Ryou's Story

By: ACE329

Summary: This story is mine to tell. No, not the one whom most refer to as Bakura, the spirit of the millennium ring, just me. He already stole my name but I cannot—will not—let him take away the one thing that I have left…my words.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-gi-oh!

A/N: Apologies for the delay! I have been working on various one-shots, none of which are close to completion but at least started! But I wanted to make sure I have at least this updated before my summer classes start, which is on Tuesday (6/1).

…So the Sennen ring is the shit. Lol, in other words, I think I gave it more powers than it had in the canon, so I'm sorry for that, but we need more action! Nothing too drastic though, I promise.

Thank you all SO much for reading and reviewing this! I have read each and every review with an overwhelming feeling of joy :) Your encouragement keeps me going!

Chapter Fifteen- Spy Games

Apparently, the "Employees Only" section of the ship was intended to be a labyrinth. Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs where we had followed our targets, Nameless and I soon discovered how very difficult it might be to find our way out if we lost track of where we were. Innumerable twists and turns branched off from the initial hallway, leaving it nearly impossible to keep up with the chase. Nameless must have had a trained ear to listen though, for he seemed to have no trouble keeping up. His prowl down the hallways was silent and swift, lurking as subtly as a shadow. I was glad I wasn't the one doing the moving, because there's no doubt in my mind I would have tripped or drawn attention to myself at some point.

I listened to Nameless' steady breathing for a few moments in silence, anxiously wondering when we would finally discover where the security guard and the aqua-haired boy would end up. My mind began to wander though, as I marked the seconds according to the spirit's rhythmic intakes of breath, thinking back to a little bit ago. How in just that short of time, Nameless and I went from zero communication to semi-accomplices. Well, not that I was helping much. But still, the drastic change snagged my interest.

"Spirit," I said, watching Nameless glide around a corner soundlessly.

He cast me an annoyed glance. "What?" I realized he wasn't speaking aloud because that would obviously foil our plans to remain undetected. Just another thing I would have messed up on if I were in control.

I hesitated for a second, my brain scrambling to think of the best way to pose my question. "Why were you ignoring me earlier?" I bit my lip, expecting Nameless to either scoff or dismiss my question altogether.

He did neither. "What are you talking about." I hated that tone Nameless used so frequently on me, that flat, neutral voice that indicated his boredom with the conversation even before it began.

But I was insistent. "Right after I was in your soul room. When I spoke to you, you wouldn't answer."

Now Nameless chose to scoff at me. Amusement fleetingly sparked across his face. "My apologies, Vessel. Did that bother you?"

I should have known, no matter how I ask him about his unusual silence from earlier, he would take it the wrong way. "Of course not. It was nice," I shot back.

"Then where's the problem?" Nameless stealthily moved along the corridors of the ship's lower floors, occasionally pausing to hear the voices again before he made his next turn.

"There isn't," I answered. "It just wasn't like you."

"How do you know what I'm really like?" Nameless posed dryly. His tone wasn't wholly malicious; rather, it sounded more rhetorical than anything.

I sighed, glad he couldn't see the steady burning in my cheeks. I did not want him to think this bothered me. Because it didn't.

"You have no intention of telling me, do you?"

"Not at all."

"I see." We both fell into a calculating silence, our attention both focused on the guard and his victim. We—or rather, Nameless—continued to slip down dark hallways until finally we saw the two disappear into a door at the end of a hallway.

Nameless raised an eyebrow. "Took them long enough."

I took my place next to Nameless, narrowing my eyes to adjust my vision in the poorly-lit corridors. I tilted my head thoughtfully. "I wonder what Pegasus is trying to hide…?"

"You're asking the wrong question," Nameless said impatiently, "It's why he's going through all this trouble at all—what answers he needs that are so top-secret."

I reluctantly drifted after Nameless as he crept up beside the closed door. I nervously glanced about me, wondering what the chances were that someone would be approaching anytime soon. We were at a dead end, and there would be nowhere to run if we were spotted.

With a surprising carefulness, Nameless placed a hand against the smooth surface of the door, his fingers probing its texture. "Damn it," he hissed, "There's no way we can hear through this."

"So now what?" I said warily. I had a very strong feeling that Nameless had a Plan B.

I was right. It took Nameless less than a second to formulate a solution. I could see that fleeting look of intense thought burning in his eyes, then that explosive spark of revelation.

"A spirit can go through walls, remember? We're switching control again." Once more, I had access over my body, and Nameless was back to his spirit form. "I never thought sharing a body could be so useful," he said with a devious grin. "Now stay here and try not to draw attention to yourself."

"W-wait, you're not going to be out here with me?" I demanded, panic seizing my chest, "What if someone comes?"

A disapproving frown etched across Nameless' face. "Your incompetence disturbs me," he said. "Just use the ring."

I glared at him, throwing a hasty gesture at the millennium item around my neck. "You know I have no idea how to use this thing."

"Oh, that's right," he said mockingly, "Well in that case, let's just hope nothing happens."

I exhaled sharply, folding my arms across my chest. Why I even bothered to ask Nameless anything was beyond me.

"Like I said, just don't attract any attention," Nameless said simply. He looked relatively unconcerned, his mind diverted to the interrogation being held from within closed walls.

"Right, I'll try not to be obvious as I linger around a closed door," I said a bit childishly. To be honest, I was annoyed at how unconcerned the spirit was with my well-being. Nameless ignored my remark as he vanished through the wall leading to the closed-off room. I sighed. I could hear the scraps of the conversation commencing through the door that separated me. Why did I have to stand here while Nameless got to hear the conversation? I didn't want to be left in the dark—as always. On the other hand, I also didn't want to give Nameless an excuse to commend my uncanny degree of incompetence for not following instructions.

However, it was when I heard the word "Yuugi" that I instinctively smashed my ear against the door, suddenly not caring who would see me. I supposed this would count as drawing attention to myself, but Nameless wasn't around to know that, now was he?

Straining to hear, I could tell the interrogator was raising his voice slightly in irritation.

"I said, so you've met Yuugi Mutou?"

I could make out a chuckle. It was sharp, annoying. "Yeah, you could say that."

There was a brief silence, perhaps while the interrogator took notes.

"What is your name?"

"Insector Haga." I frowned at the door. Did I hear that correctly? It was a sort of tragic name that this boy, remarkably, seemed proud of.

"All right Haga, tell me what you know about Yuugi Mutou."

There was yet another laugh, this one sounding sloppier than the last. Unfortunately, this time I couldn't make out Haga's mumbled response. I could feel my eyebrows pinching together in frustration. There was, of course, a way I could hear the entire conversation, but I was commanded against it.

A rebellious part of me refused to silence itself, waving the bait too close: I just learned how to become a spirit, I should take advantage of it…and Yuugi is somehow involved with Pegasus' scheme, isn't it my duty as a friend to find out what?

At the same time, there was no way I could materialize next to Nameless without him spotting me. I could just imagine his fearsome response—I shuddered at the thought. But there was still that spark of rebellion, jabbing at my side.

What's the worst he can do? Throw curses at me, damning me to hell for all of eternity? He already does that. Looking back, it's remarkable the way I simply glossed over his previous crimes as if he never committed them. I guess some part me still refused to fully acknowledge the true threat Nameless was—maybe the denial was a sort of defense mechanism. I mean, I was bound to him whether I liked it or not. I might as well ignore those details to make my experience slightly less of a nightmare.

In the end, my stubborn side won over, and soon I found myself running down the dark hallway of my mind to materialize as a spirit yet again.

Glancing down at the shell of my body which stood there blankly and alarmingly still, I couldn't believe how odd it looked when there was nobody home. I guess this was what Nameless meant when he said to not draw attention to myself—just looking at what was officially a "vessel" gave me chills.

Turning my attention back to the conversation taking place, I carefully slid through the wall, my eyes scanning to see where Nameless stood. He was only a few paces away, his back to me and his arms folded in the usual manner. His head was cocked slightly in speculation. A quick glance at the side of his face indicated he was amused by what was being said. He paid no attention to me. My shoulders sagged in relief, as I kept my distance from Nameless and lingered directly behind him where he couldn't see me. A quick glance around the room indicated that there was actually a small group of people facing Haga, writing down various things as the boy spoke. The surroundings were remarkably plain, furnished with only wooden chairs, a desk, and a dying lamp light.

"He's a total pushover," Haga drawled, adjusting his glasses, "He actually trusted me to see his rare cards. I mean, who does that? So I threw his Exodia cards over the ship." What? I resisted the urge to gasp, incredulous of what I was hearing. He destroyed some of Yuugi's cards?

The interrogator cleared his throat. "All right, could you explain to me why you did that again?"

"Umm…can I have a glass of water? I'm really thirsty."

"After you answer the question."

Haga's eyes rolled to the ceiling. "Okay. Well, this Yuugi kid was really getting on my nerves, you know? Acting like he was a saint, and so damn innocent too. 'Oh, of course you can see my cards! I trust everybody! Peace and love!' I mean, what a moron!'" I noticed his voice went up in pitch, probably in mockery of Yuugi. I bit back an ashamed smile. I mean, it was terrible what this boy did, but I couldn't help but question Yuugi's common sense. I knew that I wouldn't trust this person, even with holding a napkin. And where was the spirit of the puzzle during all of this?

"So that was why you threw his cards off the ship?"

There was a noticeable pause. "Well…no. Wow, it's really hot in here, isn't it? Do you guys feel that?" I heard Nameless scoff at the boy's random statement. Well, Haga was technically under the influence, which would explain his general weirdness. On the other hand, I couldn't help but wonder if he was just always like that.

"Answer the question, sir," the interrogator said with an edge of impatience, "Why did you really throw away the Exodia cards?"

"Oh, right. I did that because I was afraid he'd beat me in a duel if I encountered him later."

"So you were intimidated."

Haga scratched his head absently. "Uh…yeah. I guess. I don't know. Maybe." I vaguely heard a semi-amused snort from Nameless. He was mostly disgusted though.

"Was there anything else that set you off?"

"You mean that made me nervous?"

"Exactly."

The interviewee broke out into another laugh. It sounded strangled. "Well, between you and me, he doesn't exactly look like a threat, you know? The big eyes, his height…not that height determines how much of a threat a person is…I'm not too tall myself—"

"Please get to the point."

"Oh, right. But there was something about him that I can't really explain, that made me think twice about getting on his bad side…"

"Can you try to explain?"

Haga cast the man a blank stare. "Uh…no, not really. Just that there was more to him than his looks. I don't know."

The interrogator sighed. "All right. We have one more question for you. Did you notice that pendant hanging around the boy's neck?"

The person in question began his odd sequence of chuckles. "How could I not? It was freaking huge! A normal person doesn't carry something like that around for no reason…"

"Right. Now have you seen anyone else carrying around something like it?"

I blanched. So Pegasus was essentially interrogating passengers to see who knew about the millennium items. No, to find out who owned them.

I watched as Haga pursed his lips in thought. He looked like one of those strange tropical blowfish you see in a fish tank at a dentist's office. "Uhhh…no. Not that I know of."

"Okay. Thank you for—"

"No, no, wait!" Haga burst out, nearly rising from his chair. "There was someone who I think had something similar…now what did it look like?"

That was when I began to panic. Did he somehow see me? If Haga brought any attention to the millennium ring, then it would be nearly impossible for me to get through this dueling tournament without being discovered. I saw Nameless lift an eyebrow.

Haga settled back into his seat, his mind reeling back to his clouded memory. "Yeah, it looked like an enormous gold key."

…Huh? In the corner of my eye, I could tell Nameless was confused as well.

Haga nodded his head furiously, as if agreeing with himself. "And he was dressed in these white robes, so he really stood out. I mean, like, who wears that sort of thing on a cruise ship? But when I looked at him again, he was gone."

One of the interviewers, who remained silent up until this point, leaned into the primary questioner's ear. "I think this is where fantasy and reality get mixed up. I doubt this is valid information."

The dominant interviewer shook his head. "Write it down anyway. You never know what could be the truth." He glanced up at Haga. "Is there anything else you would like to add?"

"Not really." Haga's eyes were unfocused now, as he adjusted his glasses. "Can I have some water now?"

"Get him out of here. Bring in the next one."

"Now hold on!" Haga insisted, waving his hands in front of him. When he saw all eyes were on him, he broke out into a fit of giggles. "Wow, look at all you suits, all so serious and demanding. Scarrrry." I clasped a hand over my mouth, stifling the urge to laugh myself. The interrogators were probably regretting bringing this one in. The looks on their faces were priceless—disgust twisted their features, just as it did with Nameless.

"Insector Haga," the primary interviewer spat, enunciating his syllables with extra care, "Was there anything you were about to add that is actually relevant?"

Haga's lips curled in a smile. "Well, duh. There was something—"

There was a soft clatter that made my head snap over to the door. Where was that noise coming from? Anxiety began to gnaw at my insides as it occurred to me that it sounded like heavy footsteps coming from the hallway. My head whipped over to Nameless, frantic to see if he heard the noise too. Of course, the only time I needed him to be particularly observant he was not. Nameless was too immersed in the conversation to have his attention ripped away. At the same time, if he did look over, he would have seen me, which of course would guarantee unnecessary chaos. I was potentially in trouble either way.

I hastily backed out of the room, praying I was only hearing things. Upon reentering the hallway though, I quickly confirmed my fears: a large, hulking man who was undoubtedly a "security guard" loomed frighteningly close to my vessel of a body.

A gasp got lodged in my throat as my brain began scrambling for the next course of action. The guard had a firm grip on a stranger's arm, who looked in even worse shape than Haga. He was pretty large too, with bulging biceps and a great, thick neck, which was bulging as well from his protruding veins. The stranger was unleashing a wave of obscenities at the guard, struggling furiously and flapping his arms like an enraged bird to free himself.

"Bastards. I tol' you I didn't steal nothin,'" the stranger slurred, his words lashing out as sloppy punches.

"I didn't say you did," the guard said annoyed, yanking on the man's tattooed arm. "We just have to ask you a few questions."

The man let out a dry chuckle, unleashing the pungent stench of alcohol. "Does it look like I'm fit to answer ya'll?" In an attempt to stabilize himself, one foot crossed in front of the other, accidentally stomping on the guard's shoe.

The guard cursed inaudibly, giving the man a resounding blow on the back of the head. I winced as I watched the stranger fall limp. Now the guard turned his attention to my body. He raised his eyebrows.

"You up next?" he asked doubtfully. In a fit of panic, I reached for my body, slipping back in to regain control. Sparks of anxiety exploded in my stomach as I floundered to get my bearings. The world seemed to be tilting under my feet, all while colorful splotches dotted my vision.

I blinked at the guard. Ugh, I really didn't feel good. Why wasn't I warned going back into my body would be so disorienting?

The guard's frown deepened. "Hel-lo," he said loudly, in that irritating way people do when trying to capture someone's attention. He swiped a hand in front of me. "What, too much to drink? You comatose now?" His frown curled up into a slightly amused sneer.

I barely managed to shake my head, the entire ship shaking with it. I groaned. "N-no," I managed. "I hear you." My palms felt increasingly clammy as I struggled to think of what to say, let alone what to do.

And where was Nameless? Didn't he hear me talking to someone?

The guard straightened his posture, appearing all the more intimidating. "Then answer the question. Are you up next for questioning?"

"Um…" I felt a steady throbbing in my temples as I tried to think of the best response. If I said no, then that would obviously mean I didn't belong down there. But if I said yes, then wouldn't that mean I'd have to go inside that room? Nameless was in there though, so of course he would have to interfere to bail me out. Despite the fact he would mock me for my incompetence for as long I know him, it would definitely be my best option.

"Yes," I said slowly. I nodded my head hastily, as if that would make me more convincing.

The guard tilted his chin, his eyes peering down at me suspiciously. "Really," he said flatly. "Then where's your 'escort'? You wouldn't have been left here by yourself."

Droplets of sweat began to prickle my forehead.

"Well?" he demanded.

On impulse, I bolted past him, sidestepping the stranger who was passed out on the floor. I almost felt relief as I made it out onto the main hallway, but seconds later I felt a harsh tug on my wrist. The grip was like an iron vice, closing around my skin and pushing uncomfortably against my bone. The guard had a firm hold on me, and used it to slam me up against a nearby wall. The world began to spin again and the splotches returned.

"I guess that answers my question," the guard growled. "Who are you? A spy?"

"N-no!" I stammered, fighting back nausea. I squirmed to loosen his grip. "Please let go."

The guard eyed me carefully before his face darkened. "You look sick," he said carefully. "Why don't you take something to calm yourself down." It wasn't a suggestion, I quickly realized. As the guard pulled a syringe from the side of his waistcoat, panic flooded my insides.

I tried to back away, but there was nowhere to go. Especially with that paw of a hand digging into my chest. "What is that thing?" I asked breathlessly, fear strangling my voice. I tried to edge away again.

The heel of the guard's hand pressed harder into me. "Don't worry about the details, kid," he sneered. "You'll feel good after this." It occurred to me then that the mysterious fluid that was about to be injected in me was probably extract of the Henbane plant. Since I already looked suspicious, he most likely wanted to question me too. Especially since I'm one of the few passengers who actually declined drinking anything on the ship—the guard seemed to realize that just by looking at me. My eyes were probably wild, afraid—sober.

Acid seemed to rise in the back of my throat as I watched the guard pull out my arm harshly. As he poised the needle at the inner part of my upper forearm I desperately tried to tug away.

"Wait, wait, this is a mistake!" I pleaded frantically. I hated anything to do with needles to begin with, and having this nonmedical monster of a man about to jab something into my skin terrified me.

"Too bad you didn't understand the 'Employees Only' sign bolted outside the main door," the guard grinned. He jerked the needle down.

It was then something strange happened. As I let out a horrified cry and the guard was literally a fragment of a second away from injecting me with the syringe, blinding waves of golden light exploded from the millennium ring, cascading over my body almost in a protective shield and burning the guard as his skin came into contact with it. I watched in disbelieving awe as the guard immediately let go of me, howling as he held his singed hand up. I could barely hear his string of curses among the deafening ringing in my ears.

"You little bastard!" the guard cried, swinging his unharmed hand out at me like a steel mallet. The wall beneath me suffered a ripple of cracks as I flinched away from the blow, the golden light immediately evaporating as if it never existed. My knees suddenly felt weak holding up my weight, fatigue weighing down my body like heavy iron-linked chains.

It was then that I finally—finally—heard Nameless' voice. I think I actually felt joy when I heard his familiar edge of arrogance and conviction.

"I'm taking over. We can't let him remember what he saw or our time here is up."

I heaved a sigh of relief as darkness temporarily consumed me, my soul drifting back into the crevices of my mind. I was grateful for the release in control. I could no longer feel the deep aching in my muscles, the pain in my wrist, or the throbbing in my temples. Exhaustion still consumed my mind though, increasing in intensity after my close encounter with the guard. And especially after what happened with the millennium ring…whatever that was…

From the safety of my soul room, I watched as Nameless lifted a hand over the guard's head as bolts of light shot from the ring, delving straight into him. Seconds later, the agonized yelling ceased, and the guard was soon sprawled on the floor unconscious.

I heard the interrogation room door thrust open hurriedly. There was a soft clattering of footsteps, and then a hasty, "Hey, this guy's knocked out. Hello? Are you awake, sir? Howard? Keith Howard? Are you awake?" and then another succession of footsteps as a few people wandered down the hall to look for the guard who was missing.

I could feel the deep rumble of laughter in Nameless' chest. "We made quite a stir, eh, Landlord?" he mused as he whipped around and bolted down the hallway to make his miraculous escape. It was then we heard collective cries of alarm back where the unconscious guard laid, and demands as to what happened. They would remain unanswered, of course.

Nameless made a swift dash around one corner, weaving in and out of hallways with perfect recollection as to where we came from earlier. I watched for a few more moments as doors and windows flew past in one continuous stream before I turned away from the looking glass. It wasn't even a question whether or not Nameless would make it out onto the ship's deck without detection.

I had every intention of throwing out a somewhat immature "I told you so" at Nameless for potentially endangering my body, but suddenly I didn't care. The fatigue that prodded me persistently after the millennium ring's reaction was too strong, riding over any previous urges to demand some answers.

Wordlessly, I trudged over to the shade of the only apple tree in my soul room, towering over all else. The intoxicatingly-sweet scent of ripe apples lingered strongly in the air, mingling seductively with the gentle breeze. It made my eyelids grow even heavier.

My legs instinctively folded under me as I sunk to the ground, my limbs splayed out awkwardly over the piles of fallen leaves. I didn't care.

It only took seconds until the delicious release of sleep washed over me.

By the time my eyes opened, the sun was quietly burning just below the horizon. I was on deck once more, my body pressed against the railing. I briefly shut my eyes to the sporadic bursts of wind that grazed my face, tousled my hair, and seeped through the knitting in my sweater. The air was much cooler now, but I didn't mind. A fog was beginning to form, its cold stickiness clinging to my skin. I stared up at the timid stars, barely peeking out from the indigo tarp of sky.

My mind began to reel back from a few—was it more than that?—hours ago. I was asleep in my soul room, while Nameless ran about doing God-knows-what. But he had apparently relinquished control to me now, and I vaguely wondered if he grew tired too. Was he sleeping? Does he sleep?

My gaze shifted down to the ring hanging thickly from my neck. "Spirit?"

I felt an agitated stir from within the corners of my mind. "What, Vessel."

"So what happened while I was out?"

A sigh hissed through our mind link. "Does it matter? Everything's under control."

I frowned. "That's more or less the attitude you had the last time, and it almost got me killed by that brute of a man."

"Vessel, you were not going to be killed," Nameless ground out slowly, as if explaining the difference between night and day to a three-year-old.

"Did you see the size of that guy?" I demanded, waving my hands around frantically. I noticed someone look at me with a mix of concern and alarm, before I mumbled an apology and hastily turned away. I self-consciously folded my arms. "He was about to inject something into me, and you were off listening to some stupid interrogation with some stupid boy," I said quieter this time, despite the venom in my tone. "And you say 'everything is under control.'"

Suddenly Nameless was materialized next to me, his hands carelessly resting on his hips. The look on his face was, as usual, unreadable, although an eyebrow was lifted. "Are you bothered that I left?"

My entire face flushed, angry heat surging through my body. "Absolutely not!" I nearly shouted, making the few people within earshot to start backing away. For once, I ignored my concern for what other people thought, and was too angry to use the mind link. "I am bothered that I was in such danger."

"Oh, Hell, you are such a child," Nameless scoffed. "Stop cowering for a second and consider the fact that for as long as I need you, I'm not going to dispose of your body."

"Touching," I said with a frown, "But what exactly would have happened if you hadn't unleashed that protective barrier in time?"

Nameless' lips spread into a slight grimace before he tilted his head to examine my face. "That wasn't me."

And like that, my anger dissipated. "E-excuse me?" I managed.

Nameless glared.

My shoulders slumped. "Well, then who?"

"I think it's pretty obvious, if you strain your mind a little bit."

"…Me?"

"Unless you can come up with another theory…?"

I began to shake my head. "No way. It definitely couldn't have been me. It's like I said, I don't even know how to use—"

"It must have been instinctual," Nameless interrupted, waving his hand dismissively, "You are far too weak to handle such power. Vessel, you didn't even know what you were doing."

"I didn't," I agreed. The frown etched into my face deepened. "So in other words, I really would have been in trouble if I didn't manage to use the ring by some sort of freak chance."

"But nothing happened," Nameless pointed out, "and that's all the difference."

We fell silent for a few moments, my mind whirring and Nameless standing there irritably, perhaps already aware I wasn't finished yet. I wasn't.

"Well, you did advise me to use the ring if I was in trouble," I finally said, thoughtfully.

A noise emitted from Nameless' throat, sounding like a strange mix between a scoff and a growl. "Vessel, I wasn't being serious. You merely attempting to use such power is like allowing a mental patient access to a gun."

On impulse, I wanted to yell, "Then what was I supposed to do? You weren't there to help me," but stopped myself. I allowed my gaze to drift over the spirit of the ring, really looking at him. His posture may have appeared defiant, but his shoulders were tense. The hands on either side of his hips were tightly clamped on, digging into the fabric of his transparent jeans. And even though his face was generally smoothed over as a mask, there seemed to be a strain around his eyes. Nor would he look at me directly, his attention flitting from everything but me. He almost reminded me of an agitated cat.

He knew he made a mistake.

I couldn't believe it.

Should I call him out on it? No, that would probably cause a lot of unnecessary chaos. I knew he would never admit to making a wrong decision. Truthfully though, it scared me that I was a hair of a second away from being at the mercy of that security guard. Reluctantly, I decided to let it go.

"Spirit."

Nameless barely turned his head. "What."

"So it's getting late, and I can't help but wonder…do I honestly have to sleep out here?" I gestured to the deck with a brief sweep of my hand, noting with horror that I'd probably be lucky if I snatched even an hour of quality sleep.

"I don't see where else, Vessel."

A thought occurred to me. "How does that not look suspicious? A boy with unnatural white hair is sleeping on the deck floor. No, I could be passed out for all they know!"

"You are such a mouthy brat," Nameless scowled. "Do you ever shut up?"

"No, seriously," I insisted, "There's no way that would work."

"Then don't sleep," Nameless replied tersely. His attention was quickly waning from the conversation, as it tends to when it doesn't directly concern him.

"But—"

"Hey, move. Now." Nameless had disappeared back in the ring, his voice lashing out harshly instead. The abrupt change in his tone compelled me to straighten up and start walking. I wasn't sure where, but I knew better than to ask until it was safe to. Or glance back. A couple seconds of an anxious quiet rolled by before I spoke up. "Do you mind telling me why I had to leave my spot?"

"A couple of your friends have just spotted you."

I began to turn my head in interest. "Oh, really? Where are—"

"No, don't look back, Vessel, you moron!" Nameless hissed in panic.

"Well, what did you expect me to do?" I huffed. I swear I would never understand what he wanted from me.

There was a low growl. "Listen. Looking back draws attention to you. Plus there are security guards close by, which makes you look suspicious."

I frowned. "I understand why I have to stay out of the guards' way, but why do I need to hide from the people I know?" He only gave me a vague explanation as to why I should be hiding from my friends. Would it really be that suspicious if they knew I was invited in the tournament?

…Well, maybe.

"Remember, your 'friends,'"—I could envision Nameless needlessly curling his index and middle fingers to put that particular word in quotes here—"Don't know I'm still an active force. But if they see you, they might take the hint. I need you to be inconspicuous for a while until it isn't likely they could get us off the island. Being on this ship would be too easy for them to alert security."

"I'm pretty certain that Anzu and Honda don't belong here, either," I commented. "So I doubt they would say anything about that." And I'd like to think they would recognize me as my own person, not some attachment to Nameless. Maybe they would let me stick around and see me as a part of their own group…? I mean it wasn't like I endorsed anything Nameless did personally.

"I refuse to take chances with this sort of thing," Nameless replied briskly. I had a retort involving his willingness to take a chance with my safety earlier, but held my tongue.

"Now keep walking," he demanded. "Currently, there seems to be security checking for proof of invitation. Now that I think of it, that's probably why I saw that girl and one of Yuugi's body guards cramming themselves into the very same storage closet I put you in…"

"Anzu and Honda," I corrected defensively. I looked over my shoulder tentatively. Sure enough, two men in uniform were asking people at random for their star chip and mock Duel Monsters card for proof of their welcome. I slowly turned away and continued walking, trying to keep my pace casual.

"Am I going to have to play this game all night?" I sighed. "Hiding from security?"

"Well, if you'd rather perceive it as a game, then great," Nameless stated wryly. "But you've pretty much said it."

I frowned. "I would like to sleep at some point." Despite my nap earlier, I was still feeling exhausted. How did he expect me to stay up the whole night?

Nameless didn't bother to say anything, while I kept walking, brooding to myself. A few minutes passed, and neither of us spoke.

Finally, much to my surprise, I heard Nameless' voice once more.

"I have an idea."

There was a commotion down one end of a hallway. On this particular side of the ship's lower floors, most of the rooms were closed off, containing passengers resting before the tournament. Here, however, bubbles of scornful laughter echoed down the hall, grabbing my attention. I could immediately tell that, standing triumphantly a short distance away, was Mai, directing her taunts at the man whom she placed bets with earlier. Somehow I wasn't surprised.

"Bon voyage, loser," Mai said, intermingled with a chuckle as she shoved Ryuzaki out of the room that used to be his. Jettisoning soon after him were his belongings. "I can't say I'm surprised it ended up this way, but hey, I did warn you."

"Mai, wait, at least give me another—"

"Nope! A deal's a deal, and I thank you heartily for your room. Or, I should say, my room now. Ciao!"

"Mai—"

"Sayonara!"

Ryuzaki heaved a frustrated sigh as he snatched up his things. He shot Mai the nastiest look he could muster. "Bitch," he hissed as he began walking away. He gave me a suspicious once-over as he passed me, not bothering to deviate from his straight path and slightly shoving me as he moved down the hallway.

"That's how you survive in this world," Mai called after her latest reject. Her eye caught mine as she leaned out her newly-won room and winked at me. "Right, sugar?"

I jumped, not expecting her to acknowledge me. But a smile crept across my face anyway.

I gave a single nod. "If you say so."

A grin was still painted on her lips before she disappeared into her new room, casually kicking the door shut with her foot. Quiet reigned over the halls once more.

I continued to wander down the hall, my eyes roaming from closed door to closed door. "So what's your plan?" I finally asked Nameless. He wouldn't have asked me to walk around for no reason.

"Isn't it obvious? We're getting ourselves a room."

I blinked. "Oh, you mean win one like how Mai did?"

Right at that moment, one of the doorknobs rattled before the door burst open. Strolling out into the hall, much to my surprise, was the boy I had seen from earlier during the interrogation—Haga. He seemed much more rational now, a dopey smile no longer plastered on, but still had the air of someone who had an over-inflated ego. As he passed me, his eyes scanned me suspiciously.

I heard Nameless tsk at me. "Now Vessel, who honestly has time to get a room the fair way…?" His presence in my body began to resurface, and suddenly, I realized with horror what he was about to do.

"Spirit, Spirit, what are you—!"

In less than a second, Nameless switched control with me and was now turned to face Haga.

"Hey," he said loudly, his voice ringing out as a gunshot in the silence. He easily reached out and snatched the boy by the edge of his jacket, pulling hard to get his attention.

Haga froze before whirling around to look at Nameless. "What's your problem?" he asked moodily.

"You have something that I want," Nameless replied indifferently. He broke out into a sneer. "Don't take it personal." He lifted a hand over Haga, and despite my futile cries of protest, blasted the boy with the golden light emanating from the ring. Haga was knocked out before I even had the chance to tell Nameless to stop.

I stared in mystified awe at the unconscious boy who was now sprawled out on the floor. His glasses were knocked a few feet away from the blast.

"What did you do?" I gasped. Nameless just laughed in response, flipping through Haga's wallet and pocketing our new room key.

And so, just like that, thanks to the ring's power to apparently tamper with a person's memory, I was granted a room for the night within the span of a minute. No duels, bets, or invitations required.

I couldn't say I was proud…

But…

I couldn't say I didn't want it, either.

"You're welcome," Nameless sneered.

A/N: This chapter took forever-and-a-half to write, so a review would be oh-so-fantastic :]