Fallen Angels-Chapter Ten: Dream's End
By Lady Armandina
Disclaimer: As much as I wish I did own them (hehe, especially Bakura!), I don't.
Author's Note: I know that many call Ryou the regular Bakura and Bakura the yami. I have switched it in my story, because that is what I have grown accustomed to cuz that is how the names are in America (well, at least Bakura is Bakura, not sure about the yami...). Sorry for any confusion!
Also-Everyone, thanks for the reviews! I love getting them and I really appreciate the encouragement! I hope I don't let you down.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"I just don't know what happened, Yugi."
Bakura Ryou and Yugi Motou sat outside Domino City High School underneath their favorite tree, the everyday meeting place of their group of friends. School got out an hour ago and all their friends were long gone home, but Bakura and Yugi stayed awhile, sitting and talking about the insanity of the events over Christmas break.
"I know, Bakura. None of us really do. All I can say is that we should stick around, be here for her if she changes her mind."
"It somehow doesn't seem like enough."
Yugi glanced at Bakura from the corner of his eye, taking a sip from his can of Coca-Cola. "Do you think there is anything else we can do at this point?"
"Yes, Yugi. Actually, I do."
Yugi sat his drink down in the grass, turning to his friend to meet his gaze. "What do you suggest?"
"Adele is too stubborn to allow us to change her mind. However, we can get through to her in a different way."
"What do you mean?"
Bakura smiled, proud of his own cleverness. "Seto Kaiba."
"Kaiba? What can he help us with?"
"I have a sneaking suspicion she is much closer to Kaiba than either of them let on. For some reason, they are hiding the fact that there is some sort of connection between them. We have already seen that they are somewhat of friends with each other. They must be close because she already knew about what happened to Mokuba long before the rest of us did. But I think there's something more to it than that."
Yugi looked at his friend strangely. "Are you saying that you think Kaiba and Adele are a couple?"
Bakura began to laugh. "No! That's not it at all! I was only suggesting that there is something they are hiding from us. Whatever that is, I'm not sure. You remember on the plane, when Adele got that phone call?"
"Yes, I remember her being very upset about it."
"Well, she called the person on the phone 'Kaiba'. She seemed nervous about speaking to him in front of us, wanted to talk to him at a better time. It seems like it was after she got off the phone with Seto something in her changed. That's when she told us she couldn't talk to us anymore. She must be really worried about something."
"You're right, Bakura. Something strange is going on. The question is what? And really, what can we do about it if we don't even know what it is?"
Bakura smiled again, certain of his own predictions. "I think I know what it is."
Yugi was surprised. "What? Wow, Bakura, I know that you were probably closer to Adele than the rest of us, but how can you know what's going on? Has she confided something in you?"
"Not exactly. But she did say something to me about the reasons she moved to Domino City and I think that may be the link we are looking for."
"I don't understand."
"One day when we were talking, she told me that she is here because she is doing some kind of research that is only available in Domino City. She said that for her to acquire what she needed, it was necessary for her to come here. What else could this be other than Kaiba Corporation?"
"That makes sense. Kaiba Corporation is the nation's leading company on technology, specifically gaming technology. It's also one of the most successful and important companies in the world. It's the main attraction here."
"Precisely. I can think of no other thing that would draw a person halfway across the world to Domino City. The only question is, what exactly is she researching? If it has to do with some sort of game, what would there be to hide?"
"I don't know, Bakura, but I think we should check into this."
"I agree. Besides, it won't be too difficult since we have been keeping an eye on Kaiba Corp since we heard about the attack on Mokuba."
"Yeah, and it's a good thing Seto hasn't caught onto us yet. You know he would never stand for us trying to help him."
"True. We will just have to continue being careful."
"Well," started Bakura, standing to his feet and lifting his book bag up over his shoulder. "I think it's time I head home. I have some homework to do for Ms. Hakusha's class."
"Yeah, me too." Yugi said with a sigh. "I can't wait until the summer again. School is driving me nuts lately."
Yugi stood up as well, grabbing his half-empty can of coke from the ground and lifting the heavy pile of books that he needed for homework.
"Wow, I really need to get a book bag." He commented, looking at Bakura, who seemed to be staring off into space all of a sudden. "Bakura, what's wrong?"
"That's very strange." Bakura commented, seeming very concerned about something.
"What is?"
"You see that man over there?" Bakura said, motioning toward the nearby basketball court that was visible from where they stood. "He has been standing there, watching us the entire time we were sitting here."
"He looks creepy." Remarked Yugi. It was true. The man wore dark sunglasses and a long black trenchcoat over what appeared to be a conservative black suit. He smoked a cigarette, slowly, methodically, and as Yugi and Bakura stood watching him, he tossed it into the grass and stomped it out with his black-booted foot. He looked up, and then over in the direction of the two boys, smiling mischievously, his demeanor seeming a bit menacing.
"Umm...Bakura? I think we should get out of here."
"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. He's scary."
"Walk home with me?"
"Absolutely."
The boys swiftly turned around and practically ran home, not stopping to catch their breath or even saying a word to each other. They paced down the sidewalk, a whole four blocks, until they reached Yugi's home. It was then that they slowed down, looking around to make sure they weren't followed.
"Do you think he followed us?" asked Yugi, breathing heavily.
"No, no, I think we lost him. Let's just hope he was some random creepy guy that hangs out in basketball courts!"
"Unfortunately, with all the mysterious happenings lately, I doubt that is true."
"So what are you saying, Yugi? You think we're not safe?"
"We can't know for sure, but we shouldn't out rule the possibility that-"
"HEY GUYS!" came a voice, yelling loudly from across the street.
"AGGGHHHHH!" Both Bakura and Yugi screamed in unison, flipping their heads around to see who spoke.
"Ah! Joey!" said Yugi with a sigh of relief. "We thought you were someone else."
"Hey, a little nervous there, buddy?" Joey responded, jogging across the street to meet up with his friends. "What's wrong?"
"Oh, nothing really." Commented Bakura. "We're just being a bit paranoid, that's all."
Yugi looked at Bakura questioningly, wondering why it is that Bakura didn't just tell Joey the truth.
"Hey, that's understandable with the ways things have been lately." Joey responded. "That reminds me. Either of you speak to Adele since the trip home?"
"No," Yugi answered. "In fact, I was wondering if maybe Mai has spoken to her. They were good friends, she would be likely to hear from her before the rest of us did."
Joey shook his head negatively. "No. No sign of her at all. Mai is worried about it, wondering if she should just go right over there and do something about it herself. She thinks she might be acting too pushy though. Ya know, sometimes people need their space and all."
"Yes," Bakura agreed. "That is true. But, as much as I'd love to stay and talk longer, I really must be going now. I will see you both in school tomorrow!"
"See ya later, Bakura."
"Good bye, Bakura!"
Bakura turned away and ambled down the sidewalk toward his own home, which was only another two blocks away. He wondered if it was safe that he was walking alone like this, but immediately cast off the idea that the mysterious man could have anything to do with the attack on Mokuba or the shooting at Adele's home in England. After all, they already knew who was responsible for what happened to Mokuba and the other incident was in a completely different country! So why then was it that he felt so unsafe?
It certainly didn't help that he had been having such wild dreams lately. They all felt more like memories, rather than dreams. Sometimes, they were so vivid that when he woke up, it was the real world that felt more like a dream to him. If only those dreams were good ones, then maybe he would not feel so on edge, but they were always negative, chilling, frightening, and left him trembling upon awakening. Maybe he was just being paranoid about it all, but something, he couldn't quite place what, was making him feel very uneasy, and his instincts were almost never wrong...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
She didn't want things to be this way, it's just that they absolutely had to be. She really had no other choice at this point. It was either push away the people she so dearly called her friends, or put them in immediate danger, a danger that could possibly end up killing them. She could bear not talking to them, even if it meant they were angry with her for it, but she couldn't bear the thought of any of them being hurt. Especially him...
She hadn't been out of her house in days, instead, staying locked up inside, down in her basement, working on the project that had begun to take over her entire life four years ago. She was so close to the solution, she wasn't going to stop now, lives were at stake-two very important lives. It was only a matter of experimentation now and a few final touches and soon, she would be able to test it. She prayed that all her hard work would soon pay off.
But it was crazy living undercover like this. She loved being around people, craved the friendship and affection of those she cared so dearly for, but she couldn't put anybody at risk, even herself. If she were to come under any harm now, she would never be able to finish the project, and she couldn't let anybody get their hands on it either. But it was only a matter of time until they found out where she was hiding. She had to come up with a new place to hide soon.
Suddenly, her cell phone began to ring. She knew who it would be before she even picked it up.
"Hello?"
"Hello, Adele. How is it coming along?"
"It's fine, Seto. I've ran the model test a few times, and it seems to be working very well except for a few minor glitches."
"Minor glitches? Like what?"
"Well, you know how the process needs a volunteer subject for the link to establish?"
"Yes."
"Well, the glitch is that the subject seems to be drained to a very serious extent after the process runs through. It could prove fatal if not properly dealt with."
"So it would basically be sacrificing one life for another?"
"Exactly. I am working on the glitch right now. I think I have a solution, but I need some time to work through it."
"Well, how much time, Adele? This is my little brother we are talking about here!"
Adele's temper flared up. "And you think this project is not just as urgent for me? I am doing all I can, Seto! That is all I have to offer right now! I will contact you when I get further, but for now, I would appreciate it if you left me to my work!"
"Very well. I will expect to hear from you soon." He said, immediately hanging up. Adele could not believe how insensitive Seto Kaiba could be about all this. After all, he knew how much this project meant to her too, how much was at stake, how could he--?
The phone rang again and Adele angrily picked it back up, practically screaming into the phone. "What now, Kaiba?!"
There was a moment of silence on the other end, and then a nervous voice spoke. "Um, Adele?"
She was taken aback. "Bakura! I'm sorry, I didn't expect it to be you. What's wrong?"
"Nothing really. I mean, nothing for me anyway. I wanted to talk to you."
"About what?"
"About what happened in England. Adele, things don't have to be like this."
She sighed in frustration, wishing that she could tell him the truth about it all. She didn't want to hurt him like this, he was such a wonderful friend, and such a very sweet guy. It was difficult to lie to him.
"Bakura, you don't understand. It's dangerous."
"Yes, yes, I know! You told us this before. And you want us to stay away because you don't want us to get hurt! Believe me, I know how you feel! I too push people away in fear of hurting them!"
Adele snickered. "And who could you have ever possibly hurt, Bakura?"
"A very dear friend of mine, many years ago. I hurt her very badly, and more so than you might expect, and I've lived every day since being haunted by that moment. But that is beside the point."
"How is that beside the point?"
"Listen to me, Adele, I'm trying to tell you that you're not alone in this! You shouldn't have to go through whatever it is you're going through, alone!"
The tone of his voice shocked her. Bakura was always so soft-spoken, so compliant. He was being stubborn and headstrong now, a trait she had never seen in him before. She wondered where this sudden persistence came from and found herself fallen speechless in respect of his attitude. She knew he was right. He was only being a friend, he was doing exactly as she would do if she were in his place right now. She couldn't be angry with him for that, she could only respect him, appreciate him, admire him. Her heart reached out to him. Oh, how she wished she could tell him the truth...everything...
"Bakura...I'm sorry."
The voice on the other end sighed complacently. "Very well, Adele. I'm sorry too. I'm sorry things can't be different. I respect your need for space, and I will leave you alone now. Best of luck to you, and if you ever need anything, you know where to find us-you know where to find me. If I never speak to you again, I just wanted to say thank you for everything. You'll never know how much your friendship meant to me."
"Bakura, wait!"
But before she could get the words out, she heard a click on the other end. He had hung up, and had left her with a lot to think about as well. She didn't know where to start with everything, but only hoped that he would understand, and, that in the end, she would be able to find friendship with everyone again. Maybe someday, that would be possible.
But what was it about Bakura Ryou that made her feel so strange? There was something familiar, something so intimate about his manner that she couldn't stop thinking about him from the first moment she met him. It almost seemed as if they had met before somewhere...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Bakura hung up the phone and sighed, running his hands through his soft, white hair and pushing it back from his face. He sat at his kitchen table, pensive and distraught over how to solve this mystery, wondering if it would ever be possible. He knew he had to do something, he simply did not know what. He hoped that his words reached Adele somehow, but did not bet on it-she was a very stubborn girl and would not back down easily. Still, when it came to a friend in need, Bakura never backed down either. Only time would tell who had the strongest will in this matter...
You know, there's nothing you can do, you fool!
"Spirit! Leave me be!" He screamed out, frustrated that the spirit that lived inside his Millenium Ring had to be bothering him right now. Under his light blue sweater, the ring glowed faintly, letting off an eerie chiming sound.
"Oh...no..." he whispered, placing his hand over the ring. He felt it move slightly against his chest, causing him to shudder as a cold chill ran down his spine. No, not now. He only wanted to be left alone right now!
Oh? You wish to be alone? Then I shall do as you wish, pitiful child!
Then, the pain came, stronger than ever. It started in his chest, directly spreading out from where the ring rested against his skin. It burnt him from the inside out, extending across his entire body until he found himself curled into a ball on the kitchen floor, clutching at his own hair, pulling at it.
"No! Leave me alone!" he shrieked in pain.
It grew dark, as it always did, and the pain dulled away until his entire body, if there was still a body, felt numb. He soon felt nothing at all, only a faded sting left over from the inevitable change.
But he should come to expect this. After all, this happened every time 'he' took over. If Bakura didn't fight it, it would not hurt so bad. In fact, Bakura never used to even be able to tell when the spirit was taking over his body. He would come and go as he pleased, using Bakura as his host to do whatever it was he wanted to do that day, always something evil, something terrible. That is, until Bakura started to fight back.
His friends had been telling him for months that he would sometimes 'change', he would start to be what Tristan called 'a real freak'. He didn't know what this meant at first, but decided to be on guard as he never had any memory of it whenever he came out of one of his 'spells'. One day, while sitting at home doing some Math homework, he felt a slight tingle coming from where the millennium ring sat coolly against his skin. Curious, he took off the ring, pulling it out from under his shirt and analyzing it carefully. He thought it was the strangest feeling but could never have prepared himself for what happened next. The ring began to glow with a bright golden light, stinging Bakura's eyes as a strange ringing sound emanated from it, growing louder each second that he held it there in his hands. Terrified and confused, he threw the ring to the floor of his bedroom, watching fearfully as the light flooded his entire room with a golden glow and a strange figure appeared suddenly before him, seeming to materialize within the light. Bakura was shocked to see that this figure, though he could not see the face, greatly resembled his own form.
"Bakura..." hissed the voice as one hand came up to point at him. Bakura fell to the ground, feeling a strange numbness come over his body, like tiny needles pricking every inch of his skin.
"What do you want with me?" he stammered, raising his hand over his eyes to block the blinding light.
The figure only laughed, and the last thing Bakura remembered before losing consciousness was feeling the heaviness of the millennium ring against his chest once more. Strange, he thought, since he had thrown it to the ground, but his eyes were already shutting, and he could see no more...
That was over a year ago. Bakura wondered how long it had been going on, how many times the spirit had taken control of him before he realized that there was something wrong. He struggled to stop it every time after that, always staying on guard, especially when others were around. Suddenly, everything that had happened when he was in England made perfect sense. It was not him who had killed his best friend Celesta Annika, it was the evil spirit that took over his body, and clearly this spirit had something to do with the ring that his father had brought back from Egypt. But each time he threw it away, no matter how well he hid it, how far away he took it, it always found its way back to him. It was his destiny, his prison it seemed, and he could do nothing more than to fight the spirit each time he felt it begin to take over.
But thanks to this spirit, Bakura now felt himself to be a murderer and that he could never forgive himself for. He vowed never to hurt anyone again, and that he would give his life to stop this spirit if it came to a measure such as that. He would find a way one day, a way to stop this possession, and then he could feel secure of his friends' safety. Until then, however, he must stay away from everyone he met, keeping his distance from those he called his dearest friends no matter how badly it hurt to do so. Until he met Yugi Motou and the gang from Domino City, this was an easy task. But they had all been so kind to him, so forgiving, and he had been so lonely for a very long time-it seemed impossible to totally refuse their friendship. Now, he was back where he started. The possessions came more frequently lately, and he could think of no reason why.
"Please...don't hurt anyone." He whispered, his voice trembling as he fell into total, deep, and everlasting darkness. But this was different, somehow, this darkness was more penetrating than any time ever before. He couldn't fight it, couldn't feel anything, could not even hear himself breathing. It was almost as if he ceased to exist.
"Spirit, are you there?" he questioned, but the words were not audible. He knew his lips should be moving, but he felt no sense of it. He knew that he existed, yet at the same time could not feel it, and that's when the realization, the fear, hit him. If he could feel himself cry, he knew there would be a tear trickling down his cheek, but there was none, and he suddenly felt entirely hopeless of his situation.
"My dear God..." he whispered. "...is this...death?"
~*~*~~*~*~*~*~
By Lady Armandina
Disclaimer: As much as I wish I did own them (hehe, especially Bakura!), I don't.
Author's Note: I know that many call Ryou the regular Bakura and Bakura the yami. I have switched it in my story, because that is what I have grown accustomed to cuz that is how the names are in America (well, at least Bakura is Bakura, not sure about the yami...). Sorry for any confusion!
Also-Everyone, thanks for the reviews! I love getting them and I really appreciate the encouragement! I hope I don't let you down.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"I just don't know what happened, Yugi."
Bakura Ryou and Yugi Motou sat outside Domino City High School underneath their favorite tree, the everyday meeting place of their group of friends. School got out an hour ago and all their friends were long gone home, but Bakura and Yugi stayed awhile, sitting and talking about the insanity of the events over Christmas break.
"I know, Bakura. None of us really do. All I can say is that we should stick around, be here for her if she changes her mind."
"It somehow doesn't seem like enough."
Yugi glanced at Bakura from the corner of his eye, taking a sip from his can of Coca-Cola. "Do you think there is anything else we can do at this point?"
"Yes, Yugi. Actually, I do."
Yugi sat his drink down in the grass, turning to his friend to meet his gaze. "What do you suggest?"
"Adele is too stubborn to allow us to change her mind. However, we can get through to her in a different way."
"What do you mean?"
Bakura smiled, proud of his own cleverness. "Seto Kaiba."
"Kaiba? What can he help us with?"
"I have a sneaking suspicion she is much closer to Kaiba than either of them let on. For some reason, they are hiding the fact that there is some sort of connection between them. We have already seen that they are somewhat of friends with each other. They must be close because she already knew about what happened to Mokuba long before the rest of us did. But I think there's something more to it than that."
Yugi looked at his friend strangely. "Are you saying that you think Kaiba and Adele are a couple?"
Bakura began to laugh. "No! That's not it at all! I was only suggesting that there is something they are hiding from us. Whatever that is, I'm not sure. You remember on the plane, when Adele got that phone call?"
"Yes, I remember her being very upset about it."
"Well, she called the person on the phone 'Kaiba'. She seemed nervous about speaking to him in front of us, wanted to talk to him at a better time. It seems like it was after she got off the phone with Seto something in her changed. That's when she told us she couldn't talk to us anymore. She must be really worried about something."
"You're right, Bakura. Something strange is going on. The question is what? And really, what can we do about it if we don't even know what it is?"
Bakura smiled again, certain of his own predictions. "I think I know what it is."
Yugi was surprised. "What? Wow, Bakura, I know that you were probably closer to Adele than the rest of us, but how can you know what's going on? Has she confided something in you?"
"Not exactly. But she did say something to me about the reasons she moved to Domino City and I think that may be the link we are looking for."
"I don't understand."
"One day when we were talking, she told me that she is here because she is doing some kind of research that is only available in Domino City. She said that for her to acquire what she needed, it was necessary for her to come here. What else could this be other than Kaiba Corporation?"
"That makes sense. Kaiba Corporation is the nation's leading company on technology, specifically gaming technology. It's also one of the most successful and important companies in the world. It's the main attraction here."
"Precisely. I can think of no other thing that would draw a person halfway across the world to Domino City. The only question is, what exactly is she researching? If it has to do with some sort of game, what would there be to hide?"
"I don't know, Bakura, but I think we should check into this."
"I agree. Besides, it won't be too difficult since we have been keeping an eye on Kaiba Corp since we heard about the attack on Mokuba."
"Yeah, and it's a good thing Seto hasn't caught onto us yet. You know he would never stand for us trying to help him."
"True. We will just have to continue being careful."
"Well," started Bakura, standing to his feet and lifting his book bag up over his shoulder. "I think it's time I head home. I have some homework to do for Ms. Hakusha's class."
"Yeah, me too." Yugi said with a sigh. "I can't wait until the summer again. School is driving me nuts lately."
Yugi stood up as well, grabbing his half-empty can of coke from the ground and lifting the heavy pile of books that he needed for homework.
"Wow, I really need to get a book bag." He commented, looking at Bakura, who seemed to be staring off into space all of a sudden. "Bakura, what's wrong?"
"That's very strange." Bakura commented, seeming very concerned about something.
"What is?"
"You see that man over there?" Bakura said, motioning toward the nearby basketball court that was visible from where they stood. "He has been standing there, watching us the entire time we were sitting here."
"He looks creepy." Remarked Yugi. It was true. The man wore dark sunglasses and a long black trenchcoat over what appeared to be a conservative black suit. He smoked a cigarette, slowly, methodically, and as Yugi and Bakura stood watching him, he tossed it into the grass and stomped it out with his black-booted foot. He looked up, and then over in the direction of the two boys, smiling mischievously, his demeanor seeming a bit menacing.
"Umm...Bakura? I think we should get out of here."
"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. He's scary."
"Walk home with me?"
"Absolutely."
The boys swiftly turned around and practically ran home, not stopping to catch their breath or even saying a word to each other. They paced down the sidewalk, a whole four blocks, until they reached Yugi's home. It was then that they slowed down, looking around to make sure they weren't followed.
"Do you think he followed us?" asked Yugi, breathing heavily.
"No, no, I think we lost him. Let's just hope he was some random creepy guy that hangs out in basketball courts!"
"Unfortunately, with all the mysterious happenings lately, I doubt that is true."
"So what are you saying, Yugi? You think we're not safe?"
"We can't know for sure, but we shouldn't out rule the possibility that-"
"HEY GUYS!" came a voice, yelling loudly from across the street.
"AGGGHHHHH!" Both Bakura and Yugi screamed in unison, flipping their heads around to see who spoke.
"Ah! Joey!" said Yugi with a sigh of relief. "We thought you were someone else."
"Hey, a little nervous there, buddy?" Joey responded, jogging across the street to meet up with his friends. "What's wrong?"
"Oh, nothing really." Commented Bakura. "We're just being a bit paranoid, that's all."
Yugi looked at Bakura questioningly, wondering why it is that Bakura didn't just tell Joey the truth.
"Hey, that's understandable with the ways things have been lately." Joey responded. "That reminds me. Either of you speak to Adele since the trip home?"
"No," Yugi answered. "In fact, I was wondering if maybe Mai has spoken to her. They were good friends, she would be likely to hear from her before the rest of us did."
Joey shook his head negatively. "No. No sign of her at all. Mai is worried about it, wondering if she should just go right over there and do something about it herself. She thinks she might be acting too pushy though. Ya know, sometimes people need their space and all."
"Yes," Bakura agreed. "That is true. But, as much as I'd love to stay and talk longer, I really must be going now. I will see you both in school tomorrow!"
"See ya later, Bakura."
"Good bye, Bakura!"
Bakura turned away and ambled down the sidewalk toward his own home, which was only another two blocks away. He wondered if it was safe that he was walking alone like this, but immediately cast off the idea that the mysterious man could have anything to do with the attack on Mokuba or the shooting at Adele's home in England. After all, they already knew who was responsible for what happened to Mokuba and the other incident was in a completely different country! So why then was it that he felt so unsafe?
It certainly didn't help that he had been having such wild dreams lately. They all felt more like memories, rather than dreams. Sometimes, they were so vivid that when he woke up, it was the real world that felt more like a dream to him. If only those dreams were good ones, then maybe he would not feel so on edge, but they were always negative, chilling, frightening, and left him trembling upon awakening. Maybe he was just being paranoid about it all, but something, he couldn't quite place what, was making him feel very uneasy, and his instincts were almost never wrong...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
She didn't want things to be this way, it's just that they absolutely had to be. She really had no other choice at this point. It was either push away the people she so dearly called her friends, or put them in immediate danger, a danger that could possibly end up killing them. She could bear not talking to them, even if it meant they were angry with her for it, but she couldn't bear the thought of any of them being hurt. Especially him...
She hadn't been out of her house in days, instead, staying locked up inside, down in her basement, working on the project that had begun to take over her entire life four years ago. She was so close to the solution, she wasn't going to stop now, lives were at stake-two very important lives. It was only a matter of experimentation now and a few final touches and soon, she would be able to test it. She prayed that all her hard work would soon pay off.
But it was crazy living undercover like this. She loved being around people, craved the friendship and affection of those she cared so dearly for, but she couldn't put anybody at risk, even herself. If she were to come under any harm now, she would never be able to finish the project, and she couldn't let anybody get their hands on it either. But it was only a matter of time until they found out where she was hiding. She had to come up with a new place to hide soon.
Suddenly, her cell phone began to ring. She knew who it would be before she even picked it up.
"Hello?"
"Hello, Adele. How is it coming along?"
"It's fine, Seto. I've ran the model test a few times, and it seems to be working very well except for a few minor glitches."
"Minor glitches? Like what?"
"Well, you know how the process needs a volunteer subject for the link to establish?"
"Yes."
"Well, the glitch is that the subject seems to be drained to a very serious extent after the process runs through. It could prove fatal if not properly dealt with."
"So it would basically be sacrificing one life for another?"
"Exactly. I am working on the glitch right now. I think I have a solution, but I need some time to work through it."
"Well, how much time, Adele? This is my little brother we are talking about here!"
Adele's temper flared up. "And you think this project is not just as urgent for me? I am doing all I can, Seto! That is all I have to offer right now! I will contact you when I get further, but for now, I would appreciate it if you left me to my work!"
"Very well. I will expect to hear from you soon." He said, immediately hanging up. Adele could not believe how insensitive Seto Kaiba could be about all this. After all, he knew how much this project meant to her too, how much was at stake, how could he--?
The phone rang again and Adele angrily picked it back up, practically screaming into the phone. "What now, Kaiba?!"
There was a moment of silence on the other end, and then a nervous voice spoke. "Um, Adele?"
She was taken aback. "Bakura! I'm sorry, I didn't expect it to be you. What's wrong?"
"Nothing really. I mean, nothing for me anyway. I wanted to talk to you."
"About what?"
"About what happened in England. Adele, things don't have to be like this."
She sighed in frustration, wishing that she could tell him the truth about it all. She didn't want to hurt him like this, he was such a wonderful friend, and such a very sweet guy. It was difficult to lie to him.
"Bakura, you don't understand. It's dangerous."
"Yes, yes, I know! You told us this before. And you want us to stay away because you don't want us to get hurt! Believe me, I know how you feel! I too push people away in fear of hurting them!"
Adele snickered. "And who could you have ever possibly hurt, Bakura?"
"A very dear friend of mine, many years ago. I hurt her very badly, and more so than you might expect, and I've lived every day since being haunted by that moment. But that is beside the point."
"How is that beside the point?"
"Listen to me, Adele, I'm trying to tell you that you're not alone in this! You shouldn't have to go through whatever it is you're going through, alone!"
The tone of his voice shocked her. Bakura was always so soft-spoken, so compliant. He was being stubborn and headstrong now, a trait she had never seen in him before. She wondered where this sudden persistence came from and found herself fallen speechless in respect of his attitude. She knew he was right. He was only being a friend, he was doing exactly as she would do if she were in his place right now. She couldn't be angry with him for that, she could only respect him, appreciate him, admire him. Her heart reached out to him. Oh, how she wished she could tell him the truth...everything...
"Bakura...I'm sorry."
The voice on the other end sighed complacently. "Very well, Adele. I'm sorry too. I'm sorry things can't be different. I respect your need for space, and I will leave you alone now. Best of luck to you, and if you ever need anything, you know where to find us-you know where to find me. If I never speak to you again, I just wanted to say thank you for everything. You'll never know how much your friendship meant to me."
"Bakura, wait!"
But before she could get the words out, she heard a click on the other end. He had hung up, and had left her with a lot to think about as well. She didn't know where to start with everything, but only hoped that he would understand, and, that in the end, she would be able to find friendship with everyone again. Maybe someday, that would be possible.
But what was it about Bakura Ryou that made her feel so strange? There was something familiar, something so intimate about his manner that she couldn't stop thinking about him from the first moment she met him. It almost seemed as if they had met before somewhere...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Bakura hung up the phone and sighed, running his hands through his soft, white hair and pushing it back from his face. He sat at his kitchen table, pensive and distraught over how to solve this mystery, wondering if it would ever be possible. He knew he had to do something, he simply did not know what. He hoped that his words reached Adele somehow, but did not bet on it-she was a very stubborn girl and would not back down easily. Still, when it came to a friend in need, Bakura never backed down either. Only time would tell who had the strongest will in this matter...
You know, there's nothing you can do, you fool!
"Spirit! Leave me be!" He screamed out, frustrated that the spirit that lived inside his Millenium Ring had to be bothering him right now. Under his light blue sweater, the ring glowed faintly, letting off an eerie chiming sound.
"Oh...no..." he whispered, placing his hand over the ring. He felt it move slightly against his chest, causing him to shudder as a cold chill ran down his spine. No, not now. He only wanted to be left alone right now!
Oh? You wish to be alone? Then I shall do as you wish, pitiful child!
Then, the pain came, stronger than ever. It started in his chest, directly spreading out from where the ring rested against his skin. It burnt him from the inside out, extending across his entire body until he found himself curled into a ball on the kitchen floor, clutching at his own hair, pulling at it.
"No! Leave me alone!" he shrieked in pain.
It grew dark, as it always did, and the pain dulled away until his entire body, if there was still a body, felt numb. He soon felt nothing at all, only a faded sting left over from the inevitable change.
But he should come to expect this. After all, this happened every time 'he' took over. If Bakura didn't fight it, it would not hurt so bad. In fact, Bakura never used to even be able to tell when the spirit was taking over his body. He would come and go as he pleased, using Bakura as his host to do whatever it was he wanted to do that day, always something evil, something terrible. That is, until Bakura started to fight back.
His friends had been telling him for months that he would sometimes 'change', he would start to be what Tristan called 'a real freak'. He didn't know what this meant at first, but decided to be on guard as he never had any memory of it whenever he came out of one of his 'spells'. One day, while sitting at home doing some Math homework, he felt a slight tingle coming from where the millennium ring sat coolly against his skin. Curious, he took off the ring, pulling it out from under his shirt and analyzing it carefully. He thought it was the strangest feeling but could never have prepared himself for what happened next. The ring began to glow with a bright golden light, stinging Bakura's eyes as a strange ringing sound emanated from it, growing louder each second that he held it there in his hands. Terrified and confused, he threw the ring to the floor of his bedroom, watching fearfully as the light flooded his entire room with a golden glow and a strange figure appeared suddenly before him, seeming to materialize within the light. Bakura was shocked to see that this figure, though he could not see the face, greatly resembled his own form.
"Bakura..." hissed the voice as one hand came up to point at him. Bakura fell to the ground, feeling a strange numbness come over his body, like tiny needles pricking every inch of his skin.
"What do you want with me?" he stammered, raising his hand over his eyes to block the blinding light.
The figure only laughed, and the last thing Bakura remembered before losing consciousness was feeling the heaviness of the millennium ring against his chest once more. Strange, he thought, since he had thrown it to the ground, but his eyes were already shutting, and he could see no more...
That was over a year ago. Bakura wondered how long it had been going on, how many times the spirit had taken control of him before he realized that there was something wrong. He struggled to stop it every time after that, always staying on guard, especially when others were around. Suddenly, everything that had happened when he was in England made perfect sense. It was not him who had killed his best friend Celesta Annika, it was the evil spirit that took over his body, and clearly this spirit had something to do with the ring that his father had brought back from Egypt. But each time he threw it away, no matter how well he hid it, how far away he took it, it always found its way back to him. It was his destiny, his prison it seemed, and he could do nothing more than to fight the spirit each time he felt it begin to take over.
But thanks to this spirit, Bakura now felt himself to be a murderer and that he could never forgive himself for. He vowed never to hurt anyone again, and that he would give his life to stop this spirit if it came to a measure such as that. He would find a way one day, a way to stop this possession, and then he could feel secure of his friends' safety. Until then, however, he must stay away from everyone he met, keeping his distance from those he called his dearest friends no matter how badly it hurt to do so. Until he met Yugi Motou and the gang from Domino City, this was an easy task. But they had all been so kind to him, so forgiving, and he had been so lonely for a very long time-it seemed impossible to totally refuse their friendship. Now, he was back where he started. The possessions came more frequently lately, and he could think of no reason why.
"Please...don't hurt anyone." He whispered, his voice trembling as he fell into total, deep, and everlasting darkness. But this was different, somehow, this darkness was more penetrating than any time ever before. He couldn't fight it, couldn't feel anything, could not even hear himself breathing. It was almost as if he ceased to exist.
"Spirit, are you there?" he questioned, but the words were not audible. He knew his lips should be moving, but he felt no sense of it. He knew that he existed, yet at the same time could not feel it, and that's when the realization, the fear, hit him. If he could feel himself cry, he knew there would be a tear trickling down his cheek, but there was none, and he suddenly felt entirely hopeless of his situation.
"My dear God..." he whispered. "...is this...death?"
~*~*~~*~*~*~*~