Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Ryou Bakura: Game Master! ❯ Aftermath: The Son of Sith ( Chapter 30 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Sith is alive and well, and shortly after seeing Ryou, she orders everyone involved in the previous battle to a council so she can prepare for her next move. For she knows that her war with Rath is not over, and she must make choices regarding her friends. After a few weeks, Ryou, along with his old friend Shimbou, go to visit Sith before she leaves with Aeon and Organization XIII. She gives them a farewell, and then leaves for the past.

But before the adventure comes to a close, Shimbou gives Ryou one last revelation to help him deal with Sith's departure: That the man Ryou thought was just a normal boy is actually Sith's son, nearly thirty years into the future. Feeling this to be irrelevant to their friendship, Ryou promises to help him help his mother.

Anime/Manga: Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Fantasy / Adventure / Supernatural | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 10.28.2006 | Updated On: 04.07.2010 | Pages: 6 | Words: 8.9K | Visits: 346 | Status: Completed

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, Castlevania, Kingdom Hearts, or Death Note. Takashi owns Yu-Gi-Oh, Square-Enix owns Kingdom Hearts, Konami owns Castlevania, and Ohba owns Death Note. This is probably the last time I'll ever need to do a disclaimer this long. Hooray.

“This is it,” Ryou said breathlessly, as he stood outside of the large tower that constituted Kaiba Corp. The walk had been silent, the road desolate despite the fact that the planet survived. The sky was overcast, darker now with the passage of only a few moments, and Ryou had seen only three people about on the entire trek to the building. Two had been cops; the third had been Shimbou, one of Ryou's friends for some three years, but had not been present during the horrible Sim-Seru invasion, or the Light of Judgment. They had spoken briefly, but only for a moment. Only so that Shimbou could say hello.

And now, Ryou stood out there alone. He looked up the large tower, through the large windows, wondering what he should have expected. He had wanted his friends to come through the doors and exclaim their happiness and relief that Falnika was gone. He had wanted to clasp hands, to hug them, to talk, to banter, to do what normal people did when they overcame a trial that should have ended their lives. He had wanted to find Mello and tell him that Sith was free to go where she pleased and that he no longer wanted to tether her. But none of that had happened. There were no people around, there was no congratulations, and he wasn't even sure if Mello survived. To be honest, he began to expect that he was one of the few survivors, and that Rath had used the light before Falnika switched sides.

He pushed the door open, and a chill ran through him as he entered the deserted lobby. The lights were off; that wasn't a good welcoming, to say the least. He glanced around, wondering if perhaps one of his friends decided to just pull a prank, yet he saw nothing, nor sensed anything, either. Fear gripped him, a fear that told him he had done nothing to save his world. Yet, he couldn't believe it. They had to be somewhere!

Ryou walked to the stairwell. He doubted the elevator worked. He looked up, and heard nothing but silence. Something had to be wrong. Taking a breath, Ryou began to ascend. If this was what had happened, he now wished he had died as well. He did not want to be alone. All that he had was the silence, the dark corridors of the building, and the view of the isolated city, seeming so far removed from life since his return.

Then, he heard voices as he reached the fifth floor. They were soft, not wanting to yell or create a commotion, but someone was speaking. Brows creased in curiosity, Ryou ran up, careful not to make a sound. It could have been Tea speaking, or it could have been a stranger with a gun. He didn't want to take risks.

“And you're sure of this?” came one voice, and Ryou heard distinctly it was Tea. His eyes widened. She lived!

“Yes. Her condition is critical, but she will be perfectly fine. I've examined and run every test that Kaiba's machines can produce,” Ryou recognized the next voice to be Vexen's. Which meant that both Yugi and Malik had returned as well. And to his relief, Sith was doing about as well as he could have hoped. He ran the rest of the way up, and stopped in the hallway. Both Tea and Vexen turned to him, both surprised, and then relieved that he was there.

“Ryou!” Tea exclaimed, and ran over to hug him, “Thank god you're alive! We weren't sure what to expect once that… thing stopped devouring the city, and then this weird man brought Sith to us, covered in her own blood!”

“How is she?” Ryou asked. It wasn't that he didn't care about Tea's personal worry, but what he had to do next directly depended on if Sith was alive, or about to die. Tea blinked as she let go, and then realized the severity of her answer. She swallowed and beckoned him to one of the rooms.

Sith was on the bed, bandaged up and with an IV strapped, but she was alive. There were monitors displaying her health levels, but Ryou ignored them and looked down at her skin. She was still quite pale, but she was no longer white, no longer gasping for the air she couldn't breathe. There was no blood across her face, nor was it matting her hair. For all intense and purpose, she was all right. He was barely aware of Tea moving next to him.

“Dr. Vexen says that she'll need time to recover, but she was up for about ten minutes,” Tea explained softly, and Ryou could only nod, “She mumbled something in a language we couldn't understand, though.” She was speaking Esper, Ryou guessed. He pushed her bangs from her face, and smiled weakly. He was glad the Nobodies had come; Vexen did a great job of keeping her alive, and Aeon did what he could to get her here.

“And Yugi and Malik?” he asked, turning to Tea. She was smiling, too. She seemed as relieved as he was.

“In the meeting room Kaiba set up for us,” she said with a chuckle, “Probably gorging themselves on the chicken wings Joey cooked up.” Ryou smirked, shaking his head. Leave it to his friends to goof off while he went out and saved the world.

“At least you all lived, and I can rest knowing that,” he said gently. Tea nodded, and put a hand on his back. He understood that the last she remembered, he was engaged, and she was no doubt eager to hear the final verdict. Sith must not have been in herself enough to tell them what had transpired.

“Until the wedding, right?” she added, and Ryou shook his head.

“There is no wedding, not between us,” Ryou told her honestly, and she found herself shocked. But he smiled genuinely as he continued, “It's all right. I accepted it a while ago. Sith is Sith, and she shouldn't be made to stay where she isn't entirely happy.”

“She's unhappy?” Tea repeated.

“No, she's glad to have me in her life. But I'm more of a brother to her,” Ryou explained, and looked down, “She left her heart with Mello. That was why she kept seeing him, no matter where she was or what happened between us. She couldn't move on, and I shouldn't have tried to make her. I'm only a child, after all.” He bit his lip. That sounded a bit too harsh. But he heard chuckling, and glanced at Tea. It wasn't from her.

“A child, eh? A child helped me when I could not have saved this world myself,” Ryou looked down and saw Sith staring up at him. Her eyes were groggy, but he saw that spark in her that he'd grown accustomed to. She continued, “As to making me do anything, rest assured that what happened between us was not by you.” She sounded almost amused, and Ryou couldn't help but want to know what she meant.

“It… it wasn't?” he asked her, and she shook her head, though it was slow and done with effort. Her head must've been hurting a bit.

“No, Ryou, it wasn't,” she replied, and frowned, “Katt was the culprit. She does not like that I still love him, and suggested I try to move on.” Ryou's look became more skeptical, and when he urged her for more of an explanation, she shrugged and said, “Katt is my sister, and is simply worried. I tried to allay her fear, and failed miserably.”

“Gee, thanks a lot, Sith,” Ryou grumbled, feeling just a little bit insulted that he was considered a `failure.' But Sith's clueless expression brought the sting out of it. She wasn't referring to him, and he understood she meant her own choice had failed. And when she saw his anger, she could only laugh.

“Glad to see you, too, Ryou,” she said back, and Ryou found he had to laugh, too. Sith was, of course, being herself. He was glad to see she hadn't been too hurt from the blow, but was curious as to how she was recovering so well. He chalked it up to Vexen being good at his job, whatever that happened to be.

“So, what happens from here?” he asked, noticing that no one else, save for the three of them, were around. Sith hummed, arching a brow as she tried to figure Ryou's question. Then, she understood what he meant. She shrugged again, and looked out the window, at the overcast sky beyond.

“The others are probably eating, and I imagine Aeon's with them,” she told him, and eyed him, “Speaking of food, that might do you some good. How're you feeling, now that you're back?”

“What do you mean?” Tea asked her, before Ryou could. Sith blinked a bit, and then her lips thinned. She felt that answer should have been obvious, and then she remembered that only she, Aeon, and Vexen understood what it meant to travel between other worlds.

“We ate nothing at all during our stay in the Empire,” she began reasonably, “Because our gateway was a game, our bodies adapted and allowed us to go on without food or sleep. But now that you're back, your body may try to catch up to the current flow of time, and you may find yourself wanting rest. Are you weakened? Hungry?” Ryou could honestly say he wasn't, and this surprised Sith a bit. She certainly was, and it was all she could do not to devour the pillow she rested on. The only reason she wasn't eating was because she was too weak to move right then.

“I suppose you're lucky, then,” she said casually. Ryou could only snort. Lucky was an understatement. He was a miracle, with what he had gone through and his ability to survive. Then again, Sith had the same survival rate, albeit with much more punishment dealt to her. He said that much, and her response was, “I'm an Esper, Ryou.”

“And a damn powerful one, judging by Dihanna's willingness to kill you,” Kaiba said suddenly, and Ryou turned to see him slinking into the room. For once, his usual scowl was gone, and he looked relieved to find Sith alive, and to see Ryou was back, “I spoke with that time-keeping idiot of yours, and he pretty much confirmed whatever crap you started spouting when you were half-awake.”

“I was speaking in my sleep?” Sith asked, truly surprised. Kaiba nodded.

“Not only were you speaking, it was in that damned Esper tongue of yours, too,” he replied, and Sith laughed, “No one but that white-haired nimrod understood it.” Ryou knew he could be speaking about either Bakura or Aeon, and he guessed correctly when he assumed it was both. Sith continued laughing, knowing that for her to do that meant that any cap put on her memories by the other Espers had truly been blown apart. Mello's wish had come true, after all.

“And just what did I say?” she asked the younger man, and his nose wrinkled a bit.

“Some crap about going back to your own world and ending Rath's life,” he replied easily. But for both Ryou and Sith, that was a blow. They glanced at each other. Sith was surprised to see that Ryou wasn't terrified about that idea.

“You're leaving?” he asked her, and for a moment, she wasn't sure what she should do. Rath was still alive, and from what she was told by Vexen, the madwoman aimed to reclaim Nesce and destroy whatever was left of the Espers. She had no choice, as long as she was alive. She nodded slowly, and clenched the sheets around her.

“Not forever, but it looks like I might,” she replied, and Ryou sighed, “Ryou…”

“I want you to go,” he said before she finished, and her eyes widened, “Sith, I want you to do what you need. I just want to help, and I know this means I'll be leaving, too.”

“How so?” Sith asked him. He sat down, and when Tea and Kaiba joined them, he explained what Falnika had said: about the third weapon, her theory on bringing Rath down and sending her back to the abyss, and Nesce's part in it. Sith listened, understanding everything. She honestly wasn't surprised at all that Falnika had turned, and had entrusted Ryou with this knowledge. Zerrkandr had chosen him, after all, and that meant that he would have eventually traveled to Nesce, even if it happened to be thirty years from now. Fate decided to keep him on her side.

When it was all said and done, Sith requested everyone be brought to her room, or that she be brought to them. Considering the small size of the room, and her small size to begin with, Kaiba carried her to the conference hall, and Ryou was most shocked to find that, not only were his friends there, but that Aeon, Mello, Xemnas, Matt, and the other Nobodies were there as well. Everyone had survived, and Falnika had probably been the reason why. They all went silent when Sith was brought in, however. Everyone must've been informed on what was going to happen, or what had happened during their trip.

When Sith was seated at the head of the table, Mello and Saix were at either side of her. Ryou took his place opposite her on the other end, and everyone who had been directly involved in the battle against Falnika, the three spirits and Kaiba included, took a seat by the table. Tea, Joey, Tristan, and Miho stood at the back, but otherwise were present. Ryou was surprised, however, that neither Katt nor Rex Raptor were there. They had a role in this, too. Sith did not seemed bothered by their absence.

“And so our battle continues,” she said, after moments of silence, “I trust that everyone in this room has seen, or has been informed, of the events that have passed.” Everyone either nodded and gave her an affirmative word. She continued.

“As you can see, Rath has moved on, and this world is no longer a target in her plans,” Sith explained, and grimly added, “She believes me to be dead, and that may be an advantage.”

“What for?” Joey asked her, in an uncharacteristically serious tone. When she turned, he blushed in embarrassment and said, “I mean, if you're dead, doesn't that mean you can't go on?” Sith blinked, not quite seeing why he'd think that, but nonetheless, she smiled.

“No. It means she didn't think I'd survive Dihanna's assault,” she replied, and then turned back to the others, “Imagine her reaction when I stride into Nesce's capital, sword drawn, and break down Aeroglyph's castle doors.” Joey did think of it. He had never seen Rath, but he could imagine she'd be a bit scared if Sith drew Zealacht and threatened to kill her. He knew he'd be ready to piss his pants, at least.

“So you're really leaving us, then,” Miho said sadly, and Sith turned to her, a look of sincere sympathy on the older woman's face.

“I would not have stayed forever,” she reminded the young lady gently, and the next part, Ryou knew was aimed at himself, “If our wedding had gone on, I would have stayed for a century at the most. No longer than that.”

“For my sake,” he concluded, and Sith nodded, folding her hands on the table.

“And then I would have gone to Nesce,” she told him quietly, and then continued the discussion as if that part had not been said, “Now, Falnika had said that all three Swords of Mercy must be obtained to successfully banish Rath back to the depths of Oblivion. I have one, and Ryou has another. That leaves the third.” She cast a long glance toward everyone as she spoke, and more than a few souls had been disturbed by that news. So far, Sith had never mentioned a third sword. Could it be in their world?

“Who has it?” Yami asked her, but Sith shook her head.

“The better question would be `where is it?” Sith corrected him, and took a breath, “My brother owned that sword three thousand years ago. Rightfully, it would still be his, if he has not died yet.”

“So it's in Nesce,” Kaiba concluded, putting his elbow on the table and waving his hand, “Or Katt might have it.”

“Theoretically, yes,” Sith agreed, but her tone suggested she did not fully believe either of those suggestions, “But Katt does not have it, and if it were in my kingdom, Rath would have seized it by now.” That ended anything else Kaiba had to say. Ryou glanced at Sith, trying to guess where her thoughts were going. But her face was unreadable, and no one else had any idea where the third sword could have possibly been. Even Yami and Bakura seemed at a loss for words. But Sith was older than all of them, and when no one else could offer help, she continued.

“The truth is, the only way we will know what happened to the sword is to travel back in time and see for ourselves,” she admitted, and now Ryou understood why Aeon had been appointed to her specifically by the council in Nesce, “Not even I can account for my brother's well-being, and as far as I know, there is no safe way to Nesce itself.

“Therefore, Aeon will be sending me back in time to locate the sword, and my brother,” Sith told them, and only the Nobodies seemed unbothered as the others offered protests and strong objections. Sith silenced them with a raised hand, “Preparations are to be made, and your roles are not done yet. Rest assured I will need your help here.” That only calmed half the group down.

“What about Ryou!?” Joey asked her furiously, but the look on her face made him freeze. She was in no mood for their antics, and her eyes told them that clearly.

“Ryou is the second soul of the trinity, and he will best be kept here, where he is safe and can train himself,” she told them all sternly. Ryou found he didn't mind that idea. He hadn't used Zerrkandr much at all, and any practice he could get before the fight was well worth it. But that left Sith alone, for he doubted Aeon could do much without disrupting time.

“Who will go with you?” Ryou asked her, and she was touched by his concern. Surprisingly, though, she didn't point to Mello. She instead turned to Xemnas.

“Organization XIII will help me,” she said, and Ryou found himself staring face to face with Xemnas. Now he was concerned about Sith's mental health.

---

The days passed, turning into weeks as the group prepared for Sith's course of action. To Ryou's disappointment, Sith had moved out of his house and taken a room within Kaiba Corp, where he saw Aeon and the Organization lurking around quite often. It was disconcerting to see them, as he walked to and from school, yet they never spoke to him and they did not bother him at all. It was almost as if they were trying to avoid him, though he couldn't quite see why.

“So, who are those guys?” Ryou turned when he heard the voice, and saw Shimbou walking up to him, waving as he shifted his backpack onto his shoulder, “Hey, Ry, what's the haps?”

“I'm going to visit Sith and see how she is,” Ryou replied, and looked toward the tower, “She's been resting for some time. I hope she's all right.” He felt Shimbou's gaze upon him, and realized that he hadn't been present at all for Sith's meeting. Not that he had been present for much of anything that had happened.

“You don't know!?” Shimbou asked in exasperation, “Aren't you marrying her!?” When Ryou stared, the boy realized his error and looked away. Ryou just shook his head, and they both began to walk toward the tower.

“It's hard to explain, but Sith and I aren't a couple,” Ryou told him, and then said, “Anyway, what are you doing here? Were you going to visit her?” The blush on Shimbou's face said that he had planned on it, and Ryou found himself grateful. Shimbou had been, for the most part, a loyal friend. And though Ryou had asked Sith to keep the innocent man out of their problems, when he had been concerned, he followed Sith to the last. It was evident her being an Esper didn't frighten him in the least.

“I think she deserves a good friend who hasn't been too warped with what's happened,” Shimbou admitted, as they made their way to the stairs in front of the building, “From what you told me, this is only going to get worse. Even Sith needs a confidant, someone without much of an opinion.”

“And you think you qualify?” Ryou asked with a laugh, and surprisingly, Shimbou laughed as well. The man was known for being honest, and had a hard time keeping things to himself. He shrugged.

“In any case, I'm willing to try,” he replied, and Ryou nodded, “So, if it's not you she's tied to, who's the lucky man?” Ryou bit his lip, not quite sure what to say. He had assumed that title went to Mello, but ever since Sith's plans had been laid, he had seen little of the blonde man, and had occasionally seen Xemnas in the older woman's employ. He even wondered if Mello had stayed in this world.

“I'm not sure, but he's kind to her,” Ryou assured the older boy. Shimbou glanced a moment, wary of the fact that this didn't bother Ryou much. Then he simply let it pass. A lot must have happened in the few weeks since he'd been in town, and he knew someday, Ryou would explain it to him.

They entered Kaiba Corp unbothered, and found that the usual guards had been put back to their posts. For the past several weeks, Sith requested only the Organization's security, and Kaiba had heeded her judgment accordingly. Now, however, something had changed, and Ryou found himself curious as to why. Sith wasn't recovered yet, though she grew stronger by the day. Something must have pushed her to rush forward. Walking to the desk, he addressed the guard immediately before him. It had been the very one who once guarded Maximillion Pegasus, and the years had done nothing for his surly look.

“Excuse me, does Sith Winchester still reside here?” Ryou asked quietly. The guard stared down at him for a moment, and did not even look in the database to find out. He crossed his massive arms and grunted, pointing his chin to the elevator.

“She does, but she'll be leaving soon,” the guard told him gruffly, and Ryou found himself shocked, “Something about `forces of magic,' and things I don't care for.” Ryou's lips thinned, and similarly, Shimbou grew grim as well. They looked to each other.

“Let's go,” Ryou said, but when he went to make a run, the guard grabbed his arm, halting him.

“Kaiba requested that she isn't disturbed,” the guard said, and Ryou's eyes widened in rage. Kaiba had no idea what he was doing, if he denied Ryou an audience with Sith.

“This is urgent!” Ryou argued forcibly, brows creasing in agitation, “I am Ryou Bakura, one of her closest friends! You must let me through!” The guard didn't yield, however, and Ryou was at a loss. Then, unexpectedly, Shimbou leapt up, smashing his head hard against the guard's jaw, which cracked audibly. The guard gave a moan, and fell to the floor, his grip on Ryou's arm going limp.

“Ryou, get to her!” Shimbou called, and Ryou broke free. He heard an alarm going off shortly after, and knowing the elevator could easily be stopped, he made for the stairwell. Up and up he ran, and he heard shuffling behind him. He was being pursued, and only the fact that he was fast allowed him to reach the fifth floor, get inside, and lock the door behind him before he felt three guards trying to break it down. He had only a few moments to find Sith.

She was still in her room when Ryou located it, and she was standing now, something Ryou hadn't seen since before she had been struck. Dressed in her sleeveless overcoat and armored suit, it was hard to imagine she had been bedridden for the past few weeks; her skin was still pale, but she no longer looked ghastly or frail, and the exhaustion in her face vanished. Zealacht was on her hip, and so was a gun that he hadn't remembered her ever owning. And when he entered, she was packing a bag full of potions, materials, herbs, and essentials she would need. She did not turn around to see him.

“Ryou?” she called, and he nodded, “Hello, my friend. I suppose you've heard.” Ryou realized Sith had no idea he had come for a visit, not to say goodbye. Something indeed happened, and he saw that neither Saix nor Xemnas were with her. Nor was Aeon, and the three had become as close as guard dogs to her.

“Heard of what?” Ryou asked her firmly, “Sith, where on earth is everyone?” At this, Sith stopped and finally looked over at him. She was more or less annoyed, but her face softened as she beheld his confusion. She turned back to her bag.

“Rath has moved far sooner than I thought,” Sith told him grimly, and Ryou paled, “She has figured out, more or less, the same things I've concluded concerning the final sword, and Aeon informed me that time has been breached. She is already searching, and I fear to think she has found it!” Ryou let out a sigh of horror. Rath was already three steps ahead, and Sith wasn't even prepared for her journey. No wonder everyone was gone. His brows creased again.

“So you must leave immediately,” he said, and Sith nodded, closing and locking her bag.

“I'm afraid so,” the Esper said, and turned again to face him, “Ryou… I am sorry that you cannot join me. This is a fight I cannot possibly allow you to face.” Ryou nodded, already understanding that his mortality and lack of ability made him more of a hindrance than a help. His place was better here.

“As long as you're not alone, I'm fine,” he told her honestly, and she smiled weakly.

“Mello is already searching the ruins of Nesce for some clue,” she explained, and Ryou saw now why Mello had been absent, “Aeon and Xemnas are preparing the Corridors of Darkness to take us back in time, hopefully to where I was shortly before the sword disappeared.” Ryou swallowed, hoping that would be enough to at least hold Rath off for some time. Sith grabbed her bag, and then pulled Ryou into a hug, saying, “And as for myself, I make way for Pier Six.” Ryou pulled away, and stared at her.

“Pier Six?” he repeated curiously.

“We need to do this in a place with little interaction, lest Aeon's power falters,” Sith explained quickly, her eyes glinting as she spoke, “Pier Six is mostly abandoned and will suit this need perfectly.” Ryou did not like this consideration, and almost thought to protest. But Sith was more than able to defend herself, and he knew he wasn't likely to sway her another way. He nodded, and took her hand.

“I wish you luck, Sith,” he said earnestly, “Be careful out there.”

“Be alert, Ryou Bakura,” Sith said cryptically, her own way of saying farewell, “Though this world is safe, darkness is always a step away, and your sword is still very much a necessity in this war. If it should fall into Rath's hands, we will be finished.” Ryou promised to protect the sword, and with his word, Sith was gone. She had no time to exit properly, and so she leapt through the open window, and her one wing spread to allow her to descend slowly, without harm. Ryou watched her go until he no longer saw her. Then, he heard Shimbou coming in behind him. He stopped as he looked upon the open window, the curtain swaying in the breeze.

“Did… did we come too late?” the older boy asked, but Ryou shook his head and remained silent. Then he glanced at his friend.

“No. She left just a moment ago,” Ryou replied quietly, distantly. This was it, he told himself, this was how she'd depart. It was so quick, yet so sincere, it almost hurt him to think she might not be back. Yet he knew this was something she would've had to do eventually, and he did not let it anger him. He sighed, knowing his resolution would give like the tides of magic had done.

“What now?” Shimbou asked him as they both looked out the window, to the horizon ahead. The sky was bright and blue, the perfect spring awakening as the sun shined high in the sky. Yet it only mirrored the sadness Ryou felt as he noted the lack of cloud or bird. In truth, he had no answer.

“Now we protect what Sith gave to us,” Ryou said grimly, as he saw Yugi and Bakura arriving at the courtyard, “She is the reason our world still turns. We need to learn to keep it that way without her help.” Shimbou agreed as he nodded his assent. His eyes narrowed as he considered that task. The Espers couldn't do it, not without Sith to lead them through. How could humans fare?

“Magic eventually fades, but there's always some source to replace what's lost,” Shimbou said, and it sounded vaguely like something Sith had said, once, “We can't rely on the Espers forever, and I think that's what Sith was trying to say, way back when on the bridge to Kaiba's dueling dome. Now it's time to see if her belief was right.” Ryou remembered those words clearly, for at the time, he had shunned them and had even wanted to silence Sith for them. But Shimbou was right. They had to know if they could do it.

“Do you feel she was wrong?” Ryou asked him, and Shimbou shook his head.

“She wouldn't have left if she didn't trust us to do it,” the boy replied honestly. Ryou looked at him, hearing the tone to his friend's voice. It was resolute, and he had full trust in Sith's judgment. Even Yami, who had known her for some time, never completely defended her ideas or theories when it came to his world. It surprised Ryou, and made him wonder why that was. Shimbou had been so far removed from this aspect of their lives, to even understand this much worried Ryou.

“You know she'll be right, don't you?” Ryou asked him, and Shimbou grinned a bit. Ryou turned to face him fully, and narrowed his eyes as he studied his friend. He had never truly seen Shimbou's face - the boy rarely looked at Ryou squarely - but now he saw something that he had never seen before. Shimbou resembled Sith. His brows were the same slenderness, and he had the same straight nose as her. He had never noticed, because Shimbou hadn't wanted him to. Now, however, some sort of veil had lifted.

“Who are you?” he asked, unable to believe this was the same man he had been in high school with, had even gone to college with before Amber's vicious assault. Shimbou had even mentioned a brother and a mother in this world!

“You want the entire truth?” Shimbou asked, and Ryou nodded furiously. He had a feeling he knew the answer, but he had to clarify. It'd make sense, why Shimbou had been there only when it truly counted, in the face of the Mystics.

“All right then, Ryou,” Shimbou said, and sat on the bed, “I told you once I had a family, and this is very true. I do, but I never said they were in this world, even from this time. I just said I had them.” Ryou found himself growing agitated. Why Shimbou had never mentioned this, or why he had never seen it himself, he couldn't begin to guess.

“So you're not human,” Ryou concluded, and Shimbou nodded.

“I'm like Sith. I'm an Esper,” Shimbou told him, “An Esper who only changes form at certain times. That's why I look human, and it's how I got into school. My powers aren't very magical; I can't cast spells like she can, but I'm stronger and much faster.” That made no sense to Ryou. If Shimbou was an Esper, how did Sith not know? She could easily pick out any Esper within the area, as well as Chesier and Mystic as well. How on earth did she skip Shimbou?

“E-Espers only cast spells, Shimbou,” Ryou reminded him, but it sounded feeble in his own ears. Now Shimbou grinned a bit more, and shook his head.

“Not when your father's not an Esper,” he replied. Ryou felt himself freeze. He stared deep into Shimbou's eyes, trying to figure out just what he was being told. But the boy was unreadable, as much as Sith was. Shimbou continued, “You've met both of my parents, though it was before I was born. Look at me, and you can see them both.” Ryou did. He saw Sith very clearly, though it was through the expression of a smug man, not a stern woman. He saw only one of Shimbou's eyes were green; the other was golden. He saw Shimbou had cat ears, though they were tiny and were not visible through his black hair.

“Do you see them, Ryou?” Shimbou asked, “I was separated from time when I met Aeon and stole his watch. It was just a prank. He was a friend of my mother's, and I thought it'd be funny to do.” Ryou could guess the rest of the story. He snorted.

“And you used it, and it brought you here,” he concluded. Shimbou nodded, blushing in embarrassment as he held up the silver watch. It was ancient, from what Ryou saw, but he heard it ticking.

“I can't use it. No one will remember me, not now that I've been severed from time,” Shimbou said, “So, I made my life here. Imagine my shock when I saw my mother. Imagine it further when she was with a man who was not my father. I thought `well, maybe I was adopted.' But I remember my father clearly. You aren't him, and neither is Mello.” Ryou blinked, very long and very hard. He didn't need to know who Shimbou's family was, but he pretty much concluded Sith was it. Now it made sense, why he had helped her when Amber had attacked this world. It made sense, why he had visited her here, why he had helped her when Rath possessed her, why none of it scared him off. Ryou could only stare. His best friend was not only his friend. Shimbou saw it all click in. He nodded.

“My actual name is Victor Winchester,” Shimbou told him, “Sith Winchester is my mother, ten years from now.” Ryou backed away. Ten years. Sith would be a mother in ten years. But… how could he believe that Shimbou was her son? How did he keep such a façade for so long?

“Prove it,” Ryou blurted out, before he could stop himself. Shimbou… no. Victor just smiled at him. He didn't have to, but he held out a pendant. It was a roman cross with bat wings on it, with an azure stone in the center. It was Sith's pendant, and Ryou could feel her energy in it. That was enough. Quietly, he asked, “Why?”

“I can't be sure if I'll ever come to exist, now that I've helped save my own mother's life,” Victor told him, pocketing the pendant, “Even if that were to happen… she's still my mother. And my father… he deserves to live, too. That's why I'm telling you, now, Ryou. I'm going to help them.” Ryou couldn't quite see how. Sith had left already, and had no idea Victor had planned this or was even who he was now claiming to be. Helping her might just ruin her own plan. Unless, of course, Victor knew of those plans already.

“What do you plan to do?” Ryou asked him. Victor grinned again. He had just shown Ryou the tool needed.

“We are going to go and find the sword before my mother does,” Victor replied slyly, and then softened, “You… would help, wouldn't you?” Ryou hummed for a moment, and then he nodded. Victor, Shimbou, it didn't matter who this man was. He was still Ryou's friend, was still the same goofball who had gotten them both into more jams in school than anyone deemed necessary. And now he was Sith's son, and that made Ryou feel more compelled than ever to remain close to him.

“Of course, Vic,” Ryou said honestly. Victor clapped him on the shoulder, and they looked out of the window again. Neither knew just how they would go about Victor's plan, or even what that plan actually was. But they had each other, they were still friends, and while Sith was out slaying the demons before them, they would find a way to help her. And when Rath came next, they would be ready for it.

-----------------------------(End Story)

And so Sith has left Ryou's world, searching the streams of time for the final Sword of Mercy. Before he even has time to figure out what to do in her absence, Ryou finds himself face to face with, not only his old friend, but Sith's son from nearly thirty years into the future. Shimbou has his own reason for hiding this fact, but with his mother finally moving to defeat Rath, he now knows his time for hiding has ended. What are his plans, and what help can Ryou give to him? What help can they achieve for Sith? Find out what happens in the newest installment to Ryou's saga in the first chapter to Ryou Bakura: Time Master, and click that Review button!