Chapter One – Give Your Hope To The Fallen Truth

"Only enemies speak the truth; friends and lovers lie endlessly, caught in the web of duty."
Stephen King ( Roland from The Gunslinger )

Two month later

Seconds ticked down on the clock with a painful slowness that only a bored and impatient school student could know. Tapping his pencil rapidly against the plastic faux-wood cover of his desk, Honda sighed and slumped his cheek against the palm of his hand. You'd think they'd cut us more of a break after having been gone so long saving the world but no…

To the school's credit the teachers had been understanding. Two weeks had been spent with everyone walking on eggshells, tests and papers handed back with 'complete' for the mark with carefully scribbled bits of advice along the edges. It was the media who had grabbed onto them with fangs and claws, trying their best to rip everyone – Yugi and Seto mostly – apart. Every detail and aspect of their stories had been gone over repeatedly during the flight back from Egypt but still Honda found his head spinning from all the incessant interviews and badgering.

But time passed and there was no evidence that anything had occurred other than a Duel Monster tournament. Even the so-called Knights of Oriekalkos hadn't undergone such scrutiny ( then again, Varon, Amelda and Rafael had managed to disappear complete and no one had heard from Mai ). Without any real basis for their suspicious the media quickly dropped their attention and life managed to work its way back to a semblance of normalcy.

Which meant school and tests and waiting for boring study halls to be over and struggling to pass classes that he hadn't even cracked books for in months and trying to keep a rapidly-depressing Yugi from falling apart completely.

Yeah, life was almost easier when they were flying all over the globe trying to stop various evil megalomaniacs from different time eras who were trying to take over the world.

The bell – a low mid-toned C – startled him out of his reverie. Jerking up, Honda shook his head and reached down to grab the strap of his backpack. Students stood and started filing out of the room, the level of chatter quickly growing deafening. He stood as well and waited awkwardly, eyes scanning the room for a certain white-haired boy.

'Honda –
i have to tell you something. keep it quiet for now. meet after class
- Bakura'

The note had been waiting on Honda's usual desk, folded into a neat square. Not one of those damn 'friendship envelopes' that the girls were too fond of making ( and that he was now on the receiving end with ever since the press had published the article "Hiroto Honda: Miracle Worker Behind The Scenes" ) so he had actually opened it when he found it. Bakura's writing was neat, just like the note. And just like everything about him, really. Go figure.

The classroom was nearly emptied when Bakura finally sidled up to the shark-haired boy. He looked nervous and distracted, causing Honda to raise an eyebrow. "Sorry to keep you waiting," he mumbled, eyes on the floor. Honda raised his other eyebrow. This was unlike Bakura. Very much so unlike him. "I can't tell you here. I can't… I can't tell you but I need… I need to show you."

"Show… me." Honda blinked and shook his head. "Bakura-"

"Ryou." The white-haired boy grabbed Honda's arm, squeezing and digging his fingers in tightly. "His name… call me Ryou."

"… Ryou, are you okay? Is someone stalking you or-" Ryou shook his head and shifted the backpack up on his shoulder. "Um, okay." What could it hurt, really? And Ba-, er, Ryou was his friend so he owed him at least that much. "Well, okay. Where is it that you want to show me?"

"Back at my apartment." A look of pure relief spread across Ryou's face and he grinned widely. "Don't worry, it shouldn't take too long…"

"Yeah, okay." Honda rolled his eyes as the two of them walked out of the school building. Both of them lived nearby in town, making them both walkers instead of riders. ( Yugi, Anzu, and Jou rode the bus; Seto – whenever he bothered to show up – was chauffeured in a limousine ) "… So, Ryou, why do you want to show me…?"

"Because Jou's still just waiting for a chance to get me back for what happened with Zork, Anzu would go running straight to Yugi without thinking, and Yugi's too wrapped up in his own misery to focus or care." Ryou said all this bluntly, barely taking his eyes off of the sidewalk while saying this to Honda. The brunette blinked and then blanched, shaking his head. It was true but harsh. "A-and I really need someone who could try to view this objectively cause I think… no, really, I don't know what to think but I didn't do this. It just happened and I don't know how."

Yeah… okay, why did I agree to go follow the crazy person? This has to be pretty high on the list of 'bad things to do' and I've practically written that list from what's happened.

The rest of the walk was in silence, Ryou seemingly lost in deep thought and Honda contemplating the best course of escape. The day watch waved as Ryou walked into the lobby and headed straight for the stairs. Honda had only been here once but he was starting to remember that the British boy's apartment was located toward the upper floors. It left a sinking feeling in his stomach as they started climbing the stairs, numbers steadily increasing.

1… 2… 3… Ryou exited the stairwell, Honda on his heels. It was room 301. Ryou didn't even bother to unlock the door before opening it. Honda thought that was odd.

Then Honda thought he was going crazy. Because Ryou was standing next to him and Ryou was also inside, sitting at a small round table with a cup in his hand. The one at the table growled and snapped: "Yzios sela, kymckeqc." The one at the table wasn't Ryou.

It was Bakura.

"What… the… fuck…?"

-7-

There was a stretch of time that Yami couldn't remember. He assumed that much because he remembered floating in the dark with the entity speaking in his mind and now he was lying on cold ground. Cold hard ground. Cold hard ground that hurt, damnit.

With a groan he pushed himself up, forearms and palms scraping against rocks and glass. This was not Egypt. This was not his weird twisted nothing afterlife. This wasn't even what he envisioned hell would be. This was definitely more like one of the slums downtown Domino.

But… uh, hello what? He tried to stand and his legs wobbled. He slumped back against one of the coarse stone walls and made a sudden important discover.

Yami was very weak, very tired, and very naked. Oh Ra, what the fuck?

"Jia! Xjev vji jimm esi auy fuoph jisi?" He started and whirled around. There was a girl standing, wide eyed with a paper bag held tightly to her chest. "Epf xja esi auy… pelif?"

"Uh…" Yami crouched down, bare feet sliding over the broken glass. She cocked her head to the side and stepped toward him. "What… what are you saying?"

"Fupv auy tqiel Iphmotj?" With this she slowly leaned down, placing the bag on the ground. Her shoes crunched over the ground and Yami shrunk back, eyes darting from her to the space behind her. He probably could dart by her but he felt so tired; he doubted he would make it far. And then there was the issue of his lack of clothing…

And the fact that I'm even here to begin with. Is this Yugi's body or am I…?

"Muul, On puv huoph vu jysv auy." She stretched one arm out and he hesitantly moved toward her. She smiled and tapped her hand against her jeans, fingers dancing over her thigh. "Aiej, vjevt ov. O lpux e qmedi vjev dep jimq auy."

The girl's voice was calm but something inside Yami snapped. He bolted past her, bare arm brushing against the cotton of her shirt. She turned, looking bemused and concerned but also understanding. It made it worse, fleeing from someone who only wanted to help. But he didn't know for sure, he couldn't understand anything she said and he didn't get just what the fuck was going on.

-7-

"Yugi! Dinner's ready!"

The tri-colored haired teen sighed and shoved his chair away from his desk. With a lowly mumbled 'yes mom' ( he knew she couldn't hear it but that wasn't the point ) he stood and walked mechanically over to his door. Before leaving Yugi looked back, his gaze lingering on the poorly made replica of the Millennium Puzzle that was lying on his desk. Ever since Yami had left he had been trying desperately to recreate it but even after all the years he had spent with it Yugi still didn't know just how it was made. But maybe, just maybe if he could make another one Yami could…

"Yugi, come on! You have company!"

Company? He shook his head and left his room, shutting the door carefully behind himself. Damn, did Anzu and Jou stop by again? True, Yugi really hadn't been doing much lately to alleviate their concerns about him but it was getting annoying the way they were treating him. He wasn't about to snap and kill himself or go on a mass murdering spree. He just wasn't quite ready to be… happy.

All that time with him… but there's nothing I can do about it now. Better just put on a happy face and hope they don't get too nosy tonight. Fixing a false smile on his face, Yugi clomped down the stairs while sniffing the air. Spaghetti and meatballs. Would be good if he was actually hungry… "Company? Who do you- Oh, hey! Anzu and Jou! What a surprise." The last part came out sarcastic despite his best attempt not to. They looked at each other – they were already seated at the table – and smiled awkwardly. His mother pretended not to notice and pushed him toward his seat. Grandpa was missing again.

"Well you disappeared so quickly after school." Anzu shrugged and stabbed a noodle with her fork. "Forgive us for wanting to make sure you were okay. I mean, can you blame us?" His mother smiled nervously and placed a plate in front of him. Jou frowned and glared at that brunette, who continued on blithely unaware ( or at least she pretended to be ) "So you could stop trying to hide from us and just accept that we're going to help you whether or like it or not. And you might as well start liking it."

Yugi's mother fluttered for a moment, torn between protecting her son and ignoring the events around her. "I… I'm just going to go take some to grandpa." With a nod she started scooping spaghetti onto a plate and Yugi sighed. Everyone wanted to help him but no one wanted to deal with the consequences. "I'll be back in a few minutes hon." Everyone knew that wasn't true but all three teens nodded, Jou already starting to shovel the food into his mouth.

There was a stretch of awkward silence after his mother; neither one of the three wanted to be the first to break it. Jou stretched and accidentally hit Anzu with his elbow. She growled a low 'damnit' under her breath. He grinned widely and reached over to her plate, trying to snag her piece of garlic bread. She slapped his hand with the back of her fork and Yugi ducked his head down, trying hard not to smile. It was stupid and childish but he almost didn't want to be happy now. It seemed an insult to his memory.

"Hey, Yug, has Honda stopped by here?" The tri-colored haired teen shook his head and Jou frowned. "He wasn't home when I called his house and I figured he'd be stopping by here." Anzu snorted, twirling spaghetti on her fork.

"Like Honda would have enough foresight for that."

"And what's the supposed to mean? Me and Honda are best buds Anzu; you better watch yourself."

"I think you just proved my point."

Yugi couldn't help it this time, watching his two best friends go at it with each other. Maybe it was time for the sadness to go away, maybe his body had taken enough depressed and misery and was ready to rebel, but the laughter came out unbidden. He clutched the side of the table with one hand, the other crossed against his stomach as he bent forward. Jou and Anzu stared for a moment before grinning. "Man Yug, it's not that funny."

"I dunno Jou. Maybe he finally got a good look at your face."

"You should stop talking about yourself like that. It's really demeaning."

It hurt. It hurt in such a good way and he was crying now from the laughing. Anzu was giggling with him and Yugi inhaled sharply, snorting, and it sent all three of them into rounds of high-pitched squealing. Oh, yes, it hurt but it was good-

Until a sharp and heavy pain sliced through his chest and Yugi gasped, slipping from his chair to the floor. Anzu and Jou instantly sobered, Anzu shouting out in worry and Jou jumping out of his chair to kneel next to Yugi. He tried to tell them he was all right, tried to say anything, but the pain was choking his words and all he could do was useless gasp for air. God, it hurt.

And just as quickly as the pain overtook him it faded away. He gasped and wheezed and rubbed his chest but there was only the fading memory. Jou wrapped strong arms around him and Yugi sunk into his embrace. Anzu looked on, questioning and concerned. "Yugi? Yugi, what just happened?"

"I… I felt him." Jou and Anzu exchanged a glance and Yugi shook his head, looking up at them. "No, I really did. I felt him. Guys, I felt Yami."