Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! The characters, cards, etc. all belong to Kazuki Takahashi. However, any characters that I have made up and added to this story myself are mine and nobody is allowed to use them without my permission. If you steal them or any of the writing in any chapter, you are asking for trouble. It's as simple as that.

Note: Before you all decide to flame me or anything, I am writing this story for fun. Also this is my first fic, so be gentle!

Okay. I'm done. On to the damn story already.

~~The Taste of Revenge~~

Chapter 1

Raging river, take my life. I feed your mouth, so make it quick. Swallow me up, and I will be forever lost. Lost in the shadows. Gone, unnoticed. Never to be seen again. Never to be even remembered.

Oh how frightened I am. I don't want to do this, but I know I must. The roar of this river is calling to me in a threatening voice. The downpour is pushing me further to my doom. The lightning is showing me the way, though I already know it by heart. Straight down into the dark abyss. First down into the river's mouth, then to the guts of Hell itself. I served my purpose in this corrupted world. I was used and used over again, and now there is nothing left. It is time for me to be discarded and forgotten.

Zalika gripped the guardrail. The rain was making it increasingly slippery, and her fear wasn't helping. It was forcing her hands to slowly let go. The light of a passing car startled her, and her feet slipped. Her hands however, found the strength to defy the rain, and she pulled herself back up.

Oh Ra, how will I manage this? I fear the river's fangs that will bite me but not rip me apart. The plague, the torment, the punishment I deserve. Why must I be so afraid?

A crack of lightning and thunder startled her yet again from her thoughts. She continued to grip the railing of the bridge and looked up at the sky.

Crocodile Eater of the Dead, it is time for you to be fed.

Zalika had made up her mind. She pushed all her fears away and looked back to the river. Lightning revealed the currents for her.

Yes, this will be nice and fast. I hope......

"Goodbye world, you pathetic bitch!" She yelled.

Just as she was about to release her grip and descend into the darkness, she was delayed yet again. Only this time, it wasn't by her own mind.

"Don't do it..." She heard from behind her.

Zalika turned her head slightly to the side so she could see behind her. A few feet away stood a thin teenager in front of a shiny Harley. She didn't see his face well, even as he slowly began to approach her.

"Please don't," he repeated. "That isn't a nice way to die."

"How would you know?" Zalika snapped her head back to the river. It continued to growl, waiting for its opportunity to engulf her in seconds.

"I don't want you to die."

Why would he care? Zalika turned her head back in his direction. He walked closer to her, and then his appearance became more clear to her. His hair was soaked and sticking to his blue shirt and tan skin. His light-purple eyes displayed both worry and horror, and visibly begged her to ease his emotions. He appeared cold, and was wearing no jacket.

Zalika noticed herself unable to move and too afraid to think. She continued to watch him without replying to what he had said. He shivered, still walking towards her in the rain.

"Come on. Whatever has put you through so much pain to make you want to let go, I promise I will make it better. Please... Give me your hand." He held out his hand, praying that she would accept it.

Zalika began to feel somewhat comforted. Never had she expected anyone to want to help her. Now she felt the honesty and friendship that this stranger was offering her, and gave in uncontrollably. She slowly lifted a shaky hand from the guardrail and reached out to him.

"Everything will be okay, I promise." He said quietly, gripping her hand firmly.

Zalika turned herself around, now hoping that she wouldn't fall. He took her other hand, and helped her climb back over the railing. Surprisingly, he pulled her into his arms and held her for a long moment. Zalika embraced him in return, hoping for some unknown reason that he wouldn't let go. But of course after a few moments her loosened his grip and looked at her.

Zalika refused to make eye contact with him. She felt both ashamed and embarrassed. She continued to hold his hands, feeling his soft wet skin. Again, she felt lost, and unable to move.

"What is your name?" He asked, shivering.

"Zalika," she mumbled. "Zalika Pegasus."

"Pegasus' daughter? Why were you...?"

Zalika cut him off. "It doesn't matter who I am. I am just one of several stupid humans that need be destroyed." Before she could continue, she burst into tears, shattering her serious nature.

"My name is Marik," he said gently. "Don't worry, I'll make it all better. Just cry it all out."

She did as he said. She cried hard, something she was not used to. Her face was buried in his wet clothes to hide her tears and muffle her sniffs. He held her again, more firmer than before, and rocked her gently for several minutes.

Marik? But... That's the guy that Yugi had to 'save the world' from.....

She stopped crying and looked up into his lavender eyes. They had lost their worry and fear, and now sparkled with love and gentleness. He sure resembled the Egyptian teenager that Yugi had described, but how could Marik Ishtar turn out to be so gentle? She found herself staring into his handsome eyes, unable to turn away from them.

He smiled, and walked her over to his motorcycle. "Come on Zalika. I'll take you to my... home..." His voice drifted away, becoming quite sad.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"Oh, nothing. It's just my home isn't much of a home that you'd be used to."

"What do you mean?" She sniffed.

"I live in an abandoned house with no electricity. Only a fireplace for heat and battery-powered lamps for light."

"Anything sounds great to me. Just as long as it's as far away from Yugi Mutou as I can get." She growled at the sound of Yugi's name.

Marik reacted quickly to the name. "Yugi Mutou?"

"Yes. He's my ex boyfriend. I ditched him last night because he is gay."

"Literally?" Marik's voice became filled with interest.

"Yes," she grumbled. "He's gay with Joey and that pharaoh that lives in his own head."

Marik started laughing uncontrollably at the news. Such a nice piece of knowledge that would help in getting back at Yugi for defeating him and ruining his plans. Zalika also felt her dark side coming on, and began laughing insanely as well.

"I figured you'd find that interesting," she snickered. "If you are the Marik I have heard about for over a year now."

"I am Marik Ishtar, the one and only." He climbed on his motorcycle and helped her up so she sat behind him.

"I assume you want revenge on him for beating you at Battle City, correct?"

Marik nodded and started up his motorcycle. "Your attitude sure changed awfully fast since a minute ago." He looked back at her, still smirking. He guided her hands around his waste before he drove off of the bridge. He drove slowly and carefully, occasionally looking back at her and smiling sweetly.

Well this night sure turned out to be better than I was expecting. Quite odd as well. She rested her chin on Marik's shoulder from behind him, feeling how cold he was. I wish I could warm him up....

Marik pulled his motorcycle up the driveway of an unlit house. It was small and looked very old. The siding was filthy and starting to crack in the corners, the gutters were missing, and the screens on the door had been pushed out. It reminded her of one of those houses that the city people never took care of, especially the blacks with bad attitudes. Marik turned off his motorcycle and stepped down onto the stone driveway. She followed him, and together they walked into his house.

Just like he had said, the place was nothing special. The halls were dimly lit with the battery-powered lamps. In his living room, a mess of duel monster cards sat scattered on his floor and coffee table. The fireplace appeared to be the only source of heat in the house, but it kept the living room quite warm. The fear she had felt on the bridge had completely vanished, eased by Marik's warm heart.

She continued to look around the house. Marik went into his bedroom and brought her a bathrobe and a towel.

"Umm, why don't you dry off and put this on? I'm sorry I don't have anything else for you to wear."

Zalika smiled. "Thank you." She took the bathrobe and towel from his hands and walked into Marik's bedroom, nudging the door as she entered. Zalika didn't notice that the door hadn't closed tightly, but Marik did. He waited by the door for her to finish, giving in to the urge to watch.

You pervert. Marik slapped himself on the head, continuing to talk mentally to himself. 'You don't even know her and already you're having fantasies. You need to accept the fact that you'll be a lonely virgin your entire life, and that she is just another person that will come and go.'

Zalika came back out, seeing him rubbing his forehead. "Are you okay?" She asked.

"Huh?" Marik looked up, seeing her glistening blue eyes. "Oh, Zalika, yeah I'm fine. Sorry, just spacing out."

Zalika smiled. "Go get some dry clothes on. We can talk when you are done."


I know this really isn't much right now, but please tell me what you think! Does it suck or is that actually okay? Anyways if you like it I'll continue, if not, I'll discard it. This is my first fic, and I haven't really read many stories, so please be honest. Thanks everyone~