Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Weathered ❯ One-Shot

Weathered

As the guitar and drums start, the view pans upward from the ocean's horizon as seen from the beach up into the starry yet dim night sky. The view immediately shifts to Yami Bakura, who is lying in a hammock as he sings:

I lie awake on a long, dark night.

I can't seem to tame my mind.

He looks up when the light from a nearby campsite flares up then dies as a group of people start wandering towards him.

Slings and arrows are killing me inside.

He tumbles from the hammock and dashes towards the tree line so as to avoid them.

Maybe I can't accept the life that's mine, no...

He ducks into the deeper shadows of the trees, but looks over his shoulder as the light flares up again and illuminates his face, showing the swiftly shifting expressions of confusion, a bit of fear, but mostly anger.

Maybe I can't accept the life that's mine.

He runs into the protection of the forest, but then starts meandering aimlessly before coming to a small yet fairly deep river.

Simple living is my desperate cry.

Bakura flops onto his back on the sandy shore of the river, looking up into the trees.

Been trading love with indifference...

His eyes soften from a glare to a calm gaze as he watches the flickering light of the stars high above.

Yeah, it suits me just fine.

It turns back to a glare as he sits up and throws a flat stone into the river, which sinks instead of skipping over the surface.

I try to hold on, but I'm callused to the bone.

He stands and starts walking along the river, shivering a bit but heading upstream.

Maybe that's why I feel alone...

His head snaps up when he hears a sound, looking around for any sign of danger.

Yeah, maybe that's why I feel so alone.

He decides that it's just his mind playing tricks on him and resumes his dismal trek.

'Cause me, I'm rusted and weathered,

He hears it again and starts running in the direction he was headed, looking over his shoulder once or twice to see if he can spot whatever is following him.

Barely holding together.

He trips but gets back up right away, only slightly wincing at the sight of one of his pant legs torn around the knee and blood seeping through.

I'm covered with skin that peels and it just won't heal.

Bakura spins around, expecting to be face to face with his pursuer, but sees no one. The shift in his balance causes him to lose it completely and fall into the river. As he tumbles downstream with the current, he screams:

I'm rusted and weathered,

Barely holding together.

I'm covered with skin that peels and it just won't heal.

No, it just won't heal, no no...

His head connects with a rock jutting out of the water and everything goes black.

The sun shines and I can't avoid the light,

The next thing he knows, he's back on the beach and the sun has just risen. He doesn't know how he got there, but his knee is wrapped in a bandage.

I think I'm holding on to life too tight.

Bakura sits up, surprised by how stiff he feels. A short distance away towards the ocean he sees Ryou staring off into space.

Ashes to ashes and dust to dust.

He rises slowly, trying to avoid attracting his light side's attention. Nearly back to the trees, he looks back to check.

Sometimes I feel like giving up, yeah,

Ryou stands about five feet behind him. Apparently he'd taken notice of his dark side's departure. He reaches out and opens his mouth as if about to say something, but says nothing and pulls his hand back as Bakura runs into the forest.

I said sometimes I feel like giving up.

Bakura moves faster than ever, as if the hounds of hell were at his heels. He sings as he runs:

'Cause me, I'm rusted and weathered,

Barely holding together.

I'm covered with skin that peels and it just won't heal.

I'm rusted and weathered,

Barely holding together.

I'm covered with skin that peels and it just won't heal.

It just won't heal, no...

He comes to a stop, hearing the same sound he'd heard last night. He looks around, still unable to determine its source.

The day reminds me of you.

Yugi steps forth from the shadows, extending his hand in a gesture of friendship and acceptance. Bakura quickly backpedals...

The night hides your truth.

And turns around to see Téa, who smiles.

The earth is a voice,

He chooses a different direction, but runs into Tristan.

Speaking to you.

Bakura is starting to become frustrated as he turns in yet another direction, only to face Joey.

Take all this pride

He lunges at the blond boy with a feigned punch and manages to get around him.

And leave it behind,

Free of the four, he glances over his shoulder and smirks when he sees them looking rather disappointed but making no attempt to follow him.

'Cause one day it ends,

Not watching where he's going, Bakura runs into something and falls flat on his back.

One day we die.

He grumbles as he tries to stand but suddenly turns deathly pale as he sees that it was Yami Yugi he'd run into.

Believe what you will,

His anger is washed away by fear and panic as he runs like he had from Ryou.

That is your right,

Unable to think clearly, the twisting paths in the forest become alien to him and unrecognizable as he gets himself even more lost than before.

But I choose to win,

Bakura comes to a dead end as the trees thicken and a boulder cuts off the path.

I choose to fight...

He faces what he knows is coming, masking his obvious fear with an expression of anger mixed with unadulterated hatred.

To fight!

He never sees Yami's face, only the Eye of Horus glowing on his forehead before the semi-bright forest surrounding him disappears to be replaced with the blackness of Oblivion. Alone in the dark, he sings:

'Cause me, I'm rusted and weathered,

Barely holding together.

I'm covered with skin that peels and it just won't heal.

His expression of hatred remains static as he continues:

I'm rusted and weathered,

Barely holding together.

I'm covered with skin that peels and it just won't...

A flicker of some emotion other than hatred reflects in his eyes for a second.

Covered with skin that peels and it just won't...

His eyes soften a bit.

Covered with skin that peels and it just won't heal.

He closes his eyes in defeat, giving in to despair.