Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Darkness of Heart ❯ Chapter Five ( Chapter 5 )

Key:

(“Bakura to Ryou, mind speech”)

(“Ryou to Bakura, mind speech”)

“Bakura speaking through Ryou”

“Normal Speech”

`Normal Thoughts'

-----------

 

- Part I -

February 14; 7:10 PM

 

 

Ryou knew she was lying. The second she told him she would be going out for the evening to spend time with her friends, he knew that it wasn't the truth, Oh, she was going out with a friend out all right, but that `friend' certainly wasn't Miho or Shizuka like she had wanted him to believe. She was going out with that new boy - that desert rat who everyone in school adored, and who seemed so bent on destroying Anzu's ties with Ryou.

 

How had he known? It was simple. This particular Wednesday just happened to be Valentine's Day - a day which Anzu and Ryou typically spent together. He knew that the brunette wouldn't break their lifelong tradition just to go to Miho or Shizuka's house. No; something different happened on this evening, and as Ryou spotted the sleek black motorcycle peel out of his driveway, he knew exactly what.

 

Ryou had a difficult time deciding what hurt more - the fact that Anzu was going out with Malik, or the fact that she had tried to hide it from him.

 

Rage boiled inside of him, giving him the desire to destroy something in order to soothe the anger that he felt. Tearing his gaze away from the window, the albino stalked out of his room and across the hallway, entering Anzu's room. He scowled when he noticed the pink cell phone lying innocently on the center of the plush, yellow-quilted bed - obviously, she hadn't wanted Ryou to be contacting her this evening.

 

Feeling even more betrayed and incensed, the pale-haired boy walked over to the bed and picked up the cell phone, grasping it so hard that the tips of his fingers turned white. Without a second thought he flung the device violently across the room, watching in delight as it crashed against the wall and shattered into irreparable fragments.

 

The Voice in his mind seemed to be amused by His host's reaction and showed just as much by releasing a sharp bark of laughter.

 

(“Feeling better?”) He asked mockingly.

 

Ryou ignored the inquiry and tried to steady his breathing which, due to the fury bubbling inside of him, had grown rapid without his knowledge. Chocolate eyes fell shut slowly as he took a tentative step closer to the smashed cellular phone. Lowering himself down on his knees, he reached out in an almost robotic manner and touched his fingers against the broken pieces. His eyes reopened as the Voice addressed him once more.

 

(“Symbolic, isn't it?”) He marveled, referring to the phone which His vessel had destroyed only seconds before. He felt the boy cease all physical movements for a moment; Ryou must have known what He was talking about. (“You shattered your own heart in a very similar fashion,”) He reminded the albino with a smirk, just in case the other had forgotten. (“When you fell in love with a girl most forbidden... a girl who could never love you in return.”)

 

Ryou already knew this. He didn't need to have the dark Voice rubbing it in his face. “Shut up,” he snapped, not in the mood to be ridiculed.

 

(“What is wrong, my host? Why so angry? Can't handle the truth?”) He sniggered, (“You need to accept it, because the sooner you do, the sooner you will realize the foolishly grave mistake you made when you refused to join with me.”)

 

Growling, Ryou tried again vainly to ignore the comments. This only seemed to annoy the dark presence greatly and, as a result, caused Him to release himself from the confines of His vessel's mind. Ryou trembled at the familiar sensation of his energy being sucked right out if his body as the Voice created a spectral form to temporarily inhabit.

 

The now somewhat-embodied Voice strode confidently over to where His host lay quivering on the floor. As the nineteen-year-old started to lift himself up into a kneeling position, the Spirit kicked out His foot to stop him. The translucent appendage did not pass through Ryou's being when it came into contact with the soft flesh; instead, the foot managed to somehow become solid enough to push the human boy back onto the ground.

 

Ryou gasped at the painful pressure he felt on his lower back from the foot which was pinning him down, and his eyes clenched shut tightly in discomfort. He could feel the Dark One glaring down at him, and could practically see the victorious glint in His blood-colored eyes as He tried to burn angry holes into the albino's prone body.

 

(“Listen well, boy,”) He spat, all earlier traces of sarcasm and amusement vanishing instantly. (“I've put up with your little games for long enough. You've managed to restrain me - even thrust me out of control when I gained possession of our body - but I assure you that you will not be able to do it again.”)

 

“And how do you know that?” Ryou managed to grind out, too drained to even try and escape from underneath the Voice's hold.

 

(“Because... now there is a much larger part of you which yearns to become one with me,”) was the boastful response.

 

Ryou opened his mouth to retort smartly, but was interrupted by the Voice.

 

(“Don't try to deny it.”)

 

The room went silent for a moment as the Specter removed His foot from His vessel's back. Before Ryou could even attempt to jump to his feet and make a mad dash to the door - as if he could even if granted the time; with his minimal strength, he could barely breathe properly - he felt the familiar chill of the shadowlike body on top of his own. Though weightless, the ghostly, transparent form weighed down on Ryou, rendering him immobile.

 

(“Ryou...”) the Dark One soothed, His once-spiteful voice taking on the sort of soft tone that a mother would use when consoling a young child.

 

Ryou felt cold fingers sifting through his long, colorless tresses in a comforting manner, and couldn't help but release a small sigh of contentment. As soon as the noise escaped his slightly parted lips he sucked in his breath, mentally berating himself for feeling relaxed by the Spirit's touch.

 

(“You know you don't want to hate me,”) He said to His host, keeping His pitch light and pleasant. (“I don't want to hate you either, and I don't want to force you into obeying me.”)

 

He changed courses for a moment, still running His hands through the albino's hair. Leaning forward, he whispered sweet words unto His host's ears. (“Your soul is incomplete, Ryou. It desires life... love. But you are refusing to take up any opportunity presented to you. You resist me.”) He paused and sighed loudly, momentarily ceasing all movements and shaking his head in an almost depressed manner. (“I don't understand why...”)

 

Ryou closed his eyes slowly, feeling even drowsier than he had before. What was the Dark One doing to him? (“You just want to hurt me... and Anzu.”)

 

(“No,”) the Voice disagreed, hugging Himself closer to Ryou's body. (“No, Ryou. I would never want to hurt you or our treasure. I love Anzu just as much as you do.”)

 

“Lia-”

 

(“And I love youas well,”) He interjected. (“How could I not? Oh, my Ryou... my sweet, previous Ryou... I could never hate you. After all,”) here He paused, possibly just for affect, and lowered His head so that his frozen, ghostly lips brushed against His vessel's ear. (“It was youwho created me. How could I feel anything but love and devotion for the one who gave me life?”)

 

Ryou wanted so badly to disprove the Spirit's words, but he knew there was nothing he could say. The Voice may have been lying about His true feelings, but He was still right about one thing: Ryou had created Him. Unintentionally (or maybe not) he had brought into the world the being which threatened his and his loved one's happiness each and every day. In a way, Ryou had single-handedly brought about his own downfall - and all because he had desired to protect the girl he loved, too.

 

Sensing his inner musings, the now-embodied presence shushed Ryou, still using that same gentle tone as He spoke again. (“It doesn't have to be a downfall. The tables can turn. You've hit a tough spot, Ryou, but that doesn't mean that this is the end. I won't let you give up, my vessel, because there is a chance - we can still win!”)

 

“No... Go away,” Ryou resisted, though he didn't sound entirely too convincing. “Please... go away.”

 

(“I have a plan this time, Ryou,”) the Spirit assured. (“I will not act rashly or frighten our treasure away. I can bring her closer to me - to you. The only thing I need is your cooperation.”)

 

Those icy cold fingers were once again running through his hair, chasing away all of the albino's doubts and fears. Ryou suddenly felt the awkward weight of the Spirit disappear and, making a small noise that could have been confused as a protest, he stirred, trying to sit up. A ghostly hand pushed him back down, though not roughly, and rolled him over so that he and the Dark One could see eye-to-eye.

 

(“Think about it, Ryou. Think of what it would be like to have Anzu for yourself - to have her love you in return Ryou, my lovely creator and host, let me grant you what you so sorely yearn for.”)

 

Tempting... Very, very tempting....

 

As he mulled over the proposition, Ryou was vaguely reminded of the biblical tale of Adam and Eve - of the temptation offered by the snake in the Garden of Eden; the way the snake had urged God's first daughter to defy all that was said to be right and eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. Currently Ryou was in a similar predicament, and found that he could relate himself to Eve; he was being offered the chance at forbidden love with Anzu by the Voice.

 

Ryou was Eve, Anzu's love and companionship was the forbidden fruit, and the Spirit was the clever, seductive snake. Could such a strikingly similar story have a mirrored ending?

 

Chocolate-brown eyes closed and a image of Anzu walking away, out of his life, with Malik Ishtar formed in the white-haired boy's mind. If he refused the Voice's proposal, then his vision would surely become reality in the near future; Ryou didn't want that to ever happen. Still, by working with the Voice he risked a chance of losing Anzu's trust and driving her away completely.

 

Either way, he would probably lose her in the end. With both choices there was the danger of parting with something he couldn't bear to lose.

 

(“Where there is choice, there is pain, Ryou,”) He quoted wisely. (“Make this one choice, my host, to join with me, and you will never have to make a choice again. There will be no more suffering.”)

 

The pale-skinned teenager didn't know what to do. He didn't want to decide - didn't want to face the possible consequence of living in a world without Anzu - but he knew that he had to. So, sucking in his breath sharply, and knowing already that he would most likely regret his resolution, he gave his response.

 

The Spirit was pleased by the certainty in His host's voice.

 

- Part II -
February 14; 10:41PM

 

 

“I had a great time tonight, Malik-kun.”

 

The Egyptian smiled down at his brown-haired companion, who was walking beside him at a leisurely pace. Her blue eyes, dark and captivating as the ocean, stared up into his oddly-colored orbs all the while.

 

“Did you?” he asked her, feeling relief wash over him; he had been terrified that she would get bored - he didn't think he was the most exciting person to be around, after all, and feared that the energetic teenaged girl might become uninterested in him after this one evening they spent together.

 

Anzu nodded her head. “Yeah, it was fun. I'm really surprised how well we get along,” she admitted sheepishly. “You see, I've never spent that much time around guys other than my brother,” - her eyes dulled slightly as she told him this - “so I haven't exactly learned how to interact with guys. But... um, yeah.” She blushed out of embarrassment. “We'll have to do it again some time.”

 

Malik seemed thrilled by the suggestion, judging by the gleam that lit up his lilac hues with delight. “We will,” he agreed enthusiastically.

 

The duo paused as they reached Malik's black motorcycle. The Egyptian took his time with fastening his helmet before handing the brunette the spare one. Less unsurely than the first time she road with him, Anzu hoisted herself onto the bike, looping her arms around his slim waist.

 

“Here we go,” Malik said, kicking down the peddle and allowing the motor to roar to life. After checking the street quickly he pulled into the slow night traffic.

 

The ride back to the Bakura home was predominantly silent. Anzu, having gotten over her initial fear of the motorcycle after the drive to dinner, sat as comfortably as she could manage behind Malik, with her arms enveloping around her date's stomach and her cheek pressed lightly against his upper back. The wind stirred through the length of her hair that was not secured by the helmet, sending the thick chestnut tresses sweeping merrily in al imaginable directions; on the contrary, Malik had skillfully pinned his shoulder-length locks underneath his own helmet, as he had done the previous time.

 

The hum of the engine was loud, yet strangely comforting to the brunette's ears. She let out a content sigh as the motorcycle came to a complete halt at a traffic light and Malik placed his feet down on the pavement to keep the vehicle from tipping over. She pressed herself slightly closer to her date - hopefully Malik would presume she was still frightened and mistake her wanting to be closer to him for a safety precaution. When he said nothing, Anzu closed her eyes and inhaled the spicy cologne of which Malik seemed to have a special liking. Inside, she felt warm.

 

The light turned green and the motorcycle was off again, its driver focusing intently on the road before him.

 

All too soon, to Anzu at least, Malik turned onto her street. Cerulean orbs exposed themselves and wandered directly to the brunette's home, which was located bear the end of the street. Suddenly becoming nervous, Anzu loosened her grip on the sandy-haired teenager.

 

“You can stop here,” she told him, noticing her house was only five away.

 

Malik started to protest. “But your house -”

 

“- I can walk, don't worry.”

 

Complying with her wishes, the Egyptian stopped the bike. The street went quiet and common night sounds began to make themselves known. Flipping down the kickstand, Malik hopped off of the motorcycle after the brunette.

 

“Let me walk you to the door,” he offered generously, hoping her answer this time would be different as he rested his bike on the side of the road.

 

Anzu looked at the motorcycle skeptically; did he really intend on leaving it out here? Her oceanic orbs traveled to her house, particularly to a certain second-story window which belonged to Ryou's bedroom. The shades were pulled back a notch, and she thought for a moment that she could make out a shadowed figure standing on the other side of the glass; when she blinked, though, there was no longer anyone near the pane, and so decided it was only her imagination playing tricks on her.

 

She shook her head. “No, it's all right. You really don't have to, Malik-kun,” she assured him.

 

Malik wouldn't take her answer, for it was not the one he had wanted to hear when he had asked her the question. “Please, Anzu-chan, I insist that I do.”

 

Anzu didn't argue this time around. She allowed him to lead her up the driveway and to the front porch of her home. As she stood ahead of the door, she wondered what would be next to happen, and wetted her lips in anticipation as several ideas popped into her teenaged girl mind. She had seen moments like this in movies; could her first date have a similar, romantic outcome?

 

“Anzu-chan,” Malik began, uncertainly. His accent sounded remarkably thick as he continued. “I don't know what to do next,” he confessed, and from the dull glow on his dark-skinned face she could tell he was discomfited or ashamed.

 

Anzu didn't speak for a moment. Then, she raised herself on her toes and pressed her mouth chastely to his smooth, tanned cheek. “Goodnight, Malik-kun.”

 

She retrieved her set of keys from her purse and turned to open the front door. However, it was not goodbye just yet; Malik now decided otherwise.

 

“Wait, Anzu-chan,” he stopped her with his voice and by placing one hand on her bony shoulder.

 

Anzu faced him and blinked up at him in a fashion that reminded the Egyptian of a puppy. “Yes?” she asked, her tone somewhat hopeful. Her eyes sparkled radiantly in the moonlight.

 

Malik stepped closer. “I know what to do now,” he informed, a sly smile spreading across his face.

 

And before she could inquire as to what that was, Malik's lips descended over her own in a kiss that Anzu could only describe as magical. The kiss was brief, but that hardly mattered; it certainly affected the brunette enough - that much was evident by her flushed face and rapidly beating heart.

 

He pulled away slowly, wearing a hesitant expression as he surveyed her, trying to deduce her reaction. His features softened after he seemingly found what he had been searching for. With a silly, boyish grin, he touched his lips to hers once more and ran one of his hands through the silken brown locks of her hair.

 

“Goodnight, Anzu-chan,” he whispered.

 

Anzu swallowed down air, feeling extremely lightheaded after the second, deeper kiss. Her eyes fell shut in a lazy manner and she allowed her body to fall back against the front door of the house. The azure orbs only opened again once she heard him descend the steps of the porch.

 

“Goodnight,” she returned the farewell with a shy wave as she watched him make his way down the driveway and towards where he had left his motorcycle.

 

Taking another deep breath Anzu reached down and grasped the keys - which she must have dropped during the surprise of Malik kissing her - and unlocked the door. She entered the home quietly, not wishing to disturb the dwelling's second occupant.

 

The door closed behind her, appearing to do so of its own accord. Anzu twisted her head a small extent to the left and stared, bewildered, at the door. A sensation she could only explain as nausea bubbled in the pit of her stomach, and she shivered.

 

“Must be the wind,” she reasoned aloud.

 

“Indeed,” a deep masculine voice concurred.

 

A hand suddenly grasped her shoulder, and Anzu could feel the freezing cold fingers of the speaker through the thin material of the shirt she wore. Letting out a terrified shriek, she whirled around. The hand released her immediately. Staring back at her was the gentle face of Ryou.

 

“A-Anzu?” he cocked his head to the side, frowning worriedly. “Are you okay?”

 

The brunette fought to steady her racing heart. She placed a hand over her chest, taking her time with answering him. She wondered to herself what he was still doing up; had he been waiting for her arrival? “Oh, Ryou... you scared me.”

 

He seemed amused to know this, for his frown morphed into a strange, almost mocking smile. He repeated the words to himself before questioning as to how he possibly could have frightened her.

 

“The way you snuck up on me. I didn't even hear you - it was as if you were some kind of phantom!”

 

She did not think she was being funny, but Ryou chuckled as if he found her words hilariously ironic.

 

“How was your evening?” he asked, voice pleasant as he made his way into the kitchen. She followed him.

 

Anzu thought for a moment, trying to conjure up some sort of believable lie to fool her brother. There was no way she was going to tell him the truth; she had no idea how he would react to it and, quite frankly, she didn't have any desire to find out.

 

“It was a ton of fun. Shizuka-chan and I rented some movies and made popcorn and hot chocolate,” she explained. He seemed to trust her fib, and she mentally sighed in relief; that was easy enough.

 

Ryou smiled. “I'm glad to hear that you had a good time.” He opened a drawer and began rummaging around for something. “Did Jounouchi-kun drive you home?” he wondered. “I thought I heard a motorcycle and he's the only person at school who I know owns one - aside from the sand devil, that is,” he added with a very uncharacteristic snigger.

 

Cerulean eyes narrowed slightly and she made to speak out against the albino's disrespectful reference to Malik. She caught herself, however, before such words could come out.

 

“Oh...yeah, you know how Jounouchi-kun is - always offering to drive people home so that he can show off his bike.” Anzu had never ridden on Katsuya Jounouchi's motorcycle before, and certainly didn't know the blonde well enough to say that he had such an attitude, but thankfully Ryou didn't know Shizuka's brother as much as necessary to know that she was making it up.

 

“Hmm...” Ryou nodded, appearing thoughtful. Then he asked: “what color bike does he have?”

 

“Blue,” she answered straight away, for she actually knew the answer.

 

Ryou continued searching through the drawer. His calm aura was unnerving to the brunette. He seemed far too... passive about this whole situation. Stopping his movements, he lifted a piece of paper from the drawer, scanning it over quickly with his mahogany eyes. There was something written on it, but the teenaged girl couldn't tell what.

 

“Odd...” he mused; now facing her completely. “The bike I saw outside was black.” He stepped forward and, unconsciously, Anzu took one step back. “But maybe that's a mistake on my part - it is very dark, after all; easy to make mistakes like that.”

 

Anzu nodded, feeling that queasy sensation in her stomach increasing and her heartbeat pick up speed again. The albino walked closer and his eyes narrowed, their rich, chocolate-brown color melting away. What happened next was frightening, to say the very least. Ryou's eyes, now completely blank and colorless, began to bleed. A murky crimson color flooded the whites of his eyes, forming small, foggy circles to serve as pupils. They reminded the brunette of spots of dried blood.

 

“R-Ryou...?” her voice shook.

 

He grinned toothily and held up the piece of paper in front of her blanched face, revealing the message scrawled across it. “Jounouchi-san called,” he said, “about an hour ago. She wanted me to ask you if you would like to go out for ice cream with her, Kujaku-san, and Nosaka-san.”

 

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she prudently took another step away from Him, and gasped when her back came in contact with the wall. She had nowhere else to run too; He was trapping her. “Ryou, I... I can explain.”

 

“Don't worry, there's no need.” He reached out and grasped her chin between the freezing tips of his thumb and index finger. “I had a perfect view.”

 

Anzu inhaled sharply. Had He seen the kisses exchanged between herself and Malik? As if He had read her mind, He responded.

 

“Really now, Anzu, do you think me to be stupid?” His face contorted into the one she feared - His expression signifying that He was currently anything but normal and sane. “I see everything. I know everything.”

 

The brunette tried to be courageous as she stared up into the malicious face of who she thought was her brother. She couldn't believe that this man - this sinister, leering man - was actually he loving sibling. He just couldn't be... He was so different; no, He must have done something to Ryou, and was now just posing as the albino. Summoning as much valor as she could, she locked eyes with Him.

 

“Who are you?” she demanded to know.

 

He pretended to be hurt. “Don't you know me?” His tone morphed into the more shy and timid one that Anzu easily recognized as Ryou's own. “It's me... It's your preciousRyou.”

 

“You are not my brother!”

 

He merely laughed. “Biologically, no. What an astute observation, Anzu.” Moving His hand away from her face, He trailed His fingers down the smooth curve of her neck, relishing the disgusted shiver that the action elicited. “Oh, lovely Anzu, why are you so afraid of me? I could never bring you harm. I am still the idiot Ryou who you know and love, after all.”

 

Anzu shook her head fiercely, holding up her hands in front of herself in an attempt to push Him away. “Don't equate yourself to him! You aren't my brother - you aren't Ryou! You aren't anything like him! Ryou would never speak to me like this, or look at me the way you do!”

 

“You obviously know very little about him.”

 

“I know everything about Ryou! He's my older brother and -”

 

“- And even thatis a lie.”

 

The brunette felt tears sting at the back of her eyes and her form stiffened as she felt the imposter's chest brush against her own. “You're the one who's lying.”

 

He shrugged His shoulders, not bothering to oppose the accusation. “As the saying goes: `it takes a liar to know a liar.' And you, dear Anzu, are a very good liar. When did you plan on telling dear Ryou of your little evening alone with Malik Ishtar?”

 

“I... I wasn't. It would upset him too much.”

 

“And do you have anyidea as to whyit would upset him?” He smirked and brushed His cold, blue lips against her ear as if to tell her an important secret. “Because he's in love with you. He's been in love with you ever since you came to live here. And that's why he created me.”

 

Anzu swallowed, turning her head to the side so as to avoid the contact of His lips. “Came to live here? W-what are you talking about?” She had a feeling that she already knew, but she waited to hear the answer from Him.

 

“Have you ever wondered why you were the only one in your family with brown hair? Why you had blue eyes, when all of the rest of your family was stuck with that mucky brown color? Have you ever wondered why the pigment in your skin actually makes itself known, whereas it is virtually impossible to detect in the skin of your brother,and your father, and your mother- rest her soul.”

 

“M-my grandmother had blue eyes.”

 

“You mean Ryou's grandmother? Yes, I suppose that is true,” the Possessor concurred with a small nod. “Oh, and you know who else had blue eyes? There was one other. Dear Amane-chan - may she rest in peace,” He added sarcastically.

 

The brunette was confused. She had never heard the name before, and so could not place a face on the girl called Amane. Her brow furrowed in thought and she bit down on her lower lip. Who was Amane? What was her relevance to the Bakura family - no, her family; they were her family, no matter what this man tried to tell her.

 

He shook His head, disappointed. “They never told you about Amane? About your older sister?” He sighed. “My, my... what a family of liars. Since they didn't think you could handle the truth, I suppose it's up to me to tell you what you should already know. You see,” He paused and placed a hand on her shoulder it what He must have deemed to be a comforting manner; the action only caused the teenaged girl to shudder. “Amane is Ryou's true sister. She died soon after her birth, the poor girl. Ryou's parents were taken with grief by her death, and even his birth didn't stifle the sadness they felt. And then they moved to Domino... where they met the Mazaki family.”

 

Anzu froze. Mazaki... That name rang a bell, but she couldn't remember where she had heard it before.

 

“You must remember, Anzu. The Mazaki's and their adorable, brown-haired newborn daughter were neighbors of the Bakura family. The Bakura's infant son always played over at the Mazaki's house with the young daughter, and vice versa. Mr. and Mrs. Bakura absolutely loved the Mazaki's daughter - she filled the void that had been created by Amane's death. That is why, when Mr. and Mrs. Mazaki tragically died, they felt it was their obligation to adopt the newly orphaned girl... Anzu, I believe her name was.”

 

He smirked.“Does that sound correct to you?”