It was dark, as usual. It's always dark in the shadow realm.
"Baku, are you there?" a deep voice called out. Bakura, the "thief-king", sighed in response, but he was glad that the other had stopped humming. It was getting rather annoying.
"Where else would I be? Idiot." It was so dark that Bakura couldn't see his hand if it was in front of his face. Sometimes he wondered if he had a body at all, but the pain that shivered through his body was more than enough proof that he had some sort of physical form.
"What are you doing?" the deep voice asked innocently.
"Are we really still going through this?" Bakura huffed. "I'm not doing anything. I'm never doing anything. You know that."
"Yeah, well, I still think it's nice to make conversation," the voice said, before continuing to hum a small song. The voice actually belonged to one of the most notorious villains to ever threaten Japan, and the world for that matter. Marik. A dark soul, born of hatred. So why was the terrifying, blood thirsty villain humming to himself in the everlasting darkness?
The shadow realm sure could have a strange effect on certain people. After spending so much time thinking in the darkness, Marik had suddenly had a complete change of heart. The evil, terrifying man was suddenly innocent and simple-minded. He was still very smart, but just didn't seem to use his brain like he used to. He preferred being simple and nice, even though it seemed to annoy Bakura at times.
"Do I annoy you, Baku?" he suddenly asked.
"Yes," the other replied simply.
"No, I mean like really!" Marik said. "Its always so dark and gross and painful in here. Isn't it at least a little bit better to have someone share it with you?"
"Sure, Marik, whatever," Bakura said, trying to get Marik to just shut up. He would never admit it, but he was actually glad that the other was there. He would've gone crazy if he wasn't so busy listening to the crazy ramblings of the new Marik.
Marik opened his mouth to ask another question, but before he could, something different happened. And nothing ever happened here.
A golden light filled through the darkness, causing both of the captured souls to duck their heads and hide their eyes from the light. And when Bakura was finally able to open his eyes, he didn't know what to think.
He was laying in a hospital bed, the bright, white light making him sneer angrily. But he was just glad to breathe clean air and feel things that weren't pain and misery. He lifted his hand slowly, staring at it and moving his fingers. He had bandages on his arms and he could feel some more on his chest and face.
"Marik," he mumbled, more to himself than to anyone else. A nurse suddenly appeared, bringing a tray of food with her.
"Good morning, sir," she said, smiling at him.
"What's going on?" Bakura asked her, trying to sit up, but hissing out in pain and leaning back down.
"It's ok, please try and rest," the nurse said. "I brought you some soft foods to eat. You're very malnourished."
"What is going on?" he asked again, getting impatient.
"You were found in a back alley with two other boys," she explained, setting the tray down next to him. "You and another one of the boys had severe injuries. The other was cleared to go with a friend."
"Two others?" Bakura mumbled. One had to be Marik, but what about the other?
"Yes," the nurse said. "The one with the injuries is still resting, so I don't know his name. The other said his name was...Atem I believe?" The Pharaoh?! "Do you have someone you would like to call?"
"No, well, actually yes. But I don't know the number," Bakura said. "The Kame game shop. Do you know who runs it?"
"That's the same place that the Atem boy called," the nurse chuckled. "It's run by the famous Yugi Mutou. The king of games."
"Ha! He still goes by that?" Bakura laughed, raising an eyebrow. "Well yes, I'd like you to tell him that Bakura and Marik are here and will be needing somewhere to stay." He had no idea if the little Yugi would show up and let them stay in his house. Of course they had been horrible to the group of friends, but Bakura and Marik are changed now. They were different.
Hopefully, Yugi would believe him.