Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Missing ❯ Chapter 18 ( Chapter 18 )

Missing - 18

*****

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. I'm simply obsessed with it. Don't sue me, because I'm broke. The only things I own are Dark Magician and Malik toys. /end boring legal junk

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I swear I'm 12… I write YGO fic now. That's what I get from watching anime. *very big grin* This story was written for my best friend, who challenged me to write her a fic using certain people and a certain plot and well. Blame her. It's all Kris' fault.

SUMMARY: Explanations are given and the end draws near. Finally! I think only one (maybe two) chapters are left after this one.

****

Ryou brandished the borrowed Millennium Rod. "Start talking! Now!"

"Ryou..." Bakura began. "I don't know where to start."

"Well, how did you get out of the Puzzle?" Malik asked, grabbing Ryou's shirt before the white-haired boy could attack Bakura with the Rod.

"The spell Pharaoh chanted. He got everything except the destination right."

"Have you tried going back into the Ring?" asked Yugi. Bakura shook his head. "Well, try."

"Nope," Bakura said after a moment, sweat trailing down his face. "The Ring is closed to me. Although I can sense something from Ryou's mind...very faint emotion." Ryou handed the Millennium Rod back to Malik before sitting down on the bed, his forehead wrinkled in concentration.

"Hang on, let me try going into the Puzzle." Yugi turned to the open door. "YAMI!"

"What?" came the shout back upstairs.

"I'm going to try something. If I can make it into the Puzzle, yell up here to Ryou, Bakura, Marik and Malik, okay?"

"Go ahead!" There was a faint glow and Yugi disappeared. "Got him!"

"Why didn't Yugi just talk to Yami through their mind-link?" Bakura wondered out loud. Ryou shrugged. "Eh, whatever."

"So Yugi can return, and Marik can obviously go into the Rod, but Bakura's stuck," Malik summarized quickly. "We need to figure out how to get him back into the Ring."

Yugi re-appeared. "I can go into the Puzzle, if you couldn't tell."

"So how do I get back into my Millennium item?" Bakura asked plaintively. "Anyone have a crowbar?"

"Wait!" Ryou suddenly had a brainstorm. "Where's the book Yami got the original spell from?" A book materialized helpfully out of mid-air and the white-haired boy smiled. "Thank you, Dark Magician!" he shouted down the stairs. He tossed the book to Malik. "Find the spell for me, please?"

"Yes, sir," Malik teased, scanning the book before his eyes settled on one. "Think I found it. Maybe we should move this downstairs."

"Why?"

"I need room, and I want to do this with...help. In the room."

"No," Bakura said, sitting on the bed beside his hikari. "You are not doing a spell. I've had enough of spells for one day!"

"Well, the Dark Magician can't do it!" Malik said reasonably. "And I am not letting Yami - or, for that matter, any of you! - near a spell book." That last part was said pointedly to Bakura and Marik, who both blinked innocently. "Now, move it!" He shoved his dark half out of the room, watching Ryou do the same to Bakura while Yugi brought up the rear.

The five of them found Yami sitting on the couch beside the Dark Magician, who was playing with the television remote.

"He doesn't get out much," Yami said when he caught sight of the group. Yugi started laughing and Yami shook his head. "I'm not normally this stupid! You did something to me." He glared at Bakura, who hid behind Ryou.

"Get over yourself," Marik said firmly. "You're just an idiot. Accept it."

"Marik!" Malik shouted, shocked. "Be nice to Yami Yugi!"

Bakura snorted. "For him, that was nice."

"True. Still. Marik, behave or I will have Yami Yugi banish you again."

"Yes, Malik," the spirit said almost submissively.

"Now, Yami, is this the spell you read before?" Malik showed Yami the book and the former Pharaoh nodded. "Okay then. Bakura, I think I figured out how to do this."

"Do tell."

"Well, if all Yami did was get the destination wrong, then Bakura should be bound to the Rod, right?"

"I follow."

"So we just do another spell, this time sending you back in to the Ring!" Malik sounded very proud of himself. "Logical, no?"

"It actually makes sense," Bakura said slowly. "Can you read the spell?"

Malik nodded. "Yeah, it's one of the more basic spells." He looked at Marik. "And to think I never believed you when you told me it would be worth it to learn your language!"

Marik laughed. "Told you so."

"Yeah, yeah, just get on with it," Bakura said. "But if you screw this up, Malik Ishtar, I WILL banish you to the Shadow Realm to spend eternity with a Tea clone!"

"Even you aren't that cruel!" Yami piped up from the couch, where he was currently fighting a losing battle with Yugi to retain his shirt. "Yugi, stop!"

"Spoilsport," Yugi pouted. "Hey, Dark Magician - can I see your staff for a sec?" Bakura choked and Yugi gave him a dirty look. "Pervert!" The Dark Magician smiled and handed over the staff. Yugi proceeded to bonk Yami over the head with it before turning it on Bakura. "Give me one good reason..." The Dark Magician quickly grabbed the staff back, handing Yugi the television remote in return. Yugi grinned and flipped the channel to music videos while Yami attempted to straighten his shirt.

"Children!" Ryou called. "Please." Yugi sat back against Yami's chest, playing with the buckles on his shirt. Bakura came to stand beside his lighter half. "Malik, will you do the spell? At this point, it's worth a try."

"Sure." Malik sat down on the floor with the book in his lap. "Bakura, come sit with me."

"Why?"

"Ryou, you too. And it's because I need to touch you for this."

"Pharaoh didn't."

"Yeah, well, he got the spell wrong, didn't he?" Malik grabbed Bakura's left hand. Ryou sat down and took Malik's free hand, joining his own free hand with Bakura's right so that the three formed a circle of sorts. "Now, Dark Magician, if I screw this up, let me know, okay?"

The mage nodded.

"Here we go." Taking a deep breath, Malik began the spell, slowly reading the lines of the book. There was a flash and Bakura disappeared.

"Oh, fuck," said Malik.

"Not again," Yami exclaimed, standing up so abruptly he knocked Yugi off his lap.

"NO!" Ryou screamed.

The Dark Magician, as always, was silent, smiling a secret little smile.