A/N: Sorry this is late! I've been on my playthrough channel, and it's taken up quite some time. I've also been not feeling so well, physically and psychologically, so that takes up a big chunk of time as well. Not to mention translating doujin's. Busy busy busy. It also seems I can only truly write when I am tired. That sucks. But to make it up to you guys, there's some miniscule thiefshipping, at least.

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: I've made a map of sorts and posted it on tumblr. I'm posting the link to it on my... page? The map is excluding the Capital, and is drawn on 4 separate sheets of paper, one for each nation. They ARE put together in how the actual map would be, minus the Capital. Honestly, the Capital is a big mystery. Even to the author herself.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own YGO. Only this story.

NOTES:

1) The beginning of the chapter is a bit violent. Nothing big, though.

2) For the sake of more adjectives, I've added new "words." For a person from Cerberus, they're a Cerberian. A person from Apollo would be Apollian. For Scylla, it'd be Scyllian. Helios would be Helian. Lastly, a person from the Capital would be called Cyprian. The word Cyprian derives from Cyprus, which is actually an island in the Mediterranean. It has multiple meanings, mostly pertaining to Aphrodite. It, apparently, also means lewd, and licentious. Considering the Capital, and it's infamous reputation, I think that makes sense.

3) This chapter may "skip around" a bit. But it's just setting up the whole plot. Sorry.

4) I'm using Tea's Japanese name, Anzu Mazaki. It just seems better, y'know. Though she doesn't really have a part in this story, she's just mentioned.


Chapter 3:

NIGHT AND DAY


KNOCK KNOCK

"My prince, I come bearing important news," a deep voice sounded on the other side of the hard, metal door. Groaning, Malik walked away from the prisoner he was having quite a good time torturing. The door opened, and his faithful servant wandered inside, ignoring the blood splattered around the prisoner.

"What is it, Rishid?" Malik growled. "This better be good. The guy just started letting in!" He sheathed his dagger after wiping it on a spare cloth, putting it in it's rightful place on his belt. Rishid nodded once, face masked.

"It's about Marik, my prince," he announced. Malik lit up at this, basically skipping to his servant.

"Really? Marik? Did you capture him? Is he on his way?" he questioned happily. "Oh, I can't wait to see his screaming face again! It's been so long... too long..." Malik shivered in anticipation.

"I'm sorry, sir, but the Legion failed in capturing him," Rishid reported. Malik's face drooped into a frown, demanding an explanation. "The Legion officer that was ordered to bring him here was knocked out by someone. He has no idea who did it. But, by the time he awoke, Marik had escaped. That was three days ago." Rishid closed his eyes. "My sincere apologies." Malik's face distorted into fury.

"Marik... got away. That's what you're telling me." It wasn't a question. Rishid simply nodded once in response. Malik bristled, unsheathing his dagger and throwing it behind him, stabbing the prisoner in the arm with professional-like precision. The screams were delicious, but Malik couldn't even give half a fuck at the moment. "Find the people who aided his escape! Bring them here and lock them up!" he ordered.

"But, my prince... all of our cells are full," Rishid informed him. Malik grunted, walking over to his prisoner. He yanked out the knife, causing yet another scream. Deciding he had enough, he impaled the knife into the prisoner's heart, killing him instantly.

"Well! Now we have one free!" Malik hissed, whipping around to his servant. Rishid said nothing, and merely exited the room. With a shout of anger, Malik slammed his fist against the metal wall. "You're not going to get away from me again, Marik. You can't escape forever..."


Bakura and Ryou stood wide eyed at Marik, who held a more neutral expression. They stood in silence, the exception being the noises of the city surrounding them. "Nemesis, the resistance group with the goal to bring the world pre-Impact. Who knows how many Euphrosyne factories they've destroyed, how many lives they've ruined as they pushed their beliefs onto others," Marik said, as if quoting someone, or something.

Bakura was first to shake off the shock. Clenching his fists, he glared daggers at Marik, who remained passive. "Pushing our beliefs on others?" he repeated. "You've gotta be shitting me! People come to join us! They see the problem with this fucked up society and want to change it! So what if we've destroyed countless Euphrosyne factories? It's a small price to pay for peace!" He moved closer to Ryou. "You don't know the shit we've seen, the hell we went through. You have no right to judge us."

Marik put up his hands in mock defeat, a nervous smile making it's way up. "I'm just relaying what I was told, you know. Nemesis isn't exactly looked up to by everyone. Sure, you have a lot of followers in the Apollo area, but... still," he tittered. "Besides..." He put his hands down slowly, smile fading. "At least in your hell, you had someone..." Bakura was slightly surprised at this reply. At least he had someone "in his hell?" What the hell was that supposed to mean? Didn't this guy have friends at that factory?

By this time, Ryou awoke from his stupor. He gazed to Marik with a smile. "So, what will you do? Are you going to turn us in? Or do you wanna come with us?" he asked, ignoring his brother's protests. Marik's eyes widened. Go with Nemesis? Sure, they were nice now, but if they found out who he was - or rather, who he actually was – what then? Should he even chance it? But he had nowhere else to go...

"Well, I obviously can't turn you in if I'm on the run from the Legion. Not that I would anyways!" Marik answered, adding the last part quickly. "But, before I say yes... I have two quick questions." Ryou gave him a curious look, nodding at him to continue. "Do you have any spies in the Capital? In the royal district, the Legion, wherever."

Bakura and Ryou exchanged glances, wondering where this was coming from. "I... I'm not too sure," Ryou murmured thoughtfully. "The Capital would be a dangerous place to be for Nemesis. If they were found out, they would be executed immediately. What's the other question?"

Marik looked at the two brothers, eyebrows furrowing. "Are you suspicious about anyone in your group? Do you think there could be spies from the Capital, or the Legion?" he asked seriously. Now this was even more curious to the two. What was this guy getting at?

"No one I can think of," Ryou answered honestly. He turned to Bakura. "What about you?"

"I don't trust a lot of people, even in Nemesis. I've learned that lesson from growing up in the Erebos district of Cerberus," Bakura stated. "I can't give you an exact answer, but I guess that our group is alright. No problems have popped up, yet." He fixed Marik with a glare. "Why?"

Marik stared at Bakura for a few moments, then flashed a forced smile. "The Legion is after me," he answered vaguely. Bakura didn't buy that one bit. "I'll come with you guys. I have nowhere to go, after all." Ryou beamed at Marik, rushing over him and grabbing his wrist. Marik wiggled uncomfortably, not used to much contact.

"Then, let's go! I can't wait to introduce you to everyone!" Ryou exclaimed. "But we'll need to think up of some other story... We can't really tell them you're on the run from the Legion, right?" He pondered a bit as he dragged Marik towards their hideout, Bakura trailing behind. Getting an idea, he let go of Marik's wrist and turned to face him. "How about this: We found you on the streets, and you woke up with amnesia? Good, right?" Marik grinned at Ryou, nodding once.

Bakura snorted. "You can't be serious, Ryou. That's one of the oldest tricks in the book! No one will believe that," he said simply.


"You have amnesia? You poor thing!" Mai Kujaku whined, embracing the tanned teen, who had just been introduced to the awake Nemesis members. His cheeks flared up - he had a feeling he'd have to get used to sudden contact in Nemesis. He glanced to the Charon brothers for help, squirming. Bakura merely scowled; Ryou was trying, and failing, to hold back laughter.

"Mai, I... think he's... a bit uncomfortable," Ryou said between sniggers. Marik glared at the smaller teen. Uncomfortable was an understatement.

"Oh, I'm sorry sweetie!" Mai gasped, pulling away. Marik simply flashed her a shy smile - he wasn't much of a people person. The blonde woman turned to the two brothers with a grin. "So, do you have an idea of where he's going to stay? You know our building is booked." She hooked an arm around Marik's shoulders, making him grimace. "But, if you don't, my room is always available."

Ryou gasped at this. "Oh no! I hadn't even considered that!" he yelped, hitting his head. "Stupid Ryou! Stupid, stupid Ryou!" As Ryou wallowed in his impromptu self-loathing, Bakura sauntered over to Mai, yanking Marik away from her by the arm. Marik gasped, suddenly against the whitette's chest.

"He'll be staying with us, thank you," he growled, narrowing his eyes at the blonde woman. Mai's eyes widened, surprised at this sudden... behavior. Smirking, she turned to the stairs. Throwing a knowing glance back at the pair, her eyes twinkling in amusement.

"Well then, I suppose I'll retire for the night," she giggled. "I'm hoping you know where the extra blankets are. Unless you're willing to share a bed." Marik's cheeks flared up, gaping at the implications she was sending. Mai only laughed at this, making her way up the steps and disappearing.

Bakura glared after her. Of course he knew where the extra blankets were. He wasn't going to share a bed with this enigmatic teenager. Said teenager let out a cough, squirming uncomfortably in Bakura's grasp. "Can you let go of me, please?" he asked. Cursing under his breath, Bakura quickly let go. He turned to his brother, smacking him softly on the back and knocking the other out of his worries.

"Let's go, Ryou. We have to set up this..." Bakura sent a glance at Marik, scanning over him. "... a bed," he finished. Marik glared at the Cerberian, affronted by his unsaid comment.

"This... what? Please, enlighten me," he hissed. Bakura simply sent Marik a haughty smirk without a response - a childish taunt. Ryou smiled apologetically at Marik, taking him, again, by the wrist. It was then Marik decided to just ignore all the sudden contact he'd probably receive at this Nemesis hideout.

"I'm sorry about Bakura. Don't take any of his words to heart," Ryou advised. Leaning in closer, he let out a giggle. "To be completely honest with you, he's a total softie under that tough exterior." Marik gave Ryou a disbelieving look. That Bakura? A softie? He could hardly imagine such a thing.

"Come on you two, you can giggle to each other later!" Bakura growled, glaring at the other two. "I don't know about you, but I'd like to sleep before the sun rises." Ryou and Marik looked up, exchanged looks, and hurried up to the older Charon.

Once at their room door, Ryou gasped. "I'll go get the blankets! Bakura, you can help situate him, or whatever," he said quickly. The older two stood in silence, watching while the younger Charon brother rushed off. Well, this was awkward.

"Come on, let's go in." Bakura's gruff voice snapped Marik out of his daze, the whitette walking into the room. Marik followed with haste.

The room was... pleasant, considering it was in the hideout of a rebellion organization. A bed on either side of the room, big enough for only one person. Next to those were nightstands, each with a matching lamp placed on top. The bed on the right was messy, and adorned with crimson covers, while the one on the left was neat with a white blanket. It was easy for Marik to guess which bed belonged to whom. In between the two beds was a single window, overlooking the streets of Epione. He smiled softly to himself, sure that the Legion wouldn't find him in this kind of place.

"You said your so-called friends found you in the desert of the outer Capital," Bakura's voice came. Marik snapped to look at the whitette, who was now sitting on his own bed.

"Oh, uh... yeah. Mother and I had gotten lost around there, and had asked me to go look for help. Then, I got lost..." Marik answered the others unasked question. "Yami, the guy that found me, had gone shopping in the Capital, and had spotted me on his way back to camp. I had nowhere to go, and so I went with him." He laughed slightly. "It was a real coincidence."

"So, you're Cyprian," Bakura stated. He kept his eyes on Marik, who was looking around the room still.

"From the Capital? Yeah, I am," Marik sighed. "I mean, you don't see this tanned skin anywhere else, right? Everyone else is so pale. Honestly, it was weird, experiencing the outside. There was so much stuff I'd never even dreamed of." His eyes widened. There he went again, words slipping out of his mouth without his consent. He could feel Bakura's questioning glare – it burned.

"Experiencing the outside? Were you locked up somewhere, or something?" Bakura inquired, just as Marik thought he would. He stiffened, something that didn't go unnoticed.

"I..." Marik was frozen. He didn't know how to respond. Hell, he couldn't respond. His mouth went dry as he twiddled his fingers. "I..."

Thankfully, Ryou came in at that moment. "Sorry I took so long!" he said, a bunch of blankets bundled in his arms. "Getting all these blankets is a lot of work, you know!" Marik turned, thankful for the interruption.

"Thanks, Ryou," he tittered, taking some of the blankets from him. He walked over to the left wall, at the edge of Ryou's bed, and began to set up his makeshift bed.

"You're setting up there?" Ryou's voice questioned the other. Marik simply nodded. He didn't trust his voice at the moment.

After the pile was set up, Marik announced he was going to call it a day. He received a questioning glance from Ryou, who was chatting with his brother, but said nothing.


The musty smell of earth filled his nose. Lights flickered from the torches hung on the walls. A boy sat in the middle of a tiny room, tears streaming down his face.

Screaming. Off in the distance. Sounds of violence echoed off the walls. An eery melody.

Why was he here? More tears began to fall.

A door opened. A shadow loomed over him.

Who was it?

Arms wrapped around him. A voice whispered sweet nothings in his ear, blocking out the violent music.

Suddenly, everything changed. It was bright. Yellow. No darkness.

Someone was behind him.

Who?

He didn't want to turn around. He didn't want to confirm his fears.

Fears? What fears? What was he afraid of? He couldn't remember.

Arms wrapped around him again. A voice whispered – the same as before. He couldn't hear it, but he knew it was whispering to him.

What was it saying? He wanted to know. He felt like he knew, but he couldn't remember.

"Marik..."

A groan.

"Marik, come on..."

A whimper.

"Marik! Wake the bloody hell up!"

Marik gasped, eyes snapping open. He felt sick, and feverish. He looked around; it was still dark out. How long had it been since he fell asleep? He didn't feel very well rested. Lilac eyes met burning crimson ones. "Ba...kura...?" Marik asked softly. His voice was weak - he really didn't feel good.

"It's about time you shut up," Bakura growled lowly. In Marik's haze, he realized they were only inches apart. How had they gotten so close? He looked down; he was still in his makeshift bed. Then, what was Bakura doing down next to him? "You woke me up with your constant tossing and turning. It's 4 in the morning, and I don't know about you, but I like my sleep." Bakura scanned over Marik's disheveled appearance.

"S-sorry," Marik muttered, coughing slightly. "I'm... prone to nightmares... I didn't mean to wake you up..." Slowly, he stood up from his mess of blankets. "Where's the bathroom? I... need some water." Bakura stood up as well, scowling. With a grunt, he gestured Marik to follow him. At least it wasn't far from their room.

Turning on the faucet, the tanned teen splashed his face with water, rubbing around his cheeks. The coolness had always helped him calm down. "Th-thanks," Marik sighed, grabbing a cloth and wiping the excess water off.

"You know, you never answered my question," Bakura stated, glaring at Marik through the mirror. The younger male froze, hands tightening at his sides. The cloth hung from his left hand, damp. It was uncomfortable. This place was uncomfortable. He was uncomfortable. But it was all he had.

"Which question?" Marik murmured, turning to face the whitette. He kept his guard up, expression passive as the other glared. "You've asked a lot of questions."

"You said something about experiencing the outside. What did you mean by that?" Bakura repeated his earlier question. Marik exhaled heavily. He was too exhausted to lie. He'd been doing it all his life. Maybe for once he should actually tell some of the truth.

"Yes. I was kept locked up underground in the Capital when I was a child. From birth until I was 11, when I finally escaped. Those days were hazy, and time seemed to never pass. Each hour blended in with another hour. It was impossible to tell from night to day," he began. Why was he saying this? And to Bakura of all people? "Life with no light is depressing. Since you're from Cerberus, I can guess you know the feeling."

"Is there a reason you were kept underground?" Bakura questioned. Marik scowled at him. What was this, interrogate Marik hour?

"It's custom for my..." He paused, trying to think of the correct word, to not give himself away. "...lineage. We stay underground all our life. I'm not entirely sure why; something to do with keeping something a secret. I never understood." Marik sighed, leaning against the wall next to the sink. His back itched, something that happened rarely anymore. He closed his eyes. "Any more questions?"

"Those marks underneath your eyes... what are they for? Do they have to do with your so-called lineage?" Bakura asked.

"Ah... these..." Marik whispered, fingering the marks under his eyes. "You could say that. Tattoos, they are." He said nothing more on the matter. The two stood in silence for a few moments. It wasn't awkward, nor was it pleasant. It was just... silence.

"Hey, Bakura..." Marik started. Bakura simply hummed in response. "Are you good at keeping secrets?"

"Sure," the whitette muttered. "I have no one else to talk to, other than Ryou."

"This secret... you'll have to keep it from even Ryou. It's something I haven't told anyone before... and I'd rather it not be public knowledge." Marik fidgeted against the wall. Why was he saying this?

Bakura stared at Marik. "Why are you going to tell me then?"

Marik grinned at the Cerberian. "I... don't know." A simple statement. Bakura sighed, nodding at Marik to continue. "Bakura, I'm..." Marik took a deep breath.

"Get on with it," the other growled. Marik looked at him, lilac clashing with crimson. This look... this expression... In the few hours or so that Bakura had known Marik, he'd never guess he'd put on this... desperate look. Like he was begging the other to stay silent.

"I'm from the royal family."

Bakura's eyes widened; Marik closed his.


KNOCK KNOCK

"Come in, Rishid!" Malik called from in his room. The door opened slowly, revealing Malik's ever faithful servant. "Well, did you catch them? The bugs that helped Marik escape?"

"Yes, my prince. They are in the interrogation cells. We have Legion officers watching over them," Rishid reported. Malik grinned.

"Good, good! A list of names of who I'm dealing with, please!" he cheered, standing up from his bed. Fetching a piece of paper from a concealed pocket, Rishid opened it and cleared his throat.

"The accused are as follows. Yami Muto, age 25; Yugi Muto, age 17; Joey Wheeler, age 18; Tristan Taylor, age 18; Anzu Mazaki, age 17. As you wished, they have been charged with kidnapping," he stated, handing the paper to Malik.

Malik grimaced, scanning the paper for himself. Beside each name was a photo, and a list of facts about the individuals. "I'm guessing this Anzu is a girl?" he asked, though knowing the answer. Rishid nodded, coercing a groan from the other. He hated torturing and interrogating girls - they were too much trouble, and usually easy to break. Hopefully, this one would put up more of a fight.

Standing up, he stretched. "Prepare this Yugi for interrogation first. I'd rather get the more breakable ones out of the way," he said. Rishid nodded, exiting the room. Heaving a sigh, Malik pulled on his self-named royal cape. It wasn't anything special, just a black cloak, similar to the one Marik had taken with him on his escape.

Cracking a smile, Malik looked out his window at the beautiful full moon. "Marik, my sweet brother... I'll be seeing you soon..." he crooned.


A/N: Short. I know. But important! It seems that each chapter is getting shorter, and I apologize. I will do my best to make the next one longer. After all, it's one of the most important. Leave a review and tell me what you think!