Disclaimer: Nothing that resembles another's work is mine.

HEY! Sorry! This had gotten deleted on accident and I didn't have a saved copy! So I'm remaking it to the best of my abilities! Sorry folks!

The Shadow Cries

Why couldn't they accept him?

Always rejected. Turned away.

"Go away Bakura."

"You can stay here Ryou."

"We don't want you here."

"Filthy Tomb Robber."

"Soul stealing spirit!"

Always.

Ryou was out with his friends. They had invited him to go over and hang out at the arcade, but they had said he had to leave the Millennium Ring here.

And Ryou refused.

But Bakura told him to do so. To go and have fun, to enjoy his day.

And so he went, leaving the Ring on the dinging room table.

Ryou really didn't like the fact that his friends wouldn't accept Bakura.

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

He cries for light

He sleeps in fright

He cries for peace as time runs through his head

- - - - - - -

Why couldn't they believe that he had changed his ways?

Sure, he had done some bad things during duelist kingdom, and at other times in his life.

But he has always had a reason.

He wanted revenge on the Pharaoh for taking away his life.

His family and friends.

Sure, he had gotten a little out of hand, but that was to be expected, wasn't it? After all, he had seen some very tragic things at such a young age.

And spending five thousand years locked in the cold, dark Shadows with nothing but memories to sustain him could drive anyone insane.

But he tried.

Ryou helped him and he know was changed.

Yeah, so he did steal. He wanted to keep his touch and stay in shape, after all.

And, yeah, he beat up the people who annoyed them. Banished them to the Shadows. Dueled people and enjoyed their torment.

But he didn't go as far as he used too, right?

No. But they didn't see that.

Sighing, Bakura turned his gaze to the ceiling, watching the shadows that came between the shuttered windows.

He saw perfectly fine in the dark.

- - - - - - - - - -

He cries for friends

Those cries are lost in the world's domain

And in the end

No one's there to end the pain

- - - - - - - -

He had tried proving himself to Yugi, Yami, and the others.

He had gone with Ryou when his light went over to their usual hang outs.

He always ended up getting in a fight with the Pharaoh, or doing something that upset Ryou.

So he didn't do it anymore.

He had given up.

But there still might be a chance, if something happened that only he could deal with.

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

The shadow's tears

Each new road, another confusing path

The shadow cries

No ones there to stem his wrath

- - - - - - - - -

He watched the fan turn, lazily marking its progress.

Nothing was going to happen.

He'll probably never be accepted.

Never is a long time too.

But sooner or later, Ryou is going to grow old and die and Bakura will be sealed back into the Ring. And the Ring will be taken by Shadi, and Bakura will probably never see the light of day again.

On that somber thought, Bakura stood and went outside, being sure to grab the Ring from the table and to lock the front door.

He better make sure he enjoys life while he could.

The Pharaoh might just find another reason to seal him into the Ring.

Bakura squinted in the bright sun, shading his eyes with his hand. The Ring glinted around his neck, and he placed it under his shirts.

No use in attracting attention.

Bakura walked slowly, taking his time. Watching the people around him, the birds, the flowers, and all other sorts of sappy things he wouldn't have paid attention too in the past.

But never before in the past had he paid attention to the detail and color.

The flowers were vibrant, brightening up his mood when before he would have snarled.

The people, though still annoying, brought the fact that he was ALIVE once again to mind.

Never before had Bakura just taken an easy walk around the park, just gone out to enjoy the sights.

Indeed, so at ease was he, that he didn't notice anything was wrong until he felt the Ring vibrating on his chest.

Something was wrong with Ryou.

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

When he turns

The darkness looms in his dreams

The tears burn

He realizes nothing as it seems

- - - - - - - - - -

Taking the Ring out from under his shirt, he frowned.

Because he had the Ring, and Ryou didn't, they couldn't mind speak through their link.

But the Ring still knew its owner was distressed or frightened.

So, heart racing, Bakura took off, using the Ring as a locater for his lost hikari.

It was difficult, as the Ring wasn't very specific on the way he should go, only showing him where Ryou was. Many times Bakura found himself running into a dead end because he was too concentrated on the Ring. He had to find ways around the obstacles in his path without losing concentration on the Ring's target.

A hard thing to do.

But he would manage.

He smelt fire as he rounded a corner, and noticed he was near the docks.

This was where the old warehouses were.

What would Ryou be doing here?

Not one to question right now, he ran right towards the large warehouse that was burning brightly in the darkening sky.

Night was coming upon.

The flames were really bright, and lit up the sky. It was a wonder that the fire department hasn't arrived yet.

But then, this area is normally deserted and abandoned.

Wait………there is Ryou. And Yami, Joey, Tea, and Tristan.

But where was the midget? Where was Yugi?

As the group ahead of him turned to stare in shock, Bakura realized what had happened.

Yugi was in the building.

Bakura was hit by a sudden feeling of déjà vu.

Yugi had been trapped in a burning warehouse before, and Bakura had helped rescue him.

Funny how the world works, eh?

Not bothering to dwell on that for very long, Bakura realized what he would have to do.

He could finally get the groups acceptance.

Throwing the Ring to Ryou, he dashed towards the burning building.

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

He cries for light

He cries for beauty where shadows tread

He sleeps in fright

He cries for peace as time runs through his head

- - - - - - - - - - -

"Bakura! NO!" Ryou shouted, running after him.

Bakura didn't realize just how hot this fire was.

He had been wondering why Yami hadn't gone to save Yugi.

It was because Yami wasn't agile enough to slip through the burning debris that blocked the door.

But Bakura was.

He dodged one falling beam from the ceiling, and winced as it landed with an explosion of sparks and embers.

That was dangerous. If the ceiling was unstable, it could come down at any moment.

Unwilling to stop now that he was moving, Bakura used his full agility, endurance, and speed to dash through gaps, narrowing missing flames, and at times singeing himself.

He had gotten one nasty burn on the thigh from a white hot metal bar.

There………a cough.

The smoke was pretty bad, even Bakura was heaving.

But the smoke had enabled Bakura to find Yugi.

Leaping a pile of burning crates, Bakura landed lightly near Yugi and snatched the semi-conscious kid and began fighting back towards the entrance.

He was met halfway there by Yami.

"Give me him! Don't touch him again, Thief!" Yami screeched, grabbing Yugi from a startled Bakura and backing away as if the other spirit was going to maul him.

Yami turned and ran.

Bakura stood still in the midst of the fires, heart broken.

He had only tried to help.

And it had gotten him nowhere.

Unable to stand it, Bakura broke down and wept.

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

He cries for light

He casts his eyes through hollow dreams

He closes his eyes, this dark world of his

He tears the lie from its seams

- - - - - - -

Ryou watched in panic as he waited for Yami or Bakura to appear, hopefully with Yugi.

Yami had taken off after Bakura, shrieking something about how the tomb robber was going to steal the Puzzle.

Ryou could have slapped him.

He felt Bakura's pain.

He felt Bakura's hope to finally be accepted.

But Ryou could tell that was not going to happen.

His breath caught in his throat as he saw a figure emerge.

It was Yami, and he held Yugi.

But where was Bakura?

"Where's Bakura?" Ryou shouted, tears welling in his eyes as he felt his yami's despair shoot through the link.

"He's still in there." Yami snarled, eyes glinting with hate at the thought of the thief.

Ryou cried out and ran towards the fire.

"RYOU!"

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

He cries for light

He cries for beauty where shadows tread

He sleeps in fright

He cries for peace as time runs through his head

- - - - - - - - - -

Bakura was unaware of the approaching flames as he felt his heart ripping into shreds.

"BAKURA!"

Bakura raised his head, eyes widening as he saw Ryou running towards him, followed by Yami, Joey, and Tristan. Yugi and Tea had stayed outside.

"RYOU, GO AWAY!" Bakura shouted. His light shouldn't be here. It was too dangerous.

"BAKURA!" Ryou shouted again.

They were blocked off by the burning debris, pieces of the ceiling starting to fall around them.

Sparks flew and embers glowed white hot in the smoky air, and the coughing of the trapped kids sounded oddly loud in Bakura's ears.

He saw the flaming mass of beams above their heads start to fall.

And they were oblivious.

Ryou……….without Ryou, Bakura was nothing. Life wasn't worth living. And he would be in the Ring again, but that seemed less important than his beloved light's safety.

Summoning up every last shred of Shadow Magic he had, Bakura threw it all between the four ahead of him and the falling ceiling.

But in doing so he had left himself open to the flames.

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

Bitter shadow's tears

Each new road, another confusing path

The shadow cries

No ones there to stem his wrath

- - - - - - - - - - -

Ryou stared in shock as the black Shadows warped around his yami.

"He's running into the Shadow Realm. The coward." Yami sneered, and then he too stared in shock as all the Shadow Magic around Bakura shot towards them, wrapping them in a protective shield that blocked the fire, the heat, and even the smoke around them.

"Bakura!" Ryou cried out, banging on the shield.

Bakura's screams rang out as the hungry flames attacked him.

There was a minor explosion and they all looked up to see the mass of beams and other such things that had made up the ceiling land upon their shield and fall away harmlessly.

That would have crushed them.

Then the Shadows began to swirl, and they stared in surprise as Tea and a fully awake Yugi were suddenly with them.

Then they were in total blackness.

"He sent us to the Shadow Realm!" Tea cried.

Ryou was livid.

How dare they? Even when Bakura had obviously sacrificed his own personal safety to save them, they were doubting him.

They found themselves in Yugi's home.

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

Bitter shadow's tears

The shadows haunt us all

This shadow's cries, this dark world

Is his dark ending and his fall

- - - - - - - - - - -

Everyone went home, but Yami and Yugi had asked Ryou to stay with them that night.

They sat in the living room, the TV on to the News.

It was showing the fire.

"The fire is unknown in cause, but there are reports that no one has been found in the fire. It is now under control. There is no hope for anyone who may have been in the fire." The news anchor man was saying.

Ryou choked back a sob.

"Only one injury. A kid found nearby. He has apparently been hit by flying debris, and is burned pretty badly. But he is recovering, and in stable condition. If anyone knows him, he is around seventeen years old, with brown eyes and white hair………"

The three in the living room stared at each other in shock.

Bakura?

- - - - - - - - - -

Bitter shadow's tears

The shadows haunt us all

This shadow's cries, this dark world

Is his dark ending and his fall

- - - - - - - - -

The next day, they were sitting in Bakura's room.

He was bandaged up and obviously in pain.

Everyone was there. They had all apologized for their past actions, and thanked him profusely for saving their lives.

"We are really sorry. I am especially. I misjudged your intentions in going after Yugi, and treated you horribly." Yami said, bowing his head.

"I want to thank you as well." Yugi piped up, his own burns bandaged. "Without you, I'd be dead. Thanks a lot, Bakura!"

Bakura, breathing harshly because of the smoke inhalation, smiled slightly.

He was finally accepted.

BONUS!!!

I'M SORRY FOR ACCIDENTLY DELETING THIS, SO HERE IS A BONUS SCENE!

Bakura and Yami were alone in the hospital room.

Yami shuffled his feet slightly.

"I truly am sorry. I believe that you have now changed. I'm sorry for doubting you." Yami said.

"It's forgiven, Pharaoh." Bakura rasped, rolling his eyes at Yami.

Yami smiled.

"So, you going to try and escape this modern day hospital?" Yami teased.

"Yeah. I couldn't handle doctors back in our day, and these ones are worse." Bakura answered, grinning.

"Better be careful, though. They might poison you."

"Yeah, and this modern day machinery will start disrupting our brain waves and making it so that we can't think. We'll be like Malik's mind slaves," came the reply.

"Or figure out how to stop our very hearts from beating."

"And produce a sound that would resonate in our skeletal structures and shatter our bones." Bakura shot back. He grinned. "I rather like that one."

"You would." Yami snorted.

The two shared a friendly smile.

Who would've thought on how far a friendship could progress in such a quick manner?

"You do realize that I'm not going to stop dueling you for your Puzzle." Bakura said easily.

Yami nodded.

"I wouldn't have expected anything less from a Tomb Robber." He said solemnly. "And I'm not going to go easy on you in the duels or any other game. You'll still lose."

"One day I'll beat you."

"Oh yeah? Well let's duel."

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

(End story.)

Hey guys, once again, sorry for the accidental deletion of this story. Due to some complaints about how it was too similar to a episode, I had to change a little.