Identity Shock (Invite Only)

[mugenginga]

It ended up being Yuugi who caught the pills. His eyes were in the direction of Atem as he spoke, although his face was turned towards Ryoji, "Ryoji-kun, do you need help?"

"I'll be fine," Ryoji gave a forced grin and took the pills from Yuugi. He turned to Minato, "Minato-kun... did you say his name is Anpu? You do know that's the Ancient Egyptian name for Anubis, right...?"

Ryoji felt it was worth noting. Souji was upset about his involvement with the deities Izanami and Izanagi. And he didn't know the whole mess with the Items, but 'Anpu' had called Atem as "Pharaoh". There was way more going on here than he knew. It was plenty to warrant letting the group know that Anpu = Anubis.

Yuugi looked nervous as Ryoji said that. It was enough for Anpu to pick up the Pharaoh's boyfriend knew. Atem's expression narrowed, but he broke his gaze when he Souji made his threat. Anpu showed his teeth, shifting from a smug smirk to a cocky grin.

"You should know I can come and leave as often as I like. The Pharaoh's own royal guard couldn't stop me from reaching the throne room weighed down, these thin walls mean nothing to me," he gestured towards the walls for emphasis. He looked psychotic now, "And if you feel the urge to carry out that threat, the one you'll be harming is the boy you call Bakura. A rather advantageous turn of events, I'd say. I've returned from the dead once, but can my host accomplish such a feat. I wonder..."

He was obviously having fun taunting the group. He chuckled, his voice ice as the sound came out. As far as he was concerned, the group could all die. By aligning with the Pharaoh they had aligned against him. It was almost like he were playing with them. The memories that would bring up for Souji, especially when you considered it was still the body of the meek Bakura, would not be fun.

They weren't for Teddie, in any case. He was growling in a manner more aggressive than his normal growl. The blond actually looked scary, and one could see his canines were a bit exaggerated. If Sensei hated this man this much, so did he. And even then it was the expression of a much loved puppy compared to Atem's glare. Atem's glare is what worried Yuugi the most. One of the former Pharaoh's hands were lifted, and he seemed to be trying to decide whether he wanted to grab the Pendant or not...

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Souji's expression turned to that of frustration. Shit. He couldn't attack Anpu without hurting Bakura too. The bastard was holding his own host hostage. And this guy's attitude just reminded him of both Adachi and Naoya. Oh, what the combo.

"I can see why you get along so well with Adachi. You're both cowardly slimeballs," Souji growled. He was now holding his tarot card in his hand. Minato hadn't seen him get it out, but it was there now.

"I didn't know that, Ryoji," Minato said. "So the guy named himself after a God of Death."

"Fitting. I bet he and Adachi get along great," Souji growled. "Now, I'm going to tell you once more. Get. The hell. Out of my. Apartment."

[mugenginga]

Anpu raised an eyebrow. Souji had been talking about his Persona. The group didn't seem aware of it but he'd had to force his way out. His host had been fighting it. It had of course been futile but he'd been impressed at the effort. Persona was what the officer called Adachi had called his Ka. Anpu had yet to see a difference between the concepts beyond some basic semantics. He could fight here, or he could let the group stew over the added development.

"Remember what I said," he spoke calmly, and then slipped through the door he had cracked.

He didn't close it, and no footsteps could be heard. He wasn't rushing as he headed down the hall, either. The lack of sound was years of training, he'd have to work at making noise. The few hours his host had lost "napping" hadn't been wasted, although he was aware the boy had known something was up. He'd left the locks unlatched on purpose. People didn't give Bakura enough credit for things he observed, he was too shy to be noticed.

"Can you hear me, I wonder...?" he thought outloud. A sadistic grin spread on his face for no apparent reason as he reached the stairs and headed down them. Question answered.

----------

Ryoji moved first. Keeping his eyes on the door he opened the container and took two pills dry. He stood up, unsure if the figure with the name of a god was still there. That had to suck, having no control over what you were doing thanks to... he winced.

"I'm going to lay down..." he muttered. Why did those pain spikes always occur during certain thoughts...?

"Damn," Atem muttered, turning his head away, "Souji-kun, thank you. For not attacking."

"Is there significance there, Atem?"

Atem looked up, "What?"

"With his name."

"I don't know. Minato-kun, the god you know as Anubis isn't really the god of Death. Especially not from when he and I come from," Atem looked towards the door, "I can try to explain."

Teddie turned towards Souji, "Sensei, isn't there anything we can do!?"

Both Atem and Yuugi looked depressed at that question.

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Minato watched Ryoji go into Souji's bedroom with a pained look on his face. He'd seen Ryoji wince. In fact, he had been on the lookout for them, and was sure that whenever Ryoji thought of anything that was related to his true role, he got those headaches

Souji sighed, and the tarot card disappeared from his hand. "Maybe if we can somehow get the Ring away from Bakura..."

Minato shook his head. "The Ring's really clingy. In one episode, Honda gets it off of Bakura and throws it out of Pegasus' castle from really high up, out into the middle of the woods, and Bakura still somehow gets it back. And in another episode, from back in that first season where everyone had weird hair colors, the Ring kept Bakura from getting rid of it by taking those spike things and digging them into his skin."

Souji was going to pretend he knew what Minato was talking about. "...So we can't just take it off? Crap."

Minato turned to Atem. "It's fine, you don't have to explain." Dang. All of those movies he'd watched lied to him. Anubis wasn't some God of Death after all.

[mugenginga]

Yuugi and Atem paused and looked at each other. They both remembered Honda talking about throwing the Ring away from Bakura. They had no idea about the spikes and even less about the hair colors. Yuugi was the first to speak.

"Um.... what? Ah... I've gotten comments about my hair, but what are you talking about? Everyone's hair has always been the same color."

"That show that keeps getting brought up is probably different from what really occurred," he turned to Souji, "We never did figure out how he got the Ring back, though..."

Yuugi's eyes widened, "Except that one time! Back when Haga-kun and Ryuuzaki-kun tried to steal the God Cards, Dark Bakura seemed to be able to call the Ring to him. I think he could express if the Ring was just nearby. Maybe it was something like that?"

Anyone that knew the anime probably had to wonder about Yuugi at times. Using the friendly male honorific for Haga and Ryuuzaki wasn't exactly normal. Then again, this is the same teenager that used that honorific for Kaiba even after the Death-T games.

"So we can't do anything...?" Teddie sounded depressed.

Something flicked across Atem's mind. The scariest part was that he would have done the thought that just occurred before he and Yuugi accepted each other. Yuugi saw the pain in Atem's face.

"Atem...?"

"It's nothing," it was rather curt, even for Atem. Especially since he was addressing Yuugi. The group was unlikely to miss it. Atem had just had an idea, but he didn't seem willing to share...

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Minato hadn't had a chance to say anything more about the hair colors before Yuugi had asked Atem if something was wrong. It hadn't been said outright, but it had been implied. He looked over at Atem.

"Do you have an idea for how to get rid of Anpu?" Minato asked. The way that Atem had said "it's nothing" made Minato think he was hiding something. Considering how much that phrase got tossed around with this group... It was no wonder Minato was starting to pick up on things. Souji knew that Atem was hiding something, but he also could tell that Atem was kicking himself for ever thinking whatever that idea was.

[mugenginga]

Atem remained silent, not looking at the group. Or even Yuugi. He avoided any attempts to get a look at his face. Again, even from Yuugi.

"It's really nothing. Alright, that's a lie. It's not a good idea. Do you..."

He glanced at Yuugi. He never did figure out if Yuugi had put the pieces together. Yuugi knew people were hurt thanks to the Dark Games, but some people had died. The fact that Yuugi looked willing to accept anything he said only made things worse. He looked at the group, his face grave.

"You do know I've killed people, right?"

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Souji shook his head, but Minato nodded. Souji looked to Minato for a moment before turning back to the conversation at hand.

"Are you saying we should kill Anpu somehow? Even if we managed to get the Ring off of him, I doubt we could destroy it. The only way I can think of to kill him is to..." He stopped, and his eyes narrowed into a glare. "No. I am completely against that. We are not dropping the Ring into the TV World. That's murder."

Minato wasn't sure if he completely agreed with Souji in that regard. There might not be any other way if Anpu kept this up. Anpu would likely try to kill at least Atem. And it wasn't right for Bakura to be tormented like this.

Souji suddenly felt like he had a horrid migraine. "I'm sorry, I'm really not feeling that good guys. Look, I'll see you guys tomorrow, if we're still going to the festival... though I don't think I'm going to go."

Minato noticed Souji was looking rather pale. "...Alright."

[mugenginga]

Yuugi looked very uncomfortable at the direction the topic had headed. Even if Minato and Souji didn't remember, he did. Back when he confronted his Shadow, Atem had brought up those early days after the Puzzle had been solved. How his actions had been guided by Yuugi's own emotions.

Teddie's eyes had gotten wide. Ryoji looked a bit disturbed. Atem looked like he regretted speaking. He looked up at Souji with a dead serious gaze as he made his point, "I said it wasn't a good idea, and I meant it. Issues of right and wrong aside, it could also backfire."

"Atem, we believe you! Everyone, he just answered your question. He wasn't considering it!"

Atem smiled a bit bitterly. He wished he could be as confident about his morals as Yuugi seemed to be, "Thank you, partner. I'm sorry for dragging the conversation down. I don't think there is anything that can be done."

There could have been. If... if I had remained in the Puzzle, I'm sure there was something that was supposed to be done. Something that would have sealed the power of the Items and ended this whole mess. Partner... I'm sorry. This is my fault, from the very beginning...

[Firebreath Fishslap]

"...Sorry Atem." Minato said. He was apologizing even though he hadn't said anything. Souji was the one who had brought it up.

Souji looked a little disheartened. "There's always something that can be done, I just don't want to consider that option..." He sighed. "I'm going to bed..." For some odd reason, he felt like he was carsick. It wasn't just the migraine, he actually felt carsick for some reason. Stupid Izanami and stupid Anpu, and all he wanted to do was lay down.

Minato sighed. "We should probably go and let these two sleep." He pointed with his thumb to Ryoji. "I want to check on Bakura anway."

[mugenginga]

Atem shook his head, "It's an understandable reaction. You're actually the first people I've said this to. Even Jounouchi-kun-tachi don't know. You don't need to apologize. Partner, you don't need to feel bad."

Yuugi's eyes widened. Had he been that transparent? Atem still had a pained grin. Both of them turned towards Souji. Both were concerned, but Atem nodded. It came about the same time as Minato's comment.

"I don't feel that good either..." said Teddie.

Which was rather odd for the chipper bear. He felt like his brain was gonna explode, too much information to process at once. And worse, Sensei felt sick because of all of it. He headed towards the door. He felt a little homesick too, despite the fact the other side was still covered in fog. He stopped just outside the door and turned to Minato. Yuugi and Atem filtered out after him.

"We can still go to the festival, right?"

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Minato had walked out of the apartment before Teddie and was now facing the doorway the three others had filtered out of. He nodded once Teddie asked his question. "Yeah, we're still going. I don't know if it's a good idea to bring Souji along, though... not after what happened with Izanami earlier."

On that note, it might not be a good idea to bring Ryoji along either. If Izanami was a goddess, then possibly she knew about the Fall's coming. And Ryoji was still having those headaches.

He looked down the hallway at Adachi's apartment. "I'm going to go check if Bakura's okay."

[mugenginga]

Teddie nodded, relieved. He agreed with Minato, too. Izanami wasn't going to give a straight answer to Souji, that had been clear. And Souji was upset to the point of seeming dizzy. He was worried about Ryoji, too. Sensei wouldn't tell him what was wrong there, but it was clear something was.

"You want me to come with you, Arisato-kun?" Yuugi asked.

----------

Outside Anpu leaned against an alleyway. He seemed to be talking to someone, but anyone who came upon him would see no one. It wouldn't be out of the question to pass him off as insane.

"It would be less stressful if you just cooperated," Atem said.

"And help you hurt Yuugi-kun and Atem-san? No! I said no! Leave me alone!"

Anpu smirked, "I'm giving you an option for a little free will. I'm not going to tolerate a stunt like you pulled back in the apartments again. Tell me, Ryou, how experienced are you with pain?"

The presence next to Anpu took a step back, his face paling. Not that any but the most spiritual would know anything was there, let alone see him.

"You... you wouldn't..."

Anpu caught Bakura look a the slight scar on his left hand. The look on his face was sadistic, "We might be 'sharing' a body, but I have higher pain tolerance. If I have to prove my point, you'll be begging for a wound that simple."

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Minato shook his head. "I'm just going to go see if he's home. If he's not... then Anpu's probably still in control." And after what had happened before, it probably would be best for Yuugi to not come along.

He walked down to Adachi's door, and knocked on it a couple times. After no one came to the door, he put his hand on the doorknob and pushed it open.

"Yo, Bakura, you in here?" Minato called. Obviously not, though. None of Adachi's many locks were locked. So Anpu was obviously running around somewhere in Bakura's body.

Minato sighed. He really did feel sorry for Bakura.

[mugenginga]

Yuugi had thought about objecting, but nodded. He wanted that festival to relax, but there was Izanami. There was also the last time they'd tried to relax. He needed a vacation from his vacations. He noticed Atem look at him with a concerned expression and realized he had a bit of a sour look on his face.

"I'll be fine..."

"I'm sorry."

"What?"

"Partner, I think there was something I was supposed to do. Malik and Ishizu probably knew more about it, but that cave in occurred before we could meet them again. Bakura is alive, that has given me renewed hope for the others, but I still think..."

"Stop," Yuugi waited for Atem to look at him, "I know what you want to say. That if you'd stayed in the Puzzle you could have ended the Dark Games. That I wouldn't have to suffer. But you don't get it. I would have suffered either way. At least this way I don't have to do it without you."

Atem shook his head, "You had the friends you made with your own power. You would have been fine."

Yuugi looked exasperated, "You really don't get it, even with how observant you are. Atem, you're the most important person to me. I nearly got myself killed putting the Puzzle back together with a building falling down around me! You're not just my other self. You're my other half! Sure, I would have been fine, but who wants to be just fine? Would you stop moping around? I'm not upset!"

Yuugi and Atem had reached their apartment door by now. Atem had been cut off several times by Yuugi's little speech. He looked at Yuugi for a moment and then gave a cocky smirk, earning a raised eyebrow from the shorter teenager.

"Since you're so confident, I'll let you explain it to Anzu, then," Atem went into the apartment.

Yuugi blinked before heading into the apartment himself, a bit red in the cheeks, "Hey wait! That's not fair!"

----------

Anpu looked up. Bakura didn't hear anything, but he found himself looking up as well. In the short time Anpu had taunted him here, he'd realized that if Anpu heard a sound, something was there. Anpu spoke without turning towards Bakura's presence.

"Don't think I'm ending this conversation," he stated before taking a defensive stance and giving his next comment as a demand, "Who's there!"