Lion's Mouth: Part 2 (Yu-Gi-Oh)

Chapter 15

"You didn't see a phoenix made of fire in Egypt, did you?"

I frowned. No, that was certainly not a memory. And I had not witnessed my mother's death. "Things like that can't really happen, can they?" I looked at him earnestly, searching for an answer.

Bakura shrugged. "There's a lot we've seen that I never thought could have existed." He paused. "Even if you're not predicting the future, I still think your subconscious is trying to tell you something. The Domino City Museum just got that ancient Egyptian exhibit. Perhaps you should delve into your Egyptian history."

I stopped in my tracks. "No."

Bakura turned and looked back at me in surprise. "Why are you so against it? It might help you understand your destiny."

"Destiny? Now you're sounding like Yugi." And Yami. "I don't have a destiny, Bakura. I just want to be a normal girl."

My friend gave me a lopsided smile. "No offense, Samia, but you're not normal, and I don't think that's a bad thing. You should accept it and use it to your advantage."

He placed a comforting hand on my shoulder, but I bit my lip and looked away. Why was I so hesitant? What was I afraid of? "I – I'm just not ready for that."

Bakura withdrew his hand, sadden. "Alright. If you ever change your mind, I'm here to support you."

I lifted my head and gave him a small smile. "Thanks." Even though the two of us had not spent as much time together recently as we had in the past, it was good to know that he was still a true friend. Maybe an evolving friendship was not so bad after all. Nothing could destroy our memories and the bond that existed between us.

A familiar wave of fear washed over me, making me jump into alertness. I stood still and scanned the crowd for the source of emotions. "Tea!" I called. "What's going on?"

Tea skidded to a halt and then spun around on her heels. I felt her panic before I saw it on her face. "Hey, I can't talk. Someone stole Yugi's Millennium Puzzle!"

This time the dread that pierced my heart was my own. I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out.

"Where is Yugi?" Bakura said.

"In the alley!" Tea said, pointing behind us. "We split up to catch the guy."

"Well then, don't let us detain you. Keep looking and we'll get some help."

Tea nodded. "Right. Thanks, guys." Then she was off.

I barely had time to process this new information when I noticed something off about my remaining companion. I looked over at Bakura and noticed a familiar object hanging around his neck: The Millennium Ring. Taking in his dark expression, I suddenly understood. "You're not Bakura!"

"Clever one, aren't you?" said the Spirit of the Millennium Ring. "Now let's go." He roughly grabbed my wrist and started pulling me forward with him. In his free hand he held the Millennium Ring, which was pointing presumably in the direction of the Millennium Puzzle.

I stumbled forward but then caught my balance and fell in step beside him. "How did you get the Ring back? Tristan said he got rid of it."

He smirked. "You do not comprehend the power of the Millennium Items and the strength of the bond they have with their wielders. Such a cheap trick could not get rid of me." He chuckled darkly.

Oh, great. And why had I not sensed anything until now? Had my refusal to face reality once again blinded me to the truth? The pressure on my wrist reminded me that I had bigger problems at the moment. "Where are you taking me?" I tried to sound as commanding as possible, but I could tell the Spirit found me amusing.