He was a businessman; he made ruthless decisions every day. He cut people from his life all the time. It was nothing new.

So why couldn't he get rid of his feelings for her?

She's not Ravana. Not Ravana. Not yours. Come on, you idiot. She's nowhere near good enough for you. Can you imagine trying to introduce her to your business partners? The image of Raven in a slinky dress and high heels made him chuckle, then groan as his pants tightened. Again. Can't you keep your mind off her for two seconds?

From the room behind him he could have sworn he heard an Egyptian curse. Then, quite suddenly, he heard another curse from in front of him too, and he had to stop himself from yelping in surprise. Quietly he leant into the wall's shadow and peered around the corner.

There, leaning against the wall, stood Yugi.

Seto watched him carefully. Perhaps this would distract him.

*

*Earlier, in the kitchen*

Yugi glanced after Seto's retreating back before looking at his friends. 'What'd he mean by explain things to me?'

'Let's sit down,' Ryou said quietly. 'It'll take a little while.'

They did as he suggested, and Tea began explaining. 'What Kaiba meant was to explain to you what happened when Yami lost your soul. After Yami woke up, Raven appeared.'

'She just appeared out of nowhere?' he asked dubiously.

'Well, not nowhere. She came in on her bike,' Joey said.

'And swore her head off,' Tristan added, somewhat unnecessarily. Raven's foul mouth was a given by now.

'She picked Yami up by his shirt and asked him what happened.'

'But she called him Yugi first, Tea,' Ryou said. 'She picked him up by his collar and said, "Yugi, what the 'f' happened".'

'Why do you bother replacing the fuck with an 'f'?' Mai asked.

'Because I have manners.'

'She called him Yugi?' Yugi asked, determinedly ignoring the both of them.

'Yeah. Then she saw he was Yami and starting going "no".' Tea stretched her shoulders.

'Then she went ballistic,' Joey said eagerly. 'She went absolutely bananas! Yelled at Yami for losing your soul, dropped him and kicked holes in the rocks—swearing all the while, of course—and then when Yami tried to apologise for making her give up one of her extra souls she—'

'Did nothing,' Ryou butted in, staring at him furiously.

'She didn't do nothing, Ry, she said she wasn't annoyed at having to give up a soul, she was annoyed with Yami because—'

'She wasn't annoyed with Yami,' Ryou continued. A slight thud ran through the ground; Joey winced and Ryou's leg twitched.

'Oh, yeah, she wasn't,' Joey said.

'You're a terrible liar, Joey,' Yugi sighed. 'It's alright, Ryou. Why was Raven mad at Yami?'

Ryou sighed. 'She was mad at him for losing your soul.'

At this, Yugi burst into laughter. 'No way. Come on, just this morning she wanted nothing to do with me. Just an hour or two ago she was quite happy to punch me out. You're trying to make me believe that she was ready to kill because Yami lost my soul?'

'Exactly, hon,' Mai said. 'She said, and I quote: "I'm pissed that you lost my brother".'

Yugi's expression went from amused to dumbfounded. 'Now you're just screwing with me.'

'She's not,' Tea admitted. 'Yami even asked her if she wanted to take it back, after what the two of you agreed to this morning, and she said she didn't care what she agreed to, you were her brother no matter what you thought of her.'

'I'm not her brother,' Yugi growled. It sounded less certain that it had earlier. 'What then?'

'She reminded Yami of what he'd promised her back in Domino,' Joey said. 'She reminded him how he'd promised her he'd always look after you, and then she picked him up again and yelled at him—right in his face, she yelled at him—saying that what you did wasn't looking after him.'

'I thought his eardrums would have burst from it,' Ryou said.

'Yami apologised again, and she accepted.' Tristan finished.

Joey chuckled. 'After telling him if he ever lost you again she'd make him wish he was dead a thousand times over before she killed him. And threatened us with the same if we told you what she'd said.'

'Which is why we tried to lie,' Ryou finished.

Yugi glanced down at his feet, suddenly ashamed. She really said those things, Yami?

She did, aibou, Yami replied. I have never seen anyone as angry as she was. It was the first time in a long time I have ever feared for my life.

He looked back up to his friends. 'I'll be back in a little while. I just need some time to think, okay?'

'Sure,' Tea nodded.

With a quick wave goodbye he scuttled off, thinking hard. Raven wasn't his sister; she was barely even human. She was a murderer, a thief, a wanted criminal. She's not Ravana.

Ravana's still under there, somewhere, Yami said, interrupting his reverie. I could feel it.

You could?

Yes, Yugi. When she was yelling at me for losing your soul the fear in her eyes—

Fear? In Raven's eyes? Yugi almost laughed. You're going blind, Yami.

It wasn't fear as in being afraid of something, Yami said. It was fear of something happening to you. She was afraid of what had happened to you.

But she doesn't care about me. She doesn't care about anyone!

So why did she come out there in the first place? He asked quietly. Why did she return your soul without ever being asked to? Why did she save Joey from Mai when she could have easily just let them both be taken by the Orichalcos?

Because she had to.

She didn't have to.

Yugi groaned, swore aloud, and leaned against the wall. This isn't right, Yami. She's not my sister. Ravana was—

Raven being who she wanted to be, Yami said. At the moment, she can't be who she wants to be. She won't let herself. When she let herself in the past, bad things happened to her, aibou. So now she won't let herself be who she wants to be for fear of more bad things. Ravana's still in there. It's just that things changed for her.

So why is she so different then? Yugi snapped.

Because nothing changed for us.

Yugi fell into silence. He sighed. Just how do you know all this?

I could feel it through the shadows. All the shadows are connected, Yugi, remember? When I'm in the Puzzle I can feel many strong emotions coming from the darkness around it. All from her.

Really? Curiousity peaked, Yugi paused, then asked, Can you show me?

Of course, Yami said, and in a blink, Yugi's mind was pulled into the Puzzle.

'It's been a while since I've been here with you,' he said quietly.

'We haven't had much chance,' the Pharaoh agreed. 'Now come.'

Silently he followed his darker half down the corridors of the Puzzle until they reached a door engraved with a large cross.

'Doesn't that mean we shouldn't enter?' Yugi asked.

'It means that beyond that door lies an entrance to the Shadow Realm,' Yami said. 'Do not be afraid; I can control it now.'

Yugi still clutched at his hand tightly. 'I trust you.'

Taking a deep breath, the twosome stepped through the doorway, finding themselves in an area filled with nothing but shadows and howls.

'What is this?'

'This is the true Shadow Realm,' Yami replied. 'It is nothing but shadows. Hush, now. We don't want to alert her.'

'Alert who?'

'Raven.'

Before Yugi could ask how, Yami put a finger to his lips. Look over there.

Silently, he did as he was told, and his eyes widened. Before him stood a fiery red crystal shard, at least two metres tall. What is that? But Yami didn't reply. Suddenly the crystal erupted into flames, its centre turning black. A soul-tearing howl rippled from it, sending the shadows scattering back.

It's Raven's feelings, Yami answered. It's how she feels inside.

How can we see it?

Because of the Sword. If she were to take the time to look around when she comes here, she would see our feelings too. Everyone with access to the Shadow Realm does. Most just know how to keep them well-hidden.

So how'd you find hers? Before Yami could answer, another howl ripped through the area and he pulled Yugi into a shadow. What—

She's here.

What?

'FUCKING HELL!' a voice screamed, and the area was blasted with heat.

She's angry, I think, Yami said.

Yugi peered carefully around the edge of the shadow. Before him stood Raven, hair flowing around her as if in a hurricane and fists balled into tight blocks. Flames seemed to shoot out from her mouth, her eyes; as he watched, she screamed again and a ball of fire blasted against the shadows.

She can breathe fire!

She does have Shadow powers, young one, Yami gently reminded him. She can do many things. Sometimes she comes in breathing fire, sometimes she freezes things in ice. Sometimes she picks things up and throws them with her mind, or her fists.

Yugi shook her head. She comes here often?

Very.

Why?

Yami nodded in Raven's direction, and Yugi glanced over at her. The heat had dropped; it was now nearly freezing, but Yami was keeping them both warm with his own magic.

Raven was now slumped against the crystal, surrounded by pools of water that were slowly turning to ice. Yugi started as she howled again. This time, though, the howl ended in a sob. She was crying. The whole area contracted, turning deep purple and black with flashes of red.

Pain, Yugi realised. She's in pain. Why?

'I'm sorry,' she sobbed. 'I'm so sorry, my brother.'

Because of us, Yami whispered.

'I wish I could be Ravana for you, for me,' she rasped. 'I want to be her. I want to be Ravana. But she can't take it… she's not strong enough.'

Which is why we have Raven. Yugi wanted nothing more to take her in his arms, but at the same time wanted nothing to do with her ever again. Angry one minute, crying the next; what am I meant to do with her?

Accept her as your sister. Yami put a hand on his shoulder. She's done wrong, Yugi. She's done more wrong than most. But she really does love you, in her own way.

She's not the same, Yami. She's not my sister!

Yugi, he groaned, like it or not, Raven's your sister. She's who your sister truly is. Can't you forgive her for what she did?

It's not forgiving that's hard. It's forgetting. He glanced over at Raven, who was now bathed in flames and smashing the shadows. I can't look at her without remembering Ravana, and I can't remember Ravana without remembering how much I hated Raven for killing her.

You can't see them as the same person, Yami realised.

Yugi fell into silence, watching Raven sadly. He sighed. It just doesn't seem possible. Ravana was tough, yeah, but she cared too. She showed her emotions.

Like I said, aibou, things changed for her. Horrible things happened to her. She's learned to hide her emotions, to hate everything and everyone around her—to hate herself. It's all she knows now. This confuses her, I think. She wants to show her feelings, she truly does. But she doesn't know how to anymore.

And she's afraid of what will happen if she does, Yugi said softly. Isn't she?

Yami nodded. Last time I watched her, the fear and longing almost drove me insane.

Yugi half-smiled. You'd never know it from looking at her.

She's good at hiding things.

He sighed. I think I need to talk to her. Thanks, Yami.

The spirit smiled serenely, and Yugi guessed that he'd known this would happen. You are welcome, aibou.

The question is, will he get to? Raven might not like the idea of being spied on, methinks... tho I do admit it would be *awesome* to be able to breathe fire.

Hope you enjoyed.... reviews are loved. Hopefully ch15 up shortly!