Brand new fanfic, here we go! If you've read my old writing, you'll notice that a few chapters will be very similar to the chapters from Spirit Keeper, but this fanfic is different enough to be considered a new story all on its own. I'm starting anew! And there's no need to read any of my old writing to understand this one, because it stands on its own.

So the thing about my old writing is… well uh…. I need to be firm on my decision to just leave Spirit Keeper the way it was. No more editing or deleting. The truth is, my mental health was awful the whole time I was writing it, and much of my irritation and anxiety bled into my writing and made the characters OOC. That's why Ryou was more irritated than he should've been; because I was constantly anxious, irritated, and moody all the time. I've restored Spirit Keeper mostly back to the way it originally was when I first posted it, as it's a good record of the mental state I was in, and I am aware that changing it too much made it worse. Luckily I like to email my documents to myself so I still have all the oldest original versions.

I'm aware that the second story I wrote that took place in Memory World was…not good writing, but at least it was good practice. Even when I was writing it I knew it wasn't good, but I still posted it online anyways because it was the only non-destructive coping mechanism I had at the time to survive through depression (and because I believed I might die soon, so I might as well post a few of my ideas online in the hopes that someone else would read it and it would inspire them to write the story that I wasn't able to live long enough to write. It turns out that I didn't die which means I can write more fanfiction! Yay!) The writing was dull and boring because I was running on low power mode. My emotions were muted, I barely had any energy, I was isolating myself to the extreme, I was sleeping 12-14 hours a day, and I was on medication, plus I hadn't done enough extensive research to write it well. I really, really do apologize for the ableism in my past writing. This is why I need other neurodivergent people to help me proofread for ableism before I post my stories online so that I don't end up posting something I regret. Mental illnesses are very serious topics, and if I get something wrong, people get even more hurt than they've already been hurt. My understanding of neurodivergent culture was very limited back then because I was in denial about being autistic. I was content with supporting autistic people from a distance, but I didn't actually want to be one of them! I didn't want to be part of a marginalized minority group! Who the heck wants that? I was fine with acknowledging the possibility that Ryou was autistic, but me? No thanks. Autistic people always sounded so angry and hurt all the time. Is that what I sound like? Do I have to be angry too? I didn't fully understand the concept of ableism yet, so I didn't understand what types of burdens autistic people were carrying on their shoulders. It was too much responsibility. But as much as I liked being in denial, I can't keep doing that forever. Now that I've learned to accept myself for who I am, I'm a lot happier and I can write a better story.

It's interesting how my writing changes depending on the quality of my mental health? Hopefully my writing will be better now that I'm around 90% recovered. I really do want to thank everyone who reviewed my old writing, because they played a major role in helping me survive through depression. Everyone's reviews were a source of comfort during a very tough period of my life, especially presea221 because you reviewed the most often and were supportive while being critical at the same time. Also special thanks to ScribbledPages too because you had the most positive reaction about my writing. I felt bad about changing/deleting things considering how you liked the original so much, so you were the main reason why I changed it back. When I changed it I disappointed you, didn't I? And I felt awful. Couldn't stop thinking about it. Everyone else was very supportive too, especially during that one time I had a meltdown - which, in hindsight, was over something relatively trivial, and I'm a bit embarrassed I overreacted so much. I really, really should've just kept Spirit Keeper the way it was, because people liked it that way, even if the characters were a bit OOC. It's mostly restored to the original now, however I still deleted the chapter that was just me having a meltdown, because gosh was that embarrassing. Most of the time I try not to make my meltdowns public like that. However I do appreciate all the people who reviewed and messaged me saying that you liked my story, because it calmed me down pretty quickly. And the critical reviews were worded kindly too. I love getting critical reviews that are not flames because they tell me how to do better. Two different people suggested that I include Malik more, and I agree. He's the only one who knows everything that's happening between the Bakuras so he's the only one who would understand a little of Ryou's pain, plus he happens to be neurodivergent too which is oddly convenient.

Psychology-related topics won't start showing up until chapter 3, but I'm going to define some important terms in the first chapter so you know what to expect.

Terms and Definitions

ASD = autism spectrum disorder

ASPD = antisocial personality disorder

DID = dissociative identity disorder

Aspie = a person with autism

Allistic = a person without autism

Sociopath = a person with ASPD

Empath = a person without ASPD

System = a person with DID or OSDD; the collective of alters/parts that make up the whole

Singlet = a person without DID or OSDD

Neurodivergent = a person who has any type or combination of neurological disorders and/or mental illnesses

Neurotypical = a person who does not have a neurological disorder and/or mental illness

These are not the official definitions for these terms, but I'm going to use them this way for the sake of convenience to communicate my ideas. I am aware that very few ASPD people use the term "empath" to mean "not ASPD" the same way that aspies use "allistic" to mean "not autistic." The term "prosocial" is actually the more common term that antisocials use to refer to people without the disorder, and most people who proclaim themselves to be "empaths" are just being ridiculously egotistical about having empathy. I'll still be using the term "empath" anyway. I figured that as long as everyone understands the context of my writing, it'll be alright.

This is a story about mental illnesses so there will be lots of triggering topics, especially discussions of ableism. I will be listing warnings at the beginning of each individual chapter. The first chapter is not too exciting because it's just an introduction, but be warned; I will cover many serious topics in future chapters.

Also I have to write this fanfic in a way so that it can be understood by anyone who hasn't read the manga or watched the anime, because the friends whom I want to help me proofread are unfamiliar with Yu-Gi-Oh and I can't convince any of them to read the manga. So here are some Yu-Gi-Oh terms you need to know in order to understand my fanfic:

Yami = Japanese word for "dark," so when I say Yami Bakura, I'm calling him Dark Bakura

Hikari = Japanese word for "light"

Yadonoushi = Japanese word that means both "host" and "landlord"

Millennium Item = a piece of golden jewelry that has magical powers. There are seven of them in total, each with their individual special abilities such as mind-control, predicting the future, etc, although there are certain powers that they all have in common such as dishing out Penalty Games, playing Shadow Games, and sending people to the Shadow Realm.

Shadow Realm = represents the concept of Hell. Sending someone to the Shadow Realm is basically the same as sending them to Hell.

Shadow Game = a game that is very dangerous, fueled with magic from the Millennium Items. Monsters come to life, and you often have to risk your life to play it. The loser suffers a horrific punishment such as losing their sanity, forfeiting their soul, or death. The winner doesn't really gain anything except for the satisfaction of winning.

Penalty Game = a magical punishment that can cause your enemy to go insane, blind, deaf, die in a horrific way, or any other creative way you want to punish someone. You can only give someone a penalty game if you have a Millennium Item.

I will only be using the Japanese names for all of the characters, so if you only know the English names, here's a quick reference guide:

Anzu Masaki = Tea Gardner

Katsuya Jonouchi = Joey Wheeler

Hiroto Honda = Tristan Taylor

Ryuji Otogi = Duke Devlin

Shizuka Jounouchi = Serenity Wheeler

Rishid Ishtar = Odion Ishtar

Ishizu Ishtar = Isis Ishtar

Malik Ishtar = Marik Ishtar

I've been trying to decide whether I like Malik or Marik better, and I've decided to use Malik because it's the more common Egyptian name in real life. They're both valid though. I like both versions of the name in different ways.

I've realized that the name Ryuji is too similar to Ryou, so I'm going to refer to him as Otogi instead to avoid confusion, and to make the story easier to read for people with dyslexia.

I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. It belongs to Kazuki Takahashi.

Also, this should go without saying but this fanfic is not meant to be read by children. It's meant for teenagers and adults. If you're a child or a preteen you probably should not be reading this. It's rated T for good reason.

That being said, let's begin the story.

Domino City was a bustle of activity. Situated at the heart of mainland Japan, this city was famous for being the location of KaibaCorp Headquarters, the renowned megacorporation responsible for some of the most high-tech gaming technology in the world. The CEO of KaibaCorp was the famous Seto Kaiba, who had a passion for playing games. Domino City was also a city filled with a lot of crime, where the gap between the rich and the poor was very pronounced. Dangerous gangs roamed the streets of the poorer areas, but the wealthier areas were brimming with shopping centers, amusement parks, arcades, libraries, museums, hospitals, and other well-kept public facilities.

Very recently, Seto Kaiba had hosted an internationally famous gaming tournament known as the Battle City Tournament, where people from all over the world flocked to Domino City to compete against each other by playing the popular card game, Duel Monsters. Kaiba himself competed in the tournament, however he wasn't the winner. The person who placed first in the Battle City Tournament happened to be Yugi Mutou, the same champion who had placed first in the Duelist Kingdom Tournament that took place only about a month earlier. Due to Yugi's phenomenal accomplishments as a Duel Monsters champion, everyone had started calling Yugi the King of Games. What's interesting about the relationship between Yugi and Kaiba was that they both happened to be teenagers attending the same class in Domino High School.

It was the end of the school day on a Saturday, when it was time for the students of Domino High to get ready to go home. Like all typical Japanese high schools, classes on Saturday ended at 1pm, earlier than they normally would on weekdays, which was great because it meant more time to hang out with friends. The students worked together to clean up the classroom and then gathered their bags to get ready to exit the school.

The bell rang, signaling the end of class at Domino High School. Yugi was excited for school to end today because today was a special day for him and his tightly knit group of friends.

As soon as school was over, Yugi was immediately approached by his best friend Jounouchi, whose energy was intoxicating, "Awwwright! School's out! You know what that means!" he said.

"That's right! Today is when we go to Bakura's place to play Monster World," Yugi said.

Ryou nodded. "Yes, it's always great to have everyone come over to my place!"

"Plus, today is special, because we have a new friend joining us," said Anzu. As the only girl in the friend group, she excluded positive energy and friendliness.

"You mean me, right?" said Otogi, the newest member of the group.

"You know it! It's nice to have you part of the group, Otogi," said Honda, another member of the group who had been Jounouchi's friend since before they met Yugi.

"Yes, I'm so happy to have you coming!" Ryou said excitedly. "We're going to have so much fun!"

The gang of six friends left school and started walking to Ryou's home together, laughing and chatting amongst themselves. When they arrived at their destination, Ryou unlocked the door and welcomed everyone into his home. They went into the game room, where all of the materials needed to play Monster World were already set up.

"We're here! Come, sit down! Let's get started," Ryou said as he sat down at the head of the table where the Game Master always sat.

"Wow, this is amazing!" Otogi exclaimed when he saw the game room. There was a large tabletop role-playing game board that included forests, a miniature castle, and a tiny town. There was also a display case featuring miniature figurines of elves, dwarfs, and other fantasy creatures. "Geez, how much money do you spend on games? This table looks like it cost a fortune."

"Oh yeah, my dad tends to let me spend as much money as I want on anything I want," Ryou admitted.

"You're a spoiled brat, aren't you?" Otogi said.

Ryou shrugged and smiled. "This is your first time here, so it's time for you to create your character," he said as he handed Otogi a character sheet. "You choose a race from the list, and then a class. For example, Anzu is an elf magician, and Jounouchi is a human warrior."

Otogi looked over the character sheet, rolled his ability scores, and created his character. "I'll be a half-elf merchant," he said.

"Great! I'll add your character data to the computer," Ryou said. "Also, here's your miniature!" he said as he handed Otogi a figurine.

"Wow, is that me?" Otogi said, taking the figurine. "It looks just like me!"

Ryou nodded. "Yes, I take pride in my attention to detail!" He turned on his computer and opened up his notes. "Alright, I'm adding your character to the campaign. Let's get started…"

The group played the roleplaying game for around four hours, going on adventures and fighting monsters. Afterwards they ordered pizza and sat in the living room together, eating and talking. Jounouchi, Yugi, and Anzu sat on the couch while Honda and Otogi stood next to each other near the coffee table.

Ryou went into the kitchen, but froze when he made it into the middle of the room. "What was I doing again?" he wondered out loud. Then he remembered. "Oh yeah!" He opened the refrigerator and took out some juice which he then poured into a couple of mugs. One by one he brought the drinks out into the living room and gave them to his friends.

"Here, have some juice," Ryou said, handing Otogi a mug.

"Thanks," Otogi said, taking the cup. He watched as Ryou walked around giving everyone else something to drink too.

"Enjoying yourself?" Honda said to Otogi.

"Yeah. Bakura does a great job as the game master. How does he come up with all those stories? Not to mention the game board and all the game pieces he made. It's amazing," Otogi said.

"It's true. He's very talented," Honda agreed.

"I've never heard him talk so much. I'm used to him being so quiet at school."

"Yeah well, he's Bakura. None of us really understand him." Honda took a sip of his drink. "So what do you think? You still believe it's better to rely on yourself than to rely on others?" he asked.

"I'm still thinking about it," Otogi said.

"Hey, you're an official member of the group now. Maybe you'll learn to lean on us for support every now and then," said Honda.

"Oh no, don't think for a second that I'm getting more involved than necessary," Otogi quickly retracted. "If there's one thing I know about being in a clique, it's that there's a lot of drama, and you guys seem to get into a lot of drama. I came here tonight to play games and that's it. I have no intention of becoming too close to anyone here. I might consider you all to be my friends now, but you're not close friends. I'm keeping my distance."

Honda shrugged. "Well if you keep coming to game nights, maybe you'll change your mind over time."

The rest of the Gang started talking about Yugi and the magical artifact he wore around his neck. Yugi had something called a Millennium Puzzle, which was a magical artifact from Ancient Egypt that granted him supernatural powers. Inside the Millennium Puzzle there was the spirit of an Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh who had been sealed inside the artifact for three thousand years. Everytime Yugi was in danger, the Pharaoh would possess Yugi's body and solve the problem. Whether it be defeating enemies or winning card tournaments, the Pharaoh served as Yugi's protective alter ego. Because the Pharaoh looked and acted like a darker version of Yugi, he was often referred to as Yami Yugi.

"I used to believe that Yami Yugi and the regular Yugi were essentially the same person. I believed that Yami Yugi was a part of Yugi who came out when there was danger. However, now I know them to be two separate people," Anzu was saying.

"And not only is he a different person from me, but he also had a life before he became sealed inside the Puzzle," Yugi said. "In fact, he's a Pharaoh from Ancient Egypt!"

"Who would've thought that my pal Yuge would be royalty!" Jounouchi said in awe.

"That means he must've had a family of his own, back when he lived in Ancient Egypt. Right Yugi?" Anzu said.

"Right," Yugi confirmed. "However, he doesn't remember anything about his family or his past life, which is why it's my duty to help him regain his memories."

"How long until that happens?" Otogi asked.

"According to Malik, the tomb guardians are still setting things up. It will be around six months before it's ready to perform the rites necessary in order for the Pharaoh to regain his lost memories," Yugi said. "Then a month later after that, it's my duty to reunite the Pharaoh with his family, by putting his spirit to rest."

"You mean… he's going to leave us?" Honda said solemnly.

Yugi nodded sadly. "Yes, I have to send him to the afterlife, where his spirit can rest and be with his family."

There was a moment of silence as everyone looked downcast, pondering the situation. Anzu looked like she was about to cry. Honda was crying for real.

"Hey, but there's still some time left before you have to send him away, ain't that right Yug?" Jounouchi exclaimed enthusiastically. He hated it when everyone looked so sad and wanted to lighten the mood.

"Jounouchu's right! We still have seven months left!" Ryou agreed. "So we just need to make the best of the time we have left and relish every moment we have with him!"

"Right!" Yugi nodded.

The Gang of six friends continued to laugh and enjoy themselves for the rest of the evening until it was time to go home. One by one, each of Ryou's friends left the apartment until Yugi was the only one left.

"Thank you for coming, Yugi!" Ryou said as Yugi was preparing to leave.

"Of course! I love coming to your place to play games! Thanks for having me over," Yugi said. As he put on his shoes, he paused in the doorway. Now that everyone else was gone, there was something he wanted to talk to Ryou about.

"Um…Bakura, may I ask you a question?" Yugi said.

"Yes, what is it?" Ryou asked.

"It's about the Millennium Ring. It's gone missing. You wouldn't know what happened to it, would you?"

Ryou's eyes widened for a moment, but he quickly recovered. "No, why would I know? I was looking for it but I couldn't find it. Maybe you should ask Malik? He might have it."

"Well if you ever find it, remember to never put it on," Yugi said sternly.

"Of course I wouldn't put it on!" Ryou said with a laugh. "You know what happens when I wear the Millennium Ring. The evil spirit inside the Ring possesses me."

"Yeah, of course. You know better than to wear it," Yugi said, almost as if trying to reassure himself. "Well, see you."

"Bye Yugi! See you at school!" Ryou said.

"Goodbye Bakura!" Yugi waved as he left.

Ryou closed the door and locked it. Now that he was completely alone, he took a deep breath to relax. "I feel bad about lying to him," he said.

"You don't really have much of a choice though," replied the Spirit of the Millennium Ring, also known as Yami Bakura.

"No I suppose not," Ryou sighed. He reached underneath his shirt and took the Millennium Ring out so that it was in plain view. He had secretly been wearing it this whole time.

The Spirit of the Millennium Ring wasn't actually evil. Not anymore. He used to be evil. In that past he had stolen the souls of Ryou's classmates and teachers and put them into Monster World figurines. Back when Ryou and the Spirit first met officially, it was in the middle of a Shadow Game in which the Spirit had stolen the souls of Yugi, Jounouchi, Honda and Anzu and sealed them inside the plastic dolls. But over time the Spirit had a change of heart and was no longer malicious; in fact he played a role in helping save Yugi's life a couple of times now. But unfortunately, none of Ryou's friends knew about the Spirit's change of heart and still believed him to be evil. So now Ryou had to keep it a secret that he was keeping the Millennium Ring.

"If it's Yugi's duty to help the Pharaoh regain his memories and return to the afterlife, then it's my role to do the same for you," Ryou said. "When it's time for the Pharaoh to leave, I suppose you'll be leaving too."

"Are you so eager to get rid of me?" the Spirit said with a chuckle.

Unlike with Yugi and Yami Yugi, Ryou and the Ring Spirit were not particularly close. Perhaps under different circumstances they could've become friends, but they were little more than acquaintances with an agreement with one another. Ryou allowed the Spirit to share a body with him since the Spirit didn't have one of his own, and in return the Spirit saved Ryou and his friends when they were in danger. This agreement wasn't meant to last forever.

"All I'm saying is that you must've had a family of your own too, just like the Pharaoh did. And they must be eagerly awaiting for your arrival in the afterlife. You ought to be with them," Ryou said.

"Well it won't be much longer now. Only about seven months before I have to leave," the Spirit replied.

Ryou nodded. "Right. Until then, I'll make sure your stay with me will be as comfortable as possible."

"And I'll be sure not to interfere with your life more than necessary," the Spirit promised.

"Thank you. I appreciate it." Then Ryou went to make himself dinner and enjoyed the rest of his evening.