I wrote this completely on a whim. Don't care for realisticness but there's a lot of Marik being a demented kid. Thiefshipping indeedy and also character death. Marik is the hikari one and this takes place after Battle City. Basically, Marik's gone to Domino City in search of forgiveness and it fails. Bakura bops up and fun times ensue. It's a oneshot and I'm tired so I'm going to be brief about this. I hope to update my other fics soon and also, I'm amazed at how I wrote a oneshot for once, rofl. For some reason, I struggle with oneshots majorly but enjoy chaptered fics much more even if I have a tendency not to update them enough.
Anyway, I'd be honoured if you would read and review. ^_^
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Marik's POV
"Hmph, to see you back here again," Seto commented in reaction to my approach down the school corridors. I just got chased out of the classroom where Yugi and his friends reside. And... the Pharaoh. I glared up at Seto with murderous eyes. He snickered at this. "You only came here to try settling your differences with them, right?"
Alright, so that's how it is. I'm not here in Domino City for the first time since Battle City because I wanted a holiday. Nor was I interested in moving here. Never have I really been someone who did things without purpose. Or at least I try to stick to that. There was one person who brought me out of that regime yet got me to keep to plan at the same time. That dark side of Ryou – the enigma I call Bakura. I wonder if he's okay with me. We didn't exactly separate from one another well. More like it was forced by my own darker half.
However, that's not the point. I felt guilty for the wrongs I'd caused and I wanted to apologise for everything I'd done to Yugi, the Pharaoh and his friends. What suffering I'd put them through and more.
To my distaste, they wouldn't give me the time of day.
They made excuses. Stuff like, 'oh, it just feels awkward still', 'can we discuss this later?' and the like. My eyes are pleading them to just be upfront and honest with me. Yes I was plotting to murder the Pharaoh but there were misconceptions. The story I had believed was different to the truth. When I learned better, I hated myself for what I'd done. And the dark side of me was evidence of my hideous features and my horrific actions.
But I don't want to go back down that road. The Pharaoh saved me in all honesty. I just want to break down this wall between that group and me. Put the past behind us and move on.
That was the purpose of my coming to Domino City.
I wanted to make amends. Hell, I even met up with that Mai Kujaku lady – my memories of what happened between me and her aren't so clear but she made it clear that she was okay with me as I am. Yet Yugi and his friends, I see it in their eyes. They aren't okay with me. Not in the slightest. It was so obvious yet they never admitted it. I don't think they ever will.
"Well?" Seto flicked my forehead with my index finger to catch my attention yet again. I glared at him.
"What's it to you? It's nothing to do with you!" I snapped. Students that surrounded all turned and looked. Or at least I finally felt their retinas burn into my back. I know I had trespassed into the school in the middle of lunchtime and being the only teenager not in uniform already made me stand out enough as it is.
Seto bent down to level with me. "I did host the Battle City tournament, you know. What you did in the midst of it all is incredibly relevant to my interests, I'll have you know." This guy is pissing me off.
Hell, I don't even remember him that well with my focus mostly being on the Pharaoh and his group of friends. And Bakura, considering how he teamed up with me as we had similar goals. Goddamn Bakura. Actually, I did manipulate him in a way. Ryou, I mean. I took a step away from the supposed CEO of Kaiba Corporation and stood defiantly.
"But what I did during Battle City doesn't mean it's automatically tied to your stupid tournament!" I shot back.
"I have an entire list of all the rules you and your henchmen breached within the tournament itself; shall we delve into that?" he asked with oh so irritating arrogance in his voice. Fucking bastard.
Ugh, I think it's best to cut the crap. "So where the fuck is Ryou Bakura?" Gee, what a subtle way to steer the conversation in another direction. Seto blinked a couple of times. He scowled and with a turn of his heel, he stormed into a classroom. Whether his choice of classroom was intentional or not, I don't know. Then suddenly he returned outside with the man himself. Damn, when it comes to locating others, Seto's good. "Here, you wanted him?"
"...I didn't say I wanted him; I just wanted to know where he was!" I protested for no particular reason. Then I felt it. The moment Ryou saw me, he changed. Seto let go of him at that exact moment as if he felt it as well. It wasn't Ryou, not at all.
Bakura.
Out of all people he'd understand, wouldn't he? As me and him are quite similar in our process of thought, the way we viewed the world and what we'd been through. Okay, I may not be a spirit dwelling inside an ancient artefact that he's probably the closest thing I had left.
Ishizu and Rishid didn't understand me. Back in Egypt, I was getting nowhere. It feels like I'm getting nowhere here. Bakura doesn't really have a place in the world either, does he? Oh fuck. I know we often bickered and our alliance was loose and could've been torn apart by anyone, anything at any time yet now... Now he's the one I have to see. His expression depicted through the face that didn't belong to him was one of annoyance at me being here.
"What are you doing here?" he asked with that harsh voice that belonged to Bakura and Bakura alone. He checked his surroundings. "Before you answer, let's go somewhere else."
Seto stepped in between us. "Bakura, you can't exit school during the day without a –"
"I. Don't. Care," Bakura cut him off, emphasizing each syllable with that domineering tone. Ah, it's definitely Bakura. "It would be in your best interests to know, Seto that more often than not, I don't give a shit for half the things that come out your mouth. It's all Yugi and God Cards with you. Go do what you do best and lose some duels with Yugi."
And with that, Bakura took me by the arm and hauled me off, leaving behind a fuming Seto Kaiba. Oh man, that was a burn like nothing I'd ever seen. Sheesh. If only I thought to make some stinging comments at him rather than defend my own interests.
-
We were out of the school and slumped down on a park bench. I glanced around to see who else was about and the white-haired thief sighed. "Oi, Tomb Keeper. It's just us." Eh? I wasn't concerned about – he's giving me that look – okay I was. Still, I don't want to make a scene like before. "So what are you doing here? Explain yourself, bitch."
-
So I told him everything. Beginning from when my darker half defeated Bakura and I in that duel with the Winged Dragon of Ra to now. And about how I wanted to atone for what I'd done in Battle City. Bakura simply smirked at that part. Actually, he smirked at everything and it grew wider the more I spoke. It was torture.
I spoke of how we were defeated but I still had a part of me in Anzu from when I brainwashed her. He smirked.
I spoke of the duel between the Pharaoh and my darker self. The Pharaoh won. I was saved. He smirked.
I spoke of how the Pharaoh got to see the markings on my back. He smirked.
I spoke of how I gave up the Sennen Rod to the Pharaoh. He smirked.
I spoke of how I went back to Egypt with my family to patch up my life. He smirked.
I spoke of how things just haven't been right over there. Ishizu and Rishid could not put my heart at ease. It was something I had to accomplish myself. He smirked.
I spoke of how I reached Japan and got a chance to have lunch with Mai Kujaku. It was awkward. But at least she was as honest as she possibly could be over what happened. So I felt like while minor, at least something could be crossed off my intangible list. He smirked.
I spoke of how I reached Domino City and some girl recognised me. Jounouchi's sister apparently. She was scared and hastily got away from me. He smirked.
I spoke of how I went to Domino City High today in the hopes of talking to Yugi and his friends. I ran into Seto and he recognised me and pointed me in the direction to go and learned why I was here. He smirked.
I spoke of how I tried to talk to them. It was far too awkward. They dodged around my questions and my statements and even my long drawn out apology I had planned for a long time. It was unbearable who they wouldn't just be frank with me. He smirked.
I spoke of how Jounouchi said it would just be better if I stayed out of everyone's lives. By everyone, who did he mean? I asked this and he did not answer. Nobody else tried to explain. It wasn't going anywhere. So I left the classroom and wondered if I'd ever cross paths with any of them ever again. He smirked.
He smirked.
He smirked.
I couldn't say anything about it but why? Why would he smirk at my words like it was nothing? Some kind of joke? There I was, trying to pour my heart out and he carries that expression.
Why?
Why?!
Why?!
Because...
I'm talking to Bakura.
He isn't someone you go to for comfort.
Let alone someone you can find eternal happiness with.
Yet he's like a magnet and once you've been pulled in, the attraction can't seem to go away.
Attraction... Fuck, how long has it been since Bakura and I... Just him and me... How long has it been since we've been together like this? I have no idea.
But now I've crossed paths with Bakura.
Nobody else wants me around. I'm not even sure if Bakura himself wants me around. But he's a fucking magnet and I don't want to leave.
-
"For fuck's sake, why do you keep smirking like that?" I eventually asked. The irritation over it was getting dangerously close to breaking point. Best I prevent unleashing my frustrations, especially upon the likes of Bakura.
Bakura blinked and feigned innocent eyes. "Me?" I glowered; he grinned. "Sorry, I got an amusing thought."
"You better damn well explain," I replied grumpily.
He put a finger to his lips and pondered what he was going to say. Oh don't tell me the thought line was an excuse and now you're trying to think up something imaginative to say now! "Well, you and I once had a partnership. Let's see... The agreement involved getting rid of the Pharaoh, you showing me the carvings on your back and you handing over the Sennen Rod," he explained with a rather whimsical tone. "Then you ended up giving the Pharaoh the Sennen Rod and showing him what's on your back. And so it doesn't make sense that I'd be smirking, does it?"
I nodded slowly. There wasn't much else to do but agree, really. Bakura's one of those people that you don't like arguing with because he'll just disagree even when it's obvious he's in the wrong.
"So why do you keep smirking like that?" I repeated the initial question. He leaned towards me. It felt uncomfortable yet I didn't bother backing away either.
"Because you tried to make friendship with the Pharaoh and his group of friends and they didn't want you. I'm used to him taking away everything from you but he didn't take you," he pointed out, closing in on me. He pushed me down so I was lying on the bench and his hands had my arms pinned down. Then he brought his lips onto mine. What?!
His tongue was pressed up against my lips, trying to force entrance. Fuck, I don't know what he's trying to pull here but I am not going to let him get the best of me just like that! So whatever trick he tried to use, I'll meet his standards. He wants tongue; I'll give him fucking tongue. If he wants to ravage my neck next... oh fuck, he's moving onto there!
"Ah!" I gasped as his lips made contact with neck. What the fuck does he think he's doing? A simple question about his smirking habit and now this... "Bakura, stop it!" I eventually yelled out as I shoved the albino thief off me. He ended up tumbling onto the grass that lay before the bench. "Now what the fuck was that?!" I asked, fuming. He licked his lips in satisfaction.
"That's definitely going to leave a mark," he commented with amusement. Mark? Oh fuck, my neck! Shit, I wasn't wearing all my usual gold jewellery. I fumbled around and realised that the only jewellery I had was my earrings. Oh god, I have to hit him. I tried to punch him but he used a free hand to block my fist. "As for what that was... Spontaneous making out?"
No, no, no! I am not accepting that as an explanation! I was pouring my heart out to you, you were smirking, I ask about it and you pounce on me and slobber all over my face and neck!
Normally that would sound rather spontaneous but this is Bakura I'm talking. I know him better than that. He usually has a valid reason behind his actions. If he was into spontaneous making out, this situation probably would've happened long ago for fuck's sake!
Bakura frowned. "You're not happy, are you?"
"You're so confusing sometimes!" I cried out in aggravation. He tilted his head to the side.
"How many times do I have to do it for you to get it?"
I seriously considered the question. Hang on, do what? Why do I get the feeling Bakura being like, a spirit of over three thousand years in age, is starting to miss getting laid regularly? I mean, it's enough that he's kissing me with Ryou's body. No, it doesn't feel like Ryou's body at all. In that moment, it was definitely Bakura's body, I can't think of it any other way.
"Bakura, I just want to know some things. Even though I went against our deal, why aren't you angry at me? Also about not being forgiven by the others, what should I do now? I know that asking you probably isn't the best idea but I don't know, you seem like you know far too much!" I lunged at him and both my hands grabbed at his shirt collar. I tried to shake him as if I would force out the answers I wanted to hear. He smirked. For fuck's sake, now's not the time! "Why do you keep smirking like that anyway? It's pissing me off! I want answers! When I open my heart to you, you give me that look and now when I request nothing past an explanation; it's that same goddamn look!"
Silence.
Then he sighed.
"So impatient," he commented. I groaned. "Let's do this a different way. You're expecting things from me yet you expect them for free. And you, Marik of all people are in no position to expect things for free when you have an obvious reputation for having an inability to keep your side of the bargain." I blushed at this, the humiliation burning. Yeah, he may not be showing it obviously but he's bitter about that. He gave me a serious look. "For now, you can help me with this prank I set up out of sheer boredom. Seeing as kissing you makes you have fits, I'll just get you to commit crimes instead." Crimes? But I'm trying to atone from the crimes I'd already committed! Why the fuck would I go out and commit more?! He saw my expression. "You want answers, don't you? And you weren't in anyone's favour to begin with, what have you got to lose?"
I suppose that's true. But it's wrong, isn't it? I've already suffered for what I'd done back in Battle City. Hell, my purpose of coming to Domino City was to apologise and ties up loose ends. Then I could move on and lead a quiet, peaceful life.
Yet this stupid magnet of a person had to come along offering sweet words with bad intentions behind them. And he's tempting me. He repulses me and I want to say no but I don't know how. It's like he's stolen my common sense, my intuition, my logic and all senses of morality. I want to be bad. And I want to be a masochistic freak falling for his whims. It's so fucking messed up.
The right thing to do is to say no and leave. Then I could get back on the road of atonement. I could finally be accepted and forgiven by Yugi and his friends. Shizuka would not feel scared at my approach. I could sit down and have lunch with any of them.
Everything would be alright again.
A quiet, peaceful life.
However, I can't do that. Because like metals and magnets, I am attracted to Bakura. Whether I like it or not – screw that, I freaking hate it – it's just one of those things I have to live with for now.
"Okay, I'll do it," I said.
He smirked.
I die a little more on the inside.
-
We stood outside the school – Domino City High. Bakura explained what was going on to me. It appears that he's replaced the water for the sprinkler system with gasoline and that the only water that's safe is the water for the drinking fountains and bathrooms – to ensure students and teachers don't realise. Boredom? Just that alone would take a shit load of rigging! I pointed this out to him and he smiled wryly at me.
"The Sennen Items fare well in fire," he replied. My heart stopped. No, every part of me froze in horror as I came to understand this plan.
Gasoline is incredibly flammable. The garden sprinklers and the grass sprinklers would be squirting that flammable liquid in all directions. Of course, these sprinklers are connected to hoses that are connected to the school buildings, which supply the water or in this instance, the gasoline. And the fire alarm sprinklers in the school corridors would be spraying gasoline all over the students and teachers inside the buildings. Once one section of gasoline flooded grass is lit on fire, it'll spread rapidly and the school will be surrounded in a deadly ring of fire. Schools are huge and a ring of fire is difficult to escape from.
Fire brigades could probably dowse down the fire but save every student? I'm uncertain. There's no way Bakura could've made this plan out of sheer boredom. There's so many things he'd have to do like getting that gasoline in and replacing that water supply with the gasoline...
"How could you do all that?" I asked many times but he did nothing more than smirk.
Amazing... He could come up with such an operation during the time I was gone. It's unbelievable. I only kept concentrating on me wrapped up in my own misery while the rest of the world was moving forward and accomplishing things, good or bad. That included Bakura.
He wanted to burn down the entire school and leave only but the Sennen Puzzle remaining.
-
Two teenagers from the school came out to meet us. They looked like ruffians to put it one way. Types that will probably end up dropping out of school next semester. Both eyed me up and down and nodded approvingly. I don't like this attention... "Oi Bakura, is this your girlfriend?" one of them asked.
Before I could kick that guy in the balls, Bakura held them me back and faked a grin. "Yes, I got this one from Egypt. Exotic, isn't she?" Don't make me kick your balls too, Bakura! He rummaged into his pockets and produced packets of cigarettes and small bags of some kind of powder. Fuck, Bakura's got tobacco and drugs. Don't tell me that these two guys are going to be the ones setting off the fire! "Now at this time, the janitor is cleaning the gym toilets so if you have those near his shed then you won't get noticed by anyone!" Bakura's obviously put some more thought into this. "Now pay up, you know I don't do this for free."
"Still charging three dollars a packet?" one of them asked. Bakura nodded and the two each paid up and received their tobacco and drugs. Ah, he must've been doing this regularly to make it look like a normal part of his routine. Plus it's hard to link a gasoline fire set-up to one of the students.
"Oi Bakura, why don't you and your girlfriend stay with us and smoke for a while too?" I shot Bakura a pleading look. Seriously, no! I am not hanging out with druggie teenagers who think I'm your girlfriend! Like fuck I'd ever do that.
Luckily he took the hint and turned them down. "I got to make rounds to other people. You two aren't the only ones I'm dealing with," he told them with a devious smile. The two teenagers simply shrugged and thought nothing of it. They took their drugs and tobacco and made their way to the location Bakura recommended. Those fools. If they're careless, they're going to cause a fire that could burn down the entire school. Fuck! It'll be difficult to trace this crime back to us – so far the only crime we committed was selling drugs to students but that doesn't punish nearly as much as arson.
But this arson's purpose is to kill and kill effectively. Bakura grinned at me – how can you grin like that? Where's your heart? "Did you know that I've been trying to get them to set off that fire all week?" he commented as if it were fascinating trivia.
"This... is despicable," I eventually replied and he laughed.
"I don't see you objecting to it either even if it bugs you!" he pointed out.
That would be true. It's true that morally, doing this would be wrong. In the face of all this, I should be showing more concern and openly objecting to the plan. I should be reporting Bakura to the police. Yet I'm doing none of those things.
It doesn't make sense. I'm trying to atone for my crimes but if Bakura appears, I'm back into the crime business all over again. It's far too inconsistent. However, I do know that Bakura is fully into this plan and this pyromaniac side of him is do I dare say it... thrilling. Fuck, it's terrifically ironic how he's set it all up so that two druggie teenagers are going to set off a fire that will burn down the entire school and leave nothing but the very treasure Bakura wants to steal.
"When the fire starts, you could gain their approval by rescuing them from the fire," Bakura suggested as an afterthought as we made our way up to the top of a hill with a perfect view of the school down below.
"They were the ones who turned me away first! Do they really deserve my help?" As a Tombkeeper, I ought to be worshipping the Pharaoh. I ought to be preventing this from happening therefore saving the lives of his friends and the rest of the school in the process. I apologised to them and admitted to my sins and have not been forgiven. So why would I save people like that? Here by my side is Bakura who wants me back and helping him. Why would I turn away from someone who wants me to help those who have turned me away?
Bakura snickered. "This is me partially testing you, you know. We're going to sit here and watch the school go up in flames. If you dare move from this spot, I'll assume you're going to go help them and rat me out. And I'll be forced to commit more crimes if such a thing were to happen." I hate how he can say things like that as if it was nothing. With that tone as if he really were doing all this on a mere whim but has the eyes of a cold-hearted murderer.
Different, that's what it is. Unique and exciting. My heart is beating fast over this. We sat together on the hill and a red flash came from a section of the school. Smoke rose and the gasoline create the paths for the flames to travel. The buildings catch fire. The flames rise but not as much as the smoke. From here, I see nothing but flashes of red and orange and clouds of grey, mostly likely poisonous smoke. Then I hear the uproar of people. Someone's probably dialling for the fire brigade.
I turn to Bakura and he's taking in this sight, this oh so glorious sight of his plan coming into fruition. My eyes squint and I think I see people trying to exit the buildings. But the flames surround them. The gasoline sprayed onto their clothes and skin will attract the fire towards them like moths to lights.
This is sick. I can only imagine what's happening inside that very school. Yugi, Jounouchi, Anzu and the others struggling in there, of course but... Oh fuck, I can't do this. Yet if I make a single move, Bakura will probably kill me. The tears are welling in my eyes but I do not budge from where I am. I know perfectly well that this is wrong. That it's against the law. That it was the complete opposite to my initial goals when I came to Domino City.
– "Bakura, gag me!" I yelled out of my own accord. Bakura glanced around and hissed at me to keep it down. But he complied, ripping the sleeve of his uniform using a pocket knife and using the material to gag me. Now I can't scream or anything like that. Tears streamed down my face and my heart ached – it fucking ached – yet I did not budge from my spot. How's this for loyalty, Bakura? I'm not running away or backing out. Hell, my only actions have only been to ensure this new loyalty, right? You can see it; you can see truth even through the borrowed eyes of Ryou Bakura, right?
It is possible that I, Marik Ishtar could be the biggest piece of sick fuck on the planet.
After all, I hurt and willingly hurt myself time and time again now for the sake of a mere sadistic enigma such as Bakura.
There was no hope for me to lead a quiet, peaceful life where I was forgiven for my crimes. So now I'll suffer at the whims of someone who may or may not want me. And yes, I decided it just like that.
I always knew I had a fucked up brain.
-
There were students and teachers that survived. All of the survivors were crowded into a nearby church. Bakura and I managed to get in amongst the survivors and examine them. I didn't see Yugi or any of his friends among them. The two teenagers from before were nowhere to be seen either. Wide eyes and shaking bodies filled up the seats of the church and some students were talking and talking while others were dead silent. All traumatised and undeserving of it too.
As for the building itself... and the schoolgrounds... It's going to have to be completely rebuilt from scratch. The smoke remained in the air yet to clear and Bakura disappeared into the grey. He told me to wait back on that hill.
So I did and eventually he appeared with the Sennen Puzzle secure in his hands. How he managed to sneak into the place and get it unnoticed, I have no clue. After all, Bakura told me that he was once famous for being the Thief King. So I imagine he's pulled off heists like this before. The lengths he went to acquire a simple ancient Egyptian artefact frighten me. But I think I get it. The heist could've been much easier and simpler but Bakura intentionally went with something he had to go to a lot of trouble to pull off. He demonstrated his patience, his ability to pull strings behind the scenes, his thieving skills, his manipulation skills and most importantly, his power. Domino City doesn't realise it but like how he left a mark on me, Bakura's left a mark on the city in the form of a burnt down school that was educating the generation that were going to lead in the near future.
How fucking despicable.
He's exactly the type of person I should hate.
But this horrific person is eating my heart up and it may as well be literal. Because this masochistic mindset of mine is loving every bit of it. Perhaps all those crimes I committed back then were committed just to bring me pain. I don't even know anymore.
Maybe I've finally cracked and gone insane.
Bakura shoved the Sennen Puzzle in the biggest pocket of his jacket. "I wasn't angry because I know you. Hell, back at Battle City you thought you had power over me but you know, I'm actually the one in power. And the moment you asked Seto Kaiba where I was, it's obvious you were mine all over again," he explained with that goddamn smirk. To realise that as his answer killed me a little inside. Yet his possessive way of talking would win me over for one of many times to come.
-
Bakura and I robbed Yugi's grandfather's house and found the rest of the Sennen Items he'd been keeping. Then my time had run out so we returned to Egypt. But I didn't go home. We got an apartment in Cairo and Bakura's currently working out some more schemes now that he got all the Sennen Items that were in Japan.
We'd also been keeping a close eye on news regarding the fire of Domino City High School. They worked out that it was a gasoline fire but because practically everything had been burnt down, no one has worked out that it actually links back to Bakura. Also a surviving student said they saw two students named Tetsuo Urashima and Sato Tanaka heading to the shed where the fire was reported to have started from. Both students are dead.
Rumours started that the two wanted to commit suicide and take down the rest of the school with them. Other students mentioned how the two were failing school and started to take on the lifestyle of a drug addict.
So they became the main suspects. However, the main suspects are dead so the case is probably going to remain a mystery. And there was a list of the many, many students that died in the fire. It included names I recognised such as Yugi Muto, Seto Kaiba, Katsuya Jounouchi, Anzu Mazaki, Hiroto Honda and Ryuuji Otogi. Guess it's too lame for redemption. I'd think that and inside would hurt just that little more and I'd suffer more for all my wrongs. What am I to do though? Every time I look at Bakura, I desire for him to come up with more schemes like this.
This ought to be disturbing me but now that time has passed, I'm now too addicted. It seems if you take away my dark half, I become the dark half.
Just because I'm a sick fuck with an attraction towards a sadistic magnet.
