Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Ryou Bakura: Harbinger of Trouble ❯ The Bards Three: Derek, Eric, and Jimmy D! ( Chapter 12 )

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does, and not even $10,000,000 will put me in his will.

 

After searching the road, and finding nothing but ruin after ruin of what had once been a lovely, little town, Ishtar began leading his weary team right back to the inn. He wanted to keep looking, but they only had so much stamina. He couldn't bring himself to push them, especially since he himself refused to do anything more. They tramped up the stone steps of the inn, heading back into the warm, comforting common room of the first floor. Immediately, he slunk into the soft, leather couch, ignoring the clouds of dust that puffed out of the cushions under his weight.

 

“We need to leave,” Malik said, taking a seat next to the fireplace, where a roaring fire sat, “As soon as Ryou and Sam get back, we're out of here.” No one particularly objected. There was nothing in this city for them to use. Yami just sighed heavily, nodding as he looked out of the window, into the sky as clouds began to roll in again. The sunlight was short-lived.

 

“But where can we head after this?” the old spirit asked, almost distantly as he looked from the cloudy sky to the patch of dirt that used to be a beautiful garden. Already, green grass was beginning to sprout again. Hope hadn't deserted the town, at least.

 

“Musuta? Duran? Who knows?” Malik replied, naming the only cities Sami had mentioned, “It really depends on where Katsaiga has already been. There's no doubt Sami's going to want to see the path of destruction that crazy psychopath created.” Again, no one disagreed. Silence passed as they each thought on that. Finally, Ishtar shifted, and got off of the couch. He clapped his hands, ridding them of dust.

 

“All right, then I think we'd better do what we can to make this easier for her,” he said, surprising Malik with his generosity, “Let's scour this place and look for everything we can use. No pillow left unchecked, no cabinet left unopened. We search and sort through every piece of shit here until we have something, or until we know nothing can be used.” The authority in his voice was unreal! Malik had never heard him command a situation so effectively, and yet, something about his words had a profound effect on the room. In particular, Yugi was motivated.

 

“Good plan! I'll go get the pillows and blankets!” he exclaimed, and rushed up the stairs. Yami just grinned approvingly, turning from the window. He placed his hands on his hips, raising an amused brow.

 

“Nice work, Ishtar. No one can keep that kid focused,” he commented, “I'll go and search the bathrooms. Any medicine would be good right now.” Ishtar just waved him away as he went upstairs, heading down a hall to the left. Malik bit his lip. That left him with either food, or other equipment. And, he had no use for sorting through rotten garbage.

 

“I'll look for batteries, flashlights, knives, nails, anything we could use that would help us out later,” he said. Ishtar patted him on the back, and he ran toward a back room. That left the spirit to look for food. He left to go into the kitchen, and what he saw floored him. The kitchen looked nice, but there was a smell that was sickeningly sweet, that was in no way food. And he didn't like it. His chances of finding anything edible was grim. He walked to the nearest cabinet, and found with unsurprised disgust that he might be right. There were glasses, brown with filth as black spots developed on their outsides. He shut the cabinet and went to the next. Dishes occupied this one, dusty and full of cobwebs. He took one out and went to the sink. The faucet didn't even work. Sighing, he let the plate drop. Next, he moved to the last cabinet. Boxes sat, holes punctuating all sides and the top. Some had green mold growing along the lining. Ishtar didn't need to look to know nothing in there was of use. Finally, he rested on the refrigerator. If he was to find any food, it would be in there. He opened it up, and was immediately assaulted with the smell of rot. There was no surprise. The power didn't appear to work. Slamming the door, he stormed out back into the common room, where the other three stood, waiting, each with a pile of objects next to them.

 

“Tell me what luck you had,” he demanded grimly, crossing his arms as he sunk into a chair. Yugi untied the bundle he provided; four blankets and six pillows rolled out. Ishtar smiled as Malik opened a box to reveal three knives, one flashlight, a medical kit, and a pack of batteries. Again, a good find. But Yami had nothing. Ishtar couldn't be startled by that. If there were any liquid medicine, it'd have been long expired at that point. He just patted the older spirit on the head.

 

“It's a nice reconnaissance despite that, pharaoh,” he assured, “You guys found more than I expected here.” Yami just smiled weakly. He didn't always like patronage, but Ishtar was trying to be nice. In this situation, there wasn't much use beating himself up.

 

“Did you find anything?” he asked the blonde spirit, who shook his head and sighed.

 

“Everything was spoiled. I wouldn't be surprised if I get sick just being inside the damn room,” Ishtar replied. Yami just hummed. That left a problem with food. He turned to Yugi, but the boy was focused on something else at the moment. He turned back to Yami with a quizzical expression.

 

“Um… if everything's rotten, what's with the pie?” Yugi asked, and both Ishtar and Yami turned around to stare at the table Yugi pointed to. There, a pie sat, steam pouring off of it as a rich aroma wafted through the room. Their stomachs growled; it'd been days since any of them ate a thing. But there was a problem…

 

“I didn't find that,” Ishtar stated, frowning, “And none of you did, either.” Malik blinked. That was true, but it was a fresh, warm pie. Would they be fools to ignore it?

 

“You think it's a trap?” he asked Ishtar. The spirit just looked at the pie. Physically, nothing was wrong with it. But that meant absolutely nothing. There could be any number of poisons in the filling.

 

“Yes,” he replied, “It's suspicious enough.” Yugi just sighed, his stomach roaring with hunger. He wanted that pie, but Ishtar wasn't wrong, either. He stepped toward it slowly, until a rustle from behind made him yelp. Immediately, Ishtar turned, brandishing the Millennium Rod.

 

“Who is there?” he demanded hoarsely, letting a jet of shadow power loose as it slammed into the sofa, where the noise came from. Stuffing exploded from the once-useful piece of furniture, and three shrieks pierced the room. Yami tilted his head as three men came tumbling out. There was no word to accurately describe their ridiculous, bright attire, but `bard' came through their heads as they tried to find one. The men were dressed in golden and orange robes; only their different-colored hats proved any physical differences between them. They had to be triplets.

 

“Who are you!?” Yami demanded, equally as harshly as Ishtar had been. From behind, he heard Yugi come up behind him too. Which was what he wanted to avoid. He wanted Yugi to be safe.

 

“And did you leave this pie?” the boy added, and Yami's neck snapped to stare at Yugi in disbelief. Of all the things to question, the pie was the least of their worries. But, he also knew Yugi was starving. That pie had to be a trap. The men laughed merrily.

 

“Why, young lad, don't think to flee! We came to sing songs to thee!” he cheered happily, “For we are the Bards Three, Eric, Derek, and Jimmy D.!” Yami had no idea what to think of them, but insane and retarded both seemed to fit the bill. The second nodded in agreement, so at least they seemed to have agreed on a lie, if they were truly thieves.

 

“We traverse the world, singing merry tales! For coin or for fame, or even for ales!” sang the third, and Ishtar stared, wide eyed, “We mean you no harm, for we came here to see, just if there were any humans who were as alive as me!” Yami's eyes narrowed, as they continued to listen to the three singing ridiculous verses to songs that they obviously were making up. He was in no mood for such merriment. Mainly because he hadn't seen them around at all since he'd been there. They had to be bad guys.

 

“What are you doing in this inn, and why don't you just leave?” he asked defensively. The hint of a threat was palpable, and the three bards stopped singing, their eyes widened. Obviously, they now knew this was no joke

 

“Forgive us, o good sir, for we meant no ill will,” said the first bard, “We were just sent here to kill… kill…”

 

“Kill some time!” finished the second bard, and the other two bards glanced at him, “You see, we bards love to explore as much as the next spelunker! This fair town seemed a natural ruin point just waiting to be plundered! I mean, discovered!” The glances alone alerted Yugi and Malik that these men, however mentally challenged, weren't here to help them. They were up to something, but neither boy could connect the dots just yet.

 

“There's nothing here, morons,” Malik said simply, “The place is in ruins.” He didn't really feel he needed to say that, but he had a weird idea that the bards hadn't actually noticed that. Yugi, however, didn't seem to care about anything except for the pie, which was still unclaimed.

 

“And you still didn't answer me about the pie!” he exclaimed angrily, “Did you leave it?” Yami wanted to smack him over the head for that. The pie was of no importance anymore, but Yugi just wouldn't let it go. One of the bards, impossible to tell which one, just laughed and nodded his head.

 

“Why, yes we did!” he replied merrily, making Yami wince, “It was but a gift for you fellow adventurers! A way to say “Tally-ho, brothers!” Yugi nodded, taking that as an approval to eat it. He ran to grab it, but again, Ishtar stopped him. He just sighed in defeat as Ishtar glared at the three bards. He didn't believe a word of what came dribbling out of their mouths.

 

“What flavor is it?” he asked them warily. Their hesitancy only made him all the more suspicious. And, their answers made it glaringly obvious this was a trap.

 

“Apple!”

 

“No, no, it's cherry!”

 

“No, my brothers! I'm quite certain that it's blueberry!” Ishtar didn't entirely know how modern cons worked, but he knew this was one of them. He just snorted as one finally said, “It's a mix of all three! And now, my friends, we must flee! For, as we've been hired to act as the Great Thieves Three!” And, with that, the three bards ran out of the inn. Malik just blinked. That settled it. He wasn't going to eat the pie. Unfortunately, Yugi wasn't nearly as con-savvy. He shrugged, grinning as he turned to finally focus on the pie once more.

 

“Well, their answer is good enough for me!” he concluded, and took one knife to cut a slice. Immediately, the room became a sticky mess. It had been a trap. And Yugi had set it off. There was no surprise there, either.

 

---

 

The wait was painful for them. Ryou hadn't shown many signs of improvement, and it was all Sami could do not to proclaim him dead. Bakura kept her distracted with questions, most of them centering around Mystics, and what they were doing in his world. And Sami, though hesitant, explained all she knew. It was a very good amount; not only did she know who the Mystic was, but she seemed to know what this Mystic wanted, and why. What scared Bakura was that she wasn't the only Mystic. There were many more. And the thought of facing them all was unwelcome by both of them.

 

“So, by what you say, you believe something happened in the past that caused them to come back and terrorize us now?” he asked her, skeptical of the theory. He had been around for millennia. He had never heard such a thing. Or, perhaps he couldn't remember. His past seemed foggy at some patches. Sami just nodded, her eyes looking at the floor.

 

“There's no way to prove it currently, but my sister has found evidence of it,” she replied slowly, almost cautiously, “And from what she says, I do believe her. I can't see why they would choose this world for capture. Aside from your Millennium Items, I see no point. There aren't enough magical races in this world to warrant it.” Bakura hummed. That was true enough. In the past, Espers had once lived here. But, they had disappeared some time ago. So then, what was the deal now?

 

“You're surprised,” he stated, smirking, “You expected her to find another place in… what was it? Oblivion?” Sami just chuckled. He was mocking her, but she didn't care much. Whether he actually believed her or not was unimportant.

 

“Actually, I'm not sure I expected a thing,” she told him, “Somehow, they seem to think I have any involvement in the past. And, I very well might have, but I certainly have no memory of it. What truly concerns me is the fact that they got hold of Ryou and Malik. That makes little sense.” Bakura could see what she was getting at. But, before she could continue, Ryou began to stir. Both looked down at the boy's silent form, and slowly, he opened an eye. It swiveled to look around the entire hall, where they sat.

 

“Where… are we?” he asked softly, trying to slow his breathing. His body was reacting as though he'd gone through a torture chamber, but he noticed there wasn't much pain in moving. Sami helped him to sit up, her wet hair dripping as she did. She couldn't have been waiting for more than a few moments, an hour at the most. Or perhaps two. Time seemed to warp itself in Ryou's head.

 

“We're inside of the ancient ship,” she stated gently, patting his back, “And, we may have a problem. Bakura?” Bakura just grinned. He liked being in the spotlight for once. He tapped the Millennium Ring.

 

“Some bastard's here with us,” he explained, his voice grimmer than his face was, “The ring reacted for a split second. It might've been something else, but I'd advise some caution.” Sami didn't argue, so Ryou assumed she agreed. She stood up, and with him, they walked down the hall. Water dripped, echoing loudly, but it masked their footsteps. It took only a minute before the woman halted.

 

“Sami?” Ryou asked curiously, as she opened the door she stopped in front of. It swung open silently.

 

“She's probably going to steal shit,” Bakura joked, and gave the thumbs up, “My kind of woman, baby!” Sami ignored him as she walked inside. The room was dim, and she used her blade as a conductor for light. Shelves of books lined the three walls, the fourth being home to a giant portrait of an old sailor. That intrigued her. Stepping further, she came to a small table. And, atop that table was a single long, thing sword. Silver in color, the hilt was a deep sapphire, with a ruby inset. It was a beautiful piece. Ryou walked in to examine it closer. It had to be worth quite a bit of money.

 

“Crafted with Esper magic,” she whispered carefully, “This blade is easily over three thousand years of age.” Ryou's eyes widened. It had to be worth millions! But, Sami didn't appear interested in selling it. Or using it, for that matter. She handed it to Ryou quickly, so quickly that he wondered if she knew what she was doing. He took it, and mock-swung it over his head. It flied easily, and it felt light. It was the perfect blade for him.

 

“What was that!?” Bakura asked, mortified. He had never seen Ryou wield any weapon, let alone a sword. Sami just grinned, patted Ryou on the back. He looked just as terrified as Bakura was.

 

“That sword decided that you're the next wielder,” she replied, almost proudly, “Ryou, Esper weapons are rarely used by humans. In fact, I can't think of any in history to have been recorded as such. Be proud and wield it with vigor.” Ryou just nodded. What had once been fear evaporated into excitement with Sami's words. She was happy he could use it!

 

“It's… it's so powerful,” he whispered, and then his fear began to return, “What if I hurt someone with it?” Sami's smile seemed so strong, and so confident. She must not have felt he would've done such a thing.

 

“I doubt you would unless you wish to,” she said, “Magic works in different ways. That blade will follow your command. I suggest you learn to use it before we get into trouble.” Ryou didn't like the implication, but if anyone knew how to use a sword, it'd be Sami. She carried one herself, and he saw her use it once before. She had displayed great skill despite her age. After he clipped the sword onto his belt, they left the room and continued down the hall. All fell silent as they came to the end, where a single door stood. Sami stopped once more.

 

“What's wrong?” he whispered. She glanced back at him. There was nervousness to her eyes.

 

“Someone… is in there,” she whispered, worriedly, “On my guard, both of you!” Neither Bakura nor Ryou protested. Sami tiptoed to the door, and slid it open. From the doorway, it looked empty. She stepped in. Then, she gasped.

 

“Sami?” Ryou asked, as he and Bakura rushed in. There stood a man, taller than all of them, with blonde hair reaching down his neck. His skin was nearly white, that hideous scar covering his eye, his good one looking at them with a mixture of surprise… and anger. Ryou knew him now. The same man from before, in his nightmare. The man who wanted him dead. His good eye went from Ryou, to Sami.

 

“You…” she said, “Who… who are you?” The man didn't answer her. He stood there, still as stone, his hands in his coat pocket. Bakura's eyes narrowed as he took out a dagger.

 

“Tell us before we kill you,” he warned, but Sami raised her hand to silence him. Violence wasn't the way she wanted to handle this. Not with him.

 

“Please,” she said calmly, “I beg of you. Tell me who you are.” The man's mouth turned up, just a fraction. It was so slight, Ryou couldn't tell if it even actually happened. His expression softened at Sami's words.

 

“…you don't remember me,” he stated. Sami nodded, and he looked to the side, letting out a sigh. “I came here to bring you this ship.” That wasn't enough for any of them. She stepped forward.

 

“Why are you helping us?” she asked him. His smile grew more apparent.

 

“Because I want to,” he told her, “And what I want, I get. Or do, depending on if my want is an action.” That still wasn't enough. It didn't explain who he was at all. Sami tilted her head carefully.

 

“At least give me your name,” she demanded, but he shook his head. An odd laugh escaped his lips. Now, she was getting frustrated. Whoever this man was, he was laughing at her.

 

“Sorry, but I'm not sure… you would like it,” he replied. Sami's eyes narrowed behind her red lenses. She drew her sword, an action that caused a slight wind to brush across them all. Ryou shivered. If this man had any want to live, he had to be more cooperative.

 

“Then I will kill you,” she told him furiously, “I won't allow you to stand in my way.” Another chuckle. Sith's sword rose up a fraction.

 

“Go ahead. My life doesn't mean much in this world,” he stated, “Just know that, I was no part of Katsaiga. I'm on your side. I stole this ship to help you. Would you really take my life for that?” Sami hesitated. How on earth did this man know Katsaiga? For that matter, how did he know her? She sheathed her sword. This was getting her nowhere.

 

“Man, please tell me what you want with me,” she said calmly, “I… I will let you live. Just tell me who you are and why you appear in my sleep.” The man smiled. But there was no happiness in his face. He was sad about something.

 

“I'm sorry,” he said, and proceeded to go to the door. Ryou turned and watched him leave, but as he crossed the doorway, he whispered, “Sith.” Ryou wondered what that meant. Again, like their dreams, he called Sami by that name. Ryou wasn't sure if she heard, but her ears stiffened back. She had heard the man. Bakura put a hand on her shoulder to find she was shaking.

 

“Will you be all right?” he asked her. She shook her head, walking to the wheel that controlled the ship.

 

“I doubt it, but…” her head hung, “I must know who he is.”

 

“Well, you said you didn't remember who you were. Maybe he's from your past,” Bakura reasoned, “Maybe he's from another part of Oblivion, like you talk about!” Sami just chuckled. This didn't amuse her, but Bakura wasn't trying to be funny. He was trying to help. And, he might've been right. After all, she had no ideas.

 

“Perhaps. I'll get answers later,” she said, “For now, let's return. We have the ship. Now we can leave Algon.” Ryou nodded, and listened as Sami started the engine. It roared to life, and soon, he felt a jerk as it began to move. Slowly, so slowly, it rumbled out of the water, up into the air, leaving through a narrow passage within the large cavern's top. The sky opened up to them. They were going to be back shortly. As they hovered over the top of the range, Sami doing her best to figure out the control, she looked down and saw the man from before, on the summit. He was watching her. He was always watching her.

 

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

 

With ship in hand, Sami leads Ryou and Bakura back to Algon to pick up their friends and continue on. But, with the appearance of that mysterious man, another problem arises from this journey. And Sami wants to figure it out. Who is he, and why is he helping them? Will they encounter him again, or was he an apparition? Will Domino be standing when they arrive there? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!