---
Ryou was out and about. He was looking at some gaming shops to look at what games had come in. He heard there was a new version of chess on display, but his aim was to get out of the house. He had not gotten much sleep, staying up late to think things over.
The spirit had taken over his body as a punishment and went out to god knows what, but he had found some jewellery that hadn't been there before the incident. He had guessed the spirit had gone on a robbing spree and by the chuckle he had heard he was probably right. It happened sometimes in a while when the spirit was especially restless.
The day before professor Dumbledore had told him a way to get away from all of his troubles. He would manage to get friends, without having to fear for their safety. It would even please the other part, but he had an inkling feeling he was missing something. Something he had forgotten. Something important.
Yugi wouldn`t shame him if he decided to go through with it and Yugi would not go through with it. Yugi would decide it over with Atem first, but he never judged him for his choice if it was not out of pocket. He didn't think it was that, so what was it? It could possibly stir the peace between the millennium items, but it was not something that could not be fixed. It was permanent, but he was sure they could come up with solutions.
He stopped, something had caught his eyes. A shop with a window display of monsters, ghosts and other occult things. He hurried up to the window and looked at all the different things. Since he was little he had always had a fascination with out of the world things. Tarot cards, even if many found it discomfortable and inaccurate, he loved the idea of it. The thought of being able to predict the future of someone by card!
He could not stop himself from going inside. The shop air was thick with a smell from a burning candle. The kind that smelled really good. There were a few other people in here, but it was not an immensely popular shop it seemed. Something caught his eyes and he happily brought it to the counter to buy it. He had to admit that he did have a few of these from before, but this one looked interesting.
He left the shop very happy and he was in a better mood. He walked down the street over to a game shop that he knew was there.
“Hey look! It's the freak!” someone shouted. Someone bumped into him, his bubble burst. There were some guys who looked buff and had that crazed look in their eye, they were standing in front of him. He frowned, this was not good. People like this usually plagued him.
“Hey, we heard the rumour that every friend of yours goes into a coma, is that true?” one of them asked. They all snickered. Ryou noticed they were moving out of the street. They were trying to get somewhere else. Possibly somewhere dangerous and by dangerous somewhere they could torture him. Fear struck him. He had to stay calm, there had to be a good solution to this. “Look at him, he probably can't hurt a fly,” one laughed. Everyone seemed to burst out laughing at that.
“Umm… could you please excuse me?” he asked and tried to push in between them to get out. They all used their bodies to trap him inside their circle. He felt an aching feeling rise in his stomach. “Huh? What do you think guys? Should we let him leave?” asked what appeared to be the leader. That one had many muscles and looked very confident and cocky. They all shook their heads cruelly. This was not going to end well, Ryou thought.
“You see freak, we saw you on the way out of the park yesterday, you have to be the cursed white haired kid everyone says make everyone go into coma,” their leader spat in his face. Ryou raised his hand to whip off the spit, but got punched in the face. Ryou realised that he had indeed seen some teenage boys on his way home, the lump in his stomach rose to his throat.
“Huh? What is this?” a guy asked and took Ryou`s shopping bag that he had noticed when Ryou had fallen to the ground. “Have you found gold Takechi?” some guy asked. The guy snickered. Ryou felt a freezing feeling of ice run throughout his body like it was a river. It was hot and cold.
“Look guys, the kid is into this trashy tarot card bullshit,” the kid snickered. “Perhaps that is how he gets them into a coma? He predicts the future,” all the guys snickered from the comment. Ryou felt helpless, what was he supposed to do? If he even tried to take on these guys he would have been beaten to a pulp, he kind of wished Jounouchi was here even though he was not for violence.
Bakura could feel the rage build up inside of him, how could they?! He would show them what their future would look like if they so begged for it. His host even wished for that blond idiot to be here to take them down?!
“I will take them down,” Bakura decided, and rolled up invisible sleeves. He was a spirit and he was not possessing anyone, yet.
“No Bakura, don't do it!” he could hear his host say, but Bakura pushed Ryou`s voice out of his mind. He was going to fix them and put them into their place. “I am going to make them pay no matter what!”
“Perhaps that is how he gets them into a coma? He predicts the future.” Bakura had gotten up from the ground. Expression very dark, almost to kill with.
“I won`t need to predict it to tell you how it is going to go,” he said and smiled an evil smile. The guys turned towards him with a funny look on their faces. They could all feel the air shift around them into something cold and all their faces turned into one of horror. Bakura`s smile widened, the more scared the better. “But if you insist, why don't I give you my personal reading? How would you like that? I will give you all a reading each, I am feeling generous you see,” Bakura said and let the millennium ring make a room around them. It was the shadow realm, but they would not know that. Time for a shadow game, he smirked evilly.
“Let the reading begin…”
-
Ryou awoke, he looked around and panicked. He was at home, that would not normally be a problem, but this time it was. What had happened to those guys? All he could remember was that Bakura took over his body and would not let him interrupt.
“What did you do?!” Ryou asked, but all he could hear was a chuckle. This could not be good. “Don`t worry, I didn't hurt them,'' came after a while.
“You believe I would believe that?” Ryou asked. His history wasn't good. He had trapped all his friends in game figures and they all ended up in a coma afterwards. Rumours started to spread, so he had to change schools. The same had happened there, and after he had figured out what was wrong, Bakura had tormented him. That was before, now he was better. He used to take over without asking, he did that still sometimes to steal, but other than that he pretty much would kind of ask. It was weird.
“No, I didn't steal their souls, I only gave them some horror,” Bakura informed. It wasn't very reassuring and Ryou didn`t know if he should believe him or not. He had kind of forgotten what the spirit was capable of, because he didn't pull stunts like this anymore, he did steal and do terrible things still, which Ryou did not approve of. That was it! He had forgotten that he was the one to keep the spirit in check. He can't possibly go through with the ritual! People could get seriously hurt and he could not let that happen.
“Ryou, calm down, I won't hurt anyone if it isn't necessary. I am not influenced by Zorc anymore, remember?” Bakura said. He sounded panicked. Ryou had grown to know him more after Zorc and his spirit had split. He could differentiate between some emotions when they were particularly strong. There were still some things he did not know.
“Yes, but you hurt those boys!” Ryou said. “I protected us, they were being mean to you and tried to steal from you,” the spirit said. He sounded annoyed. Ryou wouldn`t fall for it. He had no idea what happened to the boys.
“Okay, listen, we played a shadow game, they will at most be asleep for two days and when they wake up they won`t know a thing,” Bakura said. Ryou felt sick. What did the spirit think? Yes, he was happy they will awake in two days, but he thinks it is a bit too much. “Just think of it as self defence, it is not like they will have psychological damage for the rest of their life,” he said.
Ryou did see the point in that they had come after him when he had done nothing, but he would have to think it over. He could not just go through with the ritual without thinking it really over.
-
True to the spirit`s words, they had seemed to have awoken after two days and not remembering anything.
-
“Yugi?” Jounouchi said and waved a hand in front of his face. “Huh? What is it!?” Yugi said after he snapped out of his mind. “You are spacing out again,” Honda pointed out.
Yugi was out with his friends, but had spaced out thinking about yesterday.
“Oh, um… sorry about that, what was it you told me?” Yugi said sheepishly as he scratched at a spot on his head. “I was just asking if you have heard of the new chess board game?” Jounouchi said. “Well, you are always caught up on new games, so yeah,” he continued.
“Oh! I actually didn't know about that, what is it like?” Yugi asked, excited. He was not too fond of chess, but he was always up for new games. “We haven't tried it yet, so we thought you would be willing to come with us to a shop and try it, perhaps they had the game on display for trying it out,” Honda informed. That did indeed sound like something he would want, so he smiled and nodded.
“What was it you were thinking about anyways, you seemed very deep in thought?” Jounouchi asked curiously. He would probably have to tell them if he wanted to start at that school, but he would have to leave out details, since it was not common knowledge to the average person. It mentioned that in the letter that one could only inform close family. That didn`t mean that he could not tell them that he was accepted into a boarding school in Scotland.
“You see, I was accepted into a school, but it is in Scotland, so I was thinking about if I should go or not,” Yugi informed, leaving out crucial parts, but he wasn't exactly lying. Both Honda and Jounouchi stared at him. He could not decipher their expressions.
“Wow Yugi, that is amazing, I would miss you if you decided to go, of course,” Honda said and smiled a big smile. “Now, if you do decide to go then you have to send letters,” Jounouchi said and ruffled his hair.
“I thought you would try to stop me,” Yugi said, he had been worried about telling his friends, because of their reactions. He would miss them dearly if he decided to leave. “Now, why would we do that? We only want the best for you! It would be an amazing learning experience to go to a school in Scotland,” Honda said.
“Yes, of course, I will inform Anzu in the days that are supposed to come,” Yugi said and smiled. He wondered what Anzu might say, but he was sure she would be happy for him too. “That`s my boy,” Honda said and ruffled his hair. “Hey! Can you two stop ruffling my hair?”
“Nope!”
“Never!” came the answer from them. Yugi sighed and smiled.
“So? What was that thing about the new chess game?”
---
Malik stood there quietly, he was always so fascinated by the night sky ever since he left the tomb. It was so beautiful. It had been a warm day, but now that it was night it started to get cold.
Tomorrow was the day he was supposed to leave for school. He clenched his millennium rod, he wasn't sure if he wanted to leave Ishizu and Rishid. They were the only family he had left, could he start at a new school where he knew no one? Would he manage that? He couldn't really picture himself making new friends.
“Are you going to pack Malik?” Ishizu said as she came into the room. Malik had agreed with her and Rishid to go, but was still unsure. Malik nodded. He got a bag and started to pack a few clothes.
“What`s wrong? You know you can tell me?” Ishizu informed. He knew that, still he frowned, he didn`t want to worry her. “It`s stupid,” he said and put some more clothes in the bag.
“I doubt it`s stupid,” Ishizu said. Malik paused. “I just don't want to leave you and Rishid,” Malik said. He looked at her, she had a small smile. “I am sure it will be okay, we can send letters or have some other way of communication. They are wizards; they have to have something to communicate with people far away,” Ishizu said smartly. Malik smiled.
“Yeah.”
“I am sure it is going to be okay,” Ishizu said. Despite his doubts, he felt much better. Perhaps it wasn't going to be that bad and it did sound cool to learn how to turn a frog into an elephant or something.
-
Yugi and Ryou sat on the floor in Yugi`s room. Both yamis were faced out and sat in their transparent forms beside their host. Yugi took out a card game, but it wasn't a duel monster. Tomorrow was the day they would leave for Britain if they decided to trust Professor Dumbledore. Yugi had been very intrigued by the professor's proposition about giving their yamis bodies. He was however a bit sceptical if he wanted to go through with it. Atem and him had shared a body for such a long time, it would be life changing if they went through with it. He hoped they both would still be able to use shadow magic, but Dumbledore had said that Atem would have a connection to the puzzle.
"I reckon we should do it," Bakura said first when they hadn't started to talk about it yet. Yugi thought he looked irritated, but he didn't understand why, then again he didn`t ever understand him.
"You just want your own body," Ryou revealed and looked sour. Yugi knew that Ryou also wanted Bakura to have his own body, because when they shared the same body Bakura would do horrendous things and Ryou would get the blame. He wasn't sure about Bakura, but he thought he may want his own body to be free to do whatever he wanted. That day he sensed a strange energy between them, which reminded him of how it was before all their crazy journeys came to an end.
"I don`t know, the ritual sounds dangerous," Atem spoke up about his concern. He had mentioned it to Yugi throughout the week. Atem and him had come to the conclusion that at least Yugi should go to Hogwart, but they wanted to talk it over with Bakura and Ryou first. "Oh? Are you afraid, pharaoh?" Bakura asked and smirked. Atem gave him an irritated look, but ignored the question.
"Yugi, do you have spare five?" Ryou asked and looked expectantly. He shook his
head and Ryou had to pull a card from the spread out cards on the floor.
"I want to go to Hogwarts," Ryou stated and gave Yugi heart eight reluctantly that he had asked for. "Me too, Atem and I have decided that at least I should go," Yugi informed. "Yeah, us too," Ryou said, but it didn't seem like Bakura agreed since he gave Ryou a dirty look.
"I also want to go," Bakura said. "I believe we should wait and see, we don't need to decide today," Atem said. Bakura shot him a glare. They all agreed with Atem, well, except for Bakura, but all he could do was frown.
-
Ryou stood in the park, he could barely sleep with how anticipated he had been. He was pretty sure he had eye bags under his eyes. He had packed a small bag with clothes and other necessary stuff. He had also informed his father about the school he had been accepted to over the phone. His father was always working in some other country, so it wouldn't really be like he would have cared much if he was in Japan or Scotland.
He stood in the park the clock was 13:45, which meant that it was only fifthteen minutes to the anticipated take off. Excitement and nervosity coursed through him, he couldn't wait. He was very impatient and tapped his foot.
"Ryou! I am here," Yugi said and came towards him with a small bag himself. He seemed excited as well, but who wouldn't be? He was wearing his normal attire. "Hello Yugi, also here a bit early?" Ryou asked and smiled at his friend.
"Haha, yep, I couldn't wait anymore, the store was making me lose my mind," Yugi said. He returned the smile. "Oh yeah, I forgot to ask, but how did you grandfather take it?" Ryou asked. "Well, he said he would miss me, but was happy that I would be going to a school in Scotland as it would be a great learning experience."
They went over to the empty bench where they had had their conversation with Dumbledore and sat down. Ryou let out a sigh, he was tired from all the anticipation.
"Do you think Kaiba will come too?" Yugi asked. Ryou wouldn't believe Kaiba would come at all, he despised magic as much as he didn't believe it. "I doubt it, have you ever seen him believe in magic despite the proof being right in front of his eyes?" Ryou pointed out. He was leaning back on the bench and looked up at the leaves on the tree right behind them.
"You have got a point," Yugi said. They waited.
By the time the clock hit 13:55 they heard some footsteps come towards them. Ryou looked up and gasped, but quickly hid it behind his hand. He elbowed Yugi who also had looked up at the sky. Yugi also gasped at the boy in front of them.
"What? Have you never seen me before or?" Kaiba asked. Ryou couldn't believe it. "What are you doing here?" Ryou asked, astonished. "You are not the only ones who have been accepted, why are you shocked?" Kaiba said and smirked.
"Oh well, I believe that is our anticipated driver," he said and pointed to the sky where a bus came flying towards them. Yugi and Ryou gaped at the flying bus. He could feel Bakura stir and came out in his transparent form.
"What are you-" Bakura stopped when he saw the bus. "What in every hell on this earth!?" Ryou could only agree with Bakura. Beside him Yugi also seemed to be thinking the same, while the only one who apparently doesn't believe in magic looks like this is something that happens in daily life.
The bus stopped in front of them. The door at the front of the bus opened and a grimy looking man stared down at them. He was about to open his mouth, but was cut off by a woman who came through and stopped in front of them.
"So who here needs a language barrier spell?" the woman asked in English and stared down at them. She was smiling, but Ryou didn't like her very much. "She has that fake energy going on," Bakura said.
-
Bakura took over Ryou without asking permission, Yugi seemed to notice since he eyed him. He glared up at the woman and stomped on her foot. She looked astonished, but didn't say anything.
"Not me, I will be going," Bakura spat in English and stepped into the bus. The bus driver looked at him with his still grimy look on his face. "What are you glaring at?" he asked the bus driver. The bus driver only huffed. He was about to punch the guy, but was stopped by Yugi.
"Lets go Bakura," Yugi said and led him down the aisle of the bus.
"You can't just be rude to everyone," Yugi said when they sat down in a seat on the bus. "Of course I can," Bakura said. "They are pissing me off."
Yugi sighed, but let it go. Bakura sat there in silence, but he soon grew bored.
"When is this bus going to go?" Bakura asked. Yugi shook his head, he didn't know. "Right now," the woman said and looked at them with a grimy look. She had come up to them. Kaiba had chosen a seat furthest away from them.
The bus took off and it wasn`t just a nice bus trip like they had expected. Both Yugi and Bakura went flying through the bus, before they landed on the floor.
Ryou felt like throwing up, he didn't know what the spirit had done, but it wasn't good. Ryou opened his eyes to see that he was on Yugi and squeezed him with his body. It felt like they were driving a hundred miles a second. He could hear Yugi groan under him. He tried to get himself up from the floor of what he assumed was the flying bus, but he fell down again which made Yugi groan again.
"Sorry," Ryou managed to get out. He never received an answer.
The bus came to a halt. Ryou perked up and saw the woman give him a dirty look, he didn't quite know what that meant, but it wasn't good. Yugi and him got off the floor. "Are we there now?" Yugi asked Ryou. "I don`t know, perhaps there are more students that also comes a long way?" Ryou said.
"Yugi, Ryou?" they heard a voice call them. They turned to see a person they hadn't thought would be accepted to Hogwarts, but Ryou thought it made so much sense.
"Malik?" Ryou and Yugi said in union. It was a surprise, it was a bit awkward between them, but mostly Bakura and Malik. "That`s me," he said and gave them a small smile. "You are also accepted to Hogwart?" Yugi asked. "Yeah."
"We are off to go," the woman said. Both Yugi and Ryou hurriedly grabbed something to hold onto. Malik didn`t know what was about to happen and they didn`t get time to say anything to him, so when the bus started to move a hundred miles a second Malik fell on his but and slode down the floor.
"Serves him right," Ryou heard from his mind. Ryou felt sorry for Malik. They should have warned him and there was no way of helping him either as he barely could hold on himself.