WARNING: In order to be accurate but still professional, I had to include offensive language in this chapter. On Formspring the word was bleeped out in a way, but I don't like doing that in my work. It looks ridiculous. Sorry for anyone who might be offended.

Ryou had a good idea at the moment that getting home was the best option.

The bullies were stalking at a far enough, but threatening distance behind, calling his name. Or, rather, some insulting idea of his name.

"Hey, Fuckura!" they called. "Where're you going?"

Home, you idiots! Ryou wanted to call back. He stopped himself just short and sighed as he trudged through. It was becoming an increasingly paining problem, these bullies. It was not just Ryou, either, but Yugi and Joey and all of his friends. Still, they took a liking to Ryou the most. It wasn't like he tried to keep his natural British accent in his pronunciation when he was speaking Japanese, it simply happened. And when it did, the bullies were more than happy to terrorize him for it.

So Ryou tried to endure the what was, for now, simply an inconvenience. After all, he had a three thousand year old Spirit waiting for him at home, too.

That was the real problem. And hiding the fact from his friends was getting harder and harder. "I fell down the stairs," "I tripped on the way to school," "I cut myself picking up some glass after I broke something." He was always clumsy, but he wondered how long he could keep these excuses up.

Still, Bakura hadn't been too cruel to him lately. That was strange, he thought, and he wasn't sure it was good or bad.

"Fuckura!" the bullies called from behind again. "Come here and talk to us in that frilly little accent of yours again!"

"How old are you people..." Ryou muttered under his breath. He was only a few blocks from home. He could make it that far.

If the footsteps from behind would only slow down a bit.

Ryou's eyes widened, realizing they wanted to chase him down now. Groaning loudly, he broke into a run, gripping his briefcase tightly. They were following closely behind as Ryou raced through a home's yard in shortcut, cutting through the bushes.

He didn't notice his Yami walking the same direction until they collided violently and fell to the floor.

Ryou scarcely understood what had happened until realizing he was on his back with Bakura gripping his collar and snarling. Ryou's eyes widened. "H-hi, Bakura. What are, um, you doing out here?"

Bakura blinked, as though in realization, and released his grip on the boy. "I'm not allowed out of the house for air every once in a while? Now, what do you think you are doing?" the harsher of the two hissed.

Before the former host could open his mouth, they called for him again from outside the bushes. "Who is that?" the Thief King demanded.

"Um... It's a long story..."

"Fuckura! Get out here!"

Bakura's eyes flared. "What did he say?"

"Yami, they're just bullies..." Ryou started to get up.

Bakura pushed him back down. "You. Stay right here."

Ryou opened his mouth to protest, but realizing he feared his body snatcher more than anything else, he shut it immediately.

Bakura stepped out of the bushes slowly to find a group of three boys staring back at him. "Is there a reason you continue to follow me?" Bakura did not mask his gruff voice.

"I dunno, Limey. What if you're just going in the direction you're going?"

"Ya see he changed his clothes?" one whispered off-handedly to another.

"Ah..." Bakura mocked understanding. "Well, then. I suggest you go another direction."

"Who are you ordering around, Fuckura?" one of the teenagers stepped forward.

"I think that's obvious enough, unless we can add dense to foolishly brave among your flaws."

"That does it!" the bully charged forward, fist waving in the air.

The Thief King didn't bat an eye. In one swift movement of motion, he turned to his side to watch the punch pass him by harmlessly. As the bully began to stumble at the lack of impact, Bakura reached to grab the arm and twist it to where he stood, keeping the bully at his mercy, lest he break his arm.

"My accent bother you?" he asked the group. "Well, get over it. I don't change who I am for the sake of the likes of you." He shoved the bully back to the group, feeling sudden Deja Vu at the scene, reminding him of the Bonz incident of Battle City. "So the next time, I suggest you think twice before trying that stunt again, or you will be losing that arm of yours."

With that, Bakura disappeared back into the bushes.

Ryou gaped up at him. "Are they... gone?"

Bakura reached down and pulled his former host up swiftly, slamming him against a tree. "Don't you dare let anyone speak to you that way, Landlord, do you hear me? You treat yourself with more respect. You are not some piece of property to be used and..." Bakura suddenly stopped, trailing off. He released his hold on the boy again, smoothing down the collar blankly.

"...Yami? Are you oka-"

"Bakura!" a call broke through from afar.

Ryou jumped. "That sounds like Tristan."

Bakura grunted. "I will see you at home." With that, the Thief King raced off.

Ryou didn't catch the hastiness of his Yami's movements, as though he were running away from something that frightened him.

Something that terrified him.