Yami Bakura

Yugi and Ryou's foolish mortal friends were not hard to deal with. I wanted to use the eye to steal the souls, but I dared not. It had not yet completely regained all its strength from Ryou's feeble attempts to protect himself from the shadow realm. Also I wasn't certain how to use it for this purpose. Ryou had not exactly practiced that. My ring would do just as well. But I did use one of Pegasus's tricks by creating blank cards magically and sealing the souls in there. No use in letting a good idea die with its creator.

I manipulated the soul-less vessels into the dining area, where they sat in the corner, staring blankly. No longer needing to hide my identity, I delighted in informing Yugi of his mistake. It would have been better had I been there to see the look of horror on his face, but sensing his metal distress did well enough to satisfy me.

I sat in darkness, awaiting Yugi. Though by time he reached the house, he had already allowed his other to assume control. That was fine. It was Yami Yugi whom I had business with.

I tracked Yami with the millennium eye. I saw through his eyes exactly where he was. As he drew closer, I stopped invoking the magic. He entered the room and I could see him well enough in the dark. My sight was already well adjusted and I naturally had excellent night vision. Even with one eye.

I grinned, watching him stumble around in the dark. Gone was his self- confident and high-and-mighty appearance. He was soaking wet from the rain and nervously looked all about him, as if expecting me to jump out at him at any second. But that was not my style. I did not like to end it all at once. Much better to drag out the victory, savoring every precious moment. There was no possible way for him to make one of his miraculous comebacks this time. I had him...

I revealed myself through the power of the millennium ring. Yami had to shield his eyes from the sudden brightness. But when he looked at me again, his glance showed all the hatred I would expect him to. He even threw and insult at me. I enjoyed this all immensely. I had Yami in a corner, and there was no way for him to escape.

Finally, he asked the question that I knew he would.

"How?" he said. "How did you return?"

"My methods would do you no good," I replied. "Once you are sealed in the shadow realm, there will be no escape for you. You're too soft for it."

"So that's what you want? Revenge as well as my puzzle?"

"Precisely."

"I am not yet concerned with my fate," he said. "What I want to know is how you escaped. How were you able to hide from me? And how long have you been keeping your innocent other a prisoner in his own mind?"

"It is not I that am holding Ryou prisoner," I stated.

"What?" He seemed surprised. I did not wait for him to continue.

"I have been present in this world since our dear friend Ryou was foolish enough to get himself knocked out."

"So that is when you took over?" he interrupted. "Since when do you take over when Bakura is in pain? You usually allow him to take all the suffering for you."

"Ryou was not there to take the suffering." Yami opened his mouth in disbelief but said nothing. I continued. "Believe me, the masochist that I am, even I would not willingly endure that much pain and sickness. But it was better than the shadow realm. You see, the shadow realm can only sense energy, not identity. It cannot really tell one soul from another. So I was able to leave...so long as I had a replacement."

Yami's eyes widened as the realization hit him. But still he said nothing. Having the great game king at a state of speechlessness was too good.

"The link between Ryou and myself was a strong one," I continued. "Able to even cross dimensions. By beckoning him through his dreams, I was able to lure Ryou into the depths of the shadow realm. His unconscious state was the perfect opportunity. And when your host is your slave rather than your partner, he is so much easier to manipulate. Leaving him to his fate, I returned to this world, two millennium items strong. That is why you were unable to sense me in the ring, Yami Yugi. I was not there. I inhabit this body alone. I no longer rely on the millennium ring to maintain my earthly existence. And I possess all the knowledge and skills that my host left behind. You never had a chance....."

"You have not won yet," he said, finally speaking up. "When this is done, you will release those imprisoned souls and take Bakura's place in the shadow realm."

"I'll agree to the first term, should you win, but you may want to choose another second term."

"What are you saying?"

"I am saying," I replied, "that I have not sensed Ryou's spiritual energy for quite some time now. I suspect that he has succumbed to the powers of the shadow realm. Fool could not even defend himself from it."

"No..." Yami muttered. "You allowed your host to perish in the shadow realm?"

"If he was too weak to survive, then he deserved his fate," I said harshly, growing impatient. "The time is now, Yami! We will continue this in the shadow realm. No luck this time, Yami. No strategy. No cards. Just power. Magic versus magic! A battle of energy! Now, to the shadow realm!"
 
 

Yami Yugi

My mistake had already possibly cost one life. And Yami Bakura had declared our match to be a battle of millennium item powers. Things were not going well. Yami Bakura was skilled at battles of magical energy, even with just the ring. And because he had more to barter with than I did, I had no right to challenge his choice. 'At least he is not after Yugi,' I thought. The millennium eye glowed.

"I am not interested in your pathetic host," he sneered. "Of that, you needn't worry. Once I have the puzzle, he will be of no concern to me. You and I both know full well that without you he cannot even stand up for himself, let alone challenge me. He is but a mortal."

"You should not underestimate mortals," I said. "They can surprise you."

"Hmph. Your host is no different from mine. A cowardly specimen. Blinded by morals and cowering at the mercy of those stronger. And to tolerate such weakness makes you weak. Something you refuse to see. But I will show you... And you will have an eternity in the shadow realm to muse upon it. Now quit stalling!"

With that, the already dark room became even darker still. The shadows moved as if they had a will of their own. They swirled around, seemingly taunting me. Yami Bakura was unfazed. I don't know of anyone more at home in the darkness than he. I suppose that was how he was able to keep his sanity intact during the long months he spent in the shadow realm. Well, as much sanity as he ever had.

"I heard that, Yami," he said as the realm finished forming around us. "My sanity is just fine. And, I might add, I am far saner than many who has lost a game against you. You always did derive some sadistic pleasure in having insanity as your game penalty. I find that even death is a kinder fate..."

"Shut up!" I yelled losing my temper. I did not like my past brought up. "If you don't want to hear any insults then stay out of my mind!"

"Struck a chord there, did I?" he laughed. "Pains you to think that you once enjoyed toying with mortals. To think that you were once like me...."

I wanted to yell at him. To deny everything. But there was truth in what he said. And the truth hurt more than a thousand of his lies.

<Don't listen to him!> came the voice of Yugi from deep in the back of my mind. <He's trying to throw you off! He's reading into you, trying to find what he knows will upset you the most! It psychology of the game, like you've always said! He's trying to get the upper hand! Don't listen! The past doesn't matter. It's now that matters!>

I sighed. He was right. I was already letting my guard down. I would have to keep a straight head for there to be any chance of freeing the captured souls. Even if it was too late for one...
 
 

Yami Bakura

Yami was quick to regain himself. Damn Yugi's interference! But it would make little difference. Something caught my eye. Something that would do well to rattle Yami's confidence. Or should I say "someone"...?

"Well, Yami," I smiled, "You prove hard to shake. You've mastered the psychology of the game with your unwavering confidence." He stared at me, trying to figure out what I was up to. I stared back. "But I wonder... Just how unshakable are you?"

"What are you going on about?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Nothing, nothing..." I replied. "But if you wish to see a glimpse of what may very well be your own fate, simply look over your shoulder."

"What?" Yami turned around, his eyes wide as they fell on the faded and limp form of Ryou, lying still on the floor of the shadow realm. Ryou seemed to be bordering on existence. The last bit of his spiritual energy hovering mere inches away from oblivion. He could fade away completely at any moment, like a puff of smoke.

Yami trembled slightly. His back was to me. He wasn't paying attention to me. A game had not yet been named. At the moment, it was anything goes. Yami was distracted. It was a perfect chance to end it all with me finally coming out victorious. Ryou had finally made himself useful. A perfect distraction.

I built my power up steadily. One well aimed blast of energy would be all it would take. Yami still did not notice me. A fatal error. He was always too easily distracted by emotional matters. That would be his downfall. I prepared to take Yami down.

Suddenly, without warning, a blast of energy hit me from the side. I screamed from the pain of it and fell to the ground. It had caught me by surprise, but it was not an especially strong blast. But who could have caused it? Yami looked around, equally baffled. And then both of us focused on a lone figure in the darkness....
 

Yami Yugi

When I saw Bakura's lifeless form lying there, my heart just about stopped. It was one thing to know of his fate, it was another to see it. He was fading away. The shadow realm was about to claim the last bit of his spiritual energy. There was nothing to be done at this point. He was too far gone.

I don't know how long I stood there, simply staring in shock. Too long. I let my guard down. Quite suddenly, I noticed a build up of energy. Yami Bakura was preparing to attack. I turned sharply around...just in time to see Yami Bakura scream and fall. A blast of energy had issued forth from somewhere. But where? I turned again, searching for the source, when I noticed that Bakura had disappeared. He was simply gone. The shadow realm couldn't have finished him off that quickly, could it? My eyes darted around, finally focusing on a figure in the darkness. It was moving slowly, but definitely coming closer. I squinted, trying to identify it. Then, as it got closer, I finally realized.

"Bakura...?"