"This seems like a stupid idea," Bakura argued when he saw Malik getting onto a motorcycle. At the tombkeeper's insistence, he had exchanged his shenti for a pair of black jeans that belonged to Rishid, though he had refused to part with his robe.
"Gas is a luxury and we're lucky to have what we do. My bike gets better mileage than our cars. It's set up to ride on sand," the blond explained dryly. He tossed a helmet to the thief before putting on his own. "Get on behind me and hold tight. And don't try anything funny or you'll get us both killed."
Bakura frowned at the helmet but decided that arguing would only make things worse. As he mounted the bike, he gave the younger man a look. "What's so funny?"
"That collar you're wearing." Malik flipped up his visor and smirked at Bakura. "It looks ridiculous on you. Just thought you should know." He grinned, flipping the visor down and revving the engine to drown out thief's retort.
The trip took only an hour, the thief directing Malik where to go. He was surprised at how easy it was to find his way back to Kul Elna after so long, not that he would tell his companion this. He was also surprised that the ruins weren't long buried beneath the sand.
"They were digging this place up three years ago," Malik explained, looking around the long lost village. "They were calling it Khayal Daskara: Ghost Village." He removed his helmet and combed his fingers through his hair. "There's no record of it or the people who lived here."
"And there wouldn't have been," Bakura snorted, hanging his helmet on one of the handlebars. "I'm surprised they didn't called it "Ghost Village" for the spirits still lingering here...huh, why are they still here?" he asked himself, wandering into the village.
"Spirits? You mean there are ghosts here?" Malik asked, looking around as he followed behind the thief.
"Yeah, but then you probably can't see them like I can." The thief paused, taking in his surroundings. "Over here," he announced, walking to his left.
"You can see them?"
"Yeah. Always could. They won't bother you because I'm here. But..." Bakura trailed off, tsking softly and turning his attention to the impossibly dark hole in the ground. "Hmn, those fools were down there too. That isn't good." He made a face and poked the bell on his collar. When nothing unexpected happened, he growled. "Hey Bast. Can't see here. Wanna help?"
"Say please," Bast purred in his mind, earning a snarl from the thief.
"Isn't it enough that I'm here because you didn't give me a choice!?" he snapped, shooting Malik a dark glare when the blond snickered. " Shut the fuck up!"
"You're standing there wearing a cat collar and yelling at nothing. Right, I'll just stand here and not find this hilarious. Go on."
Bakura growled. "Bast. Please make that light-thing happen again. I would appreciate it," he said through clenched teeth.
"Of course, Bakura." The bell chimed softly, emitting its silver light once more.
"At least your ridiculous collar is useful," Malik smirked, moving down the stairs. Bakura followed a step behind and wondered how many steps the blond would fall if pushed. "You know a lot about this place. Is this where you grew up then?"
"It's my home village," Bakura responded coldly. "I didn't really grow up here, though." He shivered faintly as memories of the village stirred in his mind, but he pushed them aside.
"Why's that?" Malik pressed.
"Why do you care?"
"Just making conversation," the blond shrugged. "Seems strange that there's no record of this place. It's like it was just...erased from time. I guess that happens though." The thief bit his tongue, deciding to keep the village's history to himself lest Malik find another reason to ridicule him. "Alright, we've reached the bottom."
Bakura brushed passed Malik, examining the chamber with a frown.
"Doesn't look like there's anything down here..." the blond pointed out.
"Bast!" Bakura snapped. "Where is Diabound?"
A shimmer of light before him was his only warning to the goddess' sudden appearance. She hovered just above the ground, looking over the tomb with a small frown. "My apologies. I wasn't aware he had been moved." She turned, looking between Malik and Bakura. "Malik may know something. Ask him."
"Ask him your-... ... ...You can't see her, can you?" the thief turned to Malik.
"Nope."
"Fan-fucking-tastic," Bakura sighed, pointing at Bast while still looking at the blond. "She suggested that you might know where Diabound was moved. Where were the trespassers from?"
"The tres...Oh, the archaeologists. Well, they dealt with Isis not me, but most seemed American. I don't know where they would have sent this Diabound thing off hand. Isis might know." Malik sighed, resting his hands on his hips and looking around. "Damn, we came out here for nothing then..."
"I have to go. I can't stay too long or Zorc will notice me," Bast apologized. "But I don't think this trip is a waste. I think there might be something hidden here," she hinted, offering Bakura a smile before she disappeared.
"Hidden here?" Bakura repeated, rounding on Malik. "Let me see the Ring."
The blond pulled the Millennium Ring out from under his shirt, holding it out to the thief but keeping the cord around his neck. "You can use it, but I'm holding onto it too. I don't trust you, remember?"
'I could just take it from you,' Bakura thought irritably but forced the urge to do so down. Much as he didn't want to admit it, not only did Malik have reason to distrust him, he was going to have to earn the man's trust if he wanted to finish his mission.
"Fine." Grabbing a hold of the Millennium Ring in one hand, Bakura closed his eyes, focusing on the familiar pull of the other Millennium Items that he had sought for so long.
"Something's happening," Malik announced. The thief opened his eyes and saw that four of the prongs pointed toward the blond while the one in the center pointed upward, wavering slightly.
"There's something in the village," Bakura announced. "It's giving a weak signal though." After a moment, he nodded, releasing his hold on the Ring and climbing the stairs.
"Why were the others pointing at me?" Malik demanded, following a step behind.
"It should be obvious. You have the Millennium Rod on you," the thief rolled his eyes. "Because I don't have the Rod in my possession, it was directing me towards it as well."
"You knew I was carrying it," Malik pointed out. "Shouldn't it-"
"I haven't used the Millennium Ring in three years," Bakura cut him off. "Besides, why is it bothering you so much? You act like I did it intentionally to piss you off."
"You don't have to be such an ass," the blond snapped. "Oh wait, forgot who I was talking to."
"Shut up. Now, the Ring indicated it was in this direction. Let me hold it again," Bakura demanded, holding his hand out to the blond. Malik begrudgingly shoved the Ring into the thief's hand, clinging to the opposite side tightly. Together they followed the signal through the ruins of Kul Elna.
"Heh," Bakura smirked finally, releasing his hold on the Ring and dropping into a crouch. "Hello there, Pharaoh. Strange to find it just lying here out in the open like this..." he trailed off, a cold chill running down his spine. He rose quickly and grabbed Malik's wrist, dragging the blond along and ignoring his shouts of protest until he wrenched himself free.
"What the hell's your problem!?" Malik demanded angrily, drawing the Millennium Rod.
"My problem is that was too easy," Bakura hissed. "We need to leave now."
"What? You said the spirits wouldn't bother us with you here."
"They're not what I'm worried about." A roar pierced the silence of the long-dead village and the thief pointed behind Malik. "That. That is what I'm worried about. Now let's hurry before it finds us."
"What...what is it?" the blond asked, clinging to the Millennium Rod with both hands. Bakura rolled his eyes and grabbed him by the arm.
"Don't know. Don't care. Don't plan on finding out. MOVE." Bakura ran toward the entrance of the village, determined to put as much distance between the creature and himself as possible. It seemed to be working as Malik's motorcycle came into view until something caught the thief's attention. Without missing a beat, he pivoted and tackled the blond to the ground, narrowly escaping a whirling as blade. They got back to their feet to see their attacker racing toward them.
"Minotaurus(1)?" Malik blinked in surprise.
"Stupid questions later! Start the damn bike, I'll be right behind you," Bakura snapped, glaring at the creature before him as Malik ran on ahead. "You obviously have no idea where you are right now," the thief grinned menacingly. He brought his free hand before him, focusing on his surroundings. The shadow creature roared, swinging its ax at the thief only to find the attack blocked. It reared back, as it was swarmed by spirits seen only by the thief.
"Bakura!" Malik called, pulling his bike up behind the thief. Bakura grabbed the offered helmet as he climbed on behind Malik, struggling to put it on as the blond sped away from Kul Elna.
'Thank you,' Bakura thought, closing his eyes. He squeezed the fragment of the Millennium Puzzle that his still held in hand.
"What the hell was that!?" Malik called back. The thief smirked, feeling the blond's heart was racing in his chest, much like his own. "A Duel Monster? But how?"
"Something under Zorc's control I'd guess," he called back. "Probably here to watch over the puzzle piece."
"We're going to have to face something like that again aren't we?"
"Probably."
They rode in silence for a while before Malik spoke again. "What did you do back there? He acted like he was being attacked by a swarm of bees or something."
"Let's just say I called in a favor."
Bakura watched after Malik and Rishid as they left to make preparations for their journey before returning his attention to Isis. Malikand he had informed the Ishtar siblings of what they found, and didn't find, in Kul Elna.
"I'll do everything I can to track down Diabound's tablet," she promised, offering the thief a small bow.
"If you do, see if you can't get it put back together while you're at it," Bakura replied blandly. "I'll know if you do."
"Alright. You should get some rest. When all of you are ready, you'll head to Cairo and look into this transportation our harper friend mentioned. It is a long shot, but it's the best option we have right now."
"Didn't Malik own a boat?" Bakura asked. "Seems like a good option to me."
"He still has that boat in storage, which is how it shall remain," Isis replied sternly. "Ocean travel is suicidal if done improperly. It takes knowledge of how the tides work now. There is rumor that boats still travel the Atlantic and Pacific. And before you ask, flying is out of the question. Unauthorized planes draw Zorc's shadow creatures, like the one in Kul Elna. There are only a few planes now that fly cargo around, but what they transport is inspected for weapons and stow aways." She sighed, shaking her head. "You'll find it hard to get around."
"We'll figure it out somehow," Bakura shrugged, mulling this new information over silently.
"This group in Cairo works to help relocate those who were stranded here after Zorc took over," Isis continued after a moment. "I don't know how far they can take you or even if they are still in operation after three years, but you'll have to convince them that you need to go to Japan. If they think you're just a native looking for a free ride out of Africa, they'll turn you down."
Without a word, Bakura nodded and turned to leave.
"One last thing," Isis began, the thief pausing to hear her out. "Don't mention the harper that was here to anyone."
"Why not?"
"Because Zorc would have her hunted down. Harpers instill hope with their stories and songs and-."
"I'll keep that in mind," Bakura replied curtly, leaving to find someplace to sleep.
"We have enough gas to make it to Cairo. We'll abandon the car outside the city and go from there," Rishid explained, loading their bags into the back of the car.
"Hard to believe we're actually leaving," Malik sighed, twirling the Millennium Rod in one hand idly. "You still have my bike if you need to get out of here, sis. You remember what I taught you?"
"I do...Rishid. Malik. Be careful out there. I..." Isis trailed off, biting her lip. Malik turned and wrapped his arms tightly around her. "I will be fine."
"We'll be careful, Isis. Don't worry about us. Just stay safe."
Rishid hugged them both, pressing a kiss to the side of Isis' head. Bakura watched the scene, mildly annoyed by their family moment but keeping his comments to himself.
"/Mr. Cat Burglar?/"
"/Cat Burglar!?/" Bakura turned to find the harper standing behind him, smiling triumphantly.
"/Ha, got you to talk to me,/" she laughed.
"/What do you want, woman?/" he demanded, glaring at her.
She held her hands up defensively, still smiling. "/I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I just wanted to wish you good luck. You're going to try to reach Japan after all. I don't know your reasons, but I hope you find what you are looking for./"
"... /Thank...you,/" Bakura replied slowly. "/But shouldn't you be more worried about yourself?/"
"/True, but this is the life I chose. I won't hide away and hope for a better tomorrow when I can make a difference today. Here, I have something for you./" She reached into her pocket and pulled out a simple gold bracelet with a single charm dangling from it that resembled a scarab. "/Scarabs are supposed to be good luck,/" she explained, deftly fastening the chain to the thief's left wrist. "/Anyway, I won't keep you any longer. Goodbye Mr. Cat Burglar!/" She chimed, running off before Bakura to reply.
The thief inspected the chain, not entirely certain why he had let the woman attach it to him.
"Come on Bakura," Malik called, drawing the thief from his musings. He caught the look in Isis' eyes as he approached the vehicle.
"I make no promises," he stated simply.
"I know," she smiled a bit, patting him on the arm as he climbed into the car. She watched as they drove off, praying that it would not be the last time she saw them.
Once the trio had reached Cairo, they abandoned the car, taking only their bags with them. Malik and Rishid talked amongst themselves while Bakura followed behind in silence, studying the chain around his wrist.
Rishid lead the others into a motel lobby that had been arranged with tables and chairs. A few patrons looked up as they approached the desk though most were disinterested.
Rishid leaned close to the man at the desk, keeping his voice low. "/We have a lost one that is seeking a way to return to his family in Japan and were directed here by Sparrow./"
The man had short, black hair and storm grey eyes, which flickered to the thief before returning his attention to Rishid. "/He looks neither lost nor Japanese./"
Malik leaned close to Bakura. "Look at me, speaking Japanese to you so as not to raise suspicion."
"You suck at this," the thief sighed, crossing his arms over his chest.
"/His father is Japanese but his mother is Egyptian,/" Rishid lied. The man looked over Bakura again.
"/Regardless, you're about six months too late. That group ran out of fuel and broke up. Since you came all this way, though, I'll set you up with a round. Take a seat,/" he instructed, motioning to a vacant table.
"Shit," Malik tsked. "/Thank you,/" he added, moving toward the table, Bakura in tow. "Well, where does that leave us?"
"In Cairo and down an option," Rishid replied, taking a seat. "But there must be other options."
"What? Like cross the Mediterranean and hike there?" the blond sighed, shaking his head. "We still have the boat-"
"And Isis would kill you for even considering that," Rishid cut him off. "Perhaps there is an option in Europe that we don't know of. We can ask around and see if there are any harpers that know."
"If there are any harpers to be found."
"While we're looking for another way, I could try getting a fix on other Items," Bakura suggested, looking up as the man brought three mugs of something vaguely ale-like. "At least we'd have an idea of where to go instead of bumbling around in the dark."
"/Thank you/," Malik said to the man, taking a mug and making a face. "What is this swill?"
"Perhaps hunting for the items would be a better start," Rishid mused, taking a sip of his drink. "Either way, we at least know where Yugi is. But how will we find Marik and Ryou?"
"Psh, how should I know?" Bakura shrugged. "Then again, I've never tried using the Ring to track down anything but the other Millennium Items. I could try."
"You just want me to give you the Ring," Malik hissed.
"Well, unless you suddenly figure out how to use it with any sort of reliability-"
"Cut it out you two, bickering won't help us," Rishid snapped, jolting both of his companions into momentary silence. "We can compromise. Malik, you let Bakura use the Ring. Bakura, when you aren't using the Ring, let Malik hold onto it."
"Fine," Malik muttered, taking a sip of his drink and choking a bit. "Gah, bitter..."
"Whatever. All I care about is getting everything and everyone together and getting this over with," Bakura retorted. "All we have to do is avoid the big, omnipotent demon until we have everything. That should be easy," he added sarcastically.
"We really shouldn't be discussing this in public…" Rishid sighed, glancing around.
"It's fine," Malik insisted, taking another sip of his drink. "Not like anyone here can speak Japanese."
"Still, we should be careful."
"You worry too much, Rishid," the blond insisted.
Unnoticed by the trio, another man rose from a nearby table, moving around the counter and giving a small nod to innkeeper as he passed.
"/Well/?"
"/They certainly say some interesting things/," the man replied as he closed the door behind him. The walls of the small back room were covered in maps and charts, a single table in the center with several candles resting on it providing barely enough light to read them. A woman with sandy blond hair pulled back in a ponytail and wearing a simple white tunic and brown pants watched him as he approached the table. "/Where's dad/?"
"/He's gone home already. Why?/" the woman asked, hands resting on her hips.
The man ran a hand though his own sand-blond hair though it was cut short, startling crimson colored eyes moving over the maps on the wall thoughtfully. "/I think we should help them./"
"/What? I took a peek at them, they have to be lying. They look native,/" the woman insisted. She paused, giving the man a moment to respond before curiosity got the better of her. "/What did they say/?"
The man pursed his lips in thought. "/I probably shouldn't repeat what they said. But if I understood them right, it's something Zorc won't like. And they are speaking fluent Japanese, not just rambling./"
"/They want to go to Japan though! Do you know how much fuel we have left? Not only is it not enough to go all the way, but whoever takes them will be stranded if they try to take them the whole way. Who would risk that/?" She sighed, running her fingers through her bangs. "/I could mention it to dad and ask the other pilots, but it's a long shot./"
"/Don't worry about it. I'll take them myself./"
"/Rajan-/"
"/I speak twenty-three languages and several dialects/," Rajan smirked, waving off her objection. "/I'll find my way back home eventually./"
"/And what if you don't?/" The woman snapped.
"/You can have my room,/" he replied, moving to one of the maps on the wall and reverently skimming over it with his fingertips.
"/That's not funny!/" the woman whined, grabbing his arm.
"/I should be able to get them as far as Gansu...I'll aim for Hubei though. I think there's still a railroad that runs in that area.../"
"/Are you listening to me? Mom and dad-/" she tried to argue, but he turned and wrapped her in a tight embrace.
"/Listen Zahira,/" he began gently. "/Dad would be happy to sit on this last bit of fuel forever. You always said I was a good judge of character(2). Trust me when I say there's something about what they were talking about that makes me want to believe they are worth the last flight. I do believe they have a plan to defeat Zorc. I want to help them get as far as they can./"
Zahira fell silent, burying her face in Rajan's chest and sniffling.
"/Hey, you aren't allowed to cry until I'm out of earshot,/" he scolded jokingly. "/I'll be fine and I will come home one day. Until then, just believe I'm alive until I tell you otherwise./" A knock at the door drew his attention and he nodded. "/They're leaving so I have to go too, sis. Give mom and dad my love./" He kissed her on the cheek before grabbing the map off the wall and rolling it up.
Zahira sighed as he left wiping her face and sulking. "/Bye bro.../"
AN: Dun dun dun!
Two tearful goodbyes in one chapter!? And a wild Rajan appears! Can he get them to China!? Can he find his way home afterwards!?
Well that's a silly question. If you had read the game manual you'd have known he was a main character. Silly people.
(1) AKA Battle Ox., if you prefer it's American name.
(2) Osiris was a judge in the afterlife. Rajan's Ka is Osiris. Get it!? :D I'm so clever!
Next time in SideQuest, the gang makes the trip to China! Nothing special happens during their trip! It's boring and easy! Wait...what's that shadow over there...?