Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Alone ❯ Dreaming of Screaming ( Chapter 9 )

Disclaimer: I do not own:

- Itachi, who belongs to the anime “Naruto”
- Marilyn Manson or their songs
- Edgar Allen “Poe” or his works

 

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My own characters (no plagiarising allowed):

Coppélia, Mrs and Mr Oldehack I guess, Jamie…And Fluffy. n.n I'm adding a few other characters as well (minor) who are only there because well…yeah. Not enough students at the school are main characters in the anime…)

 

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Reviewer Replies:

 

 

dragonlady222: Thank you very much! Both chapters were really difficult to write x.x

And thank you for the birthday greeting. n.n

 

 

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Blah…I was going to update on my birthday (past 25th Oct) But I had so many deadlines to deal with- and exams. Gah… Sorry about the really late, guys. It was also Seto's birthday! (past 25 Oct) So I finished the Seto b'day fic instead of updating x.x No time!

Longer word count as always as compromise for the late. Muses taking a break. My brain is dead. I despise exams!

 

By a request I will be changing how I swap my POV's. I'll be refraining from putting “Bakura POV” at the beginning of a new POV. To the best of my ability I will make sure you know what and who's POV it is though. Apologies if it confuses you- because that's what I'm terrified about. X.x

 

Also, a slight change in the way I add my author notes during the story. I hate using this technique because you forget what's what when you get to the end of the story (past experiences) but what the hey… (0, 1, 2, 3…That kind of thing)

 

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Translations:

(Other translations in past chapters, I assume you already know…)

 

Ohayou- Morning (the abbreviation of ohayou gozaimasu)
Unmei- Destiny/Fate

 

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Alone -By Annie Nguyen

 

Dreaming of Screaming

 

(In appreciation of System of a Down's two brilliant albums this year, Mesmerize and Hypnotise, I've named this chapter after their song, “Dreaming.”)

 

 

…My seven year old nose, suddenly pressed against something slimy and hard, making me yelp in surprise, jumping back at the unwanted contact. Furiously rubbing my nose, trying to rid of the awful smell, I reached out my left hand to touch whatever it was that stopped my walking. It was a smooth surface…unlike the road, yet just as icky. If I followed it, would it lead me out? I decided it was worth trying and began feeling my way along the wall, step after step, foot after the other. There was hope after all…

 

For a long time the darkness continued to follow me despite how quickly my steps became, how frantically I followed the hard stone. And yet I still could not find the end of where the end of the wall, well, ended. It would either lead me to another adjoining wall, or to a door to which freedom may await. My eyes came to adjust to the scarce lighting, shadows and shapes worth seeing more so than the darkness, comforting in ways that to some extent I could see.

 

A shadow flitted in front of my eyes and I paused in my mid-run, heart pounding at being surprised yet again. I searched painstakingly for the shadow but it was gone. Suddenly cautious, I decided that I best walk at a slow trot, paranoia taking over me.

 

It was then that the sudden glare of a light beam stung my eyes, causing me to turn away quickly, a hiss almost sounding from my lips. My arms shielded dark eyes from the bright light, but when I attempted to look up I found that the light was gone. Confusion set upon my features; convinced was I that perhaps I was seeing things, being in the dark for so long. But no, I saw the light again, further away this time- much further away, resembling a pin prick in the distance.

 

Excitement possessed me and I started to run again, hand always skimming the wall's surface. I almost laughed out loud, for someone else was also here. The light flickered like a candle and resembled more so as one as I came closer. Closer and closer, and I could see the long slender hand that belonged to the bearer of the candle. Closer…And I could see that the candle had stopped getting any bigger, in fact it was starting to grow smaller again- it was moving.

 

“Wait!” I called out desperately; puddles somehow now up to my ankles as I stumbled after it, “Please come back!”

It paused, contemplating almost, before a pair of bright red, rather feminine lips appeared gracefully before the flame of the candle and, blew it out, killing the flame, killing my light, my hope.

“No! Don't! Come back please!” Desperate- desperate! I called out to the returning darkness.

 

Out of breath I stumbled and fell face first into the water, springing back up onto my knees looking around wildly for the candle lady. “Come back!” I screamed, “Come back! Come back!” Repetitively and in vain, receiving only silence and my own voice echoed back at me; and giving up I sobbed hoarsely into my hands…

 

***

 

 

I awoke to find myself in the comfort of my own room, the sun not yet up but there was as a slight haze that fell upon my twisted quilts through the open curtains, and my body flushed with sweat. My pillow was on the floor, most probably during the nightmare I had just endured. Yet again, uncannily…I could remember my dream; it was a continuing of the same one the last night. (Ref: Ch 2…Yeah, that far…) I could recount every detail of it, down to the candle lady with the vivid blood red lips and the wetness of tears on my cheeks. It seemed that I will not be getting any more sleep tonight lest I wanted the same dream to haunt me again. With that realisation in mind, I sat on the edge of my bed, dressed in some suitable warm night clothes and left my apartment.

 

The air was mildly warm despite it being autumn. Even then, there was still a chill in the air and I clung to my long jacket. Whether the chill was because of the dream or of the wind- I do not really know and apathetically wished not to contemplate.

 

Somehow though, as I visited the near-by park, I found myself thinking of Ryou. The lake and swing, the autumn leaves and stray cat, the moon low, still there in the dispersing night sky, the orange hue of a rising sun… All reminded me of Ryou, and the painting I had started.

 

The night before I had visited Marik, met his `surprise' Jamie, and then worked for four hours or so. Being the Master of Fetishes is fun, but some people have really weird fetishes at times… No, not weird, just `different' to what I'm used to. I have my standards and making “love” to an Itachi doll is not one of them. (0)

 

Then, fell asleep in one of the rooms, only to be woken up by Marik who took me home on his motorbike. He gave me a good night kiss on the forehead, to which I foolishly got carried away with and elaborately kissed up his hand and then to his shoulder, only to be caught in the act of it by Coppélia and old woman Oldehack who were walking through the corridor. Coppélia gave me a rather ironic smirk before pulling her shocked mother along to get to the other side, Marik yelling “He's drunk!” after them.

 

Another final kiss on the forehead and I went inside my apartment. Still in bright spirits, for some reason or another, I had a burst of commitment and decided to “attempt” my home-work. Night was always an element I worked better in- morning being way too bright and dreary for me. So I found myself completing three questions for Maths, an intro for the 1000 word English essay due next Tuesday, and the trees in my painting for art. Afterwards, fell asleep…and had that dream.

 

I would have preferred to have dreams of Ryou, or Ryou's cat, or Malik and his sugar hyped ponies, or even that man with his Itachi doll… But instead, I had a nightmare that seemed to not want to go away.

 

I really don't know why I am so scared of this dream either, it wasn't that bad considering other worst dreams I've had (old lady Oldehack having sex with her long dead husband…which was extremely disturbing…) There was just something I didn't know yet, something underlining the dream that made me feel anxious and jumpy at the slightest sounds.

 

I pushed off on one of the swings, swaying back and fourth lazily. My mind lingered yet again and yet again Ryou overwhelmed my mind. I am such a sad case, really. Constantly craving and chasing after a guy who I actually, come to think of it, barely knew… Pathetic, were the words that come to mind when I think of one to describe myself with.

 

Sighing, I started my way back home, to crawl back into bed and attempt to at least have a few hours of solid sleep before Friday came. A bit too late I supposed idly, as the sun peeked above my window sill.

 

***

 

Bring…Bring…

 

“I'm up, I'm up…” I mumbled, hand reaching for the alarm clock, instead to remember that I had thrown the previous one out the window.

Dazed, I lifted my head and looked for where the sound originated from, noticing that my bedside phone was ringing.

“Oh…That's right, Morning Call… Stupid alarm clocks”

Grunting in effort, I picked up the phone and immediately hung it up. Crawling back under sheets, I attempted more sleep before the phone rang -again.

“Damn it…” Muttering under my breath I repeated the same action, answering and hanging up -again.

By the third call, I managed to gain enough strength to shout in the ear piece, “ALRIGHT! I'm awake- damn it.” -Before hanging up, yet again.

 

Silence.

 

By the fourth call, I lacked neither strength nor effort to reply, and instead lifted the ear piece to my ear to listen to Mrs. Oldehack's ranting.

“NEVER- young man, never! Ever! Talk to me in that tone— do you hear me?”

“Yes Mrs…” I murmured.

“Good. Now buy yourself an alarm clock or something.”

Dead line.

 

I tossed the phone back in its place and stumbled out of bed, repeating my usual morning routine.

 

For obvious reasons, my mind was always drawn back to the dream, and of course, to Ryou. I was thinking of going earlier than usual when I remembered that today, Friday, was laundry day. Fun… Push bag through chute; get clothes professionally cleaned for free apart from the normal rental fee. Less work for me I suppose, except that I'd have to walk all the way to the chute.

 

So, you would think that I was surprised when I ran into Coppélia along the corridor, with the same “I need coffee” expression on her face as my own. (1) What really got to me was that she was also wearing the same pair of shoes as I was. I really should stop letting Mrs. Oldehack give me presents… She had a habit of buying presents and giving them to me for no particular reason. Then again, perhaps I should stop wearing them? It would probably have been the best thing to do, especially seeing as they were “bunny” slippers- and yet, here I was.

 

Coppélia gave me a similar disdained look of recognition at the shoes before dismissing it and shoving a bag down the laundry chute, sending an attempted smirk which ended up looking like a tired grimace my way, and then turned to leave. By glimpse she was wearing a white shirt with the black letters “Perfekt” on it, and black pyjama pants. (2) But what caught my attention the most was the bunny rabbit in her arms.

 

Coppélia, despite her physical demeanour, liked a lot of toys. (No, you perverted people, not that kind of `toy', not like that little Itachi whore toy). Toys like the little children kind. She had her one favourite, to which she tended to carry around to bed, and to which she was carrying now. “Fluffy”, as she called him, was her most favoured bunny. Greyish black, with magenta patches and blue hair; He was a rogue sort, a demon bunny almost. One had to see him to actually understand what he looks like. (3)

 

Just like Coppélia, Fluffy had earrings and other random piercings- and most certainly matching her equally with his horns and claws. She created him herself, adding her favourite quote “Cute is Evil” on his stomach. Despite his name, “Fluffy” had no materials of a fluffy sort on him what so ever apart from the hair.

 

You would think that it would be easy to tease her about such things; however, I'd tired of doing so, lest I wanted to be stuck in another head lock and then thrown over her shoulder. Tch… The girl was a black belt kick boxer. Me? I've never picked up any sport- was never interested. I was interested in taking up Kendo, but I much preferred staying in my slothful ways. That's what happens when you become too reliant on your Millennium Items. Also, when you'd rather not hurt the girl unless you didn't mind getting lectured by the mother.

 

As I shoved my own bag down the chute, I opened my mouth for a reason I did not yet know why, and in deliberating what to say, commented instead on her outfit. “White doesn't suit you.”

She paused and then turned to face me again replying in the same mono tone. “I know…”

 

Pause.

 

“White suits you though,”

“I know…” Came the echoed reply.

 

Awkward silence

 

 

Why the hell was I notifying her of random statements such as these? They had trifle purpose and I had little reason as to stay here and “talk” with her, when instead I could be meeting up with Ryou.

 

Ryou…

 

“Coppélia?”

She frowned a bit, shifting the weight of her feet to the other. “Mh Bakura?”

“How…How do you know Ryou?”

 

She frowned for a bit shifting her feet, before a look of realisation spread across her features and she started to laugh, whilst I myself stood there waiting. After sustaining herself, breathless she walked right up to me and hands on hips proclaimed, “Monsieur Ryou is in my home class, and I was assigned to be his guide as “punishment” for chewing gum in class— And why do you seek to know?”

 

She smirked up at me, being a good two heads shorter than I, and normally I would have glared back with a bit of a growl so to get her to stand back. I liked my space, so whenever people would crowd around me, I tended to use the excuse of being slightly claustrophobic. All the same, it has become a part of me and never would I allow someone to stand as close to me as Coppélia did now. Well, I would have growled at her if it were not for the blush tinting my cheeks.

Since when have I ever really blushed?

 

 

She burst out laughing again, wiping her tears. It was then that she did one of the weirdest things I have ever seen her actually physically do to me— she gave me a hug.

A hug… A HUG! You have to know her as well as I do to understand the extent of what she just did.

 

Eyes wide, I stood there shocked before she pulled away with a disturbing smile on her face. “You're failing Maths aren't you?”

“I-er dah…I er…” I stuttered in confusion at the random question.

Like I had answered, she continued on with her sudden perkiness. “Well honey, I'll get Monsieur to tutor you, kay?”

Honey?...

“I…Wh-What?”

“Ja!” Before I could fully react to the situation, she had run back across the corridor and into her room.

 

Dazed, I too went back to me room. But unlike her, I went at a much slower and bewildered pace.

 

***

 

The warm water felt nice on my skin, and I was tempted to turn it cold- It'd waste less hot water would it not? And please the old hag. Snort. “Please.”

Note to self: Stop remembering horrible dream of her, or hire a hypnotist to do it for me.

 

Dressing myself in my uniform, I followed my usual routine after and was out the door before I saw Coppélia again. Though I don't usually like voicing my opinions, I was scared, and to hell with it, needed some form of advice. So for the second time in a row, I knocked on Erotica first before going to Ryou's neighbourhood.

 

A couple of knocks and a sliding wood piece from the main doors later and I came across a pair of pastel soft violet eyes, unlike the usual piercing ones from Marik.

“Password,” I rolled my eyes.

“What the hell? Again?”

“No, not again. You did this with Marik last time— this time it's my time,” Malik corrected me with a slight toss with his head, omitting the fact that I couldn't actually see him.

Sighing I muttered a reply, “I'm too tired to play games today Malik. Just let me in—I need to talk to Marik and I need coffee!”

 

He snorted and exaggerated dismay before opening the door, “No fun at all.”

“Of course; what else do you expect?”

He mumbled something I couldn't quite catch as I left the main area to find Marik. Whatever the case, I could tell that it was not directed entirely at me.

 

“Ruiner (mumble)… Jamie would (mumble) if I asked him to…”

 

-

 

“Ah… Bright and chirpy today, are we?” Marik asked sarcastically, humour in his voice as Bakura dawdled into the bed chambers.

Bakura grunted a reply and slumped himself face first into the crimson sheets, forgetting to check of any unwanted substances in his face. There was a minute silence before Bakura finally decided to speak up.

 

“I need your advice…”

“Wow Bakura. I'm honoured! Twice in two days now you know,” Marik gave Bakura a wink; his perkiness rather depressing compared to the albino's frame of mind.

Shaking his head, Bakura sat up and deciding against prolonging it, bluntly expressed what he needed to say.

“Coppélia hugged me today,”

“Of course, she wants your dick,”

 

Bakura shook his head, managing a bit of a smile, “After I asked her about Ryou. Then she suddenly started saying that she would get me tutoring lessons with him. And besides that, Coppélia isn't one to hug people, especially those she doesn't like, i.e. me,”

“Isn't that a good thing? You get to be with your Ryou more now,” Marik offered Bakura the cup of coffee that Malik just brought in for him. The younger Ishtar decided against staying considering the deep looks on their faces and left as soon as Bakura had his much-beloved drink.

 

“I guess so. But it confuses me to why she would do such a…thing.”

“You know I don't know her as much as you do. So why are you asking me this?” Marik drank deeply from his own cup, letting Bakura think over a reply. It wasn't a question of sarcasm but more of curiosity.

“Well, I also been having weird dreams lately, and wanted to know if it had anything to do with my Ring,”

“What kind of dreams?”

“About being trapped and with no were to go. The whole world is dark, and I'm only seven in my dream I think,”

Malik frowned, thinking over the subject. “Come back after school or you'll be late, and we'll talk about this some more. You still have to go meet that Ryou dude don't you?”

Bakura sighed and nodded in response. “Yeah…O.K. I'm on night shift tonight anyways,”

Marik flashed him a smile and got up to stretch. “Well, come on then honey. I'll give you a ride on my motorbike,”

“Honey…That's what Coppélia said too…” Bakura muttered and dragged himself off the bed.

 

***

 

Marik dropped Bakura off just at the corner road from Ryou's house. With a nod of support and a reassuring smile, he left Bakura to resume his spot at the tree.

 

Bakura couldn't help but smile at the tree, whose branches were now stripped of leaves. Bakura had always considered trees to be magnificent beings. In spring the leaves were full, vibrant and anew, by summer this particular tree grew vibrant purple flowers, and though eventually the weather became terribly hot, they survived the harshness. By autumn the leaves would fall from the tree, leaving the branches to fend for themselves in the harsh winter; but by spring again, the life that had always been there came back once again to resume its beautiful form.

 

Bakura noticed that Ryou was not at his swing. It took a good two minutes before he finally appeared with a saucer of water for his cat. Bakura smiled and with his new confidence was about to step out of hiding and walk across to him; but not before he saw that Ryou had been crying.

 

Ryou's usually bright eyes were dark and wet with tears. In response Bakura's own mood mirrored the sight and he soon found that he could not move. Bakura felt that his heart might break, and he would lose it and embrace Ryou with kisses and cuddles… What could have made the little angel cry?

 

Bakura continued to watch Ryou silently, who was hugging the cat to him having wiped his tears, when he suddenly looked up. In doing so he saw Bakura and his eyes lit up, waving and calling him over.

 

Surprised, Bakura wondered first about how he had somehow moved from behind the tree's bulk to its side, and secondly about Ryou's sudden change in mood. But he had neither time to ponder over it as his own legs walked over to Ryou's house.

 

“Ohayou Bakura-kun!”

 

Bakura wondered about whatever happened to using “sama”. Ryou certainly had a strange way of addressing people he barely knew, being overly polite before subtilising the formality. Was he trying to cover his current weak state by being happy? Or was using “kun” instead of “sama” a way of knowing when Ryou was upset? Bakura scoffed at the last idea. He was thinking way too much.

 

Quickly shaking his head of these thoughts, Bakura returned the smile and greeting, and for the first time went right up to Ryou on his porch. “Ohayou Ryou,”

Again with his usual smile, Ryou placed his cat on the floor to run off, and gestured for Bakura to sit next to him.

Heart a flutter he did so, but remaining a distance so to not touch or brush up against him by accident.

 

A quiet silence remained between the two until Ryou spoke up again. The conversation was on school subjects, teachers and school in general. All the while though, Bakura couldn't help but wonder on the vibrant face he put on. Was it all fake? Was it fake yesterday when he first met Ryou too?

This continued until Ryou was called into the house by a deep voice- most probably his father- and Bakura was left to walk to school by himself, pondering over his find. As a leave-taking, Ryou gave him a rather elongated hug before slipping back into his house.

 

Would Coppélia actually ask Ryou to give Bakura tutoring lessons? -But whatever the reason for? Wasn't she after him for herself?

 

Sighing deeply, this he thought over along with his worries of the nightmares corrupting his sleep.

 

 

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(0) This…actually exists. I don't know what it's called but some people find sexual pleasure from keeping an actual child's toy in their underwear and doing…things…to it… Not my kind of thing but whatever works for them I guess. nn;; I think Akira was the most popular doll…o.o…

 

(1) Form of advertisement for my birthday fic? xD “Once in a Year”

 

(2) “Perfekt” is from Manson's song, “(s)AINT.” I love how he spells it in the lyrics, especially with the actual songs meaning.

 

(3) For a picture of Fluffy, go to my profile and have a look at either my mediaminer or dA gallery.

 

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I hoped you enjoyed this chapter! Please review! I'm actually really surprised that there are still people reading this despite its slow pace -sighs- By next year, I'd barely be able to update because of my final year of high school. -Shakes her head- But a promise is a promise. I will -eventually- finish this fic. I just have to hope you will continue to read this in the future is all…

 

Furthermore, I found out that my last chapter had an immense number of typo's! -dies- Some parts didn't even make sense! TT.TT…So sad… So, during the time I can't update, I'll be revising those chapters kay? -sob- why didn't anyone tell me?