Yugi

It was getting late when the doctor had finally talked to us and allowed us to see the still sleeping Bakura. We weren't allowed to stay for long, but the doctor said that if the scans showed no damage, Bakura would be allowed to go home for recovery. Thankfully, all Bakura's insurance information had been in his wallet, though we still did not know how to contact his dad.

We all had to go home for the night. I would be back first thing in the morning. The others, sadly, could not. Anzu had a dance lesson, and Honda had errands for his folks. Jounouchi just didn't like hospitals, and felt really guilty about it. But they would be awaiting my info.

I went to bed fairly early, although I did not fall asleep until well after midnight. Yami and I were deep in conversation.

<I still think you're worried over nothing,> I told him. <What happened to Bakura wasn't due to supernatural forces. Just some jerk with a bad temper.>

<You said yourself that he was acting strange. And I'm sure what I sensed was a disturbance in the shadow realm.>

<Yami, even if Yami Bakura had escaped, which he can't because he's there because of a game penalty, Bakura doesn't have the ring with him. The doctors took it away.>

<It isn't impossible to find a loophole around a game penalty,> he said, unwilling to let it go.

<Explain how he would be able to do anything when Bakura doesn't have the ring.>

<I can't.>

<Please relax, Yami,> I said. <When we see Bakura tomorrow, we can ask him if anything weird happened before he gets his ring back.>

<I don't like waiting,> he replied. <Last time we waited and it almost got someone killed. We had underestimated Yami Bakura, and I will not do it again.>

<Even if you're right, how are we supposed to know if it is Yami Bakura or just the after-effects the doctor spoke of?> I asked. Yami sighed heavily.

<I guess we can't until he makes a move. This injury complicates matters. There is no way we can be sure... Except if he acts the same with and without the ring. Even that damned tomb robber can't control his host without his millennium item. We will go early tomorrow, to be sure we get there before he gets the ring back.>

And it was settled. Yami would not be satisfied until he saw evidence proving that Yami Bakura was still locked in the shadow realm. Yami's self- esteem had taken a violent blow the last time he'd faced Yami Bakura. He'd been tricked, and he had almost lost. This close call was obviously still fresh in his mind.

Yami seemed so sure, though. I could not help but think, 'What it he IS right?'
 
 

Yami Bakura

I was woken up early the next morning. For the "scan" they had spoke of. What a horrible experience that was. They put me into a very tight tube- like machine. I could not even sit up in the thing. It was cramped and I did not like it at all. I did not hesitate to let these feelings be known.

"If SOMEBODY does not GET ME OUT OF HERE I will personally KILL EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU!!!"

Needless to say, I was feeling much better today. I could move about without feeling dizzy or sick, and my head did not hurt as much. The doctors and nurses seemed unimpressed by my outrage as if they heard death threats everyday. The first thing I did after the scan and after I had calmed down was demand the return of my ring. But the nurses claimed that they did not have the authority to do that. I would have to ask my doctor when he came to see me later in the morning.

I wanted my ring especially because I could sense a definite decrease in the power of the eye. Ryou had discovered how the use it to keep himself safe. I had not planned on this. I had hoped that he would slowly wither away and I would be left with all the power and the body. He was using most of the eye's magic, and I basically had to compete with him for any of its power. Yet again, Ryou was ruining my plans. Fool mortal. Always getting in my way.

They gave me some food, but I did not eat. I was still not accustomed to bodily needs, having not had a body in five thousand years. This proved troublesome when another bodily need came about, and I had to, um, deal with it. Necessity aides in remembering these things.

I spent most of the remainder of the morning undisturbed but bored out of my head. I did not want to sleep, so all I could do was sit in bed. They had brought a newspaper in with my breakfast, but I did not have the patience for such things.

At about 9:30, Yugi showed up. He said he had been there all morning, but visiting hours did not start until nine, and then he had to prove to a nurse that he was over twelve, because this hospital did not allow children under twelve into patient rooms. He genuinely seemed worried, but I knew Yami was behind some of this. Yugi was asking questions that I knew from Ryou's memory he would not be asking were his yami not suspicious.

"Has anything weird been going on Bakura?"

"What do you mean "weird"? I questioned.

"Well, unusual stuff. Maybe to do with the millennium items?"

"Nothing unexpected. Should I have?" Yugi would be easy enough to fool, but I wasn't so sure about his yami.

"It's just that Yami was concerned, but then he always is," Yugi replied. "So... You seem to be feeling better."

"It's not hard to feel better than I did yesterday," I said, slightly annoyed. There was no point in hiding my annoyance, seeing as I had the perfect excuse to be "irritable".

Yugi told me about how much the others were worried about me and how sorry they were that they couldn't be here. I was glad that they weren't, but I did not say this. It would not be wise to press my luck.

After an hour of mindless chatter with Yugi (where he did most of the talking) the doctor finally arrived. Before he could say anything, I told him very bluntly that I wanted my ring back. Yugi had been showing some shock at my attitude, but I ignored him.

"I don't see any reason why you can't have it back if it means that much to you," the doctor said.

"It does," I said simply.

"I'll have a nurse bring it up to you. Meanwhile, I have your scan results." He flashed a folder. "It seems there is no brain damage."

I scoffed. "I could have told you that." Yugi raised an eyebrow at me, but again, I ignored him. The doctor seemed unconcerned with my temper.

"We just like to make sure." He smiled. I did not return it. "We can release you this afternoon, say, around five, if you promise to stick close to your friend so that they can keep an eye on you. Make sure you don't have a relapse. Seeing as you don't have any family available, I can release you into the care of your friends." I reluctantly agreed.

"There is one more thing of concern," he said, his voice serious. "It's not on your records, so I was wondering how you got that eye."

I saw Yugi flinch. Apparently, he had been dreading this question. But I was a thief. Lying and deceiving was what I did best.

"There wouldn't be any records of it," I said. "It happened in Egypt, while I was on a trip with my father. I was attacked and robbed while on my own in the bazaar. I suffered many injuries from that assault." At this I lifted the blankets and showed a scar on my thigh. I stretched out my left arm, and showed another on my upper arm. Finally, I lifted the strange shirt they had me wearing some and revealed several scars on my chest, stomach, and side.

"These weren't deep," I said, "but they were at an angle, so they bled a lot. My attackers wanted me to think I was more hurt than I was so that I would cooperate." This was, of course, far from the truth. There had never been any muggers. Each and every one of these scars had been made by me, in my many rages against Ryou. I knew about the angled cuts because it was a strategy that I had used. Ryou didn't fight when he thought he was mortally wounded. I continued on with my story.

"My eye was injured beyond repair," I lied. "So it had to be taken out completely. This is a fake one purchased from a merchant dealer. It was the only one we could find on such short notice." I gestured to the millennium eye. "It's sort of a souvenir."

"You didn't see a doctor once you got back?" he asked.

"No. This was only six months ago. I haven't been to a doctor since."

"You've healed up quite nicely, though most prefer removable glass eyes to permanent gold ones. I have to hand it to the doctor who performed this." I smiled. I had put the eye into place.

The doctor accepted my answer and left, saying he'd see me again before I left. I reminded him to get me my ring. I then noticed Yugi. He was staring at me as if I were some strange spectacle. Oh, that's right. Ryou never was that good at lying. Oh, well. Chock it up to another side effect from the wonderful head injury.

I was in a fairly good mood. My strength was returning. I would soon have my ring again. And I didn't have to waste my time playing the part of the pathetic little Ryou. I would not let this opportunity slip through my fingers like last time.