Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Do You Dream of Me? ❯ Chapter 49

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh.

 

This chapter is dedicated to Anime Crazed, who was my 800th reviewer for this fic. She didn't want a gift fic or chapter, but she was looking forward to the Bakurae showing up, so this is for her.

 

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Yugi came to class the next day and was greeted by a surprise. Some girls were gossiping about their class getting a transfer student. A new friend? Maybe he would like games?

 

Then there was an even bigger surprise. Kaiba swept in the door. Neither Seth nor Seto had come to school since Death-T. Why were they suddenly back? He wanted to talk to him, or them, but the bell rang. Seth, he could tell it was Seth, nodded at him and he knew he could talk to him at recess.

 

“Here he is!” It was the transfer student. He had long white hair and looked a little shy.

 

“Ahem. Attention everyone. We have someone joining our class,” the teacher announced.

 

“My name is Ryou Bakura. Pleased to meet you.” Yugi decided he looked and sounded nice.

 

“Now where should we have you sit. Ah, next to Jounouchi is open.” The girls all objected violently.

 

“Nice to meet you, Jounouchi.” Bakura seemed really friendly.

 

“Yo, same here! Let's be friends, huh? Bakura, right?”

 

Bakura smiled at him.

 

At recess Jou dragged Bakura over to the circle, which included Seth.

 

“Bakura, these are my buds.” Jou decided that included Kaiba's Yami-equivalent, at least.

 

“Hi, I'm Yugi.”

 

“This is Honda and Anzu.”

 

“I'm Kaiba. Nice to meet you.”

 

“So, Kaiba, what are you doing back?” Jou asked.

 

“I was sick and had business to attend to, but now I'm fully recovered.” Seth smiled. Seto was okay? That was great news!

 

They all chatted for a bit. Bakura got really excited when he found out, “Wow, Yugi. Your family runs a game store?”

 

“So you like games, Bakura?”

 

“Yes, very much!”

 

He feels like a game master. But there is something… hidden.

 

Is he like Imori? Yugi glanced over at their classmate. He had vowed never to touch a game again. It was a shame. You know, with darkness?

 

Yes, darkness, but… he is a good person. Very bright. Almost… like you or Seto.

 

Maybe he has an Item or is going to get one?

 

You know, that's very likely.

 

“I especially like board games,” Bakura continued. “My favorite is a game called Monster World. Have you heard of it?”

 

“Wow, Monster World!” Yugi smiled and explained the game to the others. It was an RPG, but played on a board made up of pieces you could buy and arrange. The game was the players against the Dark Master, who ran the game.

 

“I'm impressed, Yugi! You know a lot about games!” Bakura really was impressed. Yugi felt flattered.

 

“That sounds like fun!” Maybe he'd get to be a knight! “How about we all play Monster World tomorrow! Hey, Bakura?” Jou asked enthusiastically. He didn't have to work part-time jobs anymore after winning the million yen. Well, he did still work one, but that was nothing.

 

“Okay,” Bakura said hesitantly. He suddenly looked depressed.

 

Huh? Shouldn't he be eager to play his favorite game? Something seems wrong.

 

“Um, by the way, there's something I've been wondering about. Where did you get that pendant, Yugi?” He pointed to the Millennium Puzzle.

 

He can see the Puzzle? There's a spell on it to keep people from noticing it!

 

Not a very strong one. He has power, Yugi.

 

“Oh, this? It's called the Millennium Puzzle! It came from the tomb of an Egyptian Pharaoh!”

 

“Wow, can I see it?” Ryou lifted it up although the cord still hung around Yugi's neck. “Actually, I also—“ he suddenly broke off and turned pale, then reached for his chest, obviously in pain.

 

He also has a Millennium Item? But why did he suddenly get hurt? “What's wrong, Bakura?” Yugi asked solicitously.

 

“Uh, no, It's nothing.” Bakura let go of the Puzzle. He still looked odd. Worried.

 

“Hey, Jounouchi!” It was those girls.

 

“Don't hog Bakura all to yourself!”

 

“Hey, cutie,” one said, dragging him off, “Let us show you around the school!”

 

“Er.” Bakura looked totally embarrassed.

 

“We've already started a fan club for you!”

 

“Guys like Bakura have all the luck,” Jou grumbled.

 

“Unlike you.” Anzu smiled.

 

“Bakura seems like a nice guy.” Yugi said.

 

“Yeah, he'll be a good friend,” Jou agreed.

 

He has an Item. Seth's voice sounded in Yugi's mind.

 

How do you know that?

 

I tried to look in his memories when he acted suspiciously and was blocked. But… something tells me if there is a spirit in the Item, he should be an ally. One of our comrades, like your Jou.

 

Your Jou too. He's very loyal. Yugi replied.

 

Still, something troubles me. A spirit… should be either very good or very bad. The Item seems to have hurt him.

 

It could just be the Item itself, Seth suggested.

 

Not all the Items have spirits. Shadi had two and I sensed nothing from them save the Items themselves, Yami agreed. I wish I remembered!

 

Yugi patted him. We'll get your memories back somehow, I just know it. Speaking to Seth, he added, How is Seto?

 

Well, though I haven't taught him to talk to others yet. Seth smiled. He is very strongminded.

 

How does he feel about us? Yugi didn't want to be enemies anymore.

 

Trust… will take time. But he feels he owes you somewhat, for awakening me and allowing him to at least partially shed his hated past. I will not tell you more. His mind is his own.

 

You're on Seto's side now, Yami agreed.

 

I am still on your side, Pharaoh, now and always. But he is special. Seth smiled.

 

Yami nodded. I understand that well. Why are you in control?

 

He dislikes school and would rather work on inventions in his soul room. If there is a game with this Bakura he would like to play it.

 

Yugi laughed. That's Seto. Not turning down a game.

 

Bakura was not having a good day, except for meeting Jou and his friends. His chest hurt. Was it some sort of illness? He had felt so awkward being dragged around by all those girls. And the gym teacher, Mr. Karita, had called him a girl for his long hair and told him to get a crew cut by tomorrow. He even heard laughter in the bathroom that wasn't coming from anywhere. Was he losing his mind now too?

 

The girls monopolized him at lunch too, so it was only when they were leaving school that Jou and his friends caught up with him.

 

“Hey, Bakura!” Jou yelled.

 

“Hi, you guys!”

 

Yugi came up to him. Yugi was really short, but he seemed sweet, like the kid he looked like. “I was talking to everybody, and they'd love to play Monster World tomorrow! What do you think? Can we go to your place? If not, we could go to my house.”

 

Bakura looked away.

 

“You don't want to?”

 

“No, that's not it! I want to play the game with all of you!” Bakura looked away again. “The thing is,” this was hard to say, “At my last school, I used to get together with my friends to play role-playing games, but when I did, a strange thing happened. People who played games with me would lose consciousness. They're still in a coma in the hospital. You may not believe me, but it's true.”

 

Everyone was shocked. Jou, Anzu, and Honda looked at each other, putting two and two together. Did Bakura have another Item?

 

“That sort of thing kept happening,” Bakura continued. “So people started avoiding me. That's why I kept changing schools. Now I'm living in an apartment by myself, away from my family. I want to be friends with you!” he said it forcefully. “And I want to play games, but I made a decision.” He turned away. “I don't wan to lose any more friends. So you shouldn't get too close to me. Well, I'll see you.” He started to almost run through the school's entrance.

 

“Ah! Bakura!” Yugi reached after him, but he didn't stop. Everyone stared after him and then looked at each other.

 

They had to help him.

 

That evening, Bakura wrote another letter to his dead sister Amane, telling him about the day. It hurt that he had had to reject their offer to play.

 

Suddenly, he heard mocking laughter. It was the same as in the bathroom! That voice again!

 

So… you can hear my voice now, can you?

 

“Who's there?!” Bakura yelled, getting up from his desk.

 

I guess from now on, I'll be able to speak to my host. Truly a day to remember! More laughter. And yes, something else worth remembering, I've found two boys with Millennium Items after three thousand years! The Items must be resonating with each other to produce some sort of field… that must be why you can suddenly hear me.

 

“Who are you!” Bakura cried, clutching his head. “What is this voice in my head?!”

 

Who am I? I've been with you for a long time, hiding within you and within the Ring of Wisdom, the Millennium Ring.

 

“The Millennium Ring?” Bakura opened his shirt. “You mean this pendant? Th-the pendant..” The prongs that hung off of it had dug into his flesh!

 

More laughter. He was growing to hate and fear that laughter. Now you can't take me off. Because of you, I've finally found the bearer of the Millennium Puzzle. I've decided to keep you as my permanent host.

 

“Get out! Get out of my body!”

 

Now now, don't be so cold. Believe me when I say it feels good in here! In you! He could feel the presence stretch, satisfied. And instead of paying rent, I grant wishes! Why, I've granted them almost every day.

 

“Huh?”

 

Didn't you think this when you were playing those games? `How fun this is! I wish I could play games with my friends forever!' I granted that wish for you!

 

“What, what are you talking about. You can't mean those…”

 

Well, you'll come to realize soon enough. In any case, this is my chance to get my hands on the Millennium Puzzle! If I let his opportunity go by, I don't know how long I'll have to wait for another one. The Millennium Items are relics that house souls from the past, like memorial stones or portable tombs. However, if there is a guardian of the tomb, there must also be a thief to rob the tomb! More laughter. Since I'm feeling good tonight, let me pay my rent.

 

“What are you up to?!”

 

More laughter. So you want a crew cut? You may not believe it, but I care for my master… that gym teacher swore at you, didn't he?

 

“Don't!” Bakura cried, although he knew it would do no good. Items, spirits, the comas, Master… He felt dizzy.

 

Sleep, Ryou Bakura. Sleep.

 

The thief loved penalty games. He laughed at the teacher he'd sealed inside a miniature. A living playing piece for Ryou's games. And his own games.

 

Yugi and his friends were worried that Bakura didn't come to school the next day. They found out his address and went there. “We all know what the plan is, right?” Jou asked.

 

They nodded. They would play that game and find out exactly what was going on.

 

Bakura opened his door, tired. “Yes?”

 

“Yo!” Everyone was smiling at him. Even Seth, slightly.

 

“Yugi, guys,” Bakura said, surprised.

 

“We came over to play with you, Bakura!” Jou told him.

 

“Let's all play Monster World together!” Yugi chimed in.

 

“No! Get out of… the hall and come in. I'm so glad you all could make it. Right this way.” Bakura seemed to change mid speech! But they all came in and chattered.

 

“I've already got the game all set up!” Bakura showed them his custom battle board. “Now, let's do some role-playing!” Or should I say, a shadow game?

 

The desperately struggling real Bakura shuddered at the laughter. He had to help them! But what could he do against a malevolent ghost?

 

This was a game, he was good at games, he had to do something!