Prologue:
The dim orange light of several torches danced hauntingly over the rough limestone walls of the catacomb, providing the only light that existed in the deep, dark tomb. Silver, icy clouds floated around, like mystifying mist hanging, suspended in midair around the circle of a dozen figures clad in black robes, their hoods masking the traitorous faces. Residing in the middle of this circle was a large, flat stone, which gleamed its metallic black colour in the dancing light menacingly.
Atop this stone of the dead, lay a woman, a lifeless woman, dressed in nothing but her tomb robe, ready to be left behind a rock in a cold stone chamber for eternity. Her long raven locks were sprawled, nearly camouflaging into the stone's colour, her pale, white face almost shone in the black darkness, her bangs falling lightly over her forehead. She was still, silent as death as a grievously angry figure stood over her.
A white-haired man with tanned skin, clad in a red robe that swirled around his figure, his muscular chest bare and open to the freezing cold of the depths beneath the sand dunes above. He clenched his fists with anger towards the Gods of Ra as he stared down at the dead, raven-haired woman through his dangerous violet orbs, which refused to flood with tears, for he refused to show any signs of weakness. To grieve was not to cry and feel sorry for oneself. To grieve was to be angry and curse the Gods for what they have done! And to do this, Bakura had chosen to betray the Gods and anger them in a far worse way than they had hurt him.
He bent down to lightly kiss the raven-haired woman's lips, before standing up straight again and snapping his fingers, holding out a hand as one of the robed figures scampered forwards with a heavy, plated book. Allowing the heavy book to be dropped into his arms, Bakura didn't keep his eyes off the dead woman before him, staring with expressionless irises. "Soon, Kali, my love." The tomb-robber whispered under his breath, unlocking the book and beginning to turn the heavy, ebony stone plates until he reached the desired area, as the servant placed a gold bracelet, entwined and swirled with silver, ancient writings adorning it, upon the stone beside the dead woman's body. Narrowing his eyes at the hieroglyphics with all the hate he had for the Gods, Bakura set the book down on the propped surface of the large ebony stone and raised his arms to the sky, slowly chanting:
'Come, spirit of my Love, Bestow your gracious soul in this treasure So that you may be resurrected through the body of its keeper The second child to the next Bakura dynasty Within my next lifetime Through her blood, her death, shall bring you life So that we may be together once more, my love Of flesh, of love, of death and blood Reside within in peace, my love, my heart.'
A silver wisp, like silver liquid that floated thinly in the air rose from the dead woman's body, sighing softly and making hissing noises every now and then as it slithered over to the bracelet and seemed to hover there for a second.
"Bestow your gracious soul in this treasure. So that you may be resurrected through the body of its owner, so that we may be together once more, my love." Bakura repeated.
And with that the silvery, liquid cloud disappeared into the delicate treasure, leaving the gold and silver bracelet rattling a bit, then falling still.
There was an eerie silence in the catacomb, making it seem even more haunting than usual. Bakura grinned and began to chuckle lowly, stepping forward to pick up the beautiful piece of jewellery. Examining it with his violet eyes, which now burned brightly with determination of a future, the tomb-robber erupted from mere chuckles to insane laughter that would have sent chills up anyone's spine as it echoed ruefully throughout the tomb and clawed its way down through the deepest tunnels and to the coldest chambers below the earth of sand.
Yami Marik jerked awake, rubbing his eyes and sitting up quickly to realize he was still in the cursed woods he had fallen asleep in. His back ached from having been leaning against the tree with awfully jagged bark while he slept. Lightly rubbing his sore back, Yami Marik got to his feet and looked around. "Hm, it must be nearly morning." He mumbled to himself, examining the sky, which was not nearly as dark as it was when he had fallen asleep.
Since Battle City, Yami Marik had been banished from his hikari's body and cast out as a lone spirit. But it hadn't been long before he found a body of his own, though it didn't do him much good. For months now, he'd wandered wherever he wanted to go, wondering what was so great about this stupid world anyways. As far as he could tell: nothing. Just to be born, live, and then die.
"Hmph," Yami Marik pouted, crossing his arms and sticking his nose up in the air as he continued his aimless path through the woods. He almost regretted going to the trouble of getting his own body. He didn't understand what he was supposed to do now. Make friends? Get a life? Ha! Friends? Yami Marik? Never.
Suddenly a short little pink coloured figure bumped into him out of nowhere, and he nearly tripped and face-planted in the dirt before him. Yami Marik growled and whirled around, glaring daggers at the little human dressed all in pink, complete even with little rubber boots of the same colour.
She stared back up at him sheepishly with soft baby blue eyes, nervously twiddling her fingers. "Sorry, sir." The little girl said in such a quiet voice Marik could barely hear her.
He growled again, if wasn't for her fragile appearance and innocent eyes, he'd probably have hurt her by now. "Fine, just get out of my sight." Marik said, waving her off and turning around again.
"Wait!" The little girl said urgently.
"What?!" Marik demanded, turning around, yet again.
She shrunk back, seeing the anger flaring in his eyes. "I- I need help."
Marik shook with rage, but recovered with an exasperated sigh, regaining his cool and kneeling before the small, frightened girl so they were eye level. "What's your name?" He asked, narrowing his eyes as he studied her and cocked his head to the side.
"M-Mindy. Mindy Bakura." She replied, leaning away a little in fear of him.
Marik cocked his head to the other side, still studying Mindy closely. "And, what do you need my help with... Mindy?" He demanded; this name was strange to him.
"I-I'm lost. I'm hungry. I want my mama and papa!" The little pink girl suddenly erupted into a fit of tears, making Marik double back a bit.
"So, what does this have to do about me?" He asked, cold-heartedly.
"Can you take me home?" Mindy asked, sniffing.
Marik laughed. "Take you home?!" He repeated. "Let me think about his... umm... no." Marik got up, and turned to leave again, his cape flowing out behind him as he laughed at the small girl's request.
Mindy bit her lip and watched him, then suddenly ran after the spiky-haired blonde man.
"Hm?" Marik looked down to see the little girl tagging him, and dismissed it, walking faster. Mindy had to break into a jog to keep up, but kept at his side. "What do you think you're doing?" He demanded.
"I want to go with you."
"No."
"Pleeease!" The little girl pleaded, pushing back her blonde hair lazily.
Marik growled, but then relaxed. "Fine, follow if you want. But don't expect me to care what happens to you."
"Okay," Mindy grinned widely and suddenly grabbed Marik's hand.
His lavender eyes widened as he looked down at the little girl's small hand holding his. Silently fuming he thought briefly of flinging her aside, but then decided against it, sighing and letting the little girl cling to him as he continued walking. 'I guess I'll be stuck with this little brat for a while.' Marik thought, yawning and trying to ignore the little girl as she skipped along side him, happily.
At the Bakura residence:
"Ryou! Hurry up with the homework so I can make those reward signs for Mindy, damn you!" Kayme called down the stairs at her older brother while she brushed her long auburn hair into a careless ponytail at the nape of her neck.
"In a minute! Jeez, once the annoying little sis, always the annoying little sis, huh?" Ryou replied, not keeping his eyes off the screen as he typed.
"Shut up!" Kayme laughed, shoving him over so she could sit on what was left of the chair. "Shove your bum over, please." She ordered, pushing his shoulder.
"No. Make me." Ryou answered, ignoring her.
Kayme glared, and pushed him hard so he fell off the chair and landed on his butt.
Ryou rubbed his rear and narrowed his eyes up at her. "Kayme! I'll tell mom and dad."
She rolled her eyes. "Ryou. You're 21 years old, and you still need mom and dad? Can't you fend for yourself? Ryou's a baby! Ryou's a baby!" Kayme taunted.
Ryou flushed, boiling with rage. "No, I'm not."
"Are too," Kayme continued, sticking her tongue out.
"Am not!"
"Are too!"
"Am not!!"
"Are too!!"
"Look who's the immature one, now! You're 17!!" Ryou exclaimed.
"So?! Baby!" Kayme stuck her tongue out again.
Ryou growled. "Alright that's it," He launched himself at Kayme and dragged her off the chair. "You wanna be a baby? Then we'll have a tickle war!" She giggled hysterically, trying to wriggle out of his grasp.
"Stop! Stop!" Kayme laughed, climbing up onto the couch.
"Never! I'm the tickle master! You'll never escape me!" Ryou joked, pinning her down with his knees and tickling her sides.
Kayme laughed so hard she could barely breathe. "Let go!" She cried breathlessly.
"Would you stop acting like five-year-olds?!" Their father roared over the noise.
Kayme jumped and fell off the couch. Ryou laughed at her, and she glared daggers.
"You're supposed to be making those signs for Mindy, you two! And here you are laughing and giggling and playing! While your little sister is out there alone, and maybe abducted for all we know!" They had called the police about the girl's disappearance, and were now planning on making signs as well. Ryou and Kayme were unconcerned in a strange way, thinking that she'd just gone to a friends for a while or got lost in the tube maze at the park down the street. They'd had good laughs imagining the places little Mindy could be, but stopped when their mother started shifting uncomfortably and biting her lip.
"Okay, okay, dad. I'm going!" Kayme yelled back in frustration, plopping down in the computer chair and opening 'Microsoft Word', fiddling with the gold and silver twisted bracelet around her left wrist.
Flashback
Five year-old Kayme sat at the head of the family dinner table, a little party hat situated on top of her auburn head as she blew out the candles on her birthday cake, her parents laughing and cheering as she beamed up at them. She received gifts such as duel monsters cards from her friends, and mostly school supplies and notepads from her mom. Her dad always had the special gifts for her- a bike! A cute little pink bike with streamers on the handles and everything! Even a little purple basket at the front! But one gift Kayme received that day stood out among them all, and though she didn't know it, would seal her fate from that moment on.
Kayme had noticed that Ryou was acting strange that day, sitting in the shadows staying away from the laughing and fun. In the middle of playing 'Pin-the-tail-on-the-Donkey', she decided to go and visit her older brother in the living room. Opening the door quietly Kayme spotted him in the corner, his bangs covering his eyes and darkening his face. "Ryou?" She asked softly, almost gasping when she heard a light chuckle reply.
"Come in, Kayme." That voice didn't sound like Ryou, it sounded deeper, almost... evil. Despite this, Kayme stepped towards him carefully.
"Ryou, are you alright?" She inquired, carefully extending a hand to move his bangs aside and take his temperature. Even though Kayme was four years younger, she still cared immensely for her older brother. Kayme gasped as Ryou's hand snapped up automatically and snatched her wrist, chuckling in his throat. "Ryou, stop it, brother. You're really scaring me." Kayme said with a panic filled voice, staring wide eyed at his lowered head as it shook with his evil chuckling.
"'Ryou, stop it. You're scaring me,'" He imitated, chuckling some more. That voice still didn't sound like Ryou.
"You're not Ryou. Who are you?! I want my brother back!" Kayme exclaimed.
"Your brother is gone, brat." The voice replied.
"Then who are you?" Kayme repeated.
Ryou raised his head, but ceased to be Ryou anymore, his hair was lifted; more evil looking, and the glint in his chocolate brown eyes told Kayme this wasn't good. She gasped and took a step backwards, attempting to free her wrist from his grasp. The evil person who resembled her brother just chuckled some more. "What's the rush, Kayme? Your friends can wait, and I have a gift for you."
"W-who are you? How do you know my name?" Kayme demanded, stumbling a bit in fear.
He laughed shortly. "Who am I? Bakura, you may call me. A tomb-robber and soul stealer."
"I-I don't believe you. Stop playing pretend, Ryou!" Kayme said, backing up into the couch.
"I already told you, Ryou is not here, Kayme."
"Stop it! How do you know my name?!" She demanded once more.
"How could I not know your name, Kayme?" She shivered. "I've known you ever since you were born, though you haven't met me before. I've watched you grow, and now I have a gift for my baby sister on her fifth birthday." Bakura chuckled, advancing on her with a little box. "Open it." He commanded his eyes flaring. Kayme began to slowly untie the string in fear. "Yes, that's it. Keep going." Bakura said, his eyes widening and his chocolate irises burning with a malicious fire. She opened the box with trembling hands and took out a gold and silver bracelet, engraved with ancient writing. Bakura chuckled and suddenly he knelt before Kayme, staring into her honey eyes. "Put it on, and never take it off. Do you understand me?" He asked, putting his index finger under her chin and tilting her face towards his.
"Yes," Kayme said in a shaky voice while her body trembled in fear. Bakura chuckled again, then got up to leave out the door. Confused, Kayme followed after about 30 seconds. Standing by the Pin-the-tail-on-the-Donkey chart was Ryou, observing the small children and laughing at their attempts saying: "Good try, lad." He caught Kayme's gaze and waved at her. Kayme waved back in confusion. What had happened to the evil spirit she'd just encountered?
End Flashback
That had been a long time ago. Now, Kayme had grown used to Bakura's sudden appearances now and then, even grown to know him. Thought he really spooked her at times, Kayme was pretty much accustomed to his taunting and occasional abuse. Surprisingly, sometimes Bakura was even kind towards her in a way, almost brotherly like.
Kayme paused from her typing and sighed, chancing a glance at her brother. Was it Ryou? Or was it Bakura? That's what she always asked herself. His eyes looked darkened and his thick white bangs fell over his forehead. "Ryou?"
"Yes, Kayme?" He responded in a deeper voice, shooting her a menacing glare.
She wasn't stupid, Kayme knew it was Bakura. "Um, nothing, just making sure you're okay, big brother."
Bakura chuckled. "Oh, I'll be much better soon," He said to himself, eyeing the gold and silver bracelet dangling from Kayme's left arm with blazing chocolate eyes.
She gave him a confused look and turned around to face the computer again. 'What's up with him, lately?' Kayme thought, running a nervous hand through her hair.