Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Doubles of Darkness ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )

A/N - This fic is kind of strange, but I'm mostly writing it because it's based on a dream I had and I don't want to forget it. Please r/r!

Doubles of Darkness

"Ryou? What's going on?" Yugi asked. Ryou had suddenly shown up on his doorstep in the middle of the night while it was pouring rain outside, at least he had enough sense to get a coat and umbrella. But, he was very upset.

"Malik...he's gone!" Ryou cried. Yugi immediately let Ryou in as the silver haired boy began to cry.

He led him to the living room and sat him on the couch.

"What do you mean?" Yugi asked.

"W, when I got home, everything was trashed and Malik was missing. He never leaves without leaving a note and nothing from the house was taken." Ryou said.

"Yugi, what's going on? What's with all the noise?" Joey asked as he sleepily walked into the room. He was only dressed him black pajama bottoms.

"Oh sorry, Ryou. I didn't see you. What's wrong?" He asked, now fully awake.

"Malik's missing." Yugi said.

"Missing? What happened?"

"Ryou thinks that he might have been taken." Yugi said again. He was answering for Ryou because said boy was too upset to speak.

Worried, Joey sat down next to Yugi and wrapped his arm around him, curling him against himself. Almost as a subconscious protection of his small lover.

"Were there any clues?" Yugi asked. Ryou shook his head.

"None." Ryou cried into his hands.

"It's late." Yugi said after a few minutes. "Stay here tonight and we'll start searching tomorrow."

"Thank you, Yugi." Ryou said. He wiped his tears and gave a small smile.

"You're welcome. I'll go ready the guest room." Yugi said. He reluctantly parted from Joey and ran up the stairs. They were nineteen now and Yugi had gone through a growth spurt. He was as tall as Ryou now.

"So, Ryou," Joey said seriously. "How far are you and Malik? I'd say he's more than just your roommate." Malik and Ryou were sharing Ryou's house because Malik needed a place to stay and after Ryou's father died, Ryou became lonely in the empty house. Malik happily moved in.

Ryou blushed at Joey's claim. Memories flashed through Ryou's head, the many times he and Malik had made love. They were definitely much more that just roommates.

"I thought so." Joey said at Ryou's blush, halting the happy memories. Malik might be a little crazy at times, but he was also surprisingly kind and gentle when he was with Ryou.

"Is it obvious, Joey?" Ryou asked, suddenly worried and curious that the others might know.

"Only if you're looking. I don't think anyone else noticed, but Yugi might have." Joey said.

"Yugi might have what?" Yugi asked, smiling as he walked back into the room. Joey blushed as he realized that his lover overheard him.

"That Malik and I are more than just roommates." Ryou said.

"Oh. Yeah, I noticed...and heard." Yugi blushed at that and Ryou looked at him, shocked. But before he could question Yugi's words, he was whisked into the guest room and Yugi hurried off to bed.

Malik screamed in pain as the whip lashed his back again. He didn't know where he was, all he knew was that it was dark. Very dark. And the pain. Oh how much pain he was in right now, and he didn't even know why. The only thing he would not let himself do is cry, he couldn't. He didn't need to be tortured any more. He was already standing in a cold dark room with his arms chained to the ceiling above him, stretching his muscles, and his shirt was ripped off a long time before. He needed Ryou.

"You had enough yet?" The captor hissed. Malik stayed silent. He hoped his captor would think he fell unconscious. He didn't even know who his captor was though... He didn't know if he would even care.

Luckily for him, the whipping stopped.

"Very well, I'll leave you alone for now. It's no fun if I kill you right away, afterall; we have two others to retrieve. I think you're quite fond of one of them too." He heard the man laugh, a decidedly evil and insane laugh. It sent chills down his spine, not because of the man's complete lack of conscience, but...

It sounded so much like himself.

Suddenly, the words registered in his mind.

"No! Don't, please!" He cried.

"Don't what?" The man asked. The voice sounded curious, but he couldn't see if it was.

"Please, leave Ryou alone."

"I'm afraid that isn't possible." Another voice. This one...it sounded familiar too...

"Who are you?" Malik asked. The two voices, that's all they were to Malik because he couldn't see there faces, they laughed. Malik started to tremble, fearing for his lover's safety and there wasn't anything he could do to protect him.

He couldn't help himself; he let a tear fall down his face. Only it didn't hit the floor.

"Oh my, dear Bakura, it seems our little captive is weakening. I felt a tear." The first voice said. The other, Malik now knew as Bakura, laughed again. Obviously he was crazier than the first one.

"What are you two up to in here? I can hear you in the other room." A third voice.

"Well sorry your majesty, didn't mean to interrupt your beauty sleep." The first voice said mockingly.

"Yeah, Yami are you trying to freshen up for your prey?" Bakura giggled like a maniac and Yami, the third voice, growled.

"Not funny." Yami hissed. The voices...they all sounded familiar. But, like what often happens, something can be so obvious that you'll never figure it out on your own.

"You three...why do you...?" Malik said. He was tired and having trouble speaking. He heard movement as it seemed the three of them turned to look at him.

"Why do we what?" The first voice asked.

"Sound...so familiar..." Malik breathed. The three burst out laughing.

"Haven't you figured it out yet?" Bakura asked.

Wait...Bakura? That's...

"You...Bakura, you sound like..." Malik trailed off, too shocked to continue.

"Ryou?" Bakura laughed. Malik began to sob slightly, barely audible. He knew that his love was doomed. He wished this 'Bakura' person would leave him and the others alone. He didn't know why they sounded alike but was glad that he couldn't see them.

"Dear Bakura, it seems you've hurt my poor lighter half." The first voice said. Suddenly the lights were turned on and Malik immediately shut his eyes, blocking out the brightness. He heard the voices chuckle. Slowly, he began to open his eyes; slowly he could see their outlines. Fuzzy at first, but clearer as his eyes adjusted.

Finally he opened his eyes all the way and gasped at what he saw.

Three of them, there were three definitely, but what shocked Malik was that they all looked like him, Ryou and Yugi. It was like someone had copied their basic selves and created copies. Of course, these 'copies' were also different from them. They were all altered, changed to be like the evil versions of the original. The one that frightened him the most, was the copy of his beloved Ryou. He was the complete opposite of the boy himself. This 'copy' showed no emotions or even sanity in his eyes. There was no remorse for any evil deeds he may have committed.

At least the copy of Yugi wasn't completely changed. Yugi was so innocent that it was a shame to see an evil side.

"What...What is going on?" Malik asked. He stared at the copy of himself in disbelief. Other than the wild and untamed hair, they looked exactly the same. Malik knew that if any of the originals and copies were alike, it would be him and his copy. Malik wasn't innocent like the other two, he had done his fair share - possibly even more - of evil deeds, but at least he showed regret. His copy was no where near it.

"My dear Malik, don't you recognize us?" Bakura asked, smirking.

"You...You aren't my friends..."

"Exactly." The one that looked like Malik approached him, grinning and with a dark glint in his eyes. He pulled the whip so it made a snapping sound, making the real Malik wince. "We're the complete opposite."

Tbc...

A/N - I know it's kind of weird. Other characters will make an appearance and if you don't already know, there will be many pairings popping up. Please r/r!

~Happy 'Lil Slasher~