It Wasn't Meant to Be This Way

By: Emif

He paced and paced a bit more. The ring swaying from side to side around his neck. The others rested on the table benignly reflecting the dim light of the room. It was almost twilight and clear out of doors. The light made them turn a deep red in the quickly fading light.

Bakura looked at them sitting there almost condescendingly. Frustration rose inside his being. It had been all he had wanted. All that had occupied his mind for three thousand years. His every thought and action had been to achieve this one goal. Yet, it was an empty victory. He felt not as he had assumed. It was rather different in fact. The Pharaoh was gone and yet he still felt the bitter gnawing feeling from the beginning. It was as though the achievement was misguided. He snapped out of this thought. "That's ridiculous." He said aloud to self. The empty room permitted it. "I have collected all of them. The seven was all here." he paused for a moment out of his self talk. "I must be shocked or some nonsense as such. It must not have truly sunken in."

"You know, that is a lie."

Bakura spun about. "Whose there?"

"It en't right you talking to yourself." the voice said in its voice. A rough almost hoarse sounding one and of a lower class nature. However familiar and well favored in Bakura's mind.

"What business is yours that I speak to myself?" he said still looking around the small room.

"Well, I en't too happy to see how I turned out. Talking to meself and pacing up and down like some penned wild cat." the voice said almost tauntingly.

"Come out already." Bakura said growing annoyed.

The ring began to grow a brilliantly bright light. Bakura's eyes snapped shut as a reflex. The light faded and he opened his eyes squinting at first. He jumped back in surprise. It was quite the opposite of what he had expected. He expected it to be perhaps that idiot Malik or the off chance it was Ryou as he probably wanted out of his soul room. However it was hardly the case. In front of him stood a man in a red robe, white linen kilt and cream sandals. A scar carved out across the left cheek. It was himself. Well as he was in Egypt. "What are you?"

"On't tell me you ardly recognize your own self." he said with a grin. He being neither belligerent nor benign but just taunting.

"Well, you must be here because of my fine job. I've gathered all of the items. You have finally achieved your mission." It was completely silent. In fact, not only that but Thief King had stopped grinning. He stood undoubtedly unimpressed. "Can you even hear me? Obviously not. Look." Bakura said pointing to the table with the other six items. He was on an edge of frustration.

Thief King looked over to them. "Those blasted things. What of them?"

"What's wrong with you!? Was I always this diluted!"

"Diluted am I?" he chuckled to himself. "You are the diluted one. You have lost all sight of our purpose. You can never..."

"I have completed our purpose! I have absolute power."

"Yer preying on deir very souls!" Thief King snapped.

"I am putting them to a proper use! Much better than they have served before!"

"So you wish ter rule. Rule well, Pharaoh."he said solemnly and faded away.

"Pharaoh!!" Bakura shouted aloud. "Fine. Flee. See if I have any concern. I have given them a higher purpose, ignorant peasant." Bakura withdrew and released Ryou. He had more pressing business. The appearance of his ancient self meant that something was desperately wrong inside his soul room.