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A/N: I've had a roommate that reads a couple of 'fics on this site unregistered, so I kind of have the gist of how author's notes should go ^^' And as far as the story goes, I'm in the process of making a plot that isn't quite clear in this first Chapter. In that case, please be patient with me if you decide to follow along.
*ahem*
This isn't the first story I've written.
This is the first Yu-Gi-Oh story I've written.
This isn't talking.
"This is."
This isn't thinking.
This is.
This isn't about pairings.
This will have pairings in it, though, to be sure.
This isn't a scene skip.
This is: === *** === *** ===
This doesn't contain (many) English names.
This does, however, use 'Bakura' as the spirit, 'Ryou' as the original host, 'Marik' as 'Marik', and everything but 'Marik' to describe his dark personality.
This doesn't mean I own any Yu-Gi-Oh copyrights.
This does mean that I have a creative twist to the main story.
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Chapter 1: My Turn
"Pharaoh, attack me now!" It was a charming and young voice. It was the voice of a young man who was ready to turn his life around; ready to devote his life back to the Pharaoh; ready for redemption. The voice, in comparison, did not match the body it cried from.
The Pharaoh pointed a stern finger at the enemy before him. The accursed tomb keeper held a wide grin across his face as he clutched his right eye. Something.. something about that eye didn't seem to be a part of that natural crooked grimace.
The monsters on the battlefield were taken into the sky and a shrieking cry from Ra gave a mighty tremble throughout the tower. The world was quiet and ceased to take breath. Fists were clenched and sweat poured down their foreheads as the nervous audience of friends huddled about, waiting and waiting for the outcome.
The shrouding dust cleared.
=== *** === *** ===
"How nice of you to join us, Rishid." The voice was dark and foreboding. It hadn't changed at all. "I've been dying to meet you. Allow me to properly introduce myself: I am Marik." The figure stood still and unharmed. He was missing an eye and a small area around it. A permanent scar, no doubt. An insignificant price for the prince of madness.
The young man grunted at the display of events before him. How? How could Marik fail against his darker side? "You are not Marik! How dare you spill that blessed name from your poisoned mouth?!" He searched; searched and searched for the remains of his master's form. Whatever what was left of Marik that he saw when he first arrived was no where to be found. "Where is he!?" It was more of a demand than a question.
The darker form chuckled in amusement. "Oh? Then who is this 'Marik' you speak of? I am the only Marik existing! Behold!-" The sun-kissed arm swung out to reveal a portal - a portal to nothing but darkness. In that darkness lied a cold body, curled up and shriveled. Rishid seemed to recognize this figure. "Master Marik!"
"Too late, fool! He is already wasting away as the darkness devours his soul! There is nothing that you can do!" Cold, so cold. His voice mirrored the seeping frost from that portal. No, this can't be. Fate had fooled them all.
Rishid fell to his knees, moist droplets forming and falling from his eyes. "This can't.. this.. this can't be! How?"
The darker self tilted his head, a motion of confusion though obviously aware of the situation, "Tears? Surely you knew that the young tomb keeper was no match for all his anger. All his hatred, his passion, his agony and pain that was thrust upon him? Surely you knew that he was no match for me."
The deceased's sister rushed towards Rishid, tears streaming her face as well. She wrapped her nervous arms around him, blending their pain and torment together in hopes to soothe their wounded hearts. "Isis, please-"
"No, Rishid! No! He's not gone!" She buried her tear-stricken face in his chest, weeping more than that all the world could muster. Rishid gentle placed his hands on her shoulders, trying to grab a hold of her, "Please, Miss Isis.. it's no use.." he wanted to finish, he really did. But something inside him choked his lungs and his head hung low. He couldn't. He couldn't bring himself to continue.
"Well, isn't that a pity. Dear sister, why won't you cheer up and watch your brother win this duel?" He snarled in a most cunning way, bearing his teeth in a half-hearted smile. He tempted her; tempted her to deny him.
"You aren't my brother!"
"Oh, but I am, now!"
The evil heart turned to Yugi, bowing down so lowly as if he wanted to kiss the floor more than to offer respect. "Thank you, Pharaoh. I'll have you know that I couldn't have fully obtained this body without your help!"
"Never! I would NEVER help you!"
"But you have, Pharaoh. You have." A fleshly tongue stuck out to salivate his curling lips. "Hmm? Shall we continue?"
"You will pay for this!"
"It already cost me all but one life point," he winked at the boy and then snarled at the counter that displayed the scorings. "My turn!"
A vision of Ra soared to the sky once more, and the chantings of the madman rung tightly in all of their hearts. It's war cry shivered their souls once again as the dreaded God formed from the flames. A true phoenix to behold. It wasn't long until it's slender beak unleashed a rampant torrent of fire upon the enemy before it.
=== *** === *** ===
The separated body of the young Yugi slowly disappeared into a void. His eyes were the last to vanish into the dark world. "Partner!"
"No use, Pharaoh, the boy is already accompanying my other self in the pits of hell. You should thank me now."
How.. how could he? How could he say that? Yugi has been his partner and close friend ever since the day he solved the puzzle. How could that man just say that?
He was speechless. The Pharaoh that forgotten his memories had forgotten all words. He couldn't think of a reaction; couldn't think of a solution; couldn't think of an alternate ending or a way to wake up from this horrible nightmare.
"Well? I'm waiting. It isn't that hard to thank someone for giving you the sole right to rule your own body. Don't you find it more suiting?" He pulled out the stiletto hidden in the rod and ran it across his exposed arm. "It's a whole, new feeling. This feeling is so different - so new." That dark tongue licked the crimson liquid drops that ran over his toned muscles. Something about himself got him so wonderfully off. "Don't you think?"
No. No, Pharaoh felt nothing like that. There was an acute pain throbbing at his head - he could pin out exactly were it was coming from; exactly each beat of it's pulse; and exactly when it started - as soon as his partner was gone. No, this didn't feel right at all! "BRING HIM BACK!!" he yelled, shattering the sustained tears in Anzu's eyes. It was the proof she needed to know that Yugi was truly, truly gone. She pulled her hands away from her red eyes and buried her face in one of Jounouchi's shoulders - Shizuka already hugging tight to his other arm.
Yugi was always there for her. He believed. He believed in the heart of the cards. He was the one that believed he could help save the Pharaoh's memories. And now... now the flames of the card he sought for the hardest smothered and caressed the Pharaoh and sent his partner to hell without him. No, this was wrong - all wrong!
"Do it! BRING HIM BACK!"
The Pharaoh's voice sung a pretty melody to her. It was almost like he gathered enough hope to say those words and encourage her. "Yes," she chimed, pushing back the tears, "bring Yugi back!"
"I'm afraid I can't do that."
"LIES!" she screamed, "LIES! You're the king devil to the shadow realms - bring Yugi back!!"
He chuckled, and ignored her. The darkness that followed him towards the Pharaoh clung to the trail of his cape and played in and around the tears. He was a playground for the shadows; and, oh, how they played him. "Now, Pharaoh, you owe me a card-- ACTUALLY!" He screamed it with excitement, grabbing the duel disk strapped around his arm and pulling it off with ease. His dreaded laugh echoed in the shadows that haven't yet left the top of the tower.
Was it not over?
No, no it wasn't.
He thumbed through Yugi's cards and pulled out two - the only two that ever mattered to him. For that madman, it was his rightful reward for defeating his enemy - despite the rules. Besides, the officials were no where to be found. The law had abandoned them. The remaining cards held no interest to him whatsoever. "Meh," and he tossed the cards behind his back, letting them scatter and fall around him, "Not a damn one. You're nothing without your Gods, Pharaoh." His leering eyes carefully peered to his peripheral vision, catching a glimpse of the man that kept on getting in his way.
"Rishid, faithful servant, I believe it's your turn." He lightly flashed away from their mortal eyes and then reappeared before the faithful servant. "You don't know how long I've waited for this.."
Isis blinked a few times, unable to see past Rishid's protective shoulders. But.. she could tell something was wrong with this new and sudden presence.
"NO!"
But it was too late. By the time Isis had screamed her wish, the blade had already plunged into his heart from his back. Rishid grunted a bit and spat out the extra blood in his mouth. "No..." she whimpered, watching the color fade from his eyes. He slumped back over his beloved half sister, protectively embracing her 'til his death. His weight nearly crushed her, but the dark lord pulled her up and away from the dead man by her arm. "Sister, do not touch him."
She tried to throw his grip off her arm with a sharp struggle, but he threw her violently down first. "Pff. You're not even worth it." He spat at the ground before her.
Isis was horrified. The darkness that resided in her brother's body had fully engulfed it. It was a position she wasn't yet used to - and here it was, throwing her down like a rag doll and spitting before her like she was nothing but trash. Unwanted. She had never felt so unwanted. Isis watched Rishid's body collapse to the floor without her body bridging the gap. Something swelling inside her beckoned her to help him - if there was any help left for the corpse.
By that time, Anzu had rushed up to help Isis. Her fierce eyes pierced even the shadows now. She seemed more lively - or perhaps it was just denial. As the man turned to walk away, he peered behind his shoulders to see the two girls struggling to get on their feet. "Do not help her!" he raged at Anzu and commanded the force surrounding her to carry the girl to the wall. She was forcefully thrown against it, struggling to fight against the powers of the Millennium Rod. "I won't.. let you... hurt them.. any.. more."
"Keh, keh, keh. Oh? And who will save you, my pretty?" Anzu felt her muscles tighten as her bones were forced to push against the wall behind her. Every inch of her being felt like it was going to snap before it would break through the thick layers of stone.
At that moment, Ryuuj, Honda, and Jounouchi hurried to aid her, but were stopped by her. Isis placed her body in front of them, her arms stretched out wide. "Please!" she cried, "Please, don't hurt him! I just know that something can be done to save him!"
"And what about Yugi, huh?!" Jounouchi placed a firm hand on her shoulder and pushed her aside. He wasn't ready to risk Anzu's life just because a madwoman still held hope for her lost brother. "Can he still be saved?!"
Isis stumbled a bit before catching herself. Tears shattered against the cold floor as she bent over in despair. A few gasps and sobs escaped her fragile lips and she murmured to them, "I'm.. I'm sorry."
He seemed to enjoy this. A lot. Seeing the sister that wasn't his fight off his attackers sent a nice chill up his spine. He liked it. "I might have found some use of you after all, sister."
The words bit into her like a snake's venom. It was something that she really didn't want to hear. "Bakura!" he screamed at them, though his attention set on crushing Anzu into the wall, "Where is he? Where is that little runt?"
Her lungs were beginning to collapse. Even if she knew where he was, specifically, she wouldn't be able to tell him. Besides.. didn't Marik tell them earlier that the Millennium Ring was his trophy for defeating their friend?
There was suddenly a soft feeling drawing closer to her. Some kind of warm embrace of light. "Yu.. Yugi?"
He frowned at her response, and then looked at the crowd forming. His eyes darted from the trio to where Kaiba and his younger brother used to stand. Perhaps they have fled. Those violet pupils peered back around and saw little Shizuka quivering in fear without the close protection of her brother. He could tell that she wanted to be near Jounouchi again, but dared not to get any closer to the dark prince. He snorted, "Well? Does anyone know where he is?" He walked closer to Anzu and a sinister tongue reappeared, catching them off guard. He licked the cold sweat that was forming around her neck. "Hurry. By the tastes of it, she is just now seeing the light."
All of their muscles tightened at once, moving them only an inch closer towards him. "Come, come; don't be shy," he teased.
They all hesitated until Honda spoke up. "What are you talking about? If anyone knows where he is, it's you!"
"Heh." How could he explain to them that he was looking for the Thief King? He sensed that presence within the boy escape his -and his god's- wrath when he defeated him in that shadow game.
He looked back at the battlefield, where he defeated Yugi only minutes ago. The Pharaoh stood in a silent disbelief - shell-shocked and paralyzed. It puzzled him that threatening Anzu's life didn't pull the Pharaoh back into reality. But.. he wouldn't have to worry about him. And now..
He pushed her harder than ever into the wall. It cracked a bit as Anzu's body was shoved strongly against her will. "Yu.. Yu..gi!"
...Now he wouldn't worry about her, either. He watched delightfully as her bones broke through her skin and carried the warm liquids with it. And, even in some places, the blood splattered against the stone wall. "She's a rather decent painter, eh?" he smiled viciously while turning to her friends. Their eyes were paralyzed with fear - the pupils shrank and hid beneath the iris's. "Keh, keh, keh. Well, in any case, I'll be leaving, now."
"You... you monster!" Jounouchi shouted as he threw a hasty fist at the dark personality. He caught the hand with the blade of his rod, slicing clean through muscle and bone with his strength. The remaining two watched in horror as Jounouchi's hands flopped to the ground and spilled it's containments. Shizuka ran quickly to her brother, her hands folding over his frantically in a panic as she tried to soothe the pain. "Hmph. You won't survive me twice, Little Jounouchi."
"WARNING" a robotic, female voice interrupted them. Her voice chimed from speakers unseen as she continued, "SELF-DESTRUCTION ACTIVATED. REPEAT: SELF-DESTRUCT WILL OCCUR IN T-MINUS TWO HOURS. WARNING-"
She droned on in the background of their minds, constantly reminding them that, apparently, the tower could and would self-destruct.
"Kaiba! This is Kaiba's doing!" Honda assured.
"I can't believe that little prick is going to blow everything up - at a time like this!"
The prince scoffed, unaffected by these plans. "Let's play a game.." he mused.
"Oh no you don't!" Jounouchi winced, clutching the edge of his wrist tightly. Shizuka had already torn a large piece around her shirt to wrap the bloody nub. "Onii-chan! Stop! You'll only hurt yourself!"
"That's right, little Jounouchi", the twisted man hissed, "You better listen to your sister." As soon as he said 'sister', he turned toward his. "Come, Isis, come and stand faithfully by your brother."
She hesitated at first, slightly convinced that being anywhere near him would only put her into further danger. But.. how could she deny him?
"Come, come, you only have two hours."
She sensed the venom in his words and the steady pace of the robotic woman's reminder. Yes, she would be with him. He was actually her only hope to stay alive. Really? Was that really what she wanted? Isis had already seen her true brother locked away in the realm of never-ending darkness, and this darker side of him was..
That was it! It was his dark side. Still him, though, right? She clutched tightly and blindly against his back. His back.. some kind of smooth curve that followed underneath his tight shirt. Isis lightly traced her fingers where she had his tattoo memorized. Yes.. it was there. This was his body. But.. how? How would that explain what she saw in the shadow realm? He wasn't like Yugi and her Pharaoh - no, this Marik was once a part of her Marik. A piece of the puzzle - a link of the chain. He was an evil soul, she could feel, but it was all that was left of her beloved brother.
Isis nestled her head against him.
A wicked grin spread quickly across his face once again. "Sister.." he cooed.
"ONE HOUR AND FIFTY-FIVE MINUTES UNTIL SELF-DESTRUCT."
"Hmph. Come, follow me." He flicked his cape over his shoulder and it quickly dissolved into darkness. Isis was the first to be engulfed in this backward motion, and soon it wrapped it's way back around the prince and they disappeared.
"Wha-!"
"Where!?"
"Where did they go!?"
Jounouchi and Shizuka sat down against the wall away from Anzu's fallen corpse. They both carefully tended his wrist with what little precision they could afford. Honda and Ryuuj raced up to the Pharaoh, who was slumped over and face beaten red. "Oy! Get up!"
He looked over his shoulder at them, his eyes showing small glimpses of the overwhelming pain in his heart.