Ryou

I had long before learned that I could use the eye to keep my yami in the dark as to what I was thinking. It was one of the first powers I had mastered. It had spared me a great deal of pain. I was able to keep things from my yami that he would have made me suffer for. Now, I had been hoping that it would work just as well to keep him oblivious to the fact that I had survived the Shadow Realm. I needed the element of surprise. It was my only hope. I was not experienced enough in shadow games to hope to challenge him up front.

The majority of my plan had to do with having my yami think I had succumbed to the shadow realm. I stopped using all of the eye's power to protect myself. Instead, I used allowed the realm to take some of my spiritual energy, as well as my magical. It left me more weakened, but my magical strength, which was what I would need most, was less affected. This aided in helping to make my yami think I had met my demise. Surely he would think I would use all the eye's magic to shield myself. If he sensed the return of the eye's power, he would think me dead. That was what I wanted. To make sure he believed what I wanted him to, I invoked the eye to cut off his ability to sense me. To him, I might as well have disappeared.

I was extremely anxious, though. Truth be told, this was the first retaliation plan I had had that did not involve suicide in some way. But I was not ready to lie down and die. A sense of determination coursed through me. I would not sit back while others tried to save me this time. This time...I would fight back. Even if I lost, I was going to go down fighting. And this time around, I had a way to fight. My yami may have had control over the ring, but the eye was mine. I was fairly confident that even though my yami possessed my body and so the eye, that it's power rested with me. I could feel it. I don't know if the magic stayed with me, or if I was somehow managing to invoke it from a link to my body. I don't understand most matters of the dark powers.

But the eye was rightfully mine. I have suffered for it. I had mastered it. My yami had suppressed my will, stolen my body, and attacked those I cared for. I would not let him take this from me as well. For my friends, and for myself, I would fight. To the bitter end...

I could sense my yami using his ring. He was drawing an extraordinary amount energy from it. I was afraid that he was already facing Yami Yugi. If their battle never made it to the shadow realm, I would be of little use. I wouldn't put it past my yami not to play fair. In fact, I expected him not to. He never had before.

When I finally did sense someone enter the shadow realm, I had conflicting emotions. It was good that I was finally in a position to help, but I did not know how this was going to end. Yami Yugi was in a bad position, I knew that much. But he was far more likely to be able to defeat my dark half than I was. If I could just get the attention off of him...

I slowly approached the area where I had sensed the entrance. Slowly, for I lacked the energy to move fast. I recognized the energy patterns of my yami and of Yami Yugi long before I could see them. I could feel the tension between those two, like electricity in the air. They shared a hatred for each other like neither had felt for anyone else.

I could not waste time. But I did not possess the spiritual energy necessary to speed up my progress. At this rate, one of them would sense me before I got close enough. I could block out my yami, but I was not sure I could block out Yami Yugi as well. He knew nothing of my strategy, and if he gave me away, my yami might decide to put me out of the fight.

Invoking my skills as an illusionist thanks to the magic of the eye, I created an image of my likeness and placed near to where I sensed the others. The image was faded and lay on the ground, as if I were in my last minutes of existence. I made it flicker, like a light about to go out. Luckily, this deception did not require much power, so my yami never felt the eye being used.

My illusion must have worked. I could feel my yami suddenly grow quite cocky, while Yami Yugi was filled with anxiety. I would have to apologize later for worrying him. If there was a later...

I focused and slowly moved on. Then, a sudden and terrifying sense filled me. My yami was preparing an attack! Yami Yugi did not notice him. He must have still been distracted by my illusion! Oh, no, this wasn't going the way I had hoped!

I had to do something. I could not see them through the darkness, but I could feel them. I had to stop my yami from attacking. I gathered my magical energy as fast as I could. I did not have enough time to prepare a strong attack. And it would be a blind shot. But I had to try. I invoked the eye, focused my magic, and prayed that my aim was true.
 
 

Yami Bakura

My left arm was numb from the attack. I stared at the figure approaching in the darkness, trying to figure out who it was that dared attack me. Though, in the back of my mind, I think I knew.

I heard Yami mutter the word "Bakura." I at first thought he was addressing me, getting ready to give me one of those "honorable duel" speeches of his. I did not want to believe that it could actually be Ryou. There was no way that insect could have outsmarted me. It was denial. But when I saw the soft glow of the millennium eye piercing the darkness, I knew it was him. Damnit! Didn't that kid know when to lie down and die?

Ryou moved slowly. He was weakened, I could tell that much. How had he hidden from me? How had fooled me into believing him dead? It was baffling. I struggled to stand. The numbness was fading, replaced by a feeling as if I were being repeatedly stuck with pins and needles. Ryou glared at me as he marched slowly forward. It was a look he reserved only for me. It was the look he had every time he was ruining my plans. On anyone else, it would have been described as a look of hatred. But Ryou did not feel hate, not even towards me. He lacked the raw emotion that is hatred. No, his look was more of determination. But I could still detect fear in his eyes. Can't say that I blame him. Only fools challenge me without fear.

Ryou was acting against his character by attacking me. He was submissive by nature. But this... This was a side I had not seen before. The strategy he most often used to ruin my plans was some selfless act that could get him killed. He would rather die than let loose on the world. So this new strategy surprised me. I think it surprised Ryou as well. I don't believe even he knew that he was capable of this. But just because I was slightly impressed by this sudden show of courage that did not mean that I wasn't going to use it to my advantage.

"So," I said. "The host survived. What a surprising turn of events. I'd applaud you if I had full use of both my arms." Ryou just continued to glare at me. I grinned. "But really, Ryou, deception? Manipulating? Attacking me with my guard down? How unlike you. I have taught you well."

His mouth dropped slightly at this statement. He hadn't thought about it that way. I continued. "Now, you didn't think that you were capable of such a comeback on your own, now did you? You are far too innocent. Too pure and soft. But I, I have changed that in you. Now, you do whatever is necessary, casting off the morals you used to believe so strongly in, on a quest to satisfy your thirst for revenge. Bravo, Ryou, bravo."

"Stop it!" Yami said, making himself heard for the first time in a while. "Do not try to make him feel guilty for standing up for himself!" But it was too late. Ryou broke eye contact with me and cast his gaze to the ground. He remained silent. This was his typical behavior when I was around. Hmph... The emotions of these mortals were so easy to manipulate. A few well thought out words, and Ryou was returning to his state of submissiveness. It was almost too easy.