Okay, a new story!! Whoo!!! I'm onna roll!

For storyline purposes, all the Yu-Gi-Oh characters will be in their early teens, like Ryou is going to be 14 instead of 16 or whatever. But somehow, most of the things that happened in the show happened already (so, Battle City has already been conquered!!! And the yamis know who they are...I think. Bakura knows about his village. But that's as far as I can tell it goes. I didn't get to watch the ending to the original series.)

Disclaimer: I don't own YuGiOh or Danny Phantom. I don't even own a deck of cards anymore. I'm that sad… **Cries**

Ghosts of the Shadow realm

Chapter 1: The Letter from America

Ryou Bakura was sitting in his kitchen reading a letter that had come in the mail.

His yami appeared next to him. Crimson eyes raked over the other boy as Bakura tried to figure out what was up with his hikari today.

Finally he couldn't take the silence anymore.

"What are you reading?" he growled. Ryou didn't look up.

"A friend of mine from America sent me a letter," he explained, still reading the letter. Suddenly, his expression changed from happy to one of shock as he reread a part of the letter. Bakura ripped the letter from his hikari's hands and scanned through to the part that had shocked the innocent boy:

--Yeah... about not writing earlier? D'ya remember when you said not to play around in Mom and Dad's lab? I forgot. I got caught in one of their inventions and... I'm kinda half-dead now—

Bakura's own eyes widened. He lowered the paper and looked at Ryou.

"Your friend's kidding...right?" Ryou shook his head.

"He's not that creative," the hikari responded. Bakura raised the letter back up to finish reading it when someone knocked on the door. The yami growled as he walked to the door, unconsciously making himself more solid, and never taking his eyes off the letter.

He had the door open before Ryou could get up to save Bakura the trouble of getting mad at any innocent bystanders (i.e. girl scouts, Christmas carolers, etc) and sending them to the Shadow Realm.

Bakura merely glanced out of the door before realizing that whoever it was was shorter than his eye-level. He'd had to look down, but he didn't realize that fact at first. After all, not many of his light's friends were elementary-school sized.

Bakura pasted on the best 'I'm Ryou' friendly smile he could at Yugi. He was more than a little mad that he'd picked now of all times to drop by. Yugi raised his eyebrow in slight confusion. Bakura could almost hear the conversation Shrimp was most likely having with the Pharaoh. Bakura really didn't want to have to deal with Yugi's other half today. He was being good for once! I swear!

"Is there something wrong?" He kept his voice light and tried his best not to growl at the hikari. Maybe if he was nice, Yami might let him slide for once.

Violet eyes turned red as the Shrimp's hair spiked up more and he grew a foot to be Bakura's height in a flash of light. That's counting the ridiculous hair's height.

No such luck. Bakura's head found a way to bow with an animé sweatdrop on the back of his head all while hiding behind a piece of paper. Ah, his dignity is forever safe.

"Tomb Raider, what did you do to your host?" the Pharaoh asked. Bakura could've groaned. He almost did. Bakura, at least, had gotten the hang of Modern Language. He knew most of the slang that most kids spoke with. Yami, on the other hand, had not. Bakura couldn't help but wonder how the mortal fools of this millennia passed over him without too many questions.

Instead of answering the Pharaoh's question, Bakura pointed to the wall that separated the kitchen from the living room, and by default, the front door. While it was the truth, he knew that the Pharaoh's tendency to think the worst would make it amusing.

True to form, Yami Yugi's eyes widened.

Now Bakura wanted to laugh. His lips twitched a little before he stopped himself. Messing with Ryou's friends was far too easy. Hopefully this 'Danny' would know how to take a joke.

Bakura thought about the consequences of continuing to mess with the Pharaoh, but it was getting old and boring already. That and he didn't want to go back to the Shadow Realm. He blew air out of his non-existent lungs. The fact that he was able to surprised him a little. But he didn't let it show.

"I mean in the kitchen, fool," he said.

Yami Yugi didn't look convinced. Bakura guessed that the old fool didn't know how to materialize enough to converse with the outside realm on his own without taking control of his hikari. Bakura looked down at himself while pretending to still be reading the letter. He wasn't transparent in the least. He actually looked like he was real and guessed that if anyone other than Yugi were to look at him, they would see him as a normal person—like he was Ryou. Like usual. Only actually seeing him with out Ryou's body to help in the whole 'oooh I'm real' thing.

The Pharaoh looked up at the other yami with most of the usual questions and accusations in his ruby eyes. Bakura didn't want to deal with the accusations, but he knew they were most likely what he'd hear come out of the boy's mouth. Bakura lowered the letter since he'd finished reading it so his fist rested on his hip.

"Well?" Might as well get this over with. Yami Yugi opened his mouth to say something, but shut it again with a thoughtful look on his face. Bakura guessed that Yugi was telling his yami to shut it with the lecturing. Or something along those lines.

"What are you reading?" Huh. The Pharaoh was trying for friendly conversation? Might as well humor him.

"Ryou's mail," he said simply. "Is there a problem with that?" The Pharaoh looked surprised that Bakura had used his light's name. Ryou was listening from the kitchen, mentally asking for Bakura to lighten up on the growling. The tomb robber knew that his hikari would like for the yamis to at least not be enemies and have something to do other than argue all the time. But Ryou wasn't so naïve that he thought it was possible, hence why he didn't annoy Bakura with it.

"I suppose not, but I was unaware that Ryou received letters."

Bakura stared at him. How stupid was this guy? Was he really the Pharaoh or was he on one of those 'you've been punk'd' shows Ryou usually skips by but sometimes watches on the TV? Yami looked far too serious to be joking, though. The King of Thieves sighed.

"Hang on. I'll get you proof," Bakura muttered as he went into the kitchen. Ryou handed him the envelope without a word. He didn't need to say anything.

He went back to the baka that had interrupted his reading and showed him the envelope.

The Pharaoh had a little trouble reading the English the return address was written in.

"Day-nigh?" That was what the 'Savior to the World' came up with when he tried to read the name. Bakura was almost afraid to know how he'd pronounce Danny's last name. Honestly, what did Yugi do in his English class?! Just duel that mutt?

"Danny, fool. Duh-ann-ie," Bakura spelled out for the 'dull-witted yami'. "'Y' is pronounced 'e' and sometimes 'I'." Yami cleared his throat, looking a little embarrassed. But he hadn't come to have his English skills criticized.

"While I must ask how you know so much English, Yugi did come to speak with his friend."

"And I don't count as a friend?" Bakura mock-pouted, feinting injury from the Pharaoh's word's. He 'recovered' enough to laugh slightly. "I'll get him." Bakura left the doorway, leaving the door invitingly open. Yami gave a soft snort as Bakura went into the kitchen. The Pharaoh thought for certain that Bakura was fibbing. There was a reason they needed hosts to 'hang out' with the living. It wasn't possible to create their own corporeal forms. At least, Yami didn't believe it was.

Bakura set the letter on the table in front of his apprehensive hikari.

"The Pharaoh's brat is waiting for you. Better go and tell him you're not hurt and that this place isn't booby-trapped."

Ryou nodded, understanding. Yugi worried too much. Bakura disappeared into the Millennium Ring before Ryou stood up and sighed. There was a reason Ryou preferred to answer the door. And it was standing right outside his house.

He went to the door where Yugi's darker half waited. A smile that was more than likely Bakura's tugged at his lips. He composed himself to speak to Yami without the other to think he was his own yami still. One would be surprised at how often Yami Yugi accused him of stealing something or threatening someone when it either was Bakura, someone not connected to them in the least, or no one at all. People can get scared for no real reason other than to be scared. And of course, the Pharaoh would never believe Bakura capable of feeling like doing something nice for some one else unless it was to further his own evil plans. Ryou guessed that Yami Yugi didn't believe in redemption.

Ryou reached the door and sighed again. The Pharaoh still hadn't relinquished control back to Yugi.

He looked at Yami, and then looked around him, as if searching for someone.

"Didn't Yugi come with you?" A genuine Ryou smile appeared on his face as Yami blinked before understanding. He nodded and relaxed his pose before the Millennium Puzzle glowed and Yugi smiled.

"Sorry, Yami doesn't trust him." It didn't take a genius to understand why.

Ryou shrugged.

"He worries too much. Bakura isn't that bad."

"That's what I keep telling him. But it's always 'no, aibou. He's a thief and could hurt you' and all that."

"Well... he's right. Bakura is a thief, and he could hurt you. But I don't think he will. He's after the Millennium Items, not the holders," Ryou said. That was one reason for Bakura to not hurt Yugi. The other is that Bakura had been forced around the pipsqueak (Bakura's words, not Ryou's) so much that he'd gotten used to seeing him everyday. Bakura didn't like it when things change like that. It reminded him of…things better left unsaid. But he did like it when things change in his favor. But... Ryou was threatened on pain of death to not tell anyone that reason. It made it sound like he was getting soft. Which was bad for his reputation. Ryou gestured for Yugi to come inside.

"Do you want anything to drink or...?" Ryou prompted, trying to start a better topic for conversation than their yamis had. Yugi shook his head and Ryou noticed his arms were behind his back. When Ryou tried to see, Yugi moved just so he couldn't.

//The Pharaoh had his hands behind his back too. What's going on with them?// Ryou didn't have an answer, and when he tried to ask, Yugi changed the topic.

(A good fifteen minutes and one bored hikari/yami pair later)

"Okay. So... What was your other half reading?" Yugi was just as curious as his yami. They had been talking about a bunch of things—what Bakura was up to (that hadn't lasted very long), how school was going, and something having to do with the weather. Ryou hadn't been paying very much attention then. Bakura was trying to get him to let him take over for a 'more amusing conversation'. Ryou had to remind him that he'd start another argument with the Pharaoh and Bakura changed his mind.

"My mail," Ryou said without really thinking. He cringed. Dangit. He's been hanging around Bakura too long. Yugi looked up, into Ryou's brown eyes, probably wondering if they were red instead. In Yugi's head, no doubt, his yami was telling him to let him take over.

Yugi had gotten far to predictable. Bakura, on the other hand, was as unpredictable as always. Like this week for example. He hadn't asked for control for anything. Ryou could only guess that Bakura was waiting for the right time to rob some really big company or something. But he could also just be tired and taking a break from defending his title as 'King of Thieves'. No one could steal stuff like him anyway.

Ryou had to get out of getting a lecture. And fast.

"No, really! He was reading a letter a friend of mine sent me!" Yugi somehow looked even more suspicious of him than the Pharaoh ever could. The Pharaoh wasn't exactly Ryou's favorite person. It wasn't that he didn't like his friend's yami; it was that he didn't trust Yami Yugi to help him out when he would need it. Or to believe him when he was telling the truth. Like now.

"Ryou… Who sends letters?" the shorter hikari couldn't believe that someone their age would willingly write on paper to send something to a friend through the mail. Unless it was for something that wasn't legit or something... The guy who sent the letter had to be evil and in some sort of scheme with Yami Bakura. His own yami didn't even do that! Not when there was e-mail that could be typed and sent across the world in a blink of an eye! Not to mention... Ryou didn't have many friends, and Yugi was certain that he and his friends were the closest Ryou had to actual friends.

"Danny does," Ryou answered as if that answered everything. Yugi didn't believe that it was from someone not after the Millennium Items. Bakura was reading it, if that wasn't reason enough to not trust it. Whoever this 'Danny' was, was not someone Yugi wanted to meet.

"Can I read it?" Like he would be able to. It was written in English. But a strange feeling came from the back of his mind as Ryou snatched the letter off the table before Yugi could reach for it. It was his mail, darnit! Ryou's eyes caught a sentence after the revealing passage:

Can you keep it a secret for me?

Ryou knew there had been another reason to keep this letter away from the Pharaoh's prying eyes besides keeping his own privacy! Danny had entrusted him with keeping his secret, just as Ryou had entrusted him with the knowledge of the Ring. He would not betray that trust. That's what friends did for each other. Danny's new friends knew that as well as he did. At least, that's what he'd said in one of the previous letters. One that he'd gotten right after the Ring came along and Danny was told of it. Still, Danny said he hadn't told them about Ryou's 'problems'. Danny was a really good secret-keeper. Bakura must understand that as well. That feeling had to come from somewhere after all. If Jazz was the same way as he remembered her, then he could only hope she never read Danny's mail.

Okay, the next letter Ryou sent him would be in all Japanese. Jazz wasn't as good at reading it as Danny was. Jazz was amazingly closed-minded, even when she was eight. Danny was not like that. He was ready to learn the new language and culture. They were both six when he and his family moved to Japan, and they had met that same year and had become fast friends.

"Sorry, he asked me to not show anybody."

"But your hitori no boku was reading it," the 13-year-old whined. Ryou quickly thought up an explanation that would get him where he might be able to win this. How on Earth did their yamis not go crazy after all those arguments?!

"Danny said 'Hi' to him," he replied, folding the letter just so Yugi could see the 'Tell your other that I said hi!' and that he wasn't lying. "And anyway, Bakura doesn't like being left in the dark," he paused, taking his darker half's personality into prospective. "Figuratively speaking." Did Yugi understand?

The look he was giving Ryou told him no. Of course not. He sighed. Maybe Yami didn't take all the necessary precautions to keep his hikari safe. Like reading Yugi's mail in case it was dangerous. Bakura took a couple to make sure he wasn't killed, but that was what he was supposed to do. Did Yami Yugi not know the dangers internet presented against young children?

Well, if he did… Yugi'd probably never be allowed to go near a computer again. Keeping Bakura's smirk off of his face, Ryou changed the subject.

"I doubt you came here to argue about a letter?" Ryou prompted, determined to keep the Yugi out of his business. The shorter hikari's eyes lit up.

"Oh! Right! We're playing video games at Joey's and I thought that you might like to come," he responded. Suspicious letters (to Yugi and Yami) forgotten, the spiky-headed boy's voice was hopeful that he'd come.

/Is it okay if I go?/ he had to ask after all. Bakura might say no and make him stay.

//Yeah, yeah. When we come back, reply to that letter. I'm going to go to your soulroom and find where you stash your memories.// Or not. Maybe Bakura just couldn't say no to a hikari. Or maybe it was one of those unpredictable moments.

/Alright. Look by the TV. I thought I saw some VHS's over there. I might be wrong/ Ryou thought.

On the outside it seemed that Ryou was having a hard time deciding what to do.

He tapped his cheek as he mock-thought, since he had finished his conversation with Bakura. Then he lowered his hand as a small smile appeared on his face. He nodded and Yugi's face lit up with excitement. He had on a very broad smile when he ran out of Ryou's front door.

Ryou blinked once before he hid the letter in a drawer in the kitchen. Did he really see Yugi with a –no. He couldn't have had a cell phone. His grandfather had said that he couldn't have one. Ryou chalked it up to it being a trick of the light.

//Though it would explain why he had it behind his back// his yami said. //Well? Aren't you going to go with him?//

/Oh, yeah/ Ryou made sure the letter was where he could find it (he'd read it in more detail when he got back) and left to walk with Yugi, who was waiting impatiently outside his door. He grabbed Bakura's cloak since it was rather windy out.

"Come on! Everyone's waiting for us!" Yugi was walking down the street before Ryou had locked his door.

Ryou ran to catch up with the hyper hikari who had started to babble on about how great it was to get to just hang out without the Puzzle in any danger, yadda, yadda, yadda as soon as Ryou'd caught up with him.

They took a shortcut to the blonde boy's house. Joey Wheeler lived only a couple of blocks away from Ryou, making the whitenette wonder why they weren't better friends. Besides the whole 'Tomb Raider tried to kill them all' thing.

Ryou wasn't listening to Yugi as they walked. He was thinking of what he'd say to his friend. He hadn't heard from him in so long, he had thought that Danny had forgotten him. Ryou was really happy to have received that letter. That happiness must've been showing because the hum Yugi's voice had turned into (courtesy of Bakura) had stopped, making Ryou look at the shorter boy.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing, Yugi," Ryou answered. It was true, he wasn't thinking about anything when Yugi asked. That and...he didn't want to bring the letter back up.

"You're really quiet," Yugi observed, trying to figure out what was on Ryou's mind.

//No sh—ano...duh, Sherlock...// Bakura muttered in Ryou's head. Bakura had just barely stopped the swearword he wanted to say, remembering his hikari's dislike for vulgar language. Ryou looked ahead. Though, he was honestly surprised at Bakura's attempt to keep a clean mouth.

"Look, Joey's right there," he said pointing to a blonde boy who was waving his arms in the air. Even at this range, Ryou could see the look on Joey's face. It was one of welcome for Yugi, but one of discomfort for Ryou. Ryou wondered why Joey would still feel that way. It had been a while since Bakura's messed with them all personally.

Not that he didn't expect it.

Although... Witty banter (as Danny seemed to call it) did not count as 'messing with them personally' in Bakura's books. So right then they were free game.

As the two hikaris walked up to Joey, Ryou looked behind him. He saw Téa Gardener and Tristan Taylor standing by the door, where a girl Ryou's age stood on the inside. Téa and Tristan did not look very friendly for once. The girl—Serenity, Ryou remembered—didn't seem to know what to think.

Joey walked towards them and reached out to poke the whitenette's hair. Ryou didn't like it when anyone touched his hair but moved out of the way by force of habit.

"Hey, Yugue. How do you know we didn't get the evil Bakura?"

//Because if you did, mutt, then you wouldn't be standing there// Bakura muttered. Ryou couldn't believe that Bakura still didn't care about his friends.

/Yami!/ Ryou sighed. Joey would be able to hear it as Ryou looked at him.

//Fine, fine. I'll be good// then Ryou heard the soft click sound that was his yami's soulroom door. But that wasn't before he heard wheels spinning on stone. Bakura had found the memories, no doubt about that.

"I'm right here, you know," Ryou said, slightly annoyed.

"I know. Just makin' sure you're not gonna kill us all," Joey waved his hand dismissively. He looked straight into Ryou's eyes. Ryou blinked. "I think we do have Evil Bakura..."

"What do you mean?" Ryou looked at Yugi, who was probably thinking along the same brainwave as the other hikari. Oh, no! The world is going to end! Pack some water, and keep an eye on your duel decks!

Yugi then made a silent 'oh' as he realized what Joey meant.

"Joey, Ryou's eyes are always like that," the small hikari said. Ryou couldn't help but think, 'always like what?' Joey blinked.

"Oh. Okay then," his voice gained a more natural (to Joey, anyway) excited happy tone. "Everybody inside! We have video games, food, and my sister's here so don't act like idiots," Joey said as he ushered the hikaris in after Téa and Tristan.

The 'idiot' comment was aimed more at Tristan than anyone else.

Serenity gave a small giggle at her brother's antics. After everyone was inside, she tried to balance several books in her thin arms. Before they could tumble out of them and hit the ground, however, Ryou was there to catch them. And one unbalanced girl.

"Please, let me help. You shouldn't try to carry so much," Ryou said, hoping Joey wasn't watching. Knowing the blonde, he would immediately accuse the poor hikari of hitting on her. Bakura dragged Ryou's eyes to the cover of the top book in his hand. Ryou blinked.

"'The Paranormal for Dimwits'?" Serenity sighed. At least Ryou didn't sound criticizing like Joey had. The albino helped the brown-haired girl balance on her own feet before fixing the books in his arms. Serenity led him to the living room, away from the partiers in the den, and sat down on the couch. Ryou noticed that she was blushing.

"Yes," she muttered softly. She didn't look too proud that she was reading it.

//Ask her about it. Danny mentioned ghosts and these memories don't show me much// Bakura practically yelled from his soulroom.

/You're done watching them already?/

//Yeah, now hurry up and ask!//

"So... umm... anything interesting in these books?" Ryou asked, listening to his yami. That and... Ryou liked ghosts. He watched those ghost hunting shows that come on the Sci Fi channel on Wednesdays. He learned a lot about ghosts—and electricity. He ought to try something like that in Bakura's room. As crazy as this sounds... Ryou thinks that Bakura's not the only spirit in there. But it could easily be just Dark Necrofear there.

Serenity looked up to see if the boy was joking. He wasn't

"Yeah. I've read most of them. They talk about how ghosts are supposedly made and how to interact with them. The biggest book, 'Supernatural Passings', or something like that, is written in English and Joey can only read some of it." Bakura huffed in annoyance and forced Ryou's hands to move the books in his arms around as he sat down next to the girl. Ryou had caught the book in question.

"This one?" Ryou asked, as he was the one in control. He placed the other books on a cushion next to him as Serenity slid a little closer to see the book.

"Yes, that's it." Joey looked into the room, his eyes narrowed at seeing the pair on the couch.

"You can't read it either?" Ryou guessed. Serenity shook her head. "Would you like me to help you read it?" Ryou was just being his normal, nice, polite self, but Joey could almost hear him trying to ask his sister out. Of course, Joey would believe anything he wanted to. He slid into the room without them noticing.

Ryou opened the book and scanned the table of contents to see what the chapters where called. Serenity was about to turn the page for him, since Ryou didn't seem to want to, but Bakura gently grabbed her hand and pushed it back. See? Bakura's a nice guy. He knew when not to be too rough with someone!

"Please, let me," Ryou said before turning the page to chapter one. The book was written in American English—the same as how Danny wrote when he wasn't writing in Japanese, so Ryou didn't have too much trouble translating it into Japanese. Joey was behind the couch now and the hair on the back of Ryou's head (the part that stayed down) stood on end. He looked behind the couch. And lo and behold! there was Joey Wheeler, the wannabe-spy. "Hello, Joey. Do I want to know why you are behind the couch?" Joey cursed softly, making Serenity glare at him and the hikari raise an eyebrow. Where had Wheeler learned those words?

"What are doin' with my sister?!" Joey hissed back at the innocent boy.

"Reading," Ryou said. He lifted the book up to show Joey.

"Like you read English..." he muttered. Ryou stared at him. Serenity giggled again. The boys turned to look at her.

"How about this... I let you borrow the book on one condition..." Evil was behind every word. Not that the hikari/yami pair noticed it.

"Okay, what's the condition?"

--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=

What ever Ryou had been thinking (which was mostly 'what in Ra's name would she want?') it had not been this.

The whitenette was walking as fast as he could down the main street to get to his house. He was a man (well, boy) of his word. And this is where it had gotten him.

A long white braid comprised of three smaller braids (who knows how Serenity managed to tame the boy's hair like that) was his hairdo til he got home. She said he had to take the long way home. Past people he knew, people he didn't, people who knew him, and people that knew Bakura, ect., ect...

In short, even the yami was embarrassed.

Ryou's face was redder than anyone thought possible. And he had no doubts Bakura was the same way. Although... his face maybe red by fault of anger than embarrassment. Ryou hid his face with the newly acquired book. His bangs helped hide him as well. Yay for awesome bishie bangs!

When someone tried to walk his way, Ryou broke into a run to get to his house faster. He was never going to trust girls again.

//Wise choice, Ryou. Very wise choice//

=============-----------------------=================--------------======-----=-=

Serenity is E-V-I-L!!!

Okay, I know she was probably OOC, but I don't really remember her very well. Did she even have enough time on the show to reveal her personality?

I would like some feedback!!

Danny will be mentioned better in the next chapter. Should I keep up the Ryou-torture?

Ryou: No more...please?

Bakura: Shuddup, Baka.

Be nice!!!

REVIEW PEOPLE!!!!

Ryou: Please!!!! *shows the most adorable, unable-to-say-no-to puppy eyes*