Hello all. This fic is the result of the second pairing challenge for Compy's pairing competition. For reference, the italic writing is a flashback, and normal is present. Which is set during the tabletop part of the Millennium world battle. I really have nothing else to say and the deadline is soon, so without much ado, I present you,
In the end
His opponent was staring at him. Staring him down with such a look of loathing and disgust. How he hated him too. Leaning back in his chair with a look of satisfaction he gestured for the Pharaoh to continue. Across from him he heard a growl. Maybe putting him in this situation wasn't the smartest idea. But it sure was fun. And satisfying.
Of course, this battle had to happen. If he wanted that key, this had to happen. And he was sure going to win.
It was fitting too, that a tabletop game should be their last battle. In this century it was also their first. He smirked. And the fact that little Yugi should be caught up in it too was fitting as well. The symmetries between then and now are also fitting. The Pharaoh intruded on that game uninvited and unannounced, and now Yugi had entered thisone uninvited. Fitting isn't it. The Pharaoh looked up at him blankly expectantly. It was his turn.
xxxxx
He remembered the first time he saw them. His host had begrudgingly entered a new classroom in a new school. But he hadn't really been paying attention. Host's thoughts had been all muddled. Something about friends in comas.
And evil spirits taking over him.
Whatever, it wasn't really his problem. All he wanted was the Millennium items. His search was bound to take awhile though. By now he knew to bide his time and wait for the ideal opportunities to arise. His host was seated next to an unintelligent blonde who asked too many questions. But, of course, he hadn't really been paying attention, so whether or not that was true he didn't really know or care.
The events at lunch that day however had fully grabbed his attention. The long search was over, staring him right in the face was the puzzle. Barely five meters away. Host was good for something after all. A jolt of pleasure went through him. Host was touching the puzzle.
He drops it.
Clearly sending jolts of pleasure is a bad idea. Little humans don't seem to like it.
At first his plan wasn't to kill the Pharaoh, hell he didn't even know he was trapped in there. Can you imagine the shock when he thought he had stolen all their souls, and he appeared? It almost ruined all of the thought out plans. But it didn't take long for him to realize that his search for the key was in the final stages.
While the Pharaoh's presence was a pain, the kid he inhabited was the ideal pawn. So trusting and forgiving, a deadly combination. At that moment he knew that corruption would be ideal. Sorting out the level of corruption needed would take time however. The light may think he's no stranger to the ways of intimacy, but Bakura knew things that would scar and warp even the sickest mind. How people could be used in ways unimaginable. Getting him to submit in the long run won't be too hard. And the degree of pleasure that he would get out of it would outweigh the screams. Screaming would be good though.
But the digression was throwing him of edge. The Pharaoh did have some skill after all. And was sure not to overlook anything with such high stakes. Toying with the man who ruined his life would be the most satisfying thing ever. Yugi had become a new key.
xxxx
The town was in flames and his first trick wasted. Of course, his opponent at this point still had no idea of the true nature of this game, and was completely oblivious to his real surroundings. Across the table Bakura .sadistically grinned at him. The hate was still hate there nonetheless balanced on both sides of the table. That little light of his had almost ruined it for him. If he had known that the pipsqueak's presence would have been so threatening to his true goal…
He paused and sat back a bit. On the other hand if he weren't other desires wouldn't be able to be fulfilled. It had certainly been a close shave though; if it weren't for the time turner it would have been all over.
They would have both been doomed though.
Would have they? With no opponent he would had to have won eventually. No one can be that stupid! Although he may prove you wrong. If it weren't for that light, things would be going so much more smoothly. No matter how much he, intrigued him. After all, despite everything, he did make things much more interesting. His sole purpose, in Bakura's opinion, was still to corrupt. If were to end now, the one thing he would regret would be that he never got to corrupt him. How else was he to hurt the Pharaoh the most? All in all the most important thing was victory, and the people you crush on the way there.
On second thought, he believed the subtle crushing and destruction was the best. It was all an art after all. And like the thievery, it was the way you did it not the stuff you stole that counted. And they way you used it against your enemies. He still had the same values after all, but the treasure was something entirely different now.
xxxx
He remembered watching him all throughout Duelist Kingdom. Not who he now knew as the Pharaoh, but the little one. How can someone that naïve survive?
At first he was no use to him, another pawn in the master plan. But at the end of that weekend, his role had changed. Not only would he be the way to reach the ultimate goal, he was also for the use of pleasure. A plaything to corrupt. He wanted to take him as his own. To cause as much hurt to as many of them as possible. Just because he would enjoy it, doesn't mean they won't suffer for it!
And they would all suffer indeed if the light was.
In regards to the master plan though, it had all been too easy really. Stealing the eye had posed almost no challenge. Pegasus was broken. The light and the Pharaoh had taken care of that beautifully. So it was two down and five more to go. Though if his plan went accordingly it was three down and four to go. What the Pharaoh and the brat had done today was all apart of it actually. If he got them to do all the work, snatching the key would be all too easy. His host was unknowingly doing the right thing too.
Misplaced hope is a wonderful thing!
xxxx
His opponent had woken up. To say he was annoyed would be a vast understatement! He smirked. This was certainly going to be more fun. Not as fun as toying with the light was, but amusing none-the-less. It was pathetically predictable. The Pharaoh would start accusing him of foul play, and mass crimes of evil. When in reality there was no blame to place. For the first time he could honestly claim innocence. The apocalypse was indeed upon them.
It was almost tedious explaining the rules in the middle of an ongoing battle. The sheer relish he had in the fact he had the upper hand kept such feelings away however. If you wanted to look at it in a fair sense, ruling out three thousand years of knowledge, you could say that it had been a handicap, as the Pharaoh had such a clear advantage.
Somehow he felt that that wouldn't go down too well with his opponent, and giving him that satisfaction was out of the question. He looked down at the tabletop onto the players below. A great pity that characters unbound to either player were faded and unable to manipulate. It killed him to think of how much fun it would have been to be in control of the light. True it would have been a bit distracting, but oh so tantalizing. And there was a bit he owed him too.
Not all that much, lets not give out too much credit where it is not due.
xxxx
He did have to admit, he did owe the little light one thing. If it hadn't been for him, he would be dead. Marik's dark half had absolutely no conception of humanity. He may not have liked 'modern day humans', and thought they were fun to play with, but he at least knew about limits and the connection spirits had with their hosts.
At times it made him wonder what it would be like to, occupy, another light. One so trusting and venerable. It was said host who made him realize that, yes, as much as he detested it, he was dependent on his host. And that realization is exactly what he owed the pipsqueak for. It still sent shivers of delight down his spine as he thought of how deliciously they had been manipulated. The look of trust especially on his face, it was breathtaking just how easily it was betrayed. It was those moments that he treasured the most.
Made the thousands of years wait worthwhile. And why not? Why couldn't he have what he wanted?
It was a pity that Battle City didn't go quite as well as he thought it would. Definitely didn't help that the Pharaoh had defeated him early on. He was hoping that he wouldn't have to resort to the master plan just yet.
So the most disappointing thing about that was that he didn't get to see the light then. Didn't get to see the light's emotions break by his dominant will. But there were a few precious moments when pain and horror marred him so deeply it showed on the Pharaoh's face. It his own safety hadn't been at risk he would have enjoyed it a lot more. A real pity that.
xxxx
That was it. It all came down to this. The crux of the battle, the heat of the moment. It was now or never.
If your definition of never was waiting three thousand or so years of course.
But that was all irrelevant. The Priests were all dying by his hand, and victory was so close to him that almost nothing could wrestle it from his grasp.
How do you spell success again?
The light was going to be no challenge. As more and more of his challengers resolve was kicked elation ran through his body. The only thing that could rival it would be the touch of innocent flesh, and there was only one innocent in mind. He set his special pawn in place. If all went well, what he wanted would be his. Kill all the unnecessary and leave the prize.
He liked his lips just thinking about it.
It had been so long since he had corrupted and warped an innocent. It was one of the things he was looking forward too the most! It was one thing to send a replica of yourself to a shadow game, but feeling things in the real world with a real body would be so much better. Even more so if the body wasn't human! His host had been no fun. He was already broken and willing. No spine or backbone to speak of. There would have been no real pleasure in taking advantage of him.
Wasted opportunity.
If his sister was still around, it might have been a different story. There had certainly been opportunities. But he had no desire to use them. There were betters ways of torturing him. What it all came down to was what was suited for whom. And the other light had done nothing but been a pain in the ass, and deserved all that was coming. Making the Pharaoh watch would be the ultimate punishment. Which made him think, can you deflower a boy? Whatever the answer he was going to have fun figuring it out.
xxxx
All things must come to an end and all battles must come to a close.
In the end of it all the light was out of reach. Light's touch never in his grasp.
In the end it came down to one thing, that no advantage is the decider.
In the end it is the strength of the silent and naïve that won the day.
In the end it was up to one fact,
It 'aint over until the fat lady sings.