Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Virus ❯ Chapter 24

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

Sorry for the lateness in updating. School work, and 'puter problems have conspired to put me behind. Here we go, with the same disclaimers as always:

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Virus - Part 24

Bakura's sudden appearance in the Kaiba household was met with a surprised squawk. Understandable, considering that he appeared in a tub with Ryou in the middle of a bubble bath. Ignoring the water leaking into his shoes, the yami reached down and pulled his hikari to his feet.

Bakura brushed Ryou's damp locks from his cheek and marveled again at his beautiful Ryou. He gave a leering grin and crushed their lips together. His arms encircled the naked boy; Ryou's arms pulling him closer as well rewarded his efforts. After a minute or two of kisses, slowly gentled, Bakura felt Ryou begin to shiver in his arms. He stepped back to allow Ryou room to step out. Bakura never had a chance as his foot slipped on a hidden bar of soap. He was knocked out cold.

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"Seto! Wait up!" Yugi was gasping for air. They were running from the Keep, but Yugi's shorter legs, and the fact that he wore no shoes, were holding him back. He could see Seto stop ahead of him and hold out his hand. The brunette didn't even appear to be winded. Sometimes Yugi really hated being short.

"Come on. I want to put some serious distance between us and that pile of rocks before sunset," Seto said. When Yugi came even with him, he noticed that Yugi was limping. He looked down at the little one's feet and saw they were scraped on the tops. He also saw blood seeping up from between the toes.

He pulled Yugi behind the cover a large shrub and sat down facing the shoeless boy. Gently he picked up one of Yugi's tender feet and daubed the blood off as best he could. He couldn't give Yugi his shoes; he needed to be able to fight or run with Yugi in his arms. Yugi certainly couldn't carry him. Then Seto had an idea. He quickly removed his shoes, then pulled off his thick argyle socks. He placed one on Yugi's swollen foot and pulled the sock up the small but sturdy leg. He then repeated the procedure with the other.

"There. It won't help with the pain, but it's better than nothing."

"They're great, thank you Seto." Yugi experimentally pointed and flexed his feet and toes in their new casings. He smiled a little - the socks came up nearly to his knees. He couldn't help a little giggle, but it turned into a gasp of pain as he stood on his cut and bruised feet.

Seto reached over and steadied Yugi by placing an arm around his waist. Yugi rested his arm on Seto's shoulders and tested his walking ability. His limp was even more pronounced, now that he had time to think about the pain. Seto could only watch for a few moments before he scooped up Yugi and cradled him close to his chest.

He said gruffly, "We'll move faster this way." Yugi smiled gratefully and snuggled closer, his arms circling Seto's bare neck and shoulders. Sometimes Yugi really liked being short. Seto smiled to himself and continued their trek towards the forest.

The woods had seemed so far away when they had climbed from the castle window. They had expected to be chased down by Pegasus' monsters at any time, but so far they detected no pursuit. Closer and closer to the tree line they came. Their luck couldn't hold out. Just as the passed the first low hanging branches, there arose a hue and cry from the Forbidden Keep. Their escape had been discovered.

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All the way to the Dark Citadel, Yami prayed that Bakura and Mokuba would return in time. He was no match for the Other, not even with all the cards in his deck. There was only one duel monster that could fight the Other to a standstill, and that monster had been lost to him.

He approached the Citadel and noticed that repairs needed due to yesterday's battle were nearly completed. Was it just yesterday? It seemed like weeks since this adventure had begun. He could only hope that it ended soon with his little light safe by his side. Please, Kaiba. Keep him safe.

He landed in the courtyard and allowed Curse to roam the grounds. He entered the castle and made his way to the Magician's room. Inside he saw Siji seated by his beloved's bedside, stroking the purple hair and soft cheeks, letting his presence be felt. At Yami's entrance he rose and asked, "The Little Master?"

Yami shook his head and said, "No. He is a prisoner in Pegasus' Forbidden Keep. I have come to awaken the Dark Magician and ask him to join us in a rescue attempt." Yami's face turned grim. "If he cannot be rescued by sunset, Pegasus will perform the Dark Soul Ritual and release the Other from the Shadow Realm."

Siji gasped, as did the Mystical Elf who entered the room behind Yami. She went to the Magician's sleeping form, then turned to her Pharaoh. "Are you ready?" Yami nodded. Shala said, "He will be still be under the influence of the virus. He may not be willing to work with you."

The Celtic Guardian smiled and handed Yami a duel monster card. "Perhaps this will help."

Yami flipped over the card and saw that it was the Change of Heart. "This is Bakura's! How did you get it from him?"

Siji explained about his previous encounter with the other yami. He had kept the card, intending to return it to its owner. "I think it will serve us better in this case. If we are to rescue Yugi, we need you and the Dark Magician to work together as before. You can return it to Bakura when Yugi is safe."

Yami was relieved. He had not figured out how to change the Dark Magician back to his loyal self. He was hoping the spell caster would help out of his love for Yugi. Now he would have his old friend back. The Magician couldn't stand against the Other, but he, with the help of the other monsters in Yami's deck, could certainly defeat any monster Pegasus could call forth. Yami nodded to Shala, and the Elf chanted her awakening spell.

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There was cold fury in Pegasus gaze as his eyes swept the empty bedroom. He noted the disheveled bed, the poker carelessly tossed on the carpet, and the knotted end of his best sheets wrapped securely around the edge of the bed. The remainder of the sheets, along with two drapes and the comforter, were dangling down the side of the Forbidden Keep.

He could hear his pathetic horde of duel monsters scurrying around the castle, trying to pick up their trail. They wouldn't be difficult to find; they didn't have much of a head start. Already one of his monsters reported seeing Kaiba and the boy near the edge of the forest. It also reported spatters of blood. Pegasus believed they must be Yugi's because the boy had no shoes. The rocks around the Keep must have torn into his tender soles.

Pegasus directed all of the remaining monsters to continue the pursuit. They would not be allowed to return until the runaways were returned. If the Other found them in the forest, It might decide to go ahead and destroy Yugi without the Ritual. The Dark Soul Ritual was only necessary to trap the sacrifice's power and tear a whole between dimensions. The Other didn't care one way or another. It just wanted that innocent flesh. Pegasus had to find them first, and he only had a few hours to do so. Yami and Bakura would be here before sundown.

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His poor yami had slipped on the soap and hit his head on the side of the tub. Ryou had to quickly drain the water or Bakura might have drowned. After slipping on a robe, Ryou called for Joey and Tristan to help haul the waterlogged yami out of the bathroom and into some dry clothes and a warm bed.

It had been nearly four hours, and Ryou was frantic. Bakura still hadn't awoken, and Yugi, Yami, and Seto had failed to appear. What concerned Ryou even more was that the Millennium Eye was missing. Bakura never let the thing out of his sight. He always had it in his hand or in his pocket, but it was gone. Ryou had even searched through the bubbles at the bottom of the bathtub with no luck. Ryou had a thought. What if it went down the drain?

/Oh dear. It couldn't possibly fit. It's much too large, isn't it?/ Bakura, slowly coming into consciousness, heard only the last bit of his hikari's thoughts. He gave a sweet smile.

/Don't worry, sweet Ryou. While I am gifted in that area, it isn't unusually big. If there is enough lubrication, it will fit./ Ryou, happy to hear his yami and see those big brown eyes open and aware, did not register the innuendo.

"You're awake!" Ryou ran to the doorway and alerted the others to Bakura's alert status. Ryou ran back to the bedside and tearfully apologized for leaving the soap where 'anybody could step on it.'

"Stupid hikari. I was thinking of you when I transported from the Shadow Realm. My powers placed me as close to you as possible. You did nothing wrong. Stop crying!" Bakura's words were harsh, but he gathered his tearful light into his arms and rubbed his back. //Hush now. I don't want the others to come in and see a weak hikari. Show them that you are strong.//

Ryou pulled away and nodded; he brushed the tears away with the sleeve of his too big robe. Joey, Tristan, Tea, and Mokuba entered the room.

Joey was the first to ask, "Where's Yugi and the others?"

Tristan chimed in, "You didn't just leave them there, did you?"

"Why are you back all alone?" asked Mokuba. "You were supposed to protect my big brother!"

A barrage of questions and accusations followed, until finally Ryou had had enough.

"Quiet! In case you've forgotten, he's been injured. Now everyone be silent and give Bakura a chance to answer your questions." Bakura kept a fierce scowl on his face, but inside he was beaming with pride. Take that, mortals! My hikari told you to shut up and you did! OK, so Ryou's 'shut up' was phrased much more politely, but it was a start.

"I am not in the habit of repeating myself, so keep your mouths shut and listen. The last time I saw Yugi Motou and Seto Kaiba they were alive and relatively uninjured, the Pharaoh as well. Yugi and Kaiba have been taken prisoner by Pegasus," Bakura paused to allow for the disbelieving gasps then continued. "He is alive and residing in the Shadow Realm. Apparently, the Millennium Eye contained a powerful yami. It is this yamis Shadow Powers that have sustained him.

"Pegasus wants to make a trade," Bakura said gravely and kneeled down to face Mokuba. "He wants your family's money and my Millennium Eye. He says he will release Yugi and Kaiba once his demands are in his possession. Ryou, fetch my shirt."

Ryou did as his yami bid. Bakura reached into the pocket and took out the now soggy letter from Pegasus and Kaiba. The parchment, and Ryou's quick action, had saved them from becoming completely waterlogged. They were still legible. He opened Pegasus letter first and passed it around for all to read. He then gave Mokuba the letter from his brother.

Joey and the others leaned over Mokuba's shoulder and read Kaiba's letter to the little boy. It basically recapped what had happened and the ransom needed for their freedom. Joey was the first to speak.

"Yeah, it's just like Bakura said, but I dunno, it seems a little…wordy… for Kaiba. He always struck me as a 'get to the point' kinda guy. It took him a whole page to tell Mokuba to empty the bank and bring the stocks. What gives?"

"Mokuba? What do you think?" asked Tea. "Is this from Seto?"

"Yes, definitely. I know my brother's handwriting. But Joey's right. It's an awfully long letter for him."

The group puzzled over the mystery for a few minutes, when Joey's eyes lit up.

"Hey! You know how they say 'you gotta read between the lines?' Well, Kaiba wants us to read between the margins. Lookit!" The friends gathered closer to see what Joey was pointing out.

Bakura smiled and nodded. "Yes, that could work. That's not bad at all for a mortal. Very clever. He's not nearly as stupid as he looks."

Mokuba's glared at the yami, then exclaimed, "I can do the first part. But the second? I don't have those!"

Tristan and Joey exchanged a look. "Don't worry, Mokuba. Joey and I will get those cards and be back before you know it. You just worry about the money and stock certificates," said Tristan. "Uh, I know where we can get them, but it might cost a few bucks."

Mokuba reached into his pocket and handed Tristan a credit card. "Here, use this. It only has a ten thousand dollar limit. Will that be enough?"

After gaping at the child, Joey composed himself and said, "Yeah, kid. That's plenty. We should be back in about an hour."

Ryou, who had been dabbing at the bump on Bakura's head with a cool rag, urged the boys to hurry. "With the time difference between the mortal world and the Shadow Realm, that should be enough time, but we can't take any chances."

The group went their separate ways: Joey and Tristan to buy the cards Kaiba wanted, and Mokuba and Tea to Seto's computer room in order to work on the rest of the demands.

Ryou continued administering first aid to his yami. Trying to remain calm, but shaking inside, Ryou asked, "What is it that you're not telling us?"

Bakura was shocked that his hikari was so perceptive. They had been growing closer of late; this newfound ability must be a side effect. Bakura debated on how much to tell Ryou. In the end, he decided to be completely honest. He even included details of his own near sacrifice to the Other and the rapes by Pegasus' yami. His hikari had a right to know, especially if they weren't successful.

Ryou was stunned and very afraid for his friend. He was also stunned and angered at the evil that had been done to his yami. He felt impotent with rage. The evil ones were in the Shadow Realm and he could not seek vengeance against them. He could, however, give his yami all the love and support his caring heart could offer.

Mokuba had left Seto's letter on the bed beside the two white-haired boys. As they held each other, Bakura smirked as he re-read the first and last letters of each line. They spelled out two phrases. F-A-K-E E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G was scrawled down the left margin. F-O-R-B-I-D-D-E-N O-N-E was scrawled down the right.

They had a chance.

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