Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Vampire Hunter D.
I also apologize to all of you who have been waiting so patiently. Thank you again Aldedron, for being a spectacular beta-reader, and thank you to all my patient readers. I hope you enjoy this, and that it was worth the wait.
Chapter Seventeen: Under the Gun
August 28, 2003
It has not quite been five days since we began our journey to nowhere. That is what it is, there is no denying it. There was no plotted course in the beginning, just Mokuba's insistence. The people above us may know what they are aiming for now with Kaiba at the helm, but down here in this dim there is no sense of purpose or direction. At the moment, Bakura-sama sleeps. He has been sleeping a lot more often I have noticed. I hope it has nothing to do with the injury he acquired before our banishment. Worse yet, he may not be sleeping at all, but trapped in that odd, not quite dream land. I have not had another dream like it since the last time, or spoken to "the darkness", but I feel that place, and those creatures are not something grounded in science. I hesitate to say it, but I will do so anyway for fear of ending up like that deluded man ruling the world above us. It may be something magical. Something more akin to what my friend, wait, no, I can no longer call him that. There is no word impressive enough for what I feel for that man. My "companion" says I should just call him "daddy" but that just sounds ridiculous. Not to mention my biological father has ruined any paternal phrase for me.
It still does not surprise me that Yugi did not appear the night he had promised to, or even the night after that. They had provisions already set up, and since they were rationing, that would mean that they would not need to come down here for at least a week. Needless to say, the two nights he did not make contact were very unpleasant for us. I believe I need not explain the necessity of bodily functions and all around cleanliness. Just know that we were grateful for more than just information. With his arrival came proof of his allegiance to Bakura-sama, in my mind, and with his words proof of others'. Etsu is obviously too young to much care for anything than smiles and playtime, but Anzu and Jounochi remain on our side, albeit silently. They all have to be silent about it; an unspoken decree was placed on the world above. We were meant to remain down here with minimal contact. Most of the food would be brought up, to better conserve it and keep it away from us. Not that this would matter much to me, but they would be rationing it for us, which would mean that Bakura-sama and I would probably get the smallest portions, and if one of us or both of us died, all the better. We were now considered a threat. Are I should say, but is it not amazing that it only took about a day for almost everyone on the ship to turn on us? A child and an injured man, honestly what could we do to them? Let me rephrase, what could Bakura-sama do, and what could I allow myself to do? None of them realize it, but I do have something called self restraint.
And my companion is laughing. What a pain. One moment, please.
He is quiet now, and just in time. Bakura-sama had been stirring in his sleep, and I have no wish to wake him even if it worries me, especially if he is hurt and still intends to do as he said. Yesterday he forced me to drink the blood he had packed, and yes, I say forced and mean forced. I had no intention of drinking it until I absolutely had to, but after the struggle he said that it would have probably gone bad by then. Which he was right, it already had a rather distasteful flavor. Sometimes it amazes me how strong he can become when pushed, and if I had fought any harder I would have hurt him. But if he is also serious about "donating" (Oh that sounds horrible, but I cannot think of anything better to call it) he'll need his strength. I will not drink his blood any time soon though. I am fine. I will be fine for a while. I have to be.
Suddenly the room was illuminated by a large square beam of light. D turned toward it, blinking away the stinging of his eyes while one of the people from above climbed down into their cell. There was no denying that this was a prison and the person before him one of their jailers. The smell of the ocean, which had already been obvious to the boy, now encased his senses in its briny presence. A faint trickle of a breeze hit his cheeks and he wondered, not for the first time, if there was a chance for them to suffocate down there.
The person before him was none other than Kato, a man who used to be under Yugi's orders, but now only served Kaiba's. He had been down there yesterday and the day before to give them their scant meals. Yugi had warned them of this. No one who was even thought to be friendly with the people down below was allowed to deliver them anything. So it seemed that the man facing him would be their permanent guard.
The boy watched the looming figure with expressionless eyes. The man glared at him and practically tossed the two cups full of instant miso soup onto the ground. The cups clattered against one another, but remained standing. D did not move, but continued to stare at the man.
"What are you looking at?" Kato spat, "Think I'm tastier than what we give you?" The boy continued to remain silent and staring, which riled the man up further. "Stop looking at me, you freak, or I'll give you something else to choke down!" With a motion that almost seemed clumsy in D's eyes, the man seized D's face with one hand, gripping it with such a force that would have made most adults tear up in pain, and looped the thumb of his other hand in the belt loop of his pants. The boy remained as irresponsive as ever.
"What, too scared to speak you little shit?" The man hissed in his face, "Or does the idea seem tempting to you? Huh? Could get a little blood out of it?"
"That's enough," a quiet voice interjected sternly; "You've brought us our food, now let him go, and get out of here."
Kato looked up to see Bakura standing just beyond where the light could not reach, his face more illuminated by the glare than anything. The older man growled and was about to snap back at him when Bakura calmly walked over to the pair and gently removed Kato's hand from D's face. The boy blinked and watched as Bakura's gentle features distorted into something far less pleasant. The young man's attention was locked onto the taller man before him, and even for all of his bulk, Kato involuntarily took a step back towards the exit when their eyes met. Lacing one arm around the man's neck Bakura pulled him close, so close that they could have been kissing.
"I know, typically, you're stronger than me," Bakura whispered, tightening his grip on the man, "but, you'll be surprised at what I can do to you when I'm cornered. Threaten my child like that again, and I," he paused, leaned forward so his mouth was against the man's ear, "will show you just how much worse human beings can be to one another. Take my food away if you want, but the next time you come down here, he might not be the one you should be afraid of." To make his point more clearly he licked the man's ear. "I hear we taste like pork," he added, "Tonkatsu sounds good right about now, doesn't it?"
And he laughed when the man ripped away from his grasp and bolted up the ladder, slamming the trapdoor with a bang. The laughter sounded unhinged, but lasted only until the lock had finished rattling closed. That was when Bakura turned and spit into the darkness.
"That was just vile," he muttered to himself and sat down. "Could you bring the food here D-kun? I can't see anything right now."
"Sure," D replied, and brought the tray before Bakura.
"Thank you very much," he said and felt for one of the cups. D shook his head and picked one up, grabbing one of the waving hands and placed the meager serving of soup in it. Bakura looked toward him, not directly at him, and smiled. D's lips twitched upwards but of course the man could not see it.
"You are welcome."
"Did you want yours?"
D took his cup, swirled its contents, and placed it in front of Bakura. "No, I don't need it. You can have it."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
They could hear the muffled voices above them, but neither of them paid any heed. Most of the discussions were easy to figure out, and this time they were positive that the topic today would be about them. D tried to trim his nails with his teeth while Bakura consumed his latest meal at his leisure. There was a loud shout and a crash; the boy looked up with mild interest. The young man, however, continued his repast as if nothing had happened.
"Why did you do that?" D asked a little while later when Bakura was working on his second cup at snail's pace. The young man stopped what he was doing to address the boy.
"Do what?"
"Threaten him. He probably won't bring you anything else to eat until tomorrow. Maybe."
"I figured," Bakura replied, taking a sip of his soup before saying, "but no one is going to threaten you like that and get away with it."
"So you were serious?"
"As was he."
"What do you think he meant by it?"
Bakura glanced in D's direction. There was a dark look on his face. "There was no way that what he said could be pleasant for you in any way. Leave it at that."
"But it doesn't answer my question."
"You're a smart boy, D-kun, you don't need me to spell out what he was intending to do."
D blinked. "But he's a man."
"Just because he's a man doesn't mean he wouldn't do it. It wouldn't be about any sexual gratification either, but about his power over you," Bakura replied, draining his cup.
"That's disgusting."
The young man raised an eyebrow. "Which part is disgusting?"
"Why would someone want to do that to a child?"
"Because some people are sick in the head," Bakura said, moving the tray closer to the trapdoor, "and sometimes that sickness doesn't surface until times of great stress. But it doesn't really matter why right now. We can't change what he wants to do, but we can certainly stop him when the time comes."
"Do you think that time will come?" D questioned.
"Maybe, maybe not. It all depends on the politics that go on above us. I'm sure we will receive the brunt of whatever goes on up there," Bakura looked down sadly, "I'm sorry that this is all happening. It's not what I wanted for you."
"Bakura-sama, you gave me more than what I could have dreamed of, and what happened wasn't your fault."
"I made a lot of the decisions, D-kun; I can't ignore my part in this. I put my faith in the wrong people, and didn't keep my eye out for any of the dangers. They all died because of me."
D made his way over to Bakura. Those words had brought back his dream and he wanted to violently shake the man to get him to take back those words; but he settled on placing a hand on his shoulder "No," he said, "they died because of…"
"Don't even start D-kun, you are a child. None of this was in your power to stop. I suppose I cannot take all the blame however," Bakura sighed, "the man who gave the order to attack us has to take some of it."
"Not to mention Kaiba for being stupid again and not listening to you."
"That too," Bakura replied, smiling.
They sat in silence for hours in the dark, simply enjoying one another's company. D tried to make out what was going on above them, but it seemed like most of the passengers were outside; only a rare scuffling was produced right above them. Bakura wandered the room as if to reestablish his proficiency in walking through that complete darkness. D stifled a giggle when the man nearly face-planted after tripping over their packs, essentially all that those above had left them after securing their supplies in the cabin itself; essentially, the only thing that Bakura would have been avoiding in their cold, empty prison. What a thing they had already become used to, what a thing to find comfort in.
To those above, if placed in their position, may have gone mad. It required patience, a calm spirit, to sit there for hours on end doing nothing. Akin to solitary confinement in the time it took for Bakura to regain his bearings in the dark and find the boy, it was like being alone in a stifling darkness even for its frigidness, a box whose sides close in ever closer. Sometimes in those moments, the young man had to hold his breath to realize that he could breathe and that the darkness was not a vacuum.
When Bakura returned from his walk around the room, D noticed that he had both backpacks in hand. He seemed preoccupied as he handed the smaller one to the boy. D watched as he shifted through the pots, wondering what he was doing. Bakura looked up, feeling watched, and turned in D's direction, his face still unreadable.
"How much food do we have?" He asked the boy, who finally understood why he had been given his bag. D quickly flipped through the instant meals and cans while the young man resumed his rummaging.
"Everything we packed is there," the boy replied, "A little more than half of the weekend's food for our group." He remembered Jounochi admiring the fact that he could carry so much without complaining and pushed the thought aside. He had not bothered to ask Bakura how he thought his friend was doing, if it were up to the boy, Bakura would have spent all of his time getting better. The man did not need more stress.
"Keep it close," the man said, doubled over in his bag as if it would help him see what he was looking for. He grunted and jerked his hand away from the opening, putting his finger in his mouth. D could smell the blood immediately.
"Are you okay?"
"Fine, just a cut."
"It's not deep?"
"No."
"What were you looking for?"
"This," Bakura raised the knife with his other hand. D looked at it and marveled at how sharp it was. No wonder he had gotten cut.
"Why?"
"Many reasons, really," Bakura replied, putting it aside. It scraped against the metal and the sound stung D's ears. "I guess I don't need to check to see how sharp it is," he laughed softly, "by the way, keep your bag close to you. And take a sip of this." He tossed the boy a water bottle, which he had no trouble catching.
"Why?"
"Precaution. I don't know how quickly you get dehydrated. Maybe you don't need it at all. Maybe you know you don't. But do it for me, just a sip, just to make me feel better. Just in case." D took a sip and returned the bottle to the man, his eyes still inquisitive. "Oh…your bag?" The boy nodded. Bakura began rummaging again. "Because," he said, "we have to make it last a while, in case they don't come down here with food. And, if they take it while we are sleeping—"
"I'd hear them, you know."
"I know you are talented, D-kun, I'm just being cautious. Harder to get our stuff when it's in our arms."
"Why would they need it? They have more than enough food if they are careful with it."
"Insurance," Bakura stated, "Not to mention it makes us completely dependent on them. They are already trying to pull that crap on us now." Bakura stopped his searching and stared into his bag.
"Is the knife your insurance?" D asked, preoccupied with resituating the food in his bag so it fit perfectly.
"Yeah…" the young man murmured. He reached into his bag and grasped the thin piece of cardboard that had been poking up from the bottom. D paused and looked at the man, then to his hand, and his face became just as confused as the other's.
"Why'd you pack your cards?"
"I didn't," Bakura replied flatly.
"What?"
"I didn't." The young man grabbed his bag and turned it over, all of its contents crashing onto the ground. D covered his ears reflexively and looked up to the thin outline of a square that lead to the outside world, hoping no one would come and investigate. However no one came to look into the source of the noise. He had a feeling that something bad would have happened if they had. Bakura shifted through it all and frowned. "That's the only one." He squinted, and then hurried to the only light source. D watched this display with growing anxiety. He had a feeling he knew what card it was.
The man did not speak immediately after he returned to their spot, but packed his things, including the card. Taking the knife in one hand, he motioned to the corner where they usually slept. "Care to take a nap?"
"What?" D asked, "What about the card? Which one is it?"
"It's not important," Bakura replied, his eyes not meeting D's, which only furthered the boy's suspicions that it was, "What is important is that we are both well rested. Whether we like it or not, our clock is ticking. Sooner or later all hell is going to break loose. It might be a storm that capsizes the boat, or a mutiny that ravages it. Or they all might decide that it is best that they throw us overboard for protection. Kaiba is an asshole, there's really no better word, but he's also smart, and in charge of the situation. That will work for a while, but by next week, or the week after that, that could mean absolutely nothing. I'm going to make sure we are ready, though."
"Is that why you've been sleeping so much?" D questioned.
"Yes, well, partially. Sometimes I fall asleep without realizing it. It's so dark in here you know."
"Do you dream?"
Bakura blinked. "Yes, but nothing very interesting. My dreams are rather muted compared to our experience."
D nodded. "Bakura-sama, I trust you, you know that?"
The young man smiled. "I'm glad to hear that. It means a lot."
"Do you trust me?"
"Of course I do."
Taking in a deep breath, the boy prepared himself for any backlash. "Don't hide anything from me, then. I'm not five you know. I don't need my hand held or my eyes covered."
"What do you mean?" Bakura looked at D with inquiring eyes. They did not miss their mark.
"Does your head still hurt?"
Bakura chuckled, seemingly relieved. "No, it hasn't for some time. I was really lucky."
"And your dreams are boring?"
"More like a vacation I hate to say," Bakura replied, frowning. "Some things that I dream about are things I wanted to show you. Or I'm sixteen again and hanging out at the arcade." D nodded, accepting this answer. "But what is your real question, D-kun? What do I need to do to prove I trust you?" The man grimaced, and the boy realized he knew what was coming.
"Tell me what card you found, and what you think it means."
Bakura sighed and tossed their bags into the corner wandering away from D. The boy was half expecting him to not reply, but as the man got into a comfortable position, with his head resting against his respective backpack, he answered. The fact that he would face it even though D knew it scared him, made the boy admire the man even more.
"You've seen it before," the man began, "The one that you thought you saw when I almost missed the balcony…the one that we definitely saw the night that everything went wrong. Diabound…" Bakura pressed his palms against his eyes, "I rarely ever played him, and he wasn't even my favorite card."
"Which one was?"
"Change of Heart," he replied, "it was a spell card. You got to take control of one of the other' player's monster for a turn; it was helpful if you played it just right."
"Was that why it was your favorite?"
"I also happened to like the picture," Bakura said, smiling a little at the memory. "When it comes to games I've always gravitated toward the magical characters or items."
"If I remember, Diabound sounded very magical and strong…"
"Oh, there were plenty of cards that could have defeated him, not in battle, but in general. But you're right; he's not a horrible card. I just don't know why he keeps showing up. None of us have the Millennium Items anymore…And I haven't blacked out for any reason aside from the obvious blunt trauma…"
D suddenly jerked, a memory flashing through his head. "We're going east!" he blurted, before covering his mouth.
"East?" Bakura asked, "Well, I suppose we are but what does that have to do with anything?"
"I need to cross two in the east and one if I go west, but going west is harder. It's where the others really come from…you said that, when…" D bit his thumbnail, stopping himself just short of the truth, before finishing, "you were sleeping."
"I did?" Bakura tilted his head, "I don't remember."
"Well, you were asleep," D stated. However he thought, 'or possessed, but we can't be sure, we can't be sure of anything right now.'
"Either way I guess none of it really matters. It was probably just a coincidence both ways," Bakura patted the empty space just beside him, "Come on, we need to get some rest. We have more tangible problems to face in the near future. Let us worry about magical appearances and dream-speak later."
D nodded, actually relieved to be off of the subject. Something about talking to Bakura about his epiphany made him feel ill, as if it was only validating his own nightmares as reality. Maybe that had been why Bakura had not wished to talk about it, because it was unpleasant to take one's beliefs and flip them on its head. D had believed in nothing but science prior, maybe Bakura did not want to take him down the road of irrationality. If anything good had come of it though, it had helped to prove their trust in one another; D could at least be grateful in that respect as he lay beside the man, staring up at the darkened ceiling. At least if he was going into this strangeness, Bakura was there beside him.
More days passed as they waited for land or for when the day came that the crew would rid themselves of their presence. According to D's internal clock it was most likely September 2nd. Bakura's birthday. Tomorrow would be a sort of anniversary, the day they had first met. D mused on how to go about celebrating such an occasion, considering the circumstances. As they both had predicted, no one had come to collect the cups, or replenish them. He felt rather perturbed. Bakura had promised to show him that celebrating birthdays could be fun, but that had been before, when they had been safe and comfortable in the apartment. He may never know what Bakura meant now. How could one have fun in a dark room that smelled rather unpleasant, with a bunch of cookware and a small supply of food that the young man had refused to touch until yesterday, in which he only had bothered to eat a packet of Hello Panda? The boy knew he was trying to make it stretch, but it seemed extreme. Almost as if he were testing how long he could last without eating something. D shook his head at the thought and continued to mope about the lack of a birthday party. He could have cared less about whose party it was, he had just wanted to see what one was like.
"Hey, D-kun," The boy's pout immediately disappeared as he turned to his comrade who was eyeing the knife he had found days before with interest, "Are you hungry?"
"No," he replied sharply, but it seemed the man knew he was lying. His eyes turned from the blade to the boy's dark gaze, and D looked away, ashamed.
"I've been really underfeeding you haven't I?" Bakura asked sadly. D shook his head and made his way over to the man, feeling cool skin against his own as he gently took Bakura's hand and pulled the blade out of it. Anger deep inside of him flared. Bakura was freezing, and the boy could do nothing to remedy it. The bastards could have at least given them a blanket.
"You're doing fine, Bakura-sama," D said, hugging him not for comfort, but to give the man his warmth, if he had any. "I don't need it right now. I…" He paused, not wanting to say it, but knowing that he needed to, "I will tell you when I do."
"You promise?" Bakura asked, cradling the boy's head against his chest.
"I swear."
"Good enough for me," he replied, and yawned, "You think I wouldn't be tired…what time do you think it is?"
D glanced at the locked trapdoor, studying the light. "I would guess maybe late afternoon?"
"And the day?"
"Dunno exactly," D shrugged, "I think its September."
"Estimated guess?"
"Kinda. I've been sleeping as much as you. Time's funny down here. It might be your birthday today."
"What a birthday…" Bakura scoffed, "At least I've had worse."
"Yeah," D replied, and Bakura gave his shoulder a pat.
"I guess I'll just have to figure out what to do for yours to make it special. We should be off of the boat by then at least."
D shrugged again. "All I really want is a toothbrush right now."
Bakura laughed and it lightened the mood in the room, in D's opinion. "I do, too. Or a blanket…" He shifted and D let go in order to allow him to stand, "It's cold."
"And stuffy," the boy replied.
"And stuffy. Want to play tag?"
"What?" D asked incredulously.
"Well, what else are we supposed to do? I feel so useless lying down, might as well do something that can keep us warm."
D studied the man, almost ready to question his sanity. "I guess so, but I can see and hear better than you down here. It won't be fair."
"I'm taller and have longer reach, it'll even out."
"Whatever," D snorted.
They could not really run as Bakura on more than one occasion face-planted into a wall, and they forgot to keep score (D assumed he was still the winning party), but the idea did keep them active and amused long after the outline of light dimmed as night set in. At that point Bakura could no longer see past his outstretched hands, and he could not help but snicker every time he bumped into the ladder that lead to nowhere which only made D start sniggering at his clumsiness. By the time that the trapdoor opened the two were huddled in two opposite corners covering their mouths, laughing. They did not notice the people behind them until the trapdoor closed with a muted clang.
D's head snapped toward the direction of the sound and gasped when he saw the figures standing there. It had been just long enough for him to distrust the presence of other people that he dashed behind Bakura, unknowingly baring his teeth. Bakura crouched low, using one arm to shield D in case the looming people thought of attacking, the other searching for the knife. It was only when they shined the flashlight on them and spoke that the two were shaken out of their defensive reactions.
"Oh my goodness," Anzu cried as Bakura shielded his eyes from the light, the missing knife now glinting in his hand. D looked over the man's shoulder and was shocked to see that those he thought were their aggressors were none other than the people that they had wanted to see most.
"Shh!" A voice that could be none other than Jounochi's snapped, "You want to wake up the whole boat?"
"Put the knife down, Bakura-kun," Yugi whispered with his hands up in a harmless gesture. Bakura, still squinting, lowered the knife, but did not release it.
"Is it just you guys in here?" he asked, trying to see past them, but the light he was no longer used to left a colorful glare in his vision, and even those in front of him were still shadows.
"Yes, Etsu is with Yugi's mom," Jounochi said, gripping his arms, "Jeez, it's freezing in here too?"
"She knows?"
"Yes, she's our lookout. Everyone else is asleep."
"Why did you come down here?" Bakura asked, backing away from the group, still covering D. The boy was more curious now than afraid and watched the developing scene with interest. Why had they come?
"To see if you guys were okay…" Yugi began, and Bakura scowled.
"Do you think we are okay?" the young man hissed, "No one has come down here in almost a week."
"No!" Yugi replied, "That's why we came down here!"
"Want to be any louder, Yugi?" Jounochi said, "If they find out we're down here, then we're all out of luck."
"We brought food. I knew that they forgot about the bags, I thought that that would be enough until we were able to get down here."
"Sorry, I didn't get that letter, Yugi-kun. Did you put it in the soup cup? I might have drunk it." But for all of Bakura's sarcasm, he was smiling at the group.
"I'm so sorry Bakura-kun," Yugi said, "We all were trying to get down here as soon as we could."
"We had some problems," Jounochi added, as Anzu set the flashlight on the floor.
"Why don't you elaborate?" Bakura said, setting the knife aside and motioning for everyone to sit down. D, feeling particularly embarrassed about his initial reaction, came out from behind the man and sat on his left. The group had now made a small circle around the flashlight.
"It's almost like camping," Yugi murmured. D was surprised to see Bakura give the man a soft smile.
"We're just missing a few people," the pale man replied. Anzu stifled a sob.
"And a deck of cards or something," she added, wiping tears away.
"Don't forget the star chips…" Jounochi said, chuckling.
"Star chips?" D asked, unable to stop himself.
"Oh, something that had to do with a Duel Monsters tournament. In order to advance, you had to have ten."
"And I thought those days were awful…" Yugi said, sighing, passing the food that they brought to Bakura. The young man looked at the boy who only shook his head. Bakura nodded and began to eat, making sure he did not overdo it.
"They were, your grandfather's soul was on the line," Bakura said between mouthfuls, "It's just that it was a long time ago, we don't remember what it was really like."
"It seems silly now though, considering everything that has happened since then."
"Hey," Jounochi interjected, looking at D with concern, "Aren't you hungry?"
"No, but are you okay?" D replied, changing the subject.
"Okay?"
"You were hurt the last time I saw you."
"Oh," he chuckled, "Yugi's mom is good at sewing and stuff, and she helped me out a bit. I'll live, if that's what you're asking."
"Does it still hurt?"
"Oh, yeah, but it looks like it's healing…"
"What happened?" Bakura asked.
"Oh, just bullshit."
"I asked for elaboration, I expect it."
"Well, funny enough it wasn't Kaiba who did this," he said, lifting his shirt and revealing a jagged wound on his side, just above the hip, "He just seemed to have a vendetta against you. Naw, this was Kato getting me back for being too rough with the newly established leader."
"That man is unstable," Bakura replied.
"Seriously, but he's all on Kaiba's side so he gets special treatment. I hear that you freaked him out the last time," Jounochi eyed the other man curiously, "It wouldn't really surprise me, you're good at that sort of thing…but did you really tell him you were going to cut him up and eat him?"
"Not so descriptively…" Bakura said, chuckling, "but he was threatening D-kun, I wasn't about to let anything like that slide."
"What'd he say?"
Bakura looked around the group and said simply, "Just keep Etsu-chan and Amami-chan away from him."
"We do," Anzu said, shivering, "but I don't even want to know why you say we need to. He's frightening enough as it is."
"Are you okay by the way, Bakura-kun?" Yugi asked, "Your head, I mean."
"Yeah, Kaiba went to town on you. I was surprised when Yugi said you were even talking the last time."
"I'm fine," Bakura said, "I don't know how, but I am. I'm more concerned about other things, like what's going on up there, and what was wrong with Kaiba."
"Well I think it's pretty obvious what is wrong with Kaiba. He was attacked by something he didn't believe in, and somehow survived it. And then everything goes down the shitter…"
"Jounochi!" Anzu warned, glancing at D in a way that almost made him smile. She was looking at him as if he were just a child, not meant to hear such words. It was refreshing to be thought of by others other than Bakura like that.
"Fine, the toilet, is that better?"
"Only somewhat," Bakura replied, smiling. "Continue."
"I don't really know what you want us to tell you. Yugi's idea to come down here and see how you were doing, which we've been planning for a while, was the most excitement we've had going on. Most of us just sit around, trying to think of ways to forget about the situation we're in. There's not much to do up there, you know?"
"There's no talk of us at all?"
"You're practically dead to the Kaiba brothers," Jounochi said, "everyone else is wary of you, Bakura, since you threatened Kato like that, and they don't know what to think of D."
"Please don't lie, Jounochi-kun," D interjected, reaching out and gently touching the man's hand as he did, "I know that they want me dead, and you already said you guys had problems. There's no reason to lie to us."
Jounochi looked at the boy, stunned. Yugi bit his lip and nodded to himself. The two prisoners (which was essentially what they were) turned their gaze to the shorter man. "Everyone is watching everyone up there. Everyone on this ship knows someone in some way or another, but none of us have ever had to share such close quarters. Unlike the ship that took us to Pegasus' Island, where we knew what day we would land and what to expect, we know nothing. People are edgy. They just want to live."
"And they see the two people who are out of sight as a threat."
"Yes, exactly," Yugi affirmed, looking at Bakura intently, "They assume that whatever D is, he is like the people who attacked their friends and families, regardless of the fact that he can function during the day."
"That only makes him more dangerous."
"Precisely. Not to mention that he has you on his side. For the most part, everyone thought you weren't going to be much of a problem, just protecting the wrong person. But then you pulled your stunt," he gave the pale haired man a look that was almost pharaoh-like, "and everyone now thinks he must have bitten you or something. Everyone saw you get attacked, you shouldn't even be standing, let alone carrying on a conversation with the ability to intimidate someone like Kato."
Bakura looked right back into the other's eyes with as much curiosity as disdain, "Is that so."
"You know it is."
"Do you want proof that I haven't been?" he said coolly.
"No, and there's no reason for that attitude."
"Then stop looking at me like that," he growled.
Yugi blinked, taken aback. "Bakura-kun, are you okay?"
"Yeah man, all's Yugi was doing was telling you what was going on," Jounochi said, shifting as if he might have to react to something soon. D looked up at his friend, confused. What had brought on such aggression between the two? The man seemed quite neutral however, and when he next spoke it was as if the hostile tone had never been.
"I'm fine," Bakura replied, a bit miffed, "I just asked you to stop glaring at me."
Yugi blinked again. "I'm sorry, I was unaware I was. It's dark in here, maybe I was squinting and you got it confused."
"Oh, well then, I'm sorry," Bakura said, frowning, and changed the subject, "I doubt that whether or not I was bit would really matter, huh? I was experimented on. Do you think that they take that into consideration?"
"Probably," Yugi agreed, now also ignoring the exchange that had transpired. The others in the room looked at one another, visibly perplexed. "Not that it really matters. You guys are stuck down here whether or not it is fair."
"Has Kaiba decided what to do with us?"
"He hasn't told any of us anything. He's keeping it all pretty close to the chest."
"But if we are speaking frankly, Yugi-kun, D-kun and I don't have much time, do we?"
Yugi scratched his head, looking at Anzu and Jounochi for other opinions. Anzu shrugged while Jounochi shook his head. Yugi sighed. "We can only hope that he doesn't do something drastic. But if you want my honest opinion—"
"I do, Yugi-kun."
"No. I don't think you have much time at all. Keep the rest of the food we managed to save up for you. We'll try to come down here as often as possible to give you more, just in case."
"Yeah," Jounochi said, his voice cracking, "and keep those backpacks of yours close."
Anzu had already begun to cry. "It's not fair, why is this happening?"
Bakura shrugged, "I don't think there really is a reason."
The others spent only a few moments longer down in the darkness with the boy and the young man. The goodbye was tearful and filled with promises. In the end, Bakura found the whole experience emotionally draining. When the trapdoor closed once again, he sighed, putting his hands over his face. The whole situation was ridiculous, and he hated being in it.
"Bakura-sama?" The young man looked down at the boy beside him, who looked hesitant.
"Yes, D-kun?"
"Today's the day we first met," the child stated simply, and looked out into the darkness, seeing the things that Bakura could not.
"Is it?" Bakura asked, his heart feeling lighter at the thought.
"Yeah."
The young man put an arm over the boy's shoulder, smiled, and said quietly, "Then today is a good day."
And considering the situation, it was.