And so begins my first multi-chapter story since 2006. Good times...good times...*cough* Anyways, I really want to thank my lovely beta for...being my beta and being awesome. She's the one who gave me the idea for this story in the first place! *Glomps* I love you!
Alright so the basic plot for this story is the Virtual World Arc with Yami Marik as a plot twist. Honestly, why did he not go with them? It would have made those 20 or so episodes more interesting. Ah well.
I'll try my very best to make sure Mariku doesn't seem like a mary-sue becaues I really don't want him to seem like this. I'm sure my beta would kill me if I made him like that anyways 0_0
In this story, Yami Marik is going to be known as Marik. There will be small mentions of Puzzleshipping but other than that, no pairings.
Yu-Gi-Oh does not belong to me and it never will. If it did, Yami Marik would have been in Noah Virtual World and pwned the Big Five and the little green-haired brat.
Enjoy :)
~Yami's POV~
I smiled softly as I watched my little hikari sleep, his breathing quiet and steady. Gently, I pushed a stray blonde bang away from his porcelain face before resuming my watchful position. My poor aibou was so tired from yesterday. So many things had changed, and so many events had occurred.
Our new enemy was stronger than our last, and much more dangerous. The young one, Malik, was easier to understand. Even though he had been hiding his true identity from us the whole time, he had innocence inside him. I could sense it.
But this thing, this…monster was someone completely different. No longer was the misguided Malik Ishtar in control but something far more deadly.
Something that could harm my light. That was something I could not allow.
A small movement from the bed I was sitting on brought my attention to my hikari who was currently struggling to wake up.
"Y-Yami? What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice laced with sleep and drowsiness.
Smiling again, I reached over and stroked his hair. "I was watching you sleep. Is something wrong?"
He returned my smile, making my heart beat a bit faster. "No, of course not. You only took me by surprise, that's all."
I nodded in understanding before standing up and walking towards the door to exit his soul room. Before I could turn the handle, he called me back. I turned around to face him again, and was surprised to see worry and fear in his eyes.
"What's the matter Yugi?" I asked, concerned.
My little hikari spoke after he was sure he had my full attention. "How far is Marik going to go to get power? After what happened to Mai and Odeon, I was sure the worst was over. Now Ryou and the spirit of the Millennium Ring are gone. How many more people is he going to hurt before he finally goes after us?"
Part of my soul was warmed immensely due to the fact that Yugi was referring to 'us' instead of 'me.' It made me feel much closer to my aibou.
Never the less, I also shared my worried thoughts pertaining Marik.
"He will never stop aibou. He's going to take down all the people we care for before he goes after us. It's all part of his twisted game."
"B-But we'll stop him, right?"
The fragile, weak voice that was coming from my precious light pulled at my heartstrings. Yugi was still very young and his mind was innocent and pure. I was the only one able to protect said innocence and I wasn't going to let anything or anyone taint his perfect mind.
"I promise we will."
~Normal POV~
"Just continue down to the end of the hallway where my associates will greet you." Noah's shrill voice sounded through the long metal corridor.
/What do you think this is all about pharaoh? / Yugi asked mentally, a bit of fear creeping up inside of him.
Yami could sense this fear and inwardly growled. Whoever this Noah was, he would not allow his little aibou to fall into the clutches of this enemy. Malik's alter ego was enough to worry about.
/I'm not sure little one. Whatever it is, I'm here for you. / the comforting words sunk into the hikari's subconscious and he smiled softly.
/Thank you Yami. /
His yami was right. Malik's darker side was very dangerous, much more dangerous than any of the other villains that they had come across. However, whoever this Noah was, he seemed dangerous as well. What was going to happen to them?
~Marik's POV~
Where the hell did that pipsqueak pharaoh and those pathetic friends of his go? This is quite an interesting turn of events but this waiting around is getting most aggravating. I'm the one who deserves the pharaoh's power, not some wannabe.
My patience is wearing thin. I think it's time to pay the pharaoh's vessel a little visit…
~Normal POV~
"No, it can't be!" Kaiba's voice rang out is disbelief, blue eyes wide with shock. The amethyst-eyed hikari didn't recognize these people were but if Seto Kaiba was shocked to see them, they must be threatening.
"You should have known we would be back Kaiba." One of them said, spitting out the CEO's name as if it were the plague. Yugi blinked at this show of hostility, but did not move. He wasn't going to put himself in the line of danger this time.
"Happy to see us again?" Another said mockingly. Tristan turned towards Kaiba before he started speaking.
"Do you know these five clowns Kaiba?"
Yugi furrowed his eyebrows. Kaiba wasn't the only one that recognized these five men in suits. The little hikari knew he had seen them before. "These guys seem awfully familiar…"
"Those guys are Big Five, the goons that tried to get rid of Seto and take over the Kaiba corporation!" Mokuba said anger in his shrill voice.
/That's why they seemed so familiar to me…/ Yami's deep voice rang through Yugi's head once more.
The hikari looked confused. /You remember these guys? /
The ex-pharaoh nodded. /Yes. Kaiba and I destroyed their five-headed dragon monster in the virtual world. They almost succeeded in destroying us. /
Suddenly, the Millennium Puzzle, which had remained inactive since Yugi had fallen asleep last night, started to glow. Both the yami and hikari looked down at the glowing artifact.
/What's up with the puzzle? /
Yami blinked. /I'm not sure. It doesn't activate like this unless another Millennium Item is in close range. /
Yugi looked puzzled. (no pun intended) /Another item? I though that Ryou and the spirit of the ring were in the Shadow Realm. Who else has a…/ Amethyst eyes widened in realization as he looked down the dark hallway. It could only be…
"Hello little Yugi. Happy to see me?"
The hikari jumped in surprise when the deep, possessed voice rang out, causing him to spin around in shock. Marik's lavender eyes were sparkling with amusement and his dark chuckle followed.
"Marik!" At the sounded of their enemy's name, everyone turned around. Joey, once spotting the tan, yami, growled and stood in front of his little sister protectively. "What do ya want ya psycho?"
Marik merely sniffed in the blonde's direction. "I was only curious as to where everyone disappeared to. How am I supposed to drain the pharaoh's energy and destroy him if he suddenly wanders off?"
/Sorry aibou, but I'm taking over. /
Yugi didn't have time to argue. The tone of his yami's voice was firm and clear, usually meaning he wouldn't change his mind. With that being said, Yugi reluctantly gave his yami control, creeping to his soul room.
Once Yami was fully in control, he narrowed his eyes and glared at his enemy. "You won't be taking anything from me Marik."
Letting out something that could only have been a grunt of delight, Marik smirked. "So nice of you to join us pharaoh. Tired of letting your hikari have control of the body?"
Yami growled dangerously.
"If you fools are done arguing, we would very much appreciate you pay attention to what we have to say." One of the Big Five said impatiently.
Marik broke his staring contest with the ex-pharaoh and sent a disapproving look over at the virtual businessmen. "Who the hell are you five suppose to be?"
One of the more burly of the men smirked at the yami. "We are people with great power. Power beyond anything any one of you could understand."
The Egyptian snorted. "I find that very hard to believe."
Kaiba sent the deranged psycho a glare before turning back to the virtual villains. "What is it you old coots want from me?"
Another one, this time a little taller, spoke. "Only you Seto Kaiba? I can assure you what we plan is also for all of your little friends. We are going to hold a tournament."
The CEO narrowed his hard, blue eyes in suspicion and disgust. "What kind of tournament?"
"A tournament involving a game you are quite familiar with Kaiba. A Duel Monsters tournament and all of you will participate."
Yami turned his attention away from Marik and faced the Big Five again. "Why do you want to duel us?"
"Isn't it obvious? Once we defeat you brats, we can take over your bodies and get back into the real world while you fools wander in this virtual hell forever."
Everyone, except for Marik, who looked vaguely bored, seemed to stiffen at that. Only Joey had the guts to speak up. "Let us out of here ya big creeps!"
All five of the men seemed to laugh at this. "You children aren't going anywhere for a very long time, we can assure you that."
Almost at once, the room changed. The glow around them brightened and all of them had to shield their eyes from the brightness. Once they opened them again, the scenery had transformed.
"Where are we?" Tea asked, looking around confused.
Kaiba rolled his eyes. "Weren't you geeks listening? Where're in cyberspace created by that bratty kid, Noah."
The brunette blinked before she let her hand go through a set of pink flowers, gasping when she couldn't touch them. "It looks so real though." Just as the words left her mouth, she looked at and yelped when she saw another version of Kaiba glaring down at her.
"K-Kaiba?"
"No, it's just a virtual clone. I remember making them all the time to duel against."
Tristan looked confused. "Why?"
"Who better?" Kaiba asked with a smug grin. Marik snickered from the background, Yami turning and glaring at him hotly.
"Listen up you lot. We have new rules to this game you're all too familiar with so watch closely."
Everyone's eyes fell on the virtual Kaiba and another monster that came into play. The Big Five explained the rule of the 'Deckmaster' and that they each had a special ability that could be used in battle. Virtual Kaiba's Blue-Eyes was destroyed and he soon disappeared.
Joey growled. "Let us outta' this room!" he repeated, getting a little frustrated at being so helpless.
"You fool; we never even left the room." Soon, the area they were in transformed back into the original way it looked, with everyone back in their places.
Kaiba narrowed his eyes. "We are not playing your sick games!"
Yami spoke. "Hold on now. If we all stick together, we can beat these five at their own game."
Tristan nodded, an old smile coming onto his face. "I got your back Yugi." Joey looked a little uncertain at first but then nodded to show his support. Kaiba snorted and turned away but Mokuba smiled brightly.
"Hold on guys. Which one of us is going to duel?" Tea asked.
Another burly businessman snickered. "Good question, brat. Just to make sure you all suffer, all of you will be dueling. The first five to lose are the five that will replace us and stay here forever."
"In your dreams you old fools!" Kaiba shouted, his annoyance growing by the second.
"We shall see who the fool is Mr. Kaiba. Until then we suggest you children get ready for our duels."
"Bring it on! You punks are going down!" Joey said.
"Who's going down?"
The floor suddenly seemed to vanish beneath Joey's feet and blonde duelist fell through the floor with a startled screech.
"Joey!" Serenity cried out in shock and fear.
"As you can see, before these duels begin, we plan on separating you brats." One of the Big Five said sharply.
"What?" Tea cried out in disbelief and horror. Soon, she cried out as she too fell through a hole in the floor, as did Serenity.
"Serenity!" Both Duke and Tristan rushed to save her but were caught off guard as they too fell through the floor.
Mokuba, fear evident on his face, ran towards his older brother. "Seto!" he cried out but then cried out when both him and his brother fell through the floor like the others. Now, only Yami and Marik were left.
The ex-pharaoh stood where the last of his companions had fallen and growled. "That is enough! Where have my friends gone?"
"You two will soon join them." One of the businessmen said before a hole spontaneously appeared beneath the two yamis. The amethyst-eyed spirit seemed quite surprised at this as he started to fall but Marik merely crossed his arms, a smirk on his face as he fell.
"And so it begins…"