Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh!

Erm, yeah, I'm not dead. My hiatus is over and I'm currently working on Light in the Dark. But I'm having a big writer's block, so please bear with me ;; Anyways, people kept on telling me to update, and I checked my last update for this story and it was in December. I was like whoa . .that long ago?! So I just had to update this one, and I'm getting back into it now that I've just read my previous chapter . . .hehe, I liked it! So, here's the next chapter and thank you all for reviewing, I wasn't sure how this story was going to be viewed as . . .it is a . . .little different from the usual.

Words in italics mean memories.

She stared blankly ahead, the words of the Supreme Councilor lazily drifting over her. She barely noticed the destruction lying around her, on the far right side of the circular room, charred bodies in the silver guard uniform were stacked in rows of three.

The Councilor's blue body quivered, his voice hoarse as he read out the Council's decision. "We decree, the Council of Galaxy One, over the Superior otherwise known as Tea Gardener, on earth for failure as a-" his voice broke as he scrubbed a quick hand over his pale face. "Failure as a Superior and to the men holding loyalty to her . . .that she be stripped of her rankings, all honors and medals, her records erased from the books and all planets. All powers that came with her rank will be deleted, returning her back to her regular form."

There was faint shuffling from the rest of the Council seated in a half-ring behind the speaker. Most of them looked shell-shocked, a Council member from the Rik planet waved his tentacles anxiously in the air while the ruler of the Menirth land pursed her lips.

Suddenly one of the members spoke up. "Although I do not disagree with the decision, who will protect us if these scavengers come again?" The low gravelly voice belonged to the King of the Tsunan Empire, a land that provided the army with many of its warriors. The stout man stood up, scooting his oblong metal chair back. He stared intently at Tea who was sitting down on what used to be part of the embossed ceiling.

The Supreme spread out his hands helplessly. "And what else do we have left to protect, Renahi? They razed through most of the gentler planets and killed off a majority of the fighters. The planets will now have to offer more warriors to the army, and that means that their families must search for new ways to support themselves."

The man stroked his salt and pepper beard as he sat down, having nothing to reply to the Supreme's comment.

"Tea Gardener," the Supreme continued resolutely, "From now on-" Tea's auburn head lifted up, awaiting her sentence. Her eyes were swimming in raw emotion. The words fell laggardly, stretching and undulating out.

Ballir lying wounded on blood-stained grass.

The slack-faced and white eyes of the dead.

"Your army, your precious army, is completely and utterly wiped…out."

"You're a traitor to your army if you just leave that man lying there. You're the one who keeps on saying that you just live for your army."

"-unless we personally contact you-"

". . . it's because you're our friend."

"- you will never set foot outside earth again."

Two Orphen men glided up to escort her to the backroom, their white, ghostly bodies blurring at the edges of their man-like form. It was time.

Tea calmly stood, her face set and composed as she walked away, her back ramrod straight. The councilors silently watched her go, the Superior, the legend that had saved and ruined them.

She was gently pushed down on a stark white table that floated above bright spectral lights, the glare blinding her.

"It will only take a minute," a light, lilting voice said.

She closed her eyes, "I know," she said softly back.

Tea shifted as she pulled the covers closer to her body. . .covers? Her eyes snapped open to be greeted by the sight of her white and pink ceiling. Slowly she pushed herself into a sitting position, glancing at the closed blinds. Cracks of light peeped out of the plain brown plastic. Midday.

Immediately Tea jumped out of bed, running to her mirrored door. A young girl wearing a rumpled nightgown stared back at her with tired blue eyes. She gently reached out a hand to touch the cool glass, tracing a slender finger around the oval face. Was she any different now that she wasn't a Superior?

She studied her hand pressed against the mirror. It was thin, unadorned by any rings or accessories. Hastily she glanced at her other hand . . .there was nothing on it.

She tore off her shift, and tugged on a pair of jeans. Slipping a black tank over her head, she sprinted down the stairs, slamming the front door behind her. She needed a confirmation that it was true.

As she turned the corner, a hand shot out, grabbing her by the wrist. Tea backed into the unknown person's grip, using his momentum to push off the ground. Her fisted hands came up and then wearily dropped.

"What do you want," she said coldly, turning away.

Bakura crossed his arms together, and leaned back against the fence. "Answers, woman. You have a habit of leaving people hanging."

She barked out a short laugh, pursing her lips bitterly. "Answers," she muttered scornfully. She dropped her head back, closing her eyes. "You saw what happened to Ballir. I didn't know- didn't know that it would happen this soon. But it did . . .and because of that one mistake I made-my communicator was- well that doesn't matter now. I failed and so I have lost my rank and everything that goes with it."

The white-haired boy frowned, 'everything that goes with it?' What did she mean by that?

"You don't fully understand what I mean, do you?" Suddenly her hand shot out, coming at him from the right. By reflex, Bakura leaned to the side, and jerked her forward, throwing her off balance.

She righted herself, spinning to meet him. "Do you see what I mean?" she said challengingly.

"No," he retorted, "Except that you tried to hit- " He stilled in realization. He should have been part of the sidewalk but he had managed to catch her blow and . . . Cobalt eyes widened. "You've lost everything, all your supernatural powers, strength . . .you don't even have that glove that transports you."

Her face was closed, cold eyes fixated on him. "I have nothing. But . . .I guess I'm being selfish. My men are gone. I should feel sad for them, but all I can feel is- " Tea shook her head, "You have nothing to fear from me. I still can do the fighting moves but if I'm boxed in, anyone with enough strength can kill me." Her lips twisted sardonically, "I guess you could kill me right now if you wanted to. I know that you've some knowledge in that part."

He narrowed his eyes, if this was true then he could wash his hands free from her. "Hey!" he called out, she was already walking away from him.

Tea turned to look back at him, "Just go away."

Bakura stared at her, taking in her appearance. A month ago, if someone had said that Tea would come back with a wild story about her disappearance, he would've ridiculed them. A few days ago, if someone told him that Tea would revert back her normal strength, he wouldn't believe it. And now?

He hesitated, a thought formed in his head, should he ask her?

"What's it like? To lose everything?" His voice was curious, strange coming from Bakura.

Her eyes instantly clouded, and she tensed. For a moment he thought she wasn't going to answer. Then in a deadened voice, "Like your soul's been ripped from you. You feel like you can't go on, you just want to sleep, to rest and die. Except because you've been taught that action is the best way to live your life, you can't. So you're faced with the rest of your life of endless torture, self-inflicted doubts and worries . . .faced with the ghosts of the pasts and the memories-." Her voice died off.

"And the memories of the dead," Bakura finished. Tea peered at him from her eyelashes. His mysterious black eyes concentrated on her.

He blinked and shook his head. "I see," he said heavily, then slouched away.

As she watched him trudge away, back slouched, hands slung in his pockets, she couldn't help but feel some affinity with him. A solitary figure in black. A car filled with laughing teenagers whizzed past her, blowing strands of her hair back. At that moment, a feeling of utter loneliness hit her. She really did have nothing. No army, no title, no means of proving that she was worth something in this galaxy . . .no loyal men.

She gripped her head tightly with two hands, shuddering.

"Hey lady, you okay?" a man said, slowing his beat-up truck down. She was a pretty thing, the driver noted absently, but she looked as if she was having a seizure.

The girl lifted her head, and he recoiled back. Her eyes were filled with emotions, and such a deep blue color. . . like the colors of the ocean. "No," she hissed vehemently, "Nothing is alright."

Bakura angrily threw a rock across the lake, watching the small stone skip across the cool blue waters. She made him feel . . .she confused him. And there was nothing he hated more than being confused. He had to be the one in control, the person manipulating others.

He picked up another pebble and hurtled it even harder than the first. "Memories of the dead," he said angrily to himself. " . . .memories of the dead."

He slumped down dejectedly on the damp soil, fingering the light brown sand. Behind him, a cool wind breezed through the trees that surrounded the empty beach. He should be happy that she couldn't do anything. But he just . . .didn't for some reason.

"Shit," he said softly.

Tea stopped, she was now walking in to a restricted area. Hell, I have no where else I want to go, she thought. The smell of pine and fresh soil wafted in the air as she walked down the sloping hill, weaving her way through the trees.

When she reached the base, she saw Bakura sitting down in front of the glistening waters. It certainly was a picture-perfect moment. A soft puff of wind had blown his long white hair back, billowing out his black shirt. All around him lay the sparkling waters, ebbing then returning to the sandy shores with a soft shh sound. The sun threw white tints on the rippling waters, lighting up the entire area.

The sight joggled her memory, something about his hair. The way it lifted up, how the strands on the bottom right separated from the rest . . .

Tea walked up the grassy hill. She twirled happily, eyes shining with euphoria as she stretched her arms out.

"Jason loves me," she sang to herself as she bent down to pick a white daisy.

"Well if it isn't Tea," a sardonic voice said. Lifting her eyes, she saw Bakura sitting on top of a cement bench, dark eyes gazing amusedly at her.

"Bakura," she said civilly back, rising up from her awkward position to walk past him.

"What are you so happy about this time?" he drawled as he took a lighter out from his faded black jacket.

"Oh! Jason, he told me he loves me!" Her eyes glowed, giving her an innocent school-girl look, highlighting the gentle slope of her cheek.

Bakura grunted derisively, "Him." He toyed with the lighter, flicking the cap on and off.

Tea eyed him nervously, Bakura always gave her the creeps.

He returned her look, "You really believe that bull? Has it ever occurred to you to look between the things he's sayin' to you?"

The light in her eyes dimmed and uncertainty spread over her delicate features. "What do you mean?"

Bakura stared at her disgustedly. "Never mind."

Tea watched him as he laid down on the bench, one leg straight, the other bent. The fading sun softly kissed one side of his face, throwing dark shadows on the opposite side.

Her face softened . . .just laying there . . .he didn't seem so bad. In fact, he just looked lonely. Lonely in the sense that he forced himself to become lonely. She studied his face, casting a glance at the way his chest rose evenly. She drew her eyes back up to his face, his inscrutable eyes were such a dark black. The kind you could just sink yourself into.

"Seen enough, Gardener?" He smiled wickedly, "I thought you loved your boyfriend."

She flushed a dull red. Flustered, she tried to come back with a witty remark, "Well . . .who says a girl can't admire the view?"

Oh my god, she thought frantically to herself. Bad Tea! Bad Tea!

He chuckled darkly, but didn't say anything.

"I . . .I have to go," she said quickly.

"Then leave," he said disinterestedly but he continued to watch her from the corner of his eye.

"Er, thanks for talking," she threw him a smile. "It was . . .interesting to say the least."

He snorted. "I still don't understand why you're with him."

Tea looked at him, frowning. "It's hard to explain, it's like the world could be collapsing all around you but you don't notice because you're with that special person. I mean, have you ever loved someone before?"

There was a heavy pause as the young man stared up at the clear blue sky.

" . . .no."

The sound of his hard voice snapped her back into reality.

"Just what are you doing following me?" he demanded, standing in front of her.

"I wasn't." The lost look on her face vanished and was instantly replaced by a mask of indifference. She brushed past him, head high, to stare at the bright waters.

Tea bent down and scooped a handful of sand, running her fingers through the fine granulates.

"It would be so easy to forget," she whispered softly, voice barely audible.

Something twisted inside of her as he watched her stand all alone, the sun highlighting her hair with honey touches. Her plain clothing gave her a look of vulnerability, the ratty jeans fluttering in the air. Suddenly she twisted her head to look at him, "Do you remember that conversation still? The one . . .right before I disappeared. The one at the park?"

"I-no," Bakura said, crossing his arms over his chest, "Why, was it important?"

A ghost of a smile passed her lips, "I guess not."

He racked his brain, a conversation with friendship girl before she disappeared? Did he even talk to her then?

Tea looked up at the sky with a bittersweet longing, then strode past Bakura. Suddenly she stopped. For a moment, both of them stood motionless.

Then, " . . .have you ever loved someone before?"

Bakura started violently at her words. "What did you just say?" he said incredulously.

"Nothing. It's nothing," she curled her lips sarcastically.

"No," Bakura said quietly. Tea paused in mid-step. "I remember."

She stared off to the side. "I never knew that there was such a fine line between hatred and love." Her voice was husky and low. "I- It's hard." Pain flashed in her eyes. "When I trained, I thought how unfair life was. Then it changed into something else. I could prove to them I was something. Prove to Jason I wasn't such a weakling. Then, when I was Superior, I was still unhappy. I . . .started to find my only happiness through the army. They would understand what I was going through. They had to leave their families, they would understand my loneliness. But it wasn't like that at all . . .it turned out that they couldn't understand my pain . ..and they had their children and wives to go to. So I did the only thing I could do, I made myself even greater, any quest they gave me, I did." Her voice died to a dry whisper.

"But they're all gone, and leave behind weeping widows and orphaned children. And to think I originally started out hating them all for taking me there. I don't . . even know what I am or what I believe. And I'm . . .nothing now."

"You're only nothing if you believe that," Bakura said looking away, eyes distant. He raised an eyebrow at her, "Believe whatever you want, but now, everything lies on how your mind takes it."

With that, he calmly walked past her.

"You still haven't answered my question," Tea called after him, voice neutral.

Okay, and I'll stop here for now. Otherwise it'll get too long. Thank you for reviewing:

Eve of Misery, cold hearted angel, HieilovesBotan, scarlet moonlight, seguha, veromorphia, jujubie, teafan123, yumetakato, ladylight, dreaming child, umiko morimoto, saikio. Just a little cliffhanger, haven't done those in awhile. I'll apologize early in case I made grammar mistakes which I probably did. Love you all!