Title: The Stranger with the Kind Eyes
Pairing: Thief Bakura x OC
Rating: T
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-gi-oh! All rights belong to Kazuki Takahashi.
Summary: After an unfortunate turn of events, Akefia finds himself in a predicament beyond his control. He didn't understand why a total stranger would go out of the way for someone like him, and though he'd never given a damn about world, he knew that he'd always remember the stranger with the kind eyes. [Thief Bakura/Akefia x OC] *Millennium World Arc
Chapter 1
What started off as a dull pain in my chest soon intensified and crept its way throughout my entire body. It wasn't long before I started to feel weak and sick to my stomach as the pain became disorienting and started to affect my judgment. Despite this, or perhaps due to this, I still continued onward. For some time, I focused on the pain, honing in on every sensation; where it came from, how badly it hurt, and how badly I wanted it to stop.
A low hiss somehow escaped itself from between my severely crackled lips - a combination of frustration and determination. From this point on, I knew I had two options: fight or give up.
Surviving a village massacre and learning to care for myself at an early age had made me stronger than most people, so I made the decision to push through. Being miles away from the city, in an unfamiliar part of the land, pushing through was my only hope until I found a solution. Thanks to a snake bite I sustained while wondering through the desert following my duel with the Pharaoh's servant, Mahad - my body had been inflicted with quite a bit of damage that was now taking its toll on me. I was amazed that I even had enough strength left to summon Diabound, my ka, to help me escape after the battle with Mahad, but now I had to deal with this.
As I trudged through the scorching Egyptian desert, I wondered if I would make it through my ordeal. My horse had already given out a ways back, and if I failed to reach a destination soon, I would too. I kept a hand pressed tightly against my chest and continued on my treacherous journey until I noticed something odd heading towards me... something sinister...
Staring out into the far distance, my eyes practically jumped from their sockets as I realized what was approaching me.
A sand storm?! Just my luck...
The winds howled and twisted violently as the dark clouds ripped through the desert at break neck speed. This had to be one of the biggest sand storms to coast through Egypt, and I was directly in its path. I exhale deeply with what may be my final breath - not at all ready to accept death, then suddenly the storm was upon me. Wind and sand pound against me as I wrap my arms across my eyes and struggle against the storm, refusing to turn away. I pushed myself, my body, to carry on, but with each step, the pain plaguing my being made its presence known. And as if that wasn't enough, the force of the wind kept knocking me on my ass.
I muttered a few curses, slowly picked myself up, and once again advanced forward. After sometime, the winds picked up even more, making it impossible to see anything whatsoever, and that's when it happened...
In a flash, the storm swept me completely away and threw my already damaged body clean across the lone desert, as if I were nothing more than a weightless feather floating gently in a summer's breeze. One loud, panicked scream emitted from my mouth as my heart raced, and my body ran cold with an emotion I hadn't felt since childhood, since the massacre of my village...
Fear
I collided with the earth with a 'wham', the impact rattling my brain and shattering any thought I wished to muster up at that time. I knew by now that I was practically dead, but I needed to do it; I needed to open my eyes. It was the only way to ensure that I would not croak completely.
Come on!
I focused what little energy I had left, concentrating on that one little thing, and after a while, I was able to finally crack them open slightly - about halfway. They felt heavy, oh so heavy, and sore.
I did it.
The storm had blown over now, and I cracked a painful smile as I stared up at the heavens above, taking in the beauty of the amber glow stretching across the horizon. The clouds were a nice touch too, looking so plush and comfortable, and a single one of them would probably make for a nice bed if that were possible. And though I was still somewhat out of it, I could tell by gazing at the sky-line that darkness would fall soon. I had to find my way back to civilization quickly, so in a brief moment of determination, I tried to sit upright and attempted to stand. The attempt was a momentary success as I began to slowly trudge across the desert only to have my body collapse to the ground again. At this point, I looked out into the distance to see nothing but a vast collection of sand, and stillness. There was no one around for miles. I was all alone, just like during Kul-Elna's destruction.
Time seemed to stand still as everything stopped and silence took over. Right then I turned over onto my back and closed my eyes, only for a moment. I decided I would try to rest a bit and regain any bit of strength I could gather. The break seemed to help for a little while until the aching returned. My eyes popped open as the pain flared once more and every muscle in my body tensed up. I was certain, my body was breaking down as the aching, extreme heat, and exhaustion overpowered me. Lightheadedness and nausea soon followed, and the world seemed to spin around me. I could feel my vision blurring also, but I squeezed my eyes shut and re-opened them, attempting to re-focus on my surroundings. By this point, my mind was racing with thoughts of death as I was sure that I'd pass out in a few moments.
So this is my end? Is this really how I, the Great Akefia,'Thief King' of Kemet meets his maker?
What a joke!
This isn't fair. It wasn't suppose to end this way at all! There's... still so much that I have to accomplish! Still so much I need to live for, I have to! The people of Kul-Elna are counting on me to avenge them.
So why can't I get out of this stupid predicament? This is driving me crazy! There has to be some way for me to survive this...
With each passing second I could feel my life force diminishing... as if death had already sealed my fate in its hands...
"Must... keep... moving..."
Once more, I turned on my stomach and dragged my injured body across the heated sand little by little, until eventually I grew worn out by the struggle of it all, and stopped to rest, rolling over onto my back again. Everything remained still for a moment, then I could have sworn I'd heard the high-pitched bray of a horse and faint gallops approaching. I wanted to bring my head up to observe, but I knew that wasn't going to happen. Damn it! I was a sitting duck, and if this person happened to be a criminal and found me lying here, I wouldn't stand a chance!
As I thought of what I should do to defend myself, I heard a young, feminine voice yell something. I could barely understand what was being said, but I assumed she'd spotted me and was calling out to me to catch my attention. Shortly after, the galloping comes to a stop, then I hear the girl call something out again. Her voice had grown closer, and I knew right then that she was somewhere nearby. If I could've mustered up the strength to laugh in this moment, I would have. Why the hell would she be foolish enough to save my life? Didn't she have a clue on who I was? And why wasn't she running away in fear?
At that point, another surge of pain shot through my body and that's when I remembered: Oh, that's right. I'm dying, that's why.
I frowned at the thought of being rescued. I was unaccustomed to circumstances such as this. It made me feel weak, pathetic even, but there was nothing I could do except accept my fate. Through half-lidded eyes, I was able to make out the stranger's silhouette standing over me before I drifted away, finally allowing the darkness to consume me.
