Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Ryou Bakura: Harbinger of Trouble ❯ Bakura's Crappy Advice ( Chapter 3 )

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. I'd love to own Ryou, because Sith needs a sidekick, but Takahashi won't hand him over. He says Ryou needs someone who actually knows who they are.

 

Ryou was lying on his bed, thinking through what had happened and just how he should go about it. He considered Sami's offer carefully. He wanted to escape, and he wanted to go home, but he couldn't trust her. At least, not yet. What she had done to the guard still terrified him, because he couldn't physically see what ailed the poor man. But, she had been honest about it. And as deplorable as her actions were, there was something to be said about her honesty. And as little as Ryou knew her, she was already showing him she was considering taking him. And that was something he was grateful for, even if she tried to kill him already. Though the latter was what caused the distrust to begin with. And it all kept racing inside of his addled mind, over and over, in an endless cycle. Bakura, who had awakened at Ryou's touch, had appeared within the room a few moments later, arms crossed and brows raised in wonder. He hadn't known what had happened since Ryou passed out; he only knew that something had happened, and he had heard slight thoughts going through Ryou's head. In all honesty, the choice seemed pathetically easy to the old spirit.

 

“Tough decision, eh?” he asked, and Ryou looked at him, “On the one hand, she did nearly try and stab you. But on the other, you know she'll probably get you out with relatively little harm. Got to say, Ryou, I don't like these sorts of conflictions.” Ryou was taken aback, not expecting Bakura to barge in like that. But then again, Bakura was his conscience, even if he didn't want to admit it. The old thief spoke the truth, too. Of anyone Ryou had met, Sami seemed like the most likely to get out of a situation like this. She also seemed the most likely to either get herself killed, or someone else, in the process, too. And that was a source of hesitancy for Ryou. He didn't want to die. But he did want to see how her plan would work.

 

“I want to follow her,” he said quietly, shyly, “But how can I trust her? Bakura… what she did was scary. She killed without touching a thing. How can I trust that? What do I do?” Bakura chuckled a little, hearing the terror in Ryou's voice. It was frequent that Ryou panicked, but terror was rare in him. Most of his life had been pretty peaceful, with what Bakura had seen. Obviously, a woman like Sami scared the shit out of Ryou. Bakura couldn't help but be just a little bit amused. He considered Ryou's inquiries carefully. To him, again, the answer was easy: just follow her until the shit hit the fan. Then think about running away. Especially if she was about to kill you.

 

“I'd say keep an eye on her,” he replied simply, “I would, anyway. If you're that scared because of one spell, then it's best to be cautious.” He turned and saw Ryou was glaring furiously at him. Obviously, he didn't like being called weak. That was too bad for him; in Bakura's eyes, he was. Bakura just sighed and said, “Look, Ryou. I know you think magic's all fun and butterflies, but this is serious. There are some spells that kill. And unfortunately, that woman just happens to know them.” Ryou just nodded. Bakura confirmed that Sami did indeed have magic. If he was telling Ryou to be cautious, she knew dangerous magic indeed. Possibly dangerous enough to kill Bakura. Though, that did have its uses… but not wanting to think of that, Ryou just smiled weakly, glancing down at his hands. He still didn't know how to deal with Sami. And that would be a key part of getting her to help him.

 

“Any advice for dealing with women like her?” he asked, and Bakura noted the odd tone in his voice. He grinned, nodding and sitting next to the boy, who glanced up at him intently. Bakura ruffled his hair and laughed. Of all the things he could've been advising Ryou about, traveling with a woman… and with a killer… was one he hadn't prepared for.

 

“For starters, don't do anything remotely stupid unless you're prepared to eat steel,” Bakura joked, and in a much more serious tone, “Clearly, she's more experienced in this art than you are. Respect what she says, and if she says something will kill you, chances are it probably will. So, if you like to live, listen to her.” That made sense to Ryou. Bakura hummed a bit, and must've felt that something else was on Ryou's mind, for he added, “Oh, and if you think it'll help, use a little charm on her. That usually works with women.” Ryou's eyes widened, his face going crimson. He had never charmed a woman before, and quite frankly, wasn't so sure Sami would actually find him charming. And if she became upset, that would put him in an even worse situation.

 

“Are you crazy!?” Ryou blurted out, exasperation taking over his voice, “She's going to think I'm hitting on her! She'll kill me! She'll kill you, too! No!” Bakura laughed hysterically. He never saw Ryou so flustered in his life. He rustled the boy's hair again, and grinned. He could sense all of the worry and fear of girls that Ryou had kept inside, and it amused him all the while. He never once thought to help Ryou with that fear, and now he knew it might kick his ass later. Especially if he suddenly found Ryou would need the skill, and just didn't have it. He nodded, snorting softly.

 

“I'm not sure that's a bad thing, Ryou. She seems like a strong girl, anyway,” Bakura stated with amusement, “If you ask me, I think something could happen if you just grew a damn backbone. Stop being such a nervous kitten with her. She probably thinks you're a wimp, and quite frankly, so do I.” Ryou glared at him angrily, but his grin simply grew as he looked away, trying not to laugh at how uncomfortable Ryou was becoming. Ryou himself simply pushed Bakura away, again surprised that he held an actual form. He had never been able to do anything to Bakura before, and silently wondered what was making it possible now. But he was too angry to question.

 

“Shut up,” he growled, getting off the bed and storming to the dresser. He considered taking the brush and throwing it at Bakura's head, but decided against it. In a physical match, Bakura would've crushed him to pieces. Finally, he sighed and said, “Not everything has to end with me being paired up, you know. You're even assuming she cares. I know I certainly don't.” Bakura frowned. He hadn't meant to come off as an asshole, but he suddenly realized that almost anyone would've taken what he said much the same way Ryou had. He felt almost annoyed with himself. He really did want to help Ryou out, just a little. And, who knew? Maybe Sami would be into something like that. But he didn't want to pry any more than he was. He simply shrugged it off.

 

“Well, whatever you decide, make sure she's actually a friend before you just skip town with her,” Bakura said sternly, looking down, “Nothing is worse than a betrayal.” Ryou agreed, as he put the brush down. He looked in the mirror, at his flushed face and nervous expression. Bakura wasn't looking at him, he saw through the mirror, but he knew the spirit felt bad for being so pushy. Likewise, he felt bad for getting so angry. Bakura really was just trying to help. But he couldn't see himself living with someone like Sami. Not because of anything she did, but because of how she was. She seemed pretty grim to begin with; if this was as dangerous as she had stated, she'd only get graver as time passed. Curiously, Ryou looked at Bakura again through the mirror.

 

“Bakura, how did you know who to trust?” he asked, smiling weakly at his reflection. Bakura looked up, intrigued with the question, but hesitated with the answer. He had never shared it, and honestly, he never felt a need. It had happened many, many years ago, in a different time.

 

“It's a hard thing to learn,” Bakura started grimly, “At first, I didn't bring myself to learn it, and to this day, I'm sure I've learned a damn about it. But there was one woman… that I trusted.” Ryou tilted his head. That was a story he'd never heard before. When Bakura didn't continue, he turned to face the old spirit.

 

“What happened to her?” he asked. Bakura's eyes narrowed gently, eyes watering. Whatever happened, it had been a great source of pain.

 

“No one truly knows. She disappeared from this world three thousand years ago,” he stated, “It was… after I had sacrificed myself to resurrect Zork. There was a war, but… I'm almost certain… that she died. Somehow, somewhere. It's difficult to kill Espers, but once you do, they don't normally come back.” Ryou blinked slowly, wondering if he made up hearing the last part. Espers! He had heard just vague mentions of magical creatures, but Espers were among the rarest.

 

“She was an Esper?” he asked, and Bakura nodded.

 

“Quite a powerful one, too,” the old spirit replied, almost proudly, “Any war she participated in ended with her side winning. Except… for one. One war, she lost. And it cost both her and this world dearly.”

 

“What happened?” Ryou asked, getting more and more interested. Bakura would've found his interest fascinating… if the memory hadn't stung so badly.

 

“I'm not entirely sure… but it nearly destroyed the world,” Bakura replied, and snorted, “You thought Zork was bad? Imagine two insanely powerful Espers throwing forbidden spells at one another. The world nearly split in two. Ironic, when you think of it. That's what happened to the Espers when the war was finished. They split in two.” Ryou could only guess the rest. The woman Bakura spoke of must've died in that war. But why had no one heard of it? It had never been mentioned in history before, and he was certain that if it nearly destroyed everything, it really should've been. He was also certain there was a reason Bakura was telling him this, but he didn't ask about either. Bakura was getting too depressed. Instead, he said the only thing he could.

 

“I'm sorry,” Ryou whispered. Bakura smiled mockingly at the covers. Sorry… in his mind, that was what everyone else said, too. He had tired of that word.

 

“I was a fool and a terrible friend,” the spirit growled, clutching the comforter angrily, “I should've looked for her! I should've done something to stop the war! But… like all the other cowards, I stayed and watched like… like some morbid sadist! I watched that war destroy one of the most powerful races we were blessed with!” Ryou rarely heard Bakura having regrets, but this was amazing. It was saddening to listen to, but it showed a side to Bakura that Ryou never thought existed. Obviously, he cared deeply for this friend of his.

 

“You couldn't do anything for her,” Ryou reminded him, and when he growled again, Ryou added, “She probably knew this… Bakura… did you love this woman?” Bakura opened his mouth to yell, but then considered the question carefully. A sly smile spread across his face.

 

“…yes,” he finally said, “I did. She was one of my greatest friends. I was a thief, which you know, but… as a favor for her, I employed myself as a spy. Not for that idiot we called a pharaoh, of course, but to help her. As a knight, some information was forbidden to her. That's where I came in to help… until we both died, of course.” Ryou just snorted. They sounded like good friends. But… if she had died…

 

“What of her spirit?” Ryou asked, “Could you find her?” Bakura sighed. He had tried, when he finally was sealing into the ring. He tried to escape the bonds for just a bit, to look, but he never found his friend. He never even sensed her. He shook his head.

 

“I doubt I could,” Bakura replied, “But, honestly, enough on me. You should go and find this woman, and tell her you're going with her. The sooner you both get a move on, the sooner we leave, and the sooner you'll know if her friendship is worth investing in.” Ryou frowned. That sounded ruder than Bakura probably meant, but he understood the spirit's point. Bakura was just trying to be caution. Ryou walked to the door and slowly opened it, walking out. But, before he left, he poked his head back inside. If Bakura was this cautious, what did that mean for Sami?

 

“Bakura… you don't think Sami will double-cross me, do you?” he asked, “You seem like you're worried. She's a good person, right?” Bakura snorted as he tossed Ryou the ring. Whether or not she was a good person seemed rather irrelevant to him. All that mattered was that she didn't harm them. Either way, that didn't keep him from answering Ryou's worried question.

 

“It's hard to tell. She looks young, so it shouldn't be hard, but something's blocking me from reading her thoughts,” the spirit replied, half amused, “If she truly doesn't know anything about herself, then there's no way for me to really judge her character. But I can sense she's loyal. Hell, she didn't kill you with her spell, did she?” Ryou nodded distantly. That was true enough. She had the power to kill him, and she hadn't yet.

 

“No… she didn't,” Ryou admitted, and smiled, “All right. I'd better go and find her before I waste more of our time. Thanks, Bakura.” He started out the door again, but this time, Bakura called him back. Ryou popped his head back in, looking at the old thief with a confused brow raised. Bakura looked at him critically, and then smiled with genuine feeling. Whatever Bakura was feeling, something was making him proud. He just gave a mock salute.

 

“Good luck, kiddo,” he said, “Women are pretty complex, but whoever your new friend is, she's about a hundred times more so. I'll be in the ring if you need me, but… don't drag me out unless you're royally screwed with looking like an idiot to her.” Ryou nodded, and though he growled, he headed out of the door, noticing that Bakura looked more solid then he had when they first started speaking. He ignored it, though, as the darkness of the castle once again took his attention. His room seemed so light, so normal compared to the rest of this eerie place; it was disorienting. He also doubted three hours passed, as time felt so slow here, but he made his decision, and he wanted to relay it with Sami as soon as he could. He knew Bakura was watching, and though he didn't know if the spirit would be paying attention, he was determined that they both hear what she was planning; it inevitably concerned Bakura because it involved Ryou. He walked down the corridor, its thin walls making him feel like he was being squeezed inside, trying his best not to let the darkness get to him as he breathed in a gray mist that began to swirl around. It truly was unnerving, and he could see why Sami wanted to leave, and why she was rushing her plans to do so. It felt as though the air itself was trying to suck out his life force. He closed one eye as he continued onward, glancing around for any sign that she was there. She wasn't. Ryou guessed either she had gone off to another floor, or her room was farther away.

 

“Sami?” he called gently, after turning a corner, but she didn't respond. He called again, noticing that his voice began to get muffled. The mist was becoming unbearable, as though it were some sort of noxious gas waiting to knock him out. His head felt dizzy again. Whatever the mist was, it was affecting him badly, very quickly.

 

“What is this?” he coughed, slowing down. The mist was thickening at an alarming rate, and it seemed like every muscle was threatening to collapse as he tried to move onwards. His mind raced, acting as though he was being deprived of oxygen. And, if this place was fortified with magic, that might be the case. He had to find Sami quickly. If she was a magician, she'd know how to stop this mist.

 

“Sami…” he wheezed, “Bakura… someone…” He opened his mouth and breathed in deeply, but he strained and struggled. Finally, he fell to the floor, straining to get up. Whatever this mist was, it was taking him down. He had to push forward. He couldn't be killed off, not by this. Then, he remembered that Sami herself might be breathing this in. He shook his head; could she be hurt from this? He didn't want to know if she was, but that fear made him continue on despite his growing fatigue. He stepped forward, nearly tripping again, but he maintained his balance. Another step, and it grew difficult to move once more. A third step, and he fell again. He picked himself up, and for a moment, thought he heard a curse somewhere in the distance. He couldn't place the voice, but he used it to pull him through. Someone was close; someone could help him, or so he prayed as he continued on. But, it just felt so impossible to him. Finally, he forced himself to lean against the wall, panting.

 

“Please… let her be… nearby,” he whispered, as he walked along, clinging to the wall as he went. Yet there was no sign of his friend anywhere. He strained to keep going, feeling unusually weak as the mist continued to drain his strength. His breathing slowed, as he calmed his nerves, but it didn't help him. His life was draining again. He tried to keep going, but it proved worthless. He fell again, slamming so hard that he nearly screamed. His energy went too low. He couldn't move again. His chest felt constricted. And, his vision was beginning to blur. Everything looked like a mass of gray, and then, that gray faded as it gave way to black. Ryou closed his eyes, as he fell into unconsciousness once more. He vaguely heard another curse before passing completely.

 

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

 

And so, Ryou made the decision to join Sami, whatever she seems to be doing. But just as he goes to find her, the castle plays another trick, one that nearly kills him. Can Sami come to help him this time? Can Bakura? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!