Here we go folks! Chapter two! I wrote this one :D and I hope you enjoy it as much as you did my friends! I was really glad to see the first chapter was well received and I hope that continues!

Renagade's Deviant art account: RenagadeRexRider. deviantart. com

Chapter: Miss-DNL

Renagade: Thief Bakura

Miss-DNL: Ryo

Chapter 2: Ebbing Tension

By: Miss-DNL & RenagadeRexRider

Ryo listened in slight awe when the new spirit Akefia, King of Thieves, continued to speak, answering his questions in spite of his yami's rising anger at being ignored by the thief, "As to where I came from. Ah, how do I put it...? I'm like... a tether if you will. I'm essentially what's holding HIM here…not like I have much choice..." There was a bite of annoyance and hate towards Ryo's yami which brought intrigue to Ryo. Akefia didn't like the yami? Was this new spirit not here to help in tormenting him?

The Yami growled angrily, anger still rising because of Akefia's disobedience and blatantly ignoring him, "Exactly, and as such... GET BACK." He snapped to the other spirit. His anger spiked again when the Thief King merely huffed at his order.

'I believe I understand…' Ryo said through the link though a bit warily due to his Yami's obviously heated anger but his curiosity over took his fear for the moment, "King of Thieves? Interesting, though I'm sorry to hear about your situation…' He said thoughtfully playing with his pencil a bit in his hands; He knew that wasn't a pleasant situation for anyone.

The Thief King huffed bluntly he hated pity, "Don't pity me. One thing I don't really care for..." He half muttered to Ryo.

At this point the Yami's anger reached its boiling point, "I SAID BACK!" He snarled furiously using the Ring's power, causing the eye to light up with bright golden light, and sent a shock of power at the Thief King. Unable to stop it or defend himself Akefia was thrown back and silenced again, once more bound. The Yami snorts satisfied before retreating to his soul room sealing himself there for the moment.

Surprised by the Ring lighting up Ryo let out a surprised gasp, "Eh!?" He blinks confused by all the sudden silence Ryo looks around a little wary before slowly getting back to his homework. There was nothing he could do to help the new spirit nor did he know where he was sent. He sighed to himself; he was alone again for the moment.

A few moments later, the yami still locked in his soul room, Akefia's voice was heard again. He groaned painfully, "Agh...damn...bastard...that fucking hurt!" He barked angrily.

Ryo, who was still doing homework, lifted his head surprised to hear the thief again so soon. Curious he titled his head wondering how he unsealed himself so fast, 'Oh, you're still here? I thought he locked you up.' He commented writing down an answer to a question.

The thought of someone being able to lock him up caused Akefia to chuckle, "Hardly. He can't forever contain me, I am the Thief King after all." He said proud of himself and his skills, "I find ways to break my binds, at least in this case simply to talk. I did it once. I can do it again with ease." Akefia grinned triumphantly before frowning, "I can't free myself completely however... He's bound me too tight with shadow energy..."

'Yes that makes sense...' Ryo smiled a bit laughing lightly, the prideful thief was refreshing to Ryo's solitary life. Ryo knitted his brow in confusion, 'shadow energy?' Looking off at a wall the white haired teen figured it was the source of his malevolent Yami's power. Looking towards his game room , Ryo felt sorrow wash over him as he thought to himself, 'I guess that's how he did those things to my friends...though they can't do anything as far as I know...'

Akefia arched a brow to this slightly surprised the host was unaware of this, "Do you not know of it?' He hummed thoughtfully, 'It's the dark energy from the Shadow Realm...'

Ryo sighed slightly, there was a lot he didn't know he know that much ironically, 'Not really least I know what it is now...all I know is that he takes over and my friend's souls end up in the figures I've made. Newest was a teacher though.' He stroked his hair remembering how the P.E teacher pulled his hair not liking how long it was. That had ended up badly for him to say the least.

The Thief King perked at this interestedly, "Really now? Are they still currently trapped?"

Ryo nodded to the spirit through there was no real point to it, seeing as he couldn't see him, 'Yeah, I can't do anything to help them so I've kept the dolls safe.' He said through the link as he continued to work on his makeup work and homework.

Seeming to note his upset feelings, Akefia smirks and goes quiet a moment looking around as if to make sure no one is listening, "Hehe, keeping them safe huh? What if I told you, you might be able to actually free them?" The Thief King mused slyly.

Ryo perks lifting his head up and putting down his pencil giving the spirit his undivided attention, 'I'm listening...'

"Mind you... it is a gamble and a dangerous game, but play it right and get him to initiate a Shadow game with someone, preferably not you. The Shadow Realm takes pleasure in shadow games and most notably gambling. Particularly with human souls, name the stakes and offers and simply beat him. He'll have no choice but to obey the rules. Disobey the rules, and the game punishes with penalty and you'll win...Lose and... well... you might completely lose everything...hence why the 'preferably not you'." The Thief King explained carefully with a hint of warning in his voice.

Thinking carefully Ryo replies to the spirit, 'I see, guess that's how they got in there in the first place. I have a feeling one will happen soon though.' He said thinking about how his Yami snapped earlier, he still thought it was a bit ridiculous, 'He's mad at another spirit for 'up staging' him. That's why he snapped earlier.'

Hearing this Akefia arched a brow, "Oh, another spirit?" He inquired curiously.

Looking back to his work Ryo groaned a bit, he still had a long way to go before he was all caught up. Focusing back on his work, taking his pencil up again, he answered Akefia as he worked, 'Yeah, he's in the Puzzle that belongs to Yugi. He seems to like burning people.' Ryo said via the link as he scribbled the next answer down on his worksheet.

Hearing that Akefia twitched irately causing the Ring to shudder from his anger, "You don't say..." He said stiffly; merely remembering HIM made the Thief King angry.

A sudden shudder going through his body and hearing clanks of metal hitting together causing him to look down at the Ring seeing it shake slightly, 'Uh...yes?' He responded hesitantly picking up on the thief's anger.

The King of Thieves shook off his anger, he didn't need to scare the child, "Hmph... yes...," He paused a moment to recompose himself, "then yes. A Shadow Game is inevitable... just need to wait." He finished a bit stiffly.

Relieved he calmed, Ryo nods curtly before looking back to his work and continues working on it although is already tired of it making him rub his forehead with the palm of his hand. He hums, pauses then tones down his 'mental voice' just in case. 'What happens to you...if...he loses?' Though he just met the spirit, and judging by his title, Ryo knew he was a criminal, but he didn't want anything bad to happen to him. He worried that since he was connected to his Yami that he'd be punished as well if the Yami lost.

Akefia stops a moment, he hadn't thought of that, and for a while says nothing before sighing, "...I don't know..." He admitted not having a sure answer for the boy.

The Ring bearer stops for a moment taking the answer in, 'I see...' Silently he goes back to his work not knowing how to reply to the spirit.

The Thief King huffs to this, "Doesn't matter." He said bluntly, "Anything would be better than this." Akefia tries to shift but this binds keep him firmly in place frustrating the thief making him growl irately, "I can't even move!"

Ryo laughs slightly despite himself feeling emotionally drained doesn't catch it. 'I suppose that's true.' He looks at the pile of homework and make up work sighing rubbing his temples already feeling a headache coming on, 'I'm going to have major headache after this...' Unable to do anything about it Ryo shakes his head finishing the current sheet before pulling out another one. The pile of homework still prominent on his desk and still bigger than the completed pile making Ryo sigh dismally to this.

Akefia growls at his laugh but shuns it off figuring he meant nothing by it. He turned his attention to all the work ahead of the boy and chuckles, "Hehe... yes, be a good little boy and work like a scribe... typical nonsense for a child." He snorted bluntly at the situation.

'Heh, might as well since I won't be going to school again today,' Ryo laughed dully before looking at the clock judging that class would be starting about now and gets back to his work. He didn't doubt he'd be getting a call from his Father demanding an explanation as to why he was missing so much school again. Then his Yami would make him lie, not that he really needed too Ryo didn't want to tell him what his gift had done to him. He figured to himself that he should start coming up with an excuse already so he could sound more convincing when his Dad called.

Akefia huffed, "True... that bastard made sure to that..." He paused for a moment, "or you're just self-conscious about being called insane."

Ryo flinched and looked off to the side; he didn't like the thought of being called insane. He wasn't! 'Not sure about the first one,' He wasn't sure if his Yami would stop him from going to school, and he didn't really want to test it. 'But yeah, now they think I'm cursed and bipolar...I doubt today's incident will blow over too...' Ryo could already hear the whispers of rumors spreading at the school when he did go back it wasn't going to be easy for him.

Akefia chuckled a bit darkly, he had faced both accusations in his life he couldn't see what the big deal was, "and that's a problem?"

The boy tensed at the thief's chuckling, it was almost like he was amused by his problem, 'To me it is.' He answered stiffly not really wanting to discuss this.

The Thief King seemed to notice his well apparent sensitivity to the subject and huffs, "Well then running away doesn't make it better now does it?" He pointed out plainly.

All the emotion seemed to drain from Ryo and he shook his head, 'No. It doesn't. I know it doesn't.' Ryo said through the link his voice quiet, 'I've tried facing it and fixing things but he makes sure it stays the way things are or makes it worse.' His voice strained as he gritted his teeth trying to keep his building emotions in check, 'I've tried so many times...gone through so many schools...Domino barely let me join. 'For your safety and the safety of others we can't allow you in', that's what one school said.' Remembering that memory he frowned, it wasn't because the school head believed in curses but by then his sanity had been in question due to some incidents that and his grades were poor by then. Ryo stares down at the paper snapping his eyes shut fighting back the urge to cry, shaking his head to continue with the work.

Akefia went silent for a moment before speaking in a softer yet still firm tone to the boy, "Lucky for you... fate may be tilting in your favor. It won't be long now before a shadow game is dealt. And when that happens, all I can say is fight back. Hehe, you may have already made allies and not even know it...~" The Thief King mused slyly to his host.

Hearing that Ryo perks a bit, 'I hope so, I'll do my best.' The white haired teen smiled slightly, grateful to the spirit, 'Thanks, Akefia...I needed that.'

The Thief King mentally looked away with a huff, "... don't mention it."

Ryo brightens and gets back to his work finishing a little over half of it, stretches his back and arms out getting a few relieving pops from his back and shoulder relaxing him a bit. He yawns a little tired from the homework, "Uuh, I think that's enough for now." He rubs his head tiredly before getting up. "Time for bed..." Ryo yawns again before heading to his room scratching his head a little, eyes getting heavy with sleep.

Akefia hummed before chuckling briefly, "Heh... rest well." He glances mentally into the darkness and disappears, 'You might be needing it...' He expected no response as Ryo fell asleep instantly as soon as he curled up under the blanket of his bed.

Not much but conversation and angst in this chapter XD but we get a better idea if Akefia is out to torment Ryo or not...maybe

Hope you enjoyed~!

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