Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Shades Of Gray ❯ Burned ( Chapter 5 )

Priestess: This chapter tells a little more about the…relationships…between the dark sides and the…whatever they're supposed to be called.
Some of the things in Yu-Gi-Oh's thoughts about Yami may not make sense. The reason is that it's about the manga. If you don't read the manga, try local bookstores and Shoshen Jump-or be content with having no fucking clue what's going on.

«§¥§»

[Ah, here you are. I thought you would be flirting with that silly little Pharaoh all night. Looking to rekindle an old flame, eh? Well, if that is indeed your wish, then you should know that you are about to get burned…]

Bakura jumped at the hideously familiar voice as he entered Ryou's house. That dark sibilant hiss was not meant for human ears-and, while he admitted he wasn't human, it was still a horrible sound.

"N-N-N-Necrophadisu?" he stuttered, unable to hide his fear in spite of himself. He could feel Necrophadisu's smirk, and then he could see it as the monster's hideous visage appeared inside of his mind.

[What, exactly, did you hope to gain, Child of Kuru Eruna?] Necrophadisu sneered, and Bakura cringed-as he always did-at the name Necrophadisu had chosen for him.

"Nothing," he whispered, hating Necrophadisu and everything He stood for-of course, he had hated everything He stood for even before he met Him. "I just wanted to see him…"

[It wasn't that useful last time, was it?] Necrophadisu sneered, and a vivid image came into Bakura's mind of the night he had died. He recalled Atemu's hateful face and his harsh words, cutting into his soul, making tears fall from his eyes even before the physical pain started.

[If he had trusted you, you wouldn't have had to go through that pain. You wouldn't have been sealed into the Ring. You could have been freed from it and freed from me]

"Shut up," Bakura whispered, feeling tears fill his eyes in spite of himself, trying to banish the images. They were vivid enough without His magic, thank you very much!

[Instead, he sealed you into the Ring, binding you to me permanently, leaving you entirely at my mercy and leaving a body that he had held and loved just a year before to rot]

"Shut up…"

He could hear His cruel chuckling in the back of his mind.

[I am a part of everybody. I was strongest in you because of your pain. But if it weren't for him, we wouldn't be sealed so permanently. You will never be free from me, you know that, don't you? You are bound to me for life because of him, and because of him you will live forever.]

"It wasn't his fault," Bakura whispered, the tears slipping from his eyes and falling down his cheeks. "It wasn't his fault…"

[Don't try to give him credit he doesn't deserve, Child of Kuru Eruna] sneered Necrophadisu, clearly enjoying Bakura's anguish-so, what else was new?

[It would be much easier, you know, if you just forgot about this childish infatuation and decided to join me willingly. Why not forget about the Pharaoh? Everything he told you was a lie, anyway. He never loved you, and he never will.]

It wasn't-isn't-a 'childish infatuation! Bakura thought furiously. I love him!

[Then isn't it too bad that he doesn't feel the same? In the words of that lovely song you decided to sing behind my back-you'll never be strong enough, you'll never be good enough. How appropriate it is…]

Bakura shook his head, trying to push that ghastly voice and those equally ghastly images from his mind.

[No matter how strong you are, you're still a weak child to me. And you'll never be good enough for him. After all, you're a thief and he's a Pharaoh. I'm trying to bring you to greatness. He has only pulled you down.]

Still trying to block out his voice, Bakura whispered words from the remix of the song Lies (the song he'd been singing during the auditions) under his breath: "Bi…bind…my limbs with fear…fear…choke me with tear…tears…"

Surprisingly, he felt a seed of strength warm the cold pain inside him. "I won't die for you…You…You've been here before…before…"

[I know that song] Necrophadisu remarked, obviously not threatened. Then again, why should He be? It was just a song. [Just out of curiosity, is it about me, or the Pharaoh? I'm sure, had he known it, he would have sung it about you enough times]

Bakura continued singing, though his voice became weaker and weaker as those horrific images grew stronger and stronger. Sweat dripped from his forehead, and he raised a hand to it. "And come back for more…more…"

Necrophadisu chuckled, and suddenly the images intensified. A hundred, a thousand hideous memories filled his mind at once, and he cried out in pain.

The chuckles turned into full-blown laughter as Bakura pressed the hand not at his forehead against the counter, trying to balance himself and erase the images. The first succeeded, the second didn't. Tears and perspiration dripped onto the tiles.

"Stop…"

Necrophadisu only laughed harder. In his mind's eye Bakura could see Him throw His head back, cackling insanely.

"Stop it…"

[How easy it is to reduce you to this…a child indeed! A helpless, trembling little child!] He gasped out between fits of mirth.

"Stop it…stop it…stop it!" Bakura yelled, a sharp pain lancing through his chest. He tried to block out the images, tried to block out the mocking laughter…tried to block out everything…

[Admit it, Child of Kuru Eruna-you know that child who was once audacious enough to call himself a Pharaoh cannot help you. You have always known!]

"No!" Bakura shouted in despair, fingers digging into his forehead as he clutched his head in his hands, blood mixing with the tears and sweat. He hoped Ryou wouldn't have a scar. "I…I don't care about that! As long as he beats you, I don't care what happens to me!"

[And neither does he. Everything he ever told you to make him care about you was just a lie. I told you this time and time again, but you are just too loyal. Perhaps it was your uncaring childhood.] He sighed, pretending to be sympathetic.

[You need to cling to the delusion that someone cares about you. Well, no one cares about you, child of Kuru Eruna. No one ever has, and no one ever will!]

"Shut up!" Bakura screamed, wishing the song he had started to sing couldn't be turned back on him so many ways. The pictures were so harsh and clear…"I don't care!" He choked, voice breaking. "I don't care…"

[And you shouldn't, either. You're different enough from the rest of the world as it is. Anyway, if what happened truly mattered to you as little as it does to everybody else, why did you let that sniveling white-haired infant you call your 'light' tell the Pharaoh and his fanclub about you? And why do you suppose they believed him but not you?]

Bakura didn't reply. He shouldn't have worn this shirt. It was one of his favorites, and he couldn't ask Ryou to buy another-it wasn't as if he ever wore black.

[They trust him, yet the Pharaoh didn't trust you] Necrophadisu taunted him, as He always did. [Why do you suppose that is?]

The tears came faster now, the images intensifying.

[Don't you ever feel jealous of your little light? Having everything you've ever wanted while you have nothing?]

"That's ridiculous," Bakura whispered, stunned by this new form of attack, though it was true that he envied him. "Are you trying to turn me against Ryou, now? Ryou needs me, Ryou cares-"

[Does 'no one cares' mean anything nowadays?]

"Shut up…"

[I won't ever let you see the Pharaoh again, Child of Kuru Eruna. I have business to take care of making sure there is evil in the world to balance good]

He sighed dramatically. [It's a very trying task, you know, making sure that everybody on Earth is either angry or miserable]

"Shut up…"

[But you are my first priority, you know that, and I will not hesitate to murder your little light and find you a crueler owner for the Ring. Remember that everything the both of you hold dear, I can take away in an instant, and I will. You have first-hand experience with this]

"I hate you…" Bakura whispered, will completely broken by that last threat. He would give Necrophadisu the satisfaction of seeing him weak and defenseless if it meant helping Ryou.

[And your hate only strengthens me] was Necrophadisu's malicious reply before disappearing into the shadows once again.

«§¥§»

The moment Ryou walked up to the locker, he found himself surrounded by four kids (and one Spirit, actually two) who had started to question him almost daily since they learned about Bakura. Until then, he had almost enjoyed the attention-not to mention been glad that someone whose existence had previously been known of by no one was getting so much of it.

But that was then, and this was…a later then.

Anzu, Honda, and Katsuya were obviously rather upset that Yu-Gi-Oh had been able to meet Bakura and they hadn't been-and even more upset because Yu-Gi-Oh refused to tell them a word of what had happened.

Katsuya was the first to notice the shape the white-haired light was in, or at least he was the first to care enough about it to snap, "Shut up you numbskulls!"

"Hey, you're the numbskull here, man!" protested Honda, on the defensive immediately.

"Shut up!" Katsuya repeated, glaring at him, and motioned to Ryou. "Can't you see he isn't in the best mood right now?"

Ryou was surprised he had noticed, but then again it was pretty conspicuous. He was probably as tired as he looked, what with the shadows under his eyes and the dried tears on his cheeks. There were also five slim crescent-shaped scars on his forehead from where Bakura had clutched his forehead too hard, and his bangs couldn't fully hide them.

"What's wrong, Ryou-kun?" asked Yugi, and Ryou sighed.

"Jonouchi-kun was right. Necrophadisu's back, and he's pissed." He didn't even flinch at using such a rude word. "He hurt Bakura…"

Tears filled his eyes, and Katsuya was filled with a deep and inexplicable rage. "Bakura won't give me the details, of course, but there were tears and blood all over the counter when I regained control…"

"But how can he hurt Bakura?" Honda asked. "They share a body!"

"Bakura won't tell me the details…he wants to protect me…" The tears began to fall. "But who's going to protect him? Why does he have to risk his life like every fucking day."-Ryou cursed! Ryou cursed! Ryou…I'm just going to be shutting up now-stop cheering so loud!-"to save us, when the one who really needs saving is him?!"

"You're right, it isn't fair," said Yu-Gi-Oh fiercely. Rage coursed through him and his fists clenched, something dark and ancient stirring within him.

No!

He stamped down hard on the power rising within him, knowing it came from the darkness within his soul-a being that he had spitefully dubbed 'Yami.' Unlike with Necrophadisu, Yami actually was him-just crueler.

A lot crueler.

He had no decency, no respect, no morals, no mercy. Once he knew what he wanted, he didn't care who he slaughtered to get it.

For the first few weeks that the Millennium Puzzle was completed, it would always be Yami who appeared-and people paid for it. A few times Yu-Gi-Oh and Yami were one, and the opponents were a wee bit luckier. It had been against Kaiba and Shadi, though in Kaiba's case wee was really wee.

Once, also, against Mokuba. The first time, Yami had trapped him in some pod thing and nearly driven the poor guy insane. The first time against Kaiba, he had driven the poor guy insane. But he seemed over it by now.

As I was saying, the first time Yu-Gi-Oh had been given full control of a duel, it was against Necrophadisu. Which was probably a good thing, come to think of it, since Yugi would probably have been very mad if he hurt his new friend.

And he would have ended up hurting Bakura as well, for which Yu-Gi-Oh would never forgive himself-and, technically, Yami was him.

Either way, Yami wasn't exactly the most caring person…spirit…being…whatever-he-was. In all likelihood, he would end up brutally slaughtering all three of them if Yu-Gi-Oh let him out now.

After a few minutes of struggling which apparently went unnoticed by the rest of them (thank Ra and all those other Egyptian big-shots who sat in temples all day getting pampered and worshipped until the temples were destroyed due to evil spirits, duel monsters, and thieves) Yu-Gi-Oh regained full control.

"Something has to be done about this," he almost snarled. "What did Bakura ever do to deserve Necrophadisu ruining his life?"

"Technically, his life was already ruined. Necrophadisu is…well, to put it in archaic terms, He's the god of darkness. Every sorrow, every pain, every grief…He causes all of them. It's like it's…His…His hobby. He's a part of everybody, He's the one who tempted the devil to his fall. Bakura…Bakura was never really happy. He's a God too, in fact, but even so he had had a horrible life and it was easy for Necrophadisu to control him.

Usually, He makes people do what they do without any possession-He's the darkness inside everybody, and He loves it. But Bakura doesn't have darkness in him. Sorrow enough to keep Necrophadisu strong for all eternity, but not darkness. And he was-is-powerful. Powerful enough to stand up to any God…except one that gains strength from sadness.

It isn't regular possession-Necrophadisu isn't a 'spirit' that possesses people. He exists in everybody, every God or villain people made up stem from the now-destroyed myths about Him. When Bakura was sealed into the Ring, which also contains His darkness-the Millennium Items were actually made from a deal with Him, ninety-nine souls in return for seven Items. The evil in them is Him as well-the evil in everything is. Anyway, when Bakura was sealed into the Ring, his soul was bound to Necrophadisu forever.

So he did nothing to deserve it, besides having a horrible life and having a pure heart. It isn't fair…It just…it isn't fair."

Yami was fired up again, and Yu-Gi-Oh was sorely tempted to let him out. Only the knowledge that Bakura and probably Ryou would probably be hurt as well made him squash the evil-the Necrophadisu-in his soul.

"So…Bakura's really a…God?" asked Katsuya.

"I thought there was only one God!" cried Honda.

"Not in Egypt," replied Ryou with a darkness in his voice that they didn't understand. "My theory is that there are like two main Gods-Necrophadisu and a nice guy-and one main Goddess, and all the others stem from them. Satan and the evil Gods stem from Necrophadisu, but even the God you believe in has been affected by Him. All the Gods and most of the Goddesses have."

"So, Bakura is the nice one?" Yu-Gi-Oh asked. Great. I already have no chance with him, now I find out he's a god.

"All I know is that he is a God, though he won't admit as much. He's immortal, he has the powers of a god, he knows just about everything, and he's the only being in the universe with a truly pure heart-which was why Necrophadisu had to possess him in person instead of simply having the piece of Himself inside him make him do His dirty work."

"That's intense," remarked Anzu.

"My brain is hurting!" Katsuya whined, and Honda and Anzu couldn't even taunt him for that-their brains were hurting, too.

"Is he nice to you?" Katsuya asked, suddenly serious again.

"Of course!" Ryou replied, sounding surprised. "He's the nicest person I've ever met, and he's the only thing protecting me from Necrophadisu!"

"You're sure?" Katsuya persisted, and Yami considered punching him but Yu-Gi-Oh thought better of it. He would be the one who never heard the end of it, since Yugi didn't realize Yami even existed.

Ryou scowled, looking as if he wanted to punch him. "Yes, I'm sure. And you are aware that, if it weren't for him, you wouldn't be alive right now?"

"Hey!" Katsuya put up his hands defensively. "I just want, you know, to make sure you're all right."

"I am fine, thank you," Ryou snarled with a fury they had never seen in the sweet white-haired light. "If you want to worry about someone being hurt, worry about Bakura. If you want someone to hate, it's not Bakura-it's Necrophadisu. Bakura has never done anything but protect me, and caused himself severe pain in the process."

A sudden chill in his stomach, Yu-Gi-Oh wondered if Ryou loved Bakura. No! his mind screamed frantically, pushed beyond any and all rational thought. Gods dammit no!

He tried to calm down-it wasn't as if he had a chance with Bakura. He couldn't calm down. Looking around, he noticed the expression on Katsuya's face.

Can it be…?

It was. Katsuya loved Ryou. That meant that all he had to do was get Ryou to love him back, and then (after destroying Necrophadisu of course) he had to find a way to get Bakura to love him back.

Which, considering the things we know that he doesn't, should be no trouble-he wasn't called the King of Games for nothing.

And what was love but another game?