Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Ryou Bakura: Harbinger of Trouble ❯ The gates of Algon ( Chapter 8 )

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does, and he doesn't approve of Ryou nearly getting killed three or four times. Frankly, millions agree.

 

They stood in front of that rusted gate for some time, looking over the entire scene that unfolded before them. The verdant grasses and meadows had ended close to the gate, thinning out appropriately near the edges, giving the city a desolate, dead look. The sky above the city was dark, thick with clouds that threatened to break out into a storm. The wind was quiet, stirring not even a leaf. And, but Sami's grave expression, she didn't like any of it. Neither did Ryou, but he had never lived here. This may very well have been what it always was like. But, then again, perhaps not. Sami seemed pretty disturbed by it all. Malik looked at her when she didn't move for a few moments.

 

“Are we going in?” he asked her quietly, as not to spook her. She nodded, and walked forward, holding out a hand to the gate. It felt grimy in her hand, some areas hardened by rust and weather. She flinched at it, but didn't back away. Instead, she took something out of her bag, and sprayed it onto the bars. They withered away, and then crumbled into dust. Ryou had never seen metal do such a thing, and apparently, neither had Malik. They stared at the spot in disbelief. Nothing was left of the left side of the gates!

 

“What the hell is that stuff!?” Malik demanded in surprise, eyes widened as he watched her spray the right side next. Again, it withered and crumbled into dust, leaving nothing in its wake.

 

“Witherbane,” Sami replied, “It grows around the parapets along Sylatone and in the gardens encased there. It's said that, in a condensed form, it melts all kinds of metallic substances and many enchanted ones as well. Hard to find, unsurprisingly enough.” She went on about the plant's properties as she led them through the gate and into the town, but after seeing the first section, Ryou ceased to listen to her. He couldn't believe the sight he now beheld. He had expected a small, somewhat open city, but what greeted him was a dirty, ramshackle, pathetic excuse of a city, the exact opposite. Dung lined the gutters, giving off a terrible smell that made Ryou want to retch. Garbage littered the streets, some cluttering entire sections of the road, others just been dropped in random places. No grass grew there; it had all been either poisoned away or burned to the ground. And the buildings… that was the poorest sight of all. Many had been vandalized, broken windows and discarded tiles decorating the entrances and window frames. Bricks had been broke free, and some structures looked on the verge of collapsing entirely. It was utterly disgusting.

 

“You lived here?” Malik asked, looking at a dumpster that had rusted over, “Sami, this is gross! I'm glad you left!” The scene that greeted them had a profound effect on Sami. Her eyes had watered, her glasses trembling on her face. Her tail shook nervously, and her wings were ruffling in discontent. She shook her head.

 

“It wasn't like this, two years ago,” she said distantly, hand gripping her sword's hilt, “This town was clean. It was… beautiful. What… what on earth happened? Katsaiga… did she destroy this place?” Ryou guessed that Katsaiga was the one Sami was intending to kill first. And it was pretty obvious something had blown the place apart. Even if it wasn't her, it was something magical. No weapon could've done this, save for a nuclear bomb. And Ryou knew no one was stupid enough to use one of those. He couldn't even smell or see any radiation. Malik was too shocked to stand, and he made his way to a creaky, old bench that sagged as he sat down. Sami remained standing, looking down the road grimly. Ryou didn't follow her gaze. He could only guess at what she was looking for.

 

“What are you thinking of?” he asked her, almost regretting the words as they left his mouth. He had a feeling that if Sami really wanted him to know, she'd have told him. But she didn't rebuke him. She continued looking at the ground, her arms crossed.

 

“Visiting my family and telling them I'm leaving for good,” she replied absently, “They deserve to know the truth.” Ryou nodded, wanting to smile at that resolution. It was a good one to come to, but that left both him and Malik at a loss with what to do; he doubted Sami's family wanted visitors, especially with how the city was looking.

 

“Then what of us?” he asked her. She looked up and smiled thinly. Ryou didn't believe for a second that this was anything worth smiling over. She was probably just smiling to assure him that she was all right. Her hesitancy was palpable.

 

“There's an inn here that should provide some lodging,” she replied calmly, pointing down a narrow road that wound deeper into a once-heavily-inhabited residency, “There's no one to run it, I doubt, but it should still be standing. Wait for me there.” Ryou wanted to agree, but the tone in her voice made him wonder if leaving her would be wise. She sounded absolutely depressed with the thought of going. But he knew enough about her. She'd make herself go.

 

“Are you sure you don't want me to come?” he asked her quietly, low enough so Malik didn't hear. He was already teasing Ryou enough about Sami. Sami shook her head.

 

“It's best if I go alone,” she told him firmly, “If they're terrified, it'd be worse if I brought you both along. Ryou, good luck, and don't do a damn thing until I return.” Ryou nodded, patted her on the shoulder, and then watched her walk down another road, one that seemed to leave the city entirely. He let out a deep breath. He wanted to follow her, to make sure she'd be okay. He didn't entirely trust the confident shell she had. But he didn't move. He just sighed again, and Malik glanced over at him. Several minutes passed between them before either spoke.

 

“What do we do now?” Malik finally asked, when it felt like hours had passed. Ryou blinked, forcing himself to take action. Right then, the worst thing to do was to ignore whatever Sami had said: she was the only one who actually knew what they were going up against. And she had given them rather specific directions. He grinned slightly, wondering her reaction if he did just decide to ignore her.

 

“I guess we get to that inn and wait for her,” Ryou replied, shrugging, “We could ignore her if you want to do some sightseeing, but I like living.” Malik just laughed. Obviously, Ryou had gotten the `rebellious' treatment as well. Which meant Sami tried to kill him, too. He nodded vigorously on that note.

 

“As do I, my friend,” he said, still containing a snort before becoming serious again, “But what I don't understand is why she's directing us to an inn. I thought she said we were leaving here as soon as she got her crap.” Ryou did find that a little odd, but he hadn't questioned her. She did say that if she said something, they'd have to follow it.

 

“Maybe she knows getting out of here's harder than just walking out,” came a voice from one of the buildings, “The entire city's a wreck.” Ryou turned sharply and saw Yugi stepping out from a darkened doorway. He looked a little worse for the wear, too; his hair was frizzy, some of the points drooping. And he looked exhausted. Ryou wondered just what he was doing here, but Malik managed to answer for him.

 

“Yugi, what the hell are you doing here!?” Malik demanded, one eye widening slightly in what he hoped was a questioning look. Yugi bit his lip, looking around for a moment before answering. Obviously, that was a question he'd have liked to avoid.

 

“When Ryou disappeared, and three days passed, everyone decided we had to look for him. But he wasn't in Domino, and I didn't think he could've gone to Duran, either,” Yugi replied shyly, and then asked, “What brings you guys here, anyway?” Ryou hummed, wondering if it was safe to tell Yugi. Sami hadn't said anything about if anyone else could help them. He figured it was fine, so he told Yugi everything he could since waking up in the castle. Yugi listened with wide eyes and alert ears. It all sounded like a horror story, but what amazed him most was when Sami entered the picture.

 

“I still don't believe half the shit that happened, and I went through it,” Malik commented when Ryou finished. Yugi was practically beaming from ear to ear at that point. He had never heard such a story, and he knew Ryou was telling the truth. Yami had hinted that something was wrong four months before, and if Ryou found something relating to it, Yugi knew he could believe it. Even more impressive was that a non-human had been the one to help Ryou out. Ryou had explained everything he could about Sami, even down to her magic.

 

“I don't know this woman, but she sounds awesome!” Yugi exclaimed when Ryou was done, “But where is she?” Ryou chuckled. He was amused that Yugi actually wanted to meet her. Sami was not a people person, or so he thought of her.

 

“She's getting some supplies… hopefully…” Ryou mumbled, hoping that was what Sami was up to, “But what do you mean, the city's a wreck? Is it that bad?” Yugi nodded darkly.

 

“Yeah. Some passages are blocked off completely, and many of the buildings in the denser sections were blown into oblivion,” he replied grimly, “Yami's ready to head home at this point. He doesn't see anything improving any time soon.” Ryou couldn't help but laugh. Giving up when nothing went right did seem like something Yami would do if he was having a bad day. And, if he and Yugi spent four days here, he was definitely having a bad day.

 

“I don't blame him, personally,” Malik said, frowning, “This place is the pits. I almost can't believe Sami would drag us through here!”

 

“Unfortunately, she didn't have a choice. The road to Domino's blocked completely, and there's no way to get through it yet,” Yugi told him, “I had to practically climb through the junk just to get in, and I'm not getting myself stabbed with another branch to leave.” Ryou hated that. Sami couldn't have known it was completely blocked off. If she did, he wanted to know how she expected to get over the blockage. Especially with the three of them. Even with her wings, Ryou doubted she could carry them all.

 

“This day sucks more and more as we go on,” Malik mumbled, as they all began walking down the road, “Does Sami even know this is a dead end!? I'm telling you, Ryou, she's crazy.” Yugi just snickered, and Ryou mumbled something that wasn't unlike a quiet `fuck you' to Malik. Yugi took the lead as the path bent slightly to the right. Here, the buildings were sagging, their signs creaking as a dead wind swept past. It barely cleared the smell of fecal matter in the air, and Ryou was beginning to see wisps of green in the air. He didn't dare breathe it in. They continued on, Ryou taking the entire sight in to tell Sami about later, until Yugi finally stopped at one tall building. It hadn't sagged over, but that made it loom over everything else, like a dark figure over its kneeling subjects. The walls had faded from a red to a dusty brown, and the windows were caked in dust. The sign was hanging on one hinge; altogether, the building was uninviting, but there was a certain amount of charm to it as well.

 

“Damn,” Malik commented, as they pushed open the doors into the lobby. Unlike the outside, it looked relatively well-kept, which was what brightened Malik's tone as he said, “Sami knows how to pick `em, eh?” Ryou nodded absently, looking at the old ledger on the reception desk. The last one to sign up was a man nearly two years ago. Right around when Sami said she had left to hunt the evil plaguing their world. Yugi had gone up the steps to the second floor, and both Ryou and Malik quickly followed, not wanting to lose him. He hadn't gone far. He stood outside of one door, and Ryou noticed his skin was pale. Something had gone wrong. Ryou looked over the boy's shoulder and saw that no one else was in the room.

 

“Yami, where did you go!?” Yugi asked, but got no response. He stepped inside and looked in the small bathroom, but no one else was in there, either. He thought of shouting the spirit's name, but Yami would've heard them come in if he was here. Which meant he had left. Yugi was on the verge of panic at the mere thought.

 

“He probably went to get some air,” Ryou suggested, as Yugi walked back into the room slowly, “I wouldn't worry too much.” That wasn't enough for Yugi. His eyes widened as though Ryou had just stated the dumbest thing in the entire universe. Slowly, he walked up to the older boy.

 

“Ryou… this is Yami we're talking about,” Yugi began gently, his voice growing in pitch with each word, “You know, the man who's been trapped in my puzzle for about a million years now? The man who's a pharaoh without his memory? THE MAN WHO KNOWS NOTHING BUT DUELING!?” Ryou had never seen Yugi freak out, but this was obviously getting to whatever was left of the boy's sanity. If someone didn't calm him down soon, he'd go off the deep end. Ryou tried to pat his back, but Malik just raised a skeptical brow. This wasn't that big of a deal, in his mind. Yami just left for a while. He was allowed to do that, especially if no one was around. Which probably shouldn't have happened, since he was a spirit.

 

“Don't you think Yami's smart enough to figure out how to use a phone on his own?” Malik asked, ignoring that fact for now. He'd figure out why Yami had left later. Yugi, however, didn't see the logic to that question. His eye twitched again. Ryou knew he just threw himself right off the edge.

 

“NO, I DON'T!” Yugi screamed, panting and wheezing. He was going completely ballistic. He knelt on the floor, trying to get air into his lungs, but he'd over-exerted himself. He passed out on the ground, and Ryou knelt, picking him up and placing him on the bed.

 

“He tired himself out,” he commented gently, and Malik snorted, shaking his head.

 

“Right, and I'm sure flying off the handle like that really helped him,” Malik stated, slumping into a chair, “How the hell did the pharaoh get a physical form, anyway!?” Ryou grumbled again. He didn't have the answer for certain, but he had a good guess as to what it could've been: magic. Just like magic was the answer for Sami's being here at all. And just like magic was the reason that guard had been murdered. Magic wasn't looking too good in Ryou's eyes right then. His eyes narrowed as he sat on the second bed.

 

“Who cares? We'll ask Sami later,” he said, sighing. And, for whatever reason, that sort of answer was just all right with Malik as he leaned back to catch some much-needed rest.

 

---

 

It'd taken too damn long to get there. That's what Sami thought as she now stood on the steps of what had once been a home for her. Not a loving one, but a home nonetheless. Two years had passed since she set foot in that doorway. Two years of hardship that she could leave behind, if she were an irresponsible person. But Sami Winchester wasn't irresponsible. She took a deep breath, preparing herself for what might come out of this. And then, she stepped onto the porch and knocked on the door. Better to get this over with, than to not do it at all, she reminded herself. The door opened, and an older woman, in her forties, stepped out. She adjusted her glasses, and then they dropped in shock. There stood her daughter, who she assumed was dead.

 

“…Sami,” she whispered, and Sami nodded, “But… how? Oh, dear, are you all right!?” Sami just smiled weakly as her mother hugged her. She really could leave all of that magical shit and just come home. But she wouldn't. She pulled away and looked at her mother's aging face. Clearly, the two years weren't kind to her; she had many more wrinkles than Sami had remembered. It almost made the Chesier cry.

 

“I'm… I'm fine, mom,” she replied, “Mom… we need to talk. I haven't destroyed the Mystics yet.”

 

“Oh, say no more, dear. Come in, come in. Dariel's asked so much about magic since you left,” the woman said, leading Sami inside. Everything was as she had left it. The parlor was the same, with the same wooden furniture as before. The walls were still a gentle brown. And her dog was still fluffy and red as she walked in. He barked, and then yipped when he saw her. He rushed over, nearly knocking her down. A younger girl who'd been sitting on the couch looked over, and her jaw dropped.

 

“Sis!?” she asked, jumping up, “My god, I thought you'd died!”

 

“I nearly did,” Sami replied, patting the girl's head, “But I'm not staying. I came to get my things. I'm… moving out.” That was probably the best way to put it. Even if her mother believed her about magic, and even if Dariel believed her as well, neither Irna nor her father had believed her in the least. Saying that she had to fight off evil would've resulted in a very bad fight. But it might've kept Dariel from questioning her. The girl was absolutely flabbergasted.

 

“Moving out!? Why!?” the young girl demanded, “Are we boring you!? Did you really kill them!? …IS IT OVER A BOY!?” Sami nearly choked. Never in her life, save for that horrible nightmare, did she ever have feelings for someone before. And, if she had anything to reason with, she'd never have them. No, what she had to do was too dangerous for an attachment of any kind. She shook her head.

 

“None of them,” she replied, and then lowered her voice, “I haven't killed the Mystics yet, and I can't let them track me back to you. I have to leave for your safety, sis. I'm sorry.” Dariel frowned, and looked away. Their mother gave a worried sigh and walked over to Sami, taking the younger woman's hands. The glove on Sami's right hand felt thick in her hands.

 

“Oh, dear, I know you're doing what you can,” she replied gently, eyes watering, “If you ever need, come back to us. Your father and older sister left us. You're safe here.” Sami's body trembled. That was horrible news. She made a mental note to find her asshole of a father and set his ass on fire for leaving her mother and sister like that. And to kick her sister for doing the same. Again, she shook her head.

 

“Thank you,” she replied, and after a short silence, said, “I must pack.”

 

“Your room is as you left it, dear,” her mother said. Sami nodded and went up the stairs. Her room really had been undisturbed. The bed was still in the upper left corner of the room. Her books had gathered dust from her absence. Her dog's food dish was still there, though it had clearly been used since she left. Taking a deep breath, Sami took her bag off her shoulder and went to packing it. She couldn't take everything, but she took what she needed: all of her books on magic, her potions, her mortar and pestle, a small pack of explosives, two knives, ammunition for her pistol, which she reminded herself she had to fix, a flashlight, and then her dog's leash. She'd have to take her dog with her. Poor thing was depressed when she had left him. Zipping her bag up, she went back downstairs and leashed her dog, who had jumped at the notion that he was joining her now. She turned to her mother.

 

“I can't take everything right now, but when I get settled, will you send me my things?” she asked. Her mother nodded.

 

“Of course, dear,” her mother replied, and then hugged her, “Sami… I'm sorry, dear. I'm sorry it's happening this way. Do your best out there.”

 

“Go get `em, sis!” Dariel added, raising her fist in salute. Sami nodded, and then walked out of the house, her dog trotting beside her. A large, black cat that had been sleeping on the porch had gotten up and yowled at her. She looked at it. Like her dog, the cat had been with her for years as well. She didn't like that it was telling her it wanted to go; she needed someone to watch her family. And she reminded the cat of that. It growled, but sat back on the floor. In its mind, it promised her it'd protect them… until they were safe. Then it'd find her. She agreed. And then, she left the house. That was the last time she'd see them. And, she couldn't look back.

 

The trip to the inn took much less time than Sami expected. That might've been due to the fact that she was flying, but she had flown slowly enough to take a good look at the city. And she wished she hadn't. There was nothing promising here, and she only hoped Ryou would want to leave quickly. The dilapidation in the city was starting to get to her. She landed in front of the inn and stepped inside, expecting to see more decay. But, to her surprise, it was clean, and perhaps inhabitable. She went immediately upstairs, and found Ryou in one of the rooms, apparently alone. Stepping in silently with her dog, she found Malik was asleep, along with another boy she didn't know. Ryou looked up, and smiled when he saw her.

 

“Sami!” he whispered, and gestured to the chair across from him, “How'd it go?” Sami quietly walked over and sat down, letting out a tense sigh. Ryou's smile faded. That didn't sound very promising.

 

“Not too well,” she replied tiredly, distantly, “My father left my mother and little sister, and my older sister moved out some time ago.” Ryou just patted her back. Her dog growled at him, but a stern pat on the dog's muzzle told him Sami didn't appreciate the protection. He settled down near her feet.

 

“I'm sorry,” Ryou said sadly, “Anyway, Sami, since we're staying here, can I ask for a favor?” Sami's gentle expression hardened almost immediately. It was enough to make Ryou flinch; he was actually a little afraid of her sometimes. Obviously, this favor wasn't going to go well.

 

“What is it?” she asked warily. Ryou backed away just a little, hoping she wouldn't try skewering him again.

 

“My friend is missing, and we need to find him. Can we look?” he dared to ask. Sami grumbled under her breath and looked away. Definitely not a good sign, no matter how little Ryou knew her. He risked tapping her shoulder, and she looked back at him. He had never seen her so grave before. Then he remembered what Yugi had said about getting out, and that technically, a Mystic was still after them. Sami had a right to be upset. But to his surprise, she actually agreed.

 

“Yes. We will look for him,” she replied slowly, “But where was he last seen?” Ryou had hoped she hadn't asked that. When he was alone, he had asked Bakura to search for the spirit in question, and all Bakura said was that he was underground. Which meant the sewer system. And when he told Sami this, she said, “You're kidding. Tell me you're kidding.” But Ryou wasn't kidding. And she knew he wasn't. That made her not want to help even more.

 

“Sorry, Sam,” he said sympathetically.

 

“Hmph,” was all he got in reply, “I'm going to sleep.” And with that, she proceeded to slump over in her chair. Ryou snorted, not believing she could actually fall asleep that quickly, but he couldn't wake her up. He looked at her dog. It glared back, and plopped onto the floor. This was going to be a long night, if Sami didn't wake up soon.

 

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

 

After getting to Algon and meeting with Yugi, Ryou learns they have one more problem before they can leave the desolate city: Finding Yami. Unfortunately, even though Sami agrees, Ryou knows she really doesn't want to stay. So, with the Mystic still out to kill them, can they find the old spirit and run before anything happens? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!