Let Him Live (Rei no Kaado)

[mugenginga]

(OOC: You seemed to miss that Yuugi had it picked up. XD I can cover it, though)

Yuugi's eyes widened and his grip tightened on the Ring as Naoto touched the rope. He gave a nervous smile towards any questioning look he gave her. Atem had said the Items didn't react well if they didn't accept people. He didn't want to put Naoto in danger. He did seem relieved by Souji's assurance Minato was okay. Atem looked up as Souji informed the group that Bakura hadn't accepted his Shadow. He frowned at that. Anzu didn't miss Atem's expression, but she was more worried about Adachi. The man had been trying to save Bakura. She wondered if it was wrong to admire him for that, even with everything she'd been told he had done. She didn't know everything that had happened with him thanks to the 'game' they'd been in, but... wait, Lucifer?

"Lucifer showed up!?" Anzu gasped.

"What the hell did that guy do? And taken over by his Persona... wait, that can happen!?" Jounouchi seemed a bit unstable on his feet, but no less loud than usual.

"Uzume-san, thank you. We couldn't have rescued Bakura-kun without your help," At least Yuugi remembered to be polite.

"I doubt Lucifer would abandon Adachi there. He seems to still find use for the man. Souji-kun, Bakura accepted his Shadow. His Shadow didn't accept him," Atem looked towards the exit, "We need to leave now. With the Fall imminent, Minato-kun needs his rest."

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Uzume gave a polite bow in response to Yuugi. "You're welcome. I'm glad to see someone has proper manners here." She gave a glare toward Jounouchi as she said that. After looking over the group one more time, she said, "I'll be taking my leave now. His Majesty is probably losing it over his little Kikuri-Hime replacement taking so much time when the fog's coming in."

Without waiting for any reactions from the others, Uzume turned and began walking down the aisle, heading out of the store.

"Sounds like Abel's subjects don't care much for him," Souji said. He looked toward Atem. "Anyways, you're right. We should go. Minato needs his rest." It still confirmed him what Atem said about Bakura's Shadow, though. From the sound of things, Bakura could never accept his Shadow... not one like that.

"Alright. I'm gonna go take this guy back to his place, then. See ya," Kanji said. He and Naoto started walking out of the store. Souji watched them go, and then looked down.

Izanagi, if you're there... I'm sorry, Souji said. Once again, all he got was silence. Souji closed his eyes before looking back toward the remaining members of their group.

"Jounouchi, Anzu, thanks for your help today," Souji said. And then he turned and started walking out.

-------------------

"Jeez, Adachi. What the hell happened to you?"

"I-I'm fine, stop freaking out, Takahashi-san.... Um, you're not gonna flip out on me and freak out or something, are you?"

"Nah, nothin' like that. I'm really sorry about that. The stress got to me and I flipped. But I'm okay, they're giving me a week's paid vacation," Takahashi said. "And you ain't fine. Adachi, consider this an order and get yourself to a hospital."

"Er, yes sir, Takahashi-san sir," Adachi said nervously. He was sore all over, and he could tell he was badly injured, but he wasn't going to tell Takahashi exactly why. The man had done enough for him, anyways... At least Takahashi didn't think he'd tried to kill him again...

But even still, he'd failed Bakura. And that was the worst part. Seta's group may have saved him, but Bakura had gotten into this situation in the first place because of him. The only thing that Adachi felt that could make things better at this point would be a night at the bar... Shame the bars here didn't serve his favorite sake, but he could make do... He'd have to make do.

Adachi accepted the umbrella Takahashi handed him and headed out into the rain. It was starting to really get foggy. At least Adachi knew Seta's group had to have made it out... they had to have been.

Adachi lifted one hand up to his forehead as a twinge of pain went through it. Damn Lucius. Damn Lucifer. At least that thing was gone. Though Adachi didn't know why it had happened at all, his Persona possessing him like that. Or why it had specifically attacked Seta...

Magatsu Izanagi, you may act. Due to the fog, Adachi won't be able to stop you.

Adachi froze in his tracks. It hadn't been because he'd done so himself. His body wasn't listening to him. That feeling was back, that same one from before. But why?! Lucius had attacked him; Lucius had forced Magatsu Izanagi out of his body! And Lucius wasn't there to help him this time.

"What the hell do you think you're doing!? Stop it!" Adachi growled.

I won't exist in that Shadow's form anymore.... you'll be adequate until he finally dies.

"Wh-What?! No, I'm not going to be some replacement for that bastard kid!"

You don't have a choice in the matter, Tohru. Just shut up and give in. If you're going to curse anyone for this development, curse that whore Izanami.

"No, stop--"

And then Adachi's yells stopped. He dropped the hand that had been covering his face and took a couple breaths. He gave a wince.

"Damn demons.... Well, that mortal Takahashi was right about one thing... you need to go to the hospital," Izanagi stated. He gave a chuckle. "And once you're feeling better, we can take a visit to see little Anpu, can't we?"

Still chuckling, Magatsu Izanagi headed down the street in the opposite direction Adachi had been going, this time going toward Void City Hospital.

[mugenginga]

Yuugi looked nervous as Uzume glared towards Jounouchi. Despite being tired, the blond was more than capable of returning it. However, she made her point and left before the situation could de-escalate. Yuugi looked over towards Souji as he was talking to Atem. Anzu looked the most tired of them all. Yuugi realized with a bit of guilt it was natural. Even though she'd been in the TV World before, she was the most emotionally drained of them. She'd never really understood the need to fight. She could, and she had against Mai of all people, but she hadn't considered Mai a friend just yet. Atem nodded and turned to walk out in the other direction as Souji told him he was right. He paused when he didn't hear the others. Jounouchi gave a smile and a thumbs up to Souji over the thanks, and Anzu turned away. Yuugi frowned and walked over to Atem, holding out the Ring to him.

"We have to get it back to Anpu. It's the only way Bakura-kun can get his body back," Yuugi said.

"I still don't get how that work," Jounouchi walked over to them, causing Yuugi to jump. His smile pushed away Jounouchi's concern, "I mean, I sorta get how Atem-kun that Anpu bastard are held in there, but you and Bakura?"

"Two souls can't occupy the same body at once. It's always been that way. Whenever I was surfaced, Partner was in the Puzzle. It may be why only he and Bakura are able to use the Puzzle and Ring respectively," Atem looked up after taking the Ring, "We have to go. We can discuss more back at the Apartments."

"Y-Yuugi..." Anzu stated. The group had begun to walk by now.

"What is it, Anzu?"

"Back there... you didn't seem yourself. Are you okay? It.. it was more like..."

Yuugi looked away, "I didn't have any choice. Bakura-kun would have died if we hadn't stopped things there. We all would have died."

"I guess you're right. Hey, you're getting really strong though, right?" Anzu was forcing herself to smile, "Just don't lose yourself. I... well, we like you for who you are."

Atem was listening to the conversation, but making no input. Anzu had almost continued with just her self pronoun. The honorific was added as an afterthought. He had a feeling that Anzu hadn't intended like in a platonic sense, either. Well, he'd always known her real feelings were for Yuugi. He chose not to interuppt. Jounouchi was looking at him with a hard expression. It was almost comforting to know that his closest friend was the one most able to tell something was wrong. He couldn't mention the exacts of it though. Because the exacts involved things they hadn't told their friends, things they needed to be told. He sighed and sped up, promping the entire group to move faster to keep up with him. Something else to go undiscussed for the time being...

----------

In truth, Lucius hadn't reappeared that far from Adachi. The other side of the house, to be exact. With more grace so that Adachi was the only one who had made noise. It wasn't as if he needed to be right next to Adachi to keep track of him, but he was interested in this Kenji's response. It had been pretty uninteresting. The only part that was worth note, and a rather annoying one at that, was that Adachi had been suppressed once more by Izanagi. Well, the emptier aspects of the god, in any case. It might have been amusing his Persona and aspect were still dictated by how he'd been then. Might have been if it didn't create issues for him. The contract was with Adachi, not with the god Izanagi. As it sat, if he actually wanted anyting out of Tohru, he'd have to expel and keep Izanagi down to get it done. It really was rather the hassle.

"Could you cause him to go berserk?"

The shadows at a nearby tree shifted. Lucius frowned and began walking back towards the main town via an alley. So he didn't know. Well, he still had to play it carefully with that one. It wasn't an idiot, it hadn't sworn any sort of allegience. Lucius' smirk was a bit unhuman as the shadows of the alley sort of swallowed him. If he thought that one would react poorly to both sides being played, it had something coming to it if he could confirm it...