AGKamon: Sorry if I kept you guys waiting! But I wasn't sure what do with this chapter at first, not to mention that my copy of the English dub of the Hetalia: Paint it, White! movie finally arrived yesterday. I've watched it twice already.

Bakura: Please move on to the more pressing matters, AG.

AGKamon: Right, right. Anyway, I uploaded two more pictures onto my Deviantart. One is of what I call a 'cover' of this story. The other is a picture of Kayla and Bakura - at odds because it takes place during this story - with Marik, Ryo, and Tiikeri chibi-like doodles involved as well. The links are on my profile, so check them out! I also wrote another songfic, it takes place during this story - so I suggest that you go read it.

Kayla: Your past is really tragic, Tiikeri. Where'd you come up with it, AG?

AGKamon: *shrugs* I thought it up. Yes, you get to learn a lot about Tiikeri in this chapter. Speaking of Tiikeri, why don't you say the disclaimer.

Tiikeri: AGKamon doesn't own Marik, Bakura, Ryo, or anything else related to Yu-Gi-Oh!, but she does own Kayla Kossori, and me - Tiikeri Toroso.

Marik: Start the chapter!


Bakura's P.O.V.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

My footsteps echoed through the dim alleyway, buildings shielding the ground from the bright noontime sun. The streets were strangely empty and every noise sounded five times louder than it should have; the beating of my heart entering my ears was beginning to distract me. My narrowed eyes scanned the darkened cement as I walked forward, searching for any sign of her.

"Hm?" The hum sounded itself from my throat when my eye caught sight of something white hidden in a building's shadow. My breath hitched as I realized what it was. Kneeling, I carefully picked up the object and let it rest in my palm, bringing it into the brightest area of the alley. Examining it more, I discovered it was a contact case.

"Bakura, did you find anything yet?" Marik shouted from the other end of the alley; I hadn't even realized I'd walked almost the entire length of the alleyway. I nodded, cautiously opening the case only to see that the contacts did, in fact, possess a green tint. I closed it quickly and turned it over. Peering at the bottom, I could make out two, small, delicate-seeming words written there:

Kayla Kossori.

"What is it?" Ryo inquired quietly; I could feel that both him and Marik were leaning over my shoulders.

"Her contact case; it still has her green lenses in it," I replied, pocketing the item and looking further down the lane. A skyscraper with a peculiar symbol on a sign near its peak towered over me; the symbol sent a miniscule shiver running down my spine. It gave off a feeling that it was ancient, perhaps older than the Millennium Items.

"So that's how she turned her eyes green…" Marik mused, chuckling soon afterward. However, I continuing looking at the building's icon. I pointed toward it, drawing the attention of my companions.

"That building, what's it called?" I questioned, a serious undertone overtaking my voice. For some reason, I couldn't shake the feeling that the shape was giving me. It was sending a sense of dread in my direction that settled in the pit of my stomach and wouldn't leave.

"Oh that? Um…I believe it was Paradise, or something like that…" Marik said.

"No, it was Paradius. No one really knows much about them, though. However, they supposedly own shares of every company in the world, so they must be successful in whatever they do," Ryo explained.

"Hm…" I couldn't remember why, but it sounded familiar. Silently, I looked toward the ground again and continued down the alley, looking for anything else. The footsteps behind me revealed that the two were following me.

"Hey, what's that?" Marik remarked, rushing past me and over to what seemed to a small pile of garbage. He seemed to freeze when he picked up something, falling to his knees.

"What is it, Marik?" Ryo asked.

"More of her things, stuff she would've kept in her bag." I kneeled next to the Egyptian and scanned over the items; they all seemed to be some sort of equipment. They seemed to be the type of equipment she used for spying; a mirror was laying on the top of the pile. I grabbed it and looked at the back. A two letter 'K's were written across the handle, and the letters looked similar to the writing I'd found on her contact case.

I've got a bad feeling about that 'Paradius' building. Her possessions seem to leading us here, and that sign is increasingly suspicious; it can't all be a coincidence, right?


Kayla's P.O.V.

I shuffled through the deck of cards I'd chosen, worries flashing my restless mind; my eyes never bothered to rest upon the small pieces of paper, instead staring blankly at the wall across from me. Subconsciously, my fingers dug into the bag hanging from my belt; I frowned when I remembered that nothing would be there, and I set the cards down on the table next to my bed.

"Why me?" I sighed.

"What's wrong?" T asked from her position sitting cross-legged on the other bed in the room we shared.

"Well, to put it simply, I've been diagnosed with kleptomania, pyromania, and an explosion obsession. Dartz threw out my lighter and the rest of my stuff, and I can't leave to run off and steal a new one." I rubbed my temples; it felt like my head was about to burst. When he'd ordered us to find new clothes that people wouldn't recognize as ours, all of our old stuff had been thrown out while we were changing. Then he locked us in our room, telling us that we'd be let out when the power of the Orichalcos took full effect, whatever that meant.

"Ugh, I don't even have my matches!" I cried, hopping up from my sitting position to pace rapidly along the length of the room. A knock resounded from the door, and I stopped and turned toward it.

"Is there a problem ladies?" Valon's Australian-accented voice rang out.

"Get me a lighter or a box of matches right now. I'm diagnosed with pyromania!" I exclaimed. My heart felt like it was going to pound out of my chest, and it felt as though my blood was burning as it took its normal course through my veins.

"Alright, alright, woman! I'll be back in a bit." The sound of footsteps signaled that he really was going somewhere, but who knew when he'd be back.

"T, can you attempt to distract my mind?" I questioned; my voice had an edgy tone in it.

"How?" she wondered blankly, showing me that, once again, she seemed emotionless.

"I don't know. How about...you tell me why you ran away. After Valon brings me a lighter or some matches, I'll tell you my story. Deal?" I suggested. T seemed to wince, the first sign of feeling anything I've ever seen from her.

"I guess…I mean, it might be good to get this stuff off my chest," she sighed.

"It usually is, in a way. That depends on who you tell it to, but no worries, I'm in the same situation as you, right? If you don't want me to tell anyone, I won't."

"Okay then, sit. This'll take a while." I lightly set myself next to her on her bed. She stared at the tiled floor; I could see a tired and sad look in her eyes, even though her bangs mostly covered them. Her fists clenched and unclenched a few times before she took in a shuddering breath. I set a hand on her shoulder, my eyes softening from their slightly-insane state; she looked up.

"You don't have to…it was just an idea." She shook her head, a small but sad smile beginning to play on her lips.

"No, I need to talk to someone anyway. It might as well be someone who's had a similar experience. Alright, well my family, my entire bloodline, has been in the same business for a long time. There aren't even any records that trace back that far. We were tiger and lion tamers. It was tradition that boys born into the family were to be named 'lion' in any language, girls were the same, but with 'tiger' instead."

"So Tiikeri means tiger…what language?" I inquired.

"Finnish. I respected my family for keeping the same job for so long, but I didn't want to do it. I wanted to be able to decide my future; that was an idea that hadn't been thought up in hundreds of years. Supposedly, the last person who tried to break free was killed. According to rumor, it was an 'accidental' death, he was mauled by a lion. Ironic, huh?" She laughed bitterly, something I recognized from laughing the same way for my entire life.

"That's horrible. What happened to you?" Mentally, I suspected that it had to do with the four scars on her cheek that looked suspiciously like claw-marks.

"At first, everyone tried to convince me to think otherwise before the news of my 'familial defiance', as they called it, was passed to the person who was considered our 'leader', of sorts. My great-grandfather, the 'leader' became my grandfather after he died. I flat-out refused to change my mind, I was a determined little squirt, still am. They used to call me a 'stubborn girl who didn't deserve to be in the family' when they thought I couldn't hear them. But I heard them; I heard the plans they made to get rid of me."

Her own family was actually planning to kill her? That's outrageous!

"I hoped they'd change their minds and allow me to pick my own path in life, no such luck. On my fourteenth birthday, I was dragged into the pen of the tiger I would've been taming if I hadn't been so…difficult. I remember the sound of the cage door slamming; they hadn't fed that tiger for days, preparing it to kill me." I shiver fled down my spine, and she bought her hand up to brush her fingertips against her scar.

"I barely escaped with my life. I remember being so thankful that I had been afraid to eat in case they'd poison me; that made me exceedingly skinny. Somehow, I managed to slip between the metal bars and run. I ran as fast as I could, never turning back for anything. All I wanted was to never see another tiger, or lion for that matter, ever again. That was a little over two years ago."

"That's…that's…there's no word for how horrible that is. My story's nothing compared to yours. A question though, how'd you escape with only one injury?"

"Oh, I have more. I keep them covered. There's one across my upper back, one on my lower…right arm, and I believe there's a few smaller scratches on my lower legs. Hence why I wear boots and something that covers my lower arms. I was also careful to make sure this shirt and jacket would cover the last one, but alas, there's nothing that can hide this one on my face." She sighed and turned toward the door with a curious gleam in her eyes.

"How long do you think it's been?"

"I don't know, an hour maybe. Why…? Ah dang it! Valon you idiot!" I jumped up from where I was and flung myself at the door. Frantically, my hands pulled, pushed, and twisted the doorknob with all the strength I could muster before a taunting chuckle filled the air. I froze, liking the way that sounded.

"Where did that come from?" I asked slowly, backing away from the door in fear of something being on the other side.

"Why, everywhere and nowhere," the chuckling voice answered. I saw something flash in T's eyes.

"Ugh. Valon, I know that's you, stop fooling around."

"How'd you know?" the Australian accent faded back into back, causing my eyes to narrow in recognition. T shrugged.

"Where's my lighter?" I questioned angrily, shaking my fist in random direction.

"Ah, relax. I've got it, in fact, it should be coming your way now…" He chuckled again, and I briefly wondered why until the sound of something hitting the top of the ceiling grabbed my attention. Looking up, I saw a small block of said ceiling begin to open; I stepped back, and a small green object dropped into my hands. It was a lighter; a peculiar green design covered the exterior.

"You're lucky!" I warned, quickly lighting up the small flame; my nerves calmed down, and my heart stopped racing.

"So, you were going to tell me about what happened to you," T started, patting the empty spot on her bed, encouraging me to take a seat once again.

"Oh, right," I said absentmindedly, blowing out the flame before sitting and taking a deep breath.

"Well, it goes like this…" I began.


Dartz's P.O.V.

I frowned deeply as I observed the two girls converse; the Orichalcos was taking a strangely long time to effect them. However, I had learned quite a bit more about each of them, reassuring myself that I had indeed made the correct choice in ordering Valon to find them. The blue-haired one, Kayla I believe she was called, would be perfect for trapping the soul of the ancient Thief King. At first, I hadn't expected for him to be in the area, but he, along with the Pharaoh, Seto Kaiba, and Joey Wheeler, would make delightful sacrifices for the Great Leviathan.

Yes, this is proceeding quite well. I smirked and interlocked my fingers, resting my chin upon them while I listened to the oblivious girls. They were laying out every one of their weaknesses for me to exploit; they didn't matter. One way or another, their souls will be useful to me. The mental conditions of one of them was a very interesting development, a development that could make her extremely vulnerable.

Now all I have to do is wait…


Kayla's P.O.V.

"…And then Valon found me; I believe you know the rest." I smiled weakly, hoping it wasn't noticeable that I was shaking. I hated remembering those lonely days, even if my family hadn't tried to kill me off, I still thought that T seemed to be in better shape than I was. Times like this were when I wished-

No, I have to stop thinking about him! He left me alone; I survived without him, and I'll keep surviving.

"Hey, it's alright. I mean, sure my family attempted to murder me with a tiger, but I could never imagine being ignored by every person around me. You must've wondered what the point of living was. At least I had some idea of what was going to happen to me, but you didn't know what the people around were going to do. Whether you'd ever be noticed…that's just cruel…" T comforted. Nodding, I wiped away a tear in my eye that threatened to escape. I didn't want to cry, not anymore. I was an adult now; I shouldn't be dwelling on the past anymore.

"I least I wasn't attacked, right?" I remarked, smiling sadly; she nodded. Suddenly, she gasped. I looked up and did the same.

"What…is that?" she asked, shakily pointing at the green light emanating from nowhere that was floating in front of us.

"I don't know, I really don't know…" I replied slowly, blinking a few times in case it was a trick of the light. The glow didn't disappear; I felt like it was calling to me. It felt like there was a string that connected me to the mysterious light, and the string was being pulled by an extremely strong force.

"You feel that?" I questioned.

"It's like it's drawing me in, is that it?"

"Yeah…" Cautiously, we both rose to our feet. The floor felt slippery for some reason, and I could barely stay upright. Stumbling, T grabbed onto my arm before she could topple. Steadily, we took a step forward, and then another, and another until we were standing face-to-face with the greenish-glow.

"What now?" I wondered.

"Should we touch it?" T suggested. I shrugged, and reached my hand out carefully. T followed my lead; together, we drew our fingertips closer and closer to the light. I noted that it felt warm when my palm reached its target.

And that's when everything went…green…?


AGKamon: Yeah, that's right - everything went green.

Ryo: Have you gotten to the reviews and thank-yous yet?

AGKamon: Doing that now, but why'd the last chapter only get one review? Where'd everyone go? Oh well...

sorecess of the nile - Yeah, Valon's the only character with an Australian accent until Yu-Gi-Oh! GX with Jim 'Crocodile' Cook and Jack Atlas from Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's. I hate writer's block. *growls* It's so annoying. Thanks for the advice on what I should do for Kayla's deck, got any ideas for Tiikeri and Marik? I'll probably have to do a bunch of research on the game before I write any duels, seeing as I don't even own any cards - let alone played the game.

AGKamon: I hope I get more reviews for this chapter. Anyway, thanks to xxpinkblinkxx for adding Picking the Bad Side to their story alert list. Thank you Little. Miss. Fortune for adding this story to your favorite story list, as well as adding Tomorrow, Even if You Break to your favorite stories. Thanks to sorecess of the nile for adding Picking to Bad Side to both their favorite story and story alert lists. Also, thanks I-am-a-kitty. MEOW for adding Neutral to your favorite story list.

Bakura: Remember to check out her new songfic, titled Tomorrow, Even if You Break.

Tiikeri: As well as her new Deviantart pictures.

Marik: Yeah. And we're hoping for more than one review this time.

Kayla: Stop threatening the reviewers, Marik.

AGKamon: I'm looking forward to you guys reading and reviewing!