Embers

Okay…so this is probably just going to be a oneshot unless I think of a way to continue it. And I highly doubt that. Although it's a freakishly long one-shot. But I wrote it all at the same time so there's no reason to split it up into chapters. Anyways, it's a Ryou Bakura X Spirit of the Ring fic. Although its not really much of one, just the barest hint of a pleasant relationship. It's not even about their relationship really. Anyways, I hope you like it and just know that's it's a bit weird…But please review! And I'll try for the next (4th) chapter of "Picking up the Pieces" by the end of the week! Rated because it's a bit morbid and there are mentions of blood, also there's a small amount of cussing. I wouldn't consider it one, but some people might! Just being safe, it wouldn't really consider it T but I don't want to get in trouble.

Disclaimer: I don't own any rights to Yu-Gi-Oh! or its characters.

Ryou's thoughts

~dream~

Thoughts during the dream

"speaking"

Heat. Golden warmth washing all over him. Heated sand paper beneath his pale body. Warm. It's just so warm.

"mm…." He groaned and rolled over. The soft little hot-rocks sticking to his sweating skin. He could just feel it, the warm tides of pure heat and blazing rays crawling all over his skin. Too hot…but that was how he'd always liked it. He hated cold, hated white, hated blue, hated anything that took away warmth. His favorite color had always been gold. Not yellow mind you, that was much too cheerful, too painfully bright. No, he liked gold. White, like the sun, that was okay too.

Whispers.

His cool brown eyes snapped open and he began to look around groggily. He rubbed his eyes in that child-like way of his.

And those ashy brown eyes widened like an owl's. Sand, golden, warm, shimmering sand of all things was everywhere. Just soft dunes all around him, and was the sky really supposed to be that bright? That blue? Usually the sky seemed much less saturated, and much more cold and discreet, hidden by grey smog and clouds. And then the sun. So bright and blinding, so hot hot hot! Almost uncomfortably so. Egypt. That's where he was. Egypt. Of all places he thought he would end up, Egypt was not one of them. He let out a weary sigh. Stupid spirit, what in the world has he done now. He fingered the ring. At least tried to. His eyes widened even more and frantically searched for it on his chest.

"Gone…" Unbelievable. The ring never left him. Ever. Even when he tried to get rid of it, it always came back through some sort of magic he didn't want to comprehend. He didn't particularly like the ring, but it felt hot against his chest and it was gold. Warm… Unlike the spirit, no, he was cold and icy.

Whispers. Phantom tongues speaking somewhere near him.

But there was nothing…Surely he had gone crazy. This was all some weird dream that he would wake up from… But it just felt so real and he felt as if this was where he should be. Nostalgia picked its way carefully through his mind like a cat. He shook his head to clear it; I really need to stop hearing things and feeling weird things. I've never been to Egypt before; I've never seen so much sand! In the distance he saw something, but he wasn't sure what. All the sudden something enflamed in his chest and he had to go there. He got up and started walking. Why am I moving…I just started walking…why? Then again, it's not like I can just stay out here in the middle of the desert…Aren't there supposed to be pyramids or something like that? I must be pretty far out here. When he got closer, he saw that it looked vaguely like a village. Suddenly excited, he started to run. Other people! I won't be alone! I can't be alone…Maybe they can help, maybe somebody will have seen me come here, maybe the spirit went through… but if that's the case then going there would be a bad idea. But I can't just stay here. Might as well try. But as he got closer he frowned. It smells like…something's burning, and it looks so pale. And shouldn't there be noise? If people live there then they should make sound. They can't just all live in silence! But once he got close enough to see it, he froze. His eyes widened in horror and his nose wrinkled in disgust, he looked on. Ashes…there was a fire, and it smells like blood. And death, it smells like…darkness…does darkness have a smell? It's never had one before, but I feel like and taste it… The village was desolate. It was old fashioned, and looked like it had been burned for years. But it still reeked of death, and he could still almost smell the fire. And it felt so much colder here, and that nostalgia was getting restless in the back of his head again. He looked up at the sky and saw that it had gotten much darker, was I really walking that long?

Whispers. Rustling through his brain like the nonexistent wind. But he ignored them warily. They had gotten much louder, but he wasn't going to let his insanity take over him mind. Just an illusion, it's all an illusion. Like so many other things…

He let out a tired sigh and suppressed a yawn. Well, I am in a village…and I've heard that desert nights can get pretty cold. I might as well see if one of the houses (cottages?) has enough of a roof, maybe even a bed… He wandered through the vacant town, all the while ignoring the whispers that were trying to catch his attention. He found one with a little bit of roof, and had sheets. No bed, but at least some sheets.

The whispers grew louder, and he could almost understand one of them. Frustrated, he growled a bit to himself and lay down, snuggling into the flimsy sheets, trying to gather just a bit of warmth.

~Screams. Agony. Pain. His eyes fly open and he sees that the city is burning. what? The village isn't destroyed anymore…oh but it's burning…wait why is it burning? Isn't it already dead… The screams pierce his ears and he gets up, the door is already open and he looks out in horror. Big men with knives and daggers and weird symbols on their clothes are shouting things he doesn't understand. One of them grabs a child; the child is a boy that looks to be about 7 or 8. He has jet black hair and soft brown skin. His deep brown eyes are so warm, even as he's crying and pleading in some unknown language to be let go. The man who grabbed him looks irritated and hits him, shouting something at him in an intimidating voice. The boy whimpers and tears stream silently down his face. "STOP!" Ryou screams, he just can't take this. He has to stop this nonsense. The burning, the screaming, the horrible scent of blood in the air. That probably wasn't a very good idea…but I can't let them do this! Why? Why would anyone want to do such a horrible thing… He runs over and screams again, "STOP it! What do you think you're doing! LET GO OF HIM! STOP THIS! Stop this…please just…" He tries to reach out but his hand passes through. What…and why is he ignoring me? It's like he can't hear me…and my hand passed through him…what the hell is going on here? No! Bad Ryou, you shouldn't be cussing! Even in a situation such as this. God(1) why are they doing this! Women, children, fathers, mothers… everyone getting dragged out of their homes by those men…But one seems to be telling the others what to do. He seems authoritative enough, and he's the only one just talking and not dragging innocents to…some place. Warily, his whole body trembling with fear, confusion, and disgust Ryou follows the men. Trying to ignore the screams and pleas is difficult, especially for someone like Ryou, but he's stronger than some think. And it all seems so familiar, as if it's happened before. This has never happened…I don't remember any of this! So why does it feel like it has? I've never seen this! A large fire. That's where they're throwing them. Burning them alive.

"*******!" He hears a women call something in whatever language they're speaking. It sounds like it could be a name. He gasps at the sight before him. A boy, just as tan and warm skinned as the child that was dragged away by the men his crying. Except instead of the black hair that all the other villagers had, he had pale grey. It was scraggly and had bits of dark red in parts of it… Tainted. He looked as if he was being tainted by the deep red substance staining his Silvery hair. And the deep grayish brown eyes, crying.

"*****! *** ** *****!" He screams back at the women. But she only shakes her head, must be his mother…she has the same hair, or at least I think so. Hers has so much dirt and…and blood in it. God I want to throw up! It's everywhere! The men see him now and one of them starts walking over to the boy, a scowl on his face.

"NO!" Ryou screams, for some reason this boy, more than the others, he just can't bear to see him get hurt. The women's eyes widen in horror and she kicks the one who was going for the boy.

"*******! ***! ***** *** ***** ****** *** **!" She screams at the top of her lungs and looks at the boy with pleading eyes. He begins to cry even more and turns and runs, leaving a trail of tears behind him. Without a second thought, Ryou chases after him. The boy is sobbing and the men are chasing him but he just keeps running. Finally, the boy makes a sudden turn and hides on top of one of the houses and the guards give up. They grab a man and women who are holding hands who obviously pleading for their lives. Ryou only manages to keep from throwing up by the sound of sobbing above him. He looks up and sees that pale haired boy, the one who just looks so familiar, leap down. He quietly, but quickly creeps back to where the guards are going. what? Does he want to get killed? He's going to get hurt…is he going back for his mother? But I'm sure it's too late by now. Oh god, oh god oh god I can't take this. I just want to leave I don't want to be here! I just want to go home, I can't…I just can't… Unable to hold in his tears any longer he begins to cry, all the while following the little boy. Eventually, the boy reaches the fire undetected, hiding behind a wall and looking on with the most agonized eyes Ryou has every seen on such a young face. He has arrived just in time to see them throw his mother in. The boys eyes…Those eyes of such sorrow, pain, agony… His pupils are reflecting the fire…~

He wakes up with a start. His whole body is trembling and the first thing he does is roll over and throw up.

"Ugh…" He groans. What a great way to start the day… I don't know why I'm in Egypt and that dream… God it felt so real and like I'd had it before…but I never have! I know that I've never had it! And Yet…

Whispers. Whispers that quickly grew into something more. Screams, cries of pain and agony…Overflowing.

"HELP HELP HELP! REVENGE! AVENGE US!(2) Help us…" They were shouting at him. HE gasped and covered his ears with his hands, curling himself up into a ball. Shut up! Shut up shut up! Please…just shut up… I don't want to hear this…I don't want to go crazy! I'm not crazy! I'm not! Just… Shut up…

"Yadonushi." Ryou doesn't look up. He just keeps sitting there, pressing his hands tighter to his head, tying to shut it all out. The owner of the voice just sighs and lightly taps him on the shoulder and Ryou jumps about a foot in the air and looks up at him.

"Yadonushi." He repeats, looking straight into Ryou's terrified brown eyes. He looks the same as that kid! He looks just like me, but with much darker skin…and a scar on his face. And his eyes are a bit less brown… This must be the spirit of the ring. I mean didn't Yugi say something about me being his incarnate or something? It would make sense for us to look similar. But where's the ring? He doesn't have it, neither do I…So where is it. Ryou just looks up at him. Finally, he gets the courage to speak.

"…You're the spirit of the ring aren't you…" he says quietly, slowly standing up. The let out a snort of contempt.

"Obviously, now tell me, why were you clutching your head like that Yadonushi." His eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"N-no reason…"

"That's a load of bull shit Yadonushi. Do you even know where we are?" He smirked back at him.

"Umm… Well in Egypt…"

"Very good Yadonushi." He said as if he were a 5-year old. "But do you know what town this is?"

"Umm… no I mean I've never been here before and there really-"

The spirit rolled his eyes. "Shut up Yadonushi. You talk too much. We're at the village I was born in, Kul Elna." He grinned wolfishly.

Ryou gasped. "Wait so does that mean you're that…I mean uh nothing…"

"The boy who survived?"

"Wait…I mean that was just a dream right? That couldn't be…"

"True?" He gave a bitter laugh. "Well how do you think the millennium items were made? Now you know why I hate the Pharaoh." He made the name sound like it was a cussword. He didn't answer.

Whispers.

Ryou jumped, which only made the spirit smirk.

"That's them Yadonushi. They want revenge. Don't you want to help them?" The spirit's eyes softened just a bit and he looked Ryou right in the eyes.

"But…how do their deaths have anything to do with the millennium items…" Ryou trailed off uncertainly.

"Didn't you see it? They used them. Mixed them with gold. They were just embers. Disposable. Worthless to his highness." He scoffed and bitterness glowed in his eyes. Ryou frowned and walked out of the little house, towards the place where the fire was in his dream.

Whispers. But this time he doesn't ignore them. Vengeance. That's all they want. Ryou tilted his head to the side contemplatively.

"So how do you plan on avenging them?" Ryou's voice has hardened a bit, whispers surrounding him. The spirit smiles a venomous, scheming smile.

"Collect all the millennium items and unleash Zorc, the king of darkness."

"…"

"It's what they want Ryou…can't you feel it? You want to help, they're the innocents! The pharaoh is the one that stole their lives from them. I think the choice is obvious Ryou."

Whispers. Ryou stared into the embers where the people of Kul Elna where sacrificed. And for what? Power? So that the pharaoh could have every thing he wants? Did he really want people to suffer that bad? I thought…I thought he was the good one but…

Whispers. Louder than before. Pounding in his head. He felt their anger, their thirst, their aching need for revenge. Justice. Anger. The heat of the fires that they were burned in. Hot…so hot it was almost painful. The heat of the sun beat down on him and their anger flowed through his veins, burned him. His glared at the embers, but was thinking of the Pharaoh. Their anger, the spirits anger, it all became his own.

He looked the spirit right in his eyes and nodded. Words weren't needed. The spirit smirked in triumph. The sun scorched them both and Ryou smiled in contentment, the heat surrounding him on all sides and dying his pale body gold.(4)

(1)-I'm not going to do that stupid thing that most people do where they put 'Ra' instead of 'God.' Besides, Ryou isn't from a time when Ra was a god. So he will say God, not Ra! Grrrrrr :(

(2)-If that isn't lame, then I don't know what is XD But I haven't met very many spirits who want revenge, so I don't know what they say. Oh and yeah they speak English now, but only because they're speaking to Ryou…If that makes any sense at all.

(3)-apparently when somebody's eyes narrow it can mean anything… O.o I really need to stop doing that don't I… too bad XD

(4)- I almost put something cheesy here, like "and so it begins" but then realized it sounded stupid, so I didn't. I hope you liked it! I know it's really weird but please tell me what you think of it!