Cut me a bit of slack with this chapter. It was really hard for some reason and I'm not sure how I like it.
Location: Bakura's home, Devonshire Ruins, Bellacy
Time: 10:23am
Group Status: Groggy, currently fucked up
Kisara woke up that morning hungry. Her stomach seemed to have woke her up. She tried to comb through her white locks with her fingers but her hand was almost entangled. She stood up from the bed and walked downstairs. Momma Touzoku was a bit bigger than her so the night gown was slightly hanging over her shoulders.
She treaded the steps slowly, heading for the kitchen. She glanced at the couch. Malik and Bakura were squeezed onto the poor piece of furniture. Malik looked pissed off in his sleep. His face was balled up and a scowl hung firmly on his features. Bakura looked practically dead, his limbs scattered about lifeless. Wasn't Bakura upstairs? Oh well.
Kisara continued for the kitchen. She saw a woman making eggs on the stove. Her hair was curly and fluffy, practically as pillowy as cotton. She was just as pale as Bakura and herself. Her apron tied in a big bow behind her.
"Oh darn it!" She mumbled in her soft, gentle voice. She tried to pick the little bits of shell out, but slightly burned her fingers.
Kisara leaned on the door post. Did Bakura have a sister?
"Uh excuse me?" She asked.
The woman jumped a mile high. She looked absolutely frightened, "W-who are you!" She grabbed the frying pan and held it up like a weapon. The eggs went flopping to the floor. She was hardly threatening with her trembling, shaky hands, "W-When my son comes back from his j-journey, you're gonna be in a world of trouble!" She cried.
Kisara took a step forward to try and calm her down and explain. The woman swung at her clumsily, "Stay back!"
The girl tried to hold up her hands in defeat yet just made the woman scream in fright as she did. She swung the pan at Kisara. She luckily dodged. Kisara looked to where she hit to see a huge dent in the door frame. If that would have hit her...
"Mom!" Bakura ran in grabbing the pan from her.
"Mom?" Kisara scratched her head. This chick was completely different from the woman last night.
"B-b-Bakura?!" She grabbed him and hugged him, "Oh my darling baby boy has come home! My wittle snookie bumpkin has finally come back to momma!"
"Yea." He mumbled still tired.
"Let mommy make her baby a nice good breakfast! Do you want waffles?"
"Noooo. I want pancakes." He whined into her shoulder.
"Anything for mommy's wittle snuggle puss." She rubbed his back.
Kisara just scratched her head and walked back to the living room. She lied on the couch, snuggling into the soft cushions. The pillow was so warm and soft!
"Get off my ass." Malik grumbled into the couch.
Kisara sat up, "Why are you lying like that?" His top half of his body was hanging from the arm of the couch.
"I'm trying to wake myself up. And I don't know how."
"You don't know how to wake yourself up?"
He shook his ass meaning no.
"Why not?"
"I just never had to wake up." He mumbled.
She tapped her foot, "Jerk your body upwards."
He pulled himself up only to fall over on the floor. He groaned, eyes still shut tiredly. He lied on his side in the fetal position.
"Kisara..."
She sighed and sat on him, "I don't know what to tell you."
"Carry me outside. And bury me. I don't want to live in this world blind, paralysed and tired."
"Are you sure this is what you want?"
"Yes."
She stood up and then picked him up with all her strength. She walked to the door struggling a bit. She rammed it in with his legs and stumbled down the steps. She dropped him in the dusty ground and began to dig with her bare hands. She was doing this for him!
"How tall are you?"
"I don't know."
She looked at him and decided she was gonna need a shovel, "I'll be right back!"
He whined. She ran to the back of the house to see a small shed. There was a shovel and gardening tools sat beside it. There was fresh dirt on them. Was Bakura's sister digging something? She picked up the shovel and ran back to Malik.
Bakura was standing here with Malik on his back.
"Hey I'm burying that bastard!" Kisara ran over.
"I tried to tell him!" Malik cried.
He looked down at her, "No burying Malik. No matter what death wish he asks you, ignore him!"
"Kill me."
"See that, that's not someone wishing to die because of important reasoning. That's an idiot."
Kisara put her hands on her hips, "That's not how it works. You can't dub someone an idiot because they want to die."
"He's an idiot for still believing he can." With that he turned around, entering that house. She kicked her foot, "Get in the damned house!" She sprinted into the house. What the hell was he on about? Malik could die like anyone else! And she had to get that fucking shovel for nothing!
"Oh my. I'm sorry Kisara."
"It's fine." She grinned. It was Bakura's mother who was in the kitchen, she did look different during the day.
The woman gave a slight nod, "Well eat as much as you want dear." She said, sitting a stack of pancakes on the table.
"Thank you!"
Malik came in with one of this old kimono untied like more of a bathrobe. Apparently his body was asleep but his brain wasn't. So Bakura kindly dumped him into a tub of boiling hot water. He was still sweating a bit.
"Morning." He mumbled.
"M...Malik, is that you?" She gasped with tears in her eyes.
"No. It's fucking Brnye."
She laughed then hugged him. He seemed less resentful than last time.
"You seem happy." He said.
"I'm so happy." She put her face in his neck, "So very happy." She cried, "You're alive and well."
"Of course I'm alive."
"You know what I mean. Thank the gods for such a blessing."
He stood there, "I suppose."
Ms. Touzoku looked up at him, sweetly. Kisara blinked. Did his whole family have a Malik fetish? She saw the appeal though.
"Can I eat now?" Malik asked, indifferently.
"Of course!" She exclaimed, pulling him to the table. He sat down, "Tell me of your life."
"I got fucked for a living."
Kisara choked on her juice. He couldn't cover it up or something!
"Oh...What else?"
"I was a crime boss who heavily dealt in the black market and for about a year did hard drugs but I got bored."
The girl looked at him horrified, "What the actual fuck!"
"What?"
"You did drugs!"
He shrugged, "For a year. You know the kids are sniffing toxins these days. I didn't like the idea, seemed stupid so I quit." Toxins destroyed his brother from being around it and they were purposely inhaling it. It's stupid.
"What a reason..." Ms. Touzoku said, sipping her coffee.
"I got bored too. Things get old fast to someone like me."
The woman looked away, knowingly, "I see...Isis and Rishid, how do they fair?"
He gripped his fork, in shock, "They...they..." He stared at the table, "They..." He went silent.
"Uhh...I'm going to tidy up a bit. I didn't know we had guests." She smiled, standing.
Malik stabbed his eggs. He said something in a language Kisara didn't know.
She nodded then walked away.
"What did you say?"
He continued quietly eating. Kisara stared at him. Things were very strange since they arrived to Bakura's home. Everyone was acting different. Mr. Journalist was on edge and cautious like something or someone would get him, Malik was more cold and distant and Ms. Touzoku completely changed overnight like a curse or something.
"Bakura will be down soon. I'm going back into town."
Kisara went to stand.
"Alone."
She blinked then narrowed her eyes, "No."
"Just stay here."
"I'll do what I want."
He glared at her, "And so will I." He stood up and walked out.
Kisara wanted to smash something. He was fine last night! What was his problem. She ran to the living room and immediately started changing. Like any way in hell she was letting him leave, especially in that town. It was falling apart.
She threw on some camouflage pants and a black tee. She braided her hair and threw it behind her. Bakura came downstairs and glanced at him.
"What are you gonna do? Go on a recon mission or something?"
She smirked, "No."
"Hn. Don't get in trouble."
"By who? There literally nothing but crosses here."
He scratched his junk, "Then the guy to put the crosses then, smartass."
"I'll scratch it for you."
"Stop making passes at me so early. You're like 5."
"I'm 16."
He blinked, "Thought you were younger."
"Woman in my family age slow. My mom is in her 50s."
"Damn." She looked about thirty.
Footsteps resounded from the stairs.
"Kisara take those damned clothes off, you're not coming. Bakura I need the keys." He said. The blonde was dressed in all black, with a shawl and sunhat.
"Who died?"
"Your social life about a decade ago. Keys." He flipped his hair over his shoulder.
Bakura scowled, "I'm going."
Malik marched out the door.
"You better not hot wire the car whore!" He yelled out the window, seeing him do just the opposite, "Why did I pick criminals for this team."
Kisara ran outside. She ran and threw her body on the hood of the truck. Bakura grabbed his boilerman hat, shirt and keys. The girl covered the windshield with her body.
"You're not fucking leaving!"
"Try me, bitch!" He yelled, driving in reverse.
Bakura ran and jumped into the back of the truck, "Pull the hell over!" He slammed the gears into neutral.
Kisara sat up on the hood and brought her fists up attempting to hit Malik. Bakura jabbed her in the stomach.
"Get your ass in the truck and sit down!"
"I was just kidding!" She got off.
"Yeah." He rolled his eyes, "Move." He said to Malik.
He gripped the wheel, "No. Get out. I have- no need to do something."
"Seems important so it's better to have backup."
"How much help are you two?" He said, seriously not joking in the slightest.
"I am comic relief!" Kisara yelled.
"And I am judgemental advice."
He licked his lips then gingerly smiled as an idea popped into his head. Bakura and Kisara jumped back a little at the display. Malik touched his cheeks as he turned to them, "Drive please."
They looked at each other.
"Sure..." Bakura said, slowly. Malik hopped out the car and walked to the other side. They switched spots.
"Uh, where-"
"Town." He smiled.
What the hell was he up to?
Location: Devonshire Ruins
Time: 11:02 a.m.
"He ran away. Again." Kisara groaned.
"Handcuffs!" Bakura yelled, craving it into the side of a house. Fifty must be his lucky number when he was pissed off.
"Where could he have gone? He visited the school yesterday."
The white haired man stopped, "He went where?"
"The school?"
He gripped her shoulders, "Tell me everything."
"Dammit! He's going fucking back in time!"
"Back in time!"
"Metaphorically! He's wants something from the past maybe." Bakura growled.
"You?"
They looked at each other then busted into laughter.
He whipped a tear from his eye, "Good one."
"Thanks. So like unfinished business? Ooo, what if it's to see if something is intact!"
"Could be. Let's go to his favorite places."
Time: 2:47 p.m.
They were covered in dust and ashes, sitting disheveled. The past three buildings collapsed while they were in them with no sign of Malik.
"Ok Kisara, rip it out." Bakura panted out, holding his legs.
"You sure?" She asked.
"I don't want a fucking shard of glass sticking out my leg."
She frowned, "But..."
"JUST DO IT!"
She ripped the chunk of glass from him.
"Ass fucking ducks in motherfucking-" He screamed before covering his mouth.
"Shhh! Shh!" She said, rubbing his shoulder, "Calm down. Calm down." She cooed.
He sighed and nodded, holding a towel on his wound.
"It's okay..." She said, comfortingly. He relaxed.
"Thank you." He mumbled.
She slowly glided her hands from his shoulders, downwards.
"Kisara." He tensed up.
Her hands went to his chest.
"Kisara!"
She gave him a squeeze.
He punched her in the stomach, "Get the hell off me!"
"Ow," She clutched her stomach, "I saw an opportunity-"
"I am bleeding to death and you decide to cop a feel?"
She nervously nodded. He slapped her, continously, "Ow stop hitting me like a punk ass bitch!"
Bakura pushed her off the steps then limped to the car.
"You'll never know how much I love you...and that body of yours." She mumbled, licking her lips.
"Get up!" He yelled.
"Yes, dear!" Kisara jumped up, "Where else could Mal be!"
"I don't know. How was he acting this morning?"
"Grumpy and uncensored."
Grumpy was a given, "Uncensored?" He asked.
"Yea. Just being pretty blunt and cynical."
"Good job on those vocabulary words. About what exactly?"
"About his time in Hermania. He outed himself as a whore and your mom asked him about some people."
He blinked, "What people?"
"Umm...Issy and Radish."
"...Isis and Rishid?"
She nodded, "Yup! Who dey is?"
Bakura didn't even correct her on that clear grammatically mistake, "Get in the truck."
"Huh?"
"I know where he is."
She nodded, jumping in the car, "Let's go."
The drove north of the town to a small suburban neighborhood. The house were fairly bigger than the row homes in town. Yet still as damaged and desolated.. Bakura looked slightly pissed off as he turned down a certain street. He parked in the middle of the street.
"Get the shot gun from the trunk."
Kisara glanced at him then got out, "Okay."
He eased himself out the truck. This place gave him a disgusting feeling. Kisara handed him the shotgun.
"Kisara, I really need you to stay in the car."
"Why don't you or Malik believe in me! I've saved both of your asses-"
"Shut up. Please. I already have a headache. I need to stay here. It's dangerous up ahead. I said myself you were street smart right?"
"Yea." She narrowed her eyes.
"Well your not qualified for this. I am. If we were back in Hermania, I'd let you take charge."
"Really?"
He nodded, "Of course. Now get in the car."
She looked at him, "You're not just saying this to make me stay right? It's the truth right?"
"Yes it's the honest truth."
She got in the car, "Okay, don't be long."
"Alright." He rolled his eyes as he walked away. What a piece of work?
He jogged toward a manor farther down the street. He pulled out his journal, flipping to the end of the book. Things of the supernatural. A three paged article inspired by Malik. He knew it would come in handy.
Bakura slowly opened the old wood, a dark purple mist flowed out. He quickly slipped inside before the door slammed shut again.
He skimmed through the pages, "Ah, Obvious oddities." Gas was certainly strange, "Nothing about gas but what about colour. "Purple- a spiritual and psychic colour. Male energy. Identifies psychic manifestations, tension and sa-" The word was smudged. He supposed he'd find out later.
So, this was Malik's doing huh. He'd better find the brat before he did anything drastic.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He opened his eyes to see something completely different. The halls were turned to former glory. It looked as if he went back in time. Everything was kept tidy and spotless.
"The master is mad once more."
"He gets so violent."
Two maids discussed, ears close to the doors below the grand staircases. Bakura approached them slowly. They didn't even notice.
"He's yelling at the young master once more."
"Poor child will never be good enough." She mused, shaking her head.
He tried to listen to the door too yet he fell through. More like phased through.
"Why can't you take note from your sister! Isis has never had a problem controlling her curse!"
Bakura looked to the long dinning table. The Ishtar family looked younger.
"I'm sorry father." Malik hung his head low.
"You fool. Such an unstable curse will never be ready for actual use." He yelled, standing over him. His brother and sister forced to pretend they did not hear.
"Yes, father. I'm sorry father."
"Your sister is a perfect curse user! Yet you cannot even handle the slightest bit of disruption or your curse goes haywire!"
Rishid had enough, "Father, curses vary from person to person. Isis and Malik do not even have the same type of curse. He's doing his best with his curse-"
"You dare correct me. You aren't even apart of this family!"
Malik looked frightened at Rishid's outburst, "Father!" He cried, drawing attention back to himself, "Curses do vary. My curse isn't like sister's curse. Hers pertains to time manipulation and I think mine has to do with...spirits."
His father looked completely outraged, "You think you're going to be some petty medium, huh? A ghost whisperer? That's pathetic."
"I can't change it. It's my future-" He couldn't finished with the blow connecting to his face.
"Not if I can help it..."
Bakura stared at the scene before it flashed back into the dark, unkept version of the manor. This time this manor looked darker and more dilapidated. The floorboards creaked and vase and mirrors, chipped and cracked. The curtains were ripped and furniture, decrepit.
"What's wrong with mediums?" He looked into the book. There was a psychic foodchain. Seers and prophets being at the top then mediums and performers at the bottom. Seers were contacted from the heavens themselves and seen as more of a blessing than curse while mediums were believed to be given power from death and lovers of destruction to keep what power they had.
"I heard the young master's quite shaken over his initiation."
"Poor boy, he's been coming up with every excuse in the book."
"I heard he took a beating for Rishid's outburst, didn't want his brother to suffer for him."
"The shame. Young master's been locked in his study since. He won't leave."
The maids said, coming from the staircase. Wha? The Manor was clean once more? Bakura felt his head. He felt insane.
"Get a grip." He told himself, going up the stairs. He opened the double doors to the library. The room was filled with books of anything and everything. Malik sat at a wooden desk. He held up a voice recorder to his mouth.
"I think the initiation is a bad idea. My curse is not mature. Suddenly forcing it into activation will...I don't want to say it."
Bakura walked up to the desk to better hear. Malik was so much younger.
"Hah...I already know my curse doesn't obtain power through death. Yet from experiences I've heard from dead mediums, I have a unique talent. Most mediums can usually have one of the five senses to communicate from yet I can hear, see, touch, smell, even taste something a spirit wants me to when communicating. I also have the ability to speak to spiritual non-humans. I've only once spoke to a seraphim."
Bakura flipped the pages of his journal once more, "Seraphim- a spiritual being that assists the heavens."
"Yet I haven't spoken to beasts of underworld often, I feel good at it. I think my memories will return soon of who I am. I'm not sure what will happen when that occurs but, " He smiled, "I'd like to think a lot of things will be answered and I'm excited."
Bakura looked at him. He was so much more optimistic.
"Malik."
The man turned to see Malik's older brother, Rishid.
"It's time."
The boy sighed, "I understand. It's happened every life I've lived, I'll assume. I won't complain yet what a pain."
Rishid smiled at his brother, "Come on."
Malik walked to him, obediently, "Pain is a mental illusion meant to make humans know their physical and emotional limits."
Bakura followed them as they made their way down the staircase.
"Try not to focus on it. Think about something completely different."
"I'd like to think of the original me. The man who first started out as me before reincarnation."
"You'll find out soon enough."
"If I don't die."
His brother ruffled his hair, "Heart, soul and mind. Without these three we'd be blind. Like hollow shells, we'd echo remorse. Self destruction shall take it's course."
Malik continued with him, "Yet if we hold these three dear. Our body, our capsule will become clear. Free of struggle and strain. Our worries fade and so does our pain."
They walked to a room far from the study. Rishid opened the door for Malik. Bakura peeked inside to see Malik's father sitting down with a blade over a flame, "Ready?"
"Yes father." The boy entered the room. Rishid closed the door behind him, "Heart, soul and mind." He whispered, holding his head in his hands.
Bakura remembered that yet couldn't place where. He looked down at the book to see if he could find it yet a huge thud made him look up.
Back to the disheveled version. He sighed.
"Where is he?" Kisara kicked the steering wheel, "He just left me here! Damn bastard!" She closed her eyes.
"Who are you?"
She almost jumped a mile high. She looked down at a little boy staring up at her from the street, "H-hi." He looked transparent. She could sort of see through him. He must be a ghost or something.
The boy reached out his hands, "I never felt a human."
"Uh, here." She reached down the side of the truck. The ghost child grabbed her hand.
"How warm...I want a body."
"Heh, nice ain't it."
He looked her in the eye, "I want a body." He repeated. His grip on her hand tightened.
Kisara shivered a bit, "Uh, please let go!" She tried to pull her hand away. His hand slowly engulfed hers, eating away at her skin. She screamed and shouted in pain as layers of skin were peeled away slowly.
"Why should you get a body?"
Kisara looked around her something to save her. She grabbed the bag Malik left and hit the boy away. It didn't phased through the child. She quickly put up the hood of the car. She dug in Malik's bag finding strips of paper with a sticky back piece.
The boy phased through the car and reached for her, "GIVE ME YOUR BODY!"
She screamed, "FUCK OFF!" She throw the paper at him.
"AHHH!" The apparition bellowed. He looked as if he was boiling until he faded into ash. Kisara stared at the seat. She panted, tears and sweat clouding her vision. She shook her head, "Tears are useless. Get it together. There's probably more so stay strong." She gained her courage again. She started to place the papers all over the car's interior so no spirit could get in. That would protect her for a while. She refused to be choked out by some ghost with nothing to exist for but evil. She was only going out guns blazing, bullets flying and wicked music in the background!
The raven-haired woman fell from her chair across from Ryou.
"Isis!"
"HE'S NOT DOING HIS JOB!" She screamed.
"Wha?" Ryou went to her side.
She pushed him and screamed in a pain voice, "I see something... Mirror."
"Isis, I don't understand!" He cried out.
She sat up, "Mirror, mirror, mirror." She stood up, walking away. The angel quickly followed behind her. She went into the attic, "Mirror, mirror." Isis ripped the blanket off a mirror. She touched the glass gently. Ryou tripped into the room. She was a fast woman!
The mirror glowed and she focused on the location.
LH
Bakura walked through the hallways, finding himself a bit frustrated in trying to find Malik.
"Hello?"
He stood straight in shock, "Is someone there!" He yelled, running down.
"Come closer!"
Bakura saw a mirror at the end of the hall, glowing. He couldn't stop running. His legs kept moving, "NO STOP!" HE screamed. He flew through the surface of the mirror. He tumbled, hitting the ground. He lied there, panted when he stopped. He stared up at pure white.
"You."
He sat up, looking towards the voice. A cloaked figure approached him, "Take off the hood."
"You will fix the damage."
"Who are you? Take off that damned hood, I don't have time for games!"
"Sedate him. And take him away from this place."
Bakura clenched his fists.
"You'll be needing this, beast." They left a vile in front of him then proceeded to walk away.
"Beast?" He blinked, "...beast?...Isis?" Only one woman called him a beast to his face without the slightest bit of remorse let alone emotion.
"You will fix the damage." She repeated.
"How when I can't even find him!"
"The three necessities will lead you. They've been broken."
He blinked, "What?"
"Remember all you can, beast." She said, fading away.
Bakura shook his head, "Wait I need more than that!" He stood up and ran towards her. He touched her arm and she shattered like glass before him, "What the hell is going on!" He yelled, closing his eyes in frustration. He felt a sharp pain hit him in his head, "AHH!"
He woke up on the floor of the hallway, "Fuck...this...shit." He panted out, "Malik, you crazy bastard! I'm coming for you! Got it? Imma fucking find you and I'm not letting you out of my sight! Imma handcuff us together you ass! So fuck you, suck my dick!" He yelled. He was sick of this bullshit.
"Ryou." The raven haired woman stared at the ceiling as she regained consciousness.
"Y-yes, Isis?" He asked, helping her up.
"Let's play that game. I think lives depend on it." She stated.
The 'angel' nodded, "So be it." He lifted her arm on his shoulders, carrying her downstairs.
Bakura pushed opened the beautifully decorated bedroom door. Isis' bedroom.
"Sister, why didn't you tell me?" Malik whispered, sitting on her bed. She was at the window, reading.
"You'd find out on your own. You always have." She flipped the page in her book.
The boy stood up, "You do realize that you are no longer my sister."
She shrugged, "I never was."
He stood up walking to the door.
"It was amusing seeing how quickly he forgot you. A man without compassion had no usefulness."
"A woman who uses her beauty to mask her vanity is a plain bother to be around, Beatrice."
"Virgil, it's good you remember who you are and your purpose. It'd be tiresome having to remind you."
"Really? I'd think you'd love it because you can hear the sound of your own voice."
The woman smirked, "Don't you have sins to commit? Stop bothering me while you could be doing something else like half assing a job."
"You could never compare to my status and guiding. Any weakling can guide in a peaceful location of no pain. I guided through flames and torturing. I did my job perfectly with no struggle in the face of pure damnation. And I didn't have to flash a smile everytime I needed him to do something." He walked out.
Bakura blinked, "Who the hell is Virgil?"
As soon as he uttered that name a strange force pushed him off his feet. "Don't utter that name." He heard in whispers and different voices, as he was being choking. He scratched at his throat to free himself, "I'LL SAY WHAT I WANT! VIRGIL!"
He was let go and the door slammed open. Bakura was getting quite fed up with this mansion and the memories inside. He walked to Isis' drawer and noted her diary was missing.
"Fuck. Don't tell me he...FUCKING HELL!" Malik was not to lay eyes on that book, containing his own demise, "If I were Malik where would I go if I found all of my sister's evil plans to destroy our family...My room." A bedroom was a sanctuary.
Kisara curled up in a ball, "I'm going insane." She grinned as the car rocked back and forth being jostled and pushed by the vengeful spirits. She shook her head, "What am I talking about? I'm the hero here!" (Not really.)
"I ain't lettin no fucking dead wannabe humans get to me like this! I'M FUCKING INVINCIBLE!" She cackled, maniacally. Maybe she already lost her mind a bit...or at least the good sense portion of it.
Bakura looked in the practically destroyed room, waiting for it to transform. It didn't. Was there no memories in there? He walked away from it to see the manor become wholesome again. He saw the two maids talking again.
"The young master has been so loud lately."
"He fears the night now. He says it's completely dark in his chambers and it frightens him dearly."
"The master says he's too dangerous to be above ground for long. He's stopped seeing his dear friend too I wonder why. At this rate who knows what he will become."
Malik quickly picked up his clothes from off the floor. Bakura didn't understand why he had been rushing so much lately to go home if he hated it.
"Why do you keep rushing?"
The boy seemed surprised at his voice, "Uh..." He hesitated.
"Going to someone else?"
"What?...Why would you say that?"
"I'm paying you. Others could be too."
Malik stood up, clenching his fists, "I can't keep visiting you. My father says it's not-"
"Like I care. If you want to leave, do it. You outstayed your fucking welcome anyway."
He glared at Bakura, venomous, "Fine."
"Your money's on the desk." The white haired boy turned, facing the wall.
"You know something, I don't do it for the money."
He opened his eyes and glanced at him, "Yet you still take it like a whore."
Malik's chest heaved as his breathing got heavier. Bakura indifferently closed his eyes then heard the door slam.
"I know why..." Bakura said, guiltily.
"I'll be back. I have take these sheets to the young master." She said then walked away. He quickly followed her. She lead him through the hallways, down another staircase into the basement. The basement was dark only lit by lanterns along the narrow hallway. She walked to the very end of the hall, "Young master?" She called, approaching a door.
"Yes. I'm awake."
She sadly smiled, "I brought clean sheets."
"Thank you."
She slid them under the small door slit in the door.
"I'd like to bring you tea but...the master would smell." She lied.
"Your kindness is calming enough. Thank you."
The maid touched her heart, blushing, "Good evening then."
"Good evening."
She walked far down the hall, "He's so adorable yet gullible." Not realizing her words echoed in the narrow hallway.
Malik sighed loudly, "Heart, soul and mind..." He recited.
Bakura realized something, "Heart, soul and mind...the three necessities. They're broken. It must have something to do with these memories."
He walked back up the stairs.
"These events broken his heart, soul and mind."
Wouldn't his first death be here? Or finding out Rishid was ill. Or his pet bird dying? He replayed the memories in his head, "These are people who hurt him here...His father, his sister, the servants." They broke him in this house.
Bakura rubbed his temples, "I have to get him out of here."
"The pieces are inactive! They won't move!" Ryou cried.
Isis breathed heavily, "Well isn't this a piece of-" A glass shattered from her kitchen. They ran inside to see a shattered window and spirits climbing inside.
The seer frowned, "Just what I needed."
A spirit lunged at her, grabbing her throat, throwing her against a wall.
"Isis!" Ryou cried.
She kicked it, falling to the ground. She threw herself at the kitchen counter, grabbing a knife.
"That will just fade through them!"
She licked the blade.
"Watch out!"
A spirit threw her into the wall. She slumped down the wall, "Fuck you! I hate the dead!" She screamed, shoving the knife into the spirit. It practically evaporated.
"Isis-"
She whistled loudly and the door flew open. Ryou back away slowly. A dog? With two heads? He almost fainted.
"Move your pale ass!" She yelled pushing him through the kitchen door. She gathered the board game onto her dress.
"I can't help but wonder if the young master has finally lost his mind?"
"His father has left and his curse malfunctioned."
"Don't remind me of that! It was positively revolting! What a disgusting, horrific curse!"
The maids conversed once more.
"And Rishid is deadly sick. Mistress Isis is colder than usual to him. And I even heard he had a fight with his friend."
"His only one too. Shame. All he does is go tend to the roses. He's obsessed with those flowers out there."
"I heard him mumbling about life being a precious thing bla bla bla. He's off his rocker, he should know they are artificial."
Bakura blinked. The garden? He walked to the back door of the kitchen. He opened it slowly then walked down the flight of stairs. He heard a crunch beneath his foot. A scrap a paper?
He picked up the paper, "Dear Diary?" It was a scrap of Isis' diary. He followed the scraps, "Malik! Malik! Come on, we're going home."
"This is home for him." He heard whispered in his ear by the same voices that bombarded him earlier. He fought them out of his head.
"This place isn't your home, it's hell!"
"Hell is my home." He couldn't place where Malik's voice was coming from.
Bakura stood his ground in centre of the garden, "Just because you live somewhere doesn't make it home."
"Don't give me some sob story. Don't pretend like I was ever welcomed anywhere!" He shrieked.
The man sighed, "That's true but home is where you find love and comfort."
"Ha! You mean with my sister planing my death since my birth, my father abandoning me, my brother sick and dying, my so called 'friend' who never gave a damn about me unless he needed something. With all that, where the fuck is the love and FUCKING COMFORT!"
The ground slightly trembled. Bakura growled, trying to keep his balance, "That's in the past! This is not your home!"
"DON'T TELL ME WHAT'S IN THE PAST! I AM THE PAST!"
"I get it! I get it! Calm down!" He fell over as the shaking increased. He couldn't find the source of the voice.
Remember all you can...
...He's been obsessed over those roses.
Roses...
"YOU KNOW NOTHING!"
Bakura stood up, sprinting towards the rose bushes, "MALIK!"
"YOU'RE AS STUPID AS BEFORE!" The ground shook harder.
"Stop. Stop! STOP." He heard the voices in his head again, screaming at him.
"STOP PRETENDING TO GIVE A SHIT!"
"MALIK!" He yelled throwing himself into the bushes, rolling into the landing. He shook his head, looking up. Malik swung the axe downwards at him. He rolled out of it's way yet the blade still ripped through his shirt.
"Malik you're just feeling betrayed!"
"I WONDER WHY!"
The ground jolted again, "You're letting your emotions better you!"
"MY EMOTIONS ARE JUST FINE!" He screamed, swinging at him again and again. His eyes were dark and his body twitching.
"I know you've lived a pretty fucked up life this time around-"
"NO SHIT!"
"But you had some good times too! We had good times! We had fun! Even I did awful things to you, you always came back! Because you loved it! That's why you came back!"
Malik stared at him, stopping. He lowered his head, "...Bakura..." He looked him in the eyes, taking a step forward, "Bakura...if you actually believe that...that means," He snapped his fingers. His hands glowing a eerie dark purple.
"Malik, what are you doing?"
"If you believe that...You are a fucking fool." He stated, extending his hand, "Who deserves to die more than I thought."
Bakura felt the ground breaking beneath them. Through the cracks, vines sprouted up, grabbing his arms, "What the f-" The thorns pierced through his flesh. He groaned out in pain.
"You don't know anything. It's rather pathetic!" He walked slowly to him.
"D-damn you..." He panted out.
Malik clenched his extended hand together, pulling him onto his knees.
"You can't blame everyone for what happened to you."
"Still talking about that?"
"Why cant you just forgive! Take some responsibility."
Malik gripped his hair, "Hypocrite."
"Maybe but that's in the past. You're hatred of me is only justified by memories."
"I told you, I am the past. And you're just the same," He kicked him in the gut, "Proud!" Kick. "Arrogant!" Kick. " And quite frankly Apathetic." Bakura coughed, hysterically, trying to catch his breath.
"And, hun." He crouched down, grabbing him by the face, "You have to be sorry to be forgiven." He whispered then gave a twisted smirk, "Bye, bye." He stood up, holding the axe over his head, "Sleep tight and hope the maggots won't infest your rotting corpse!" He twitched, letting out a psychotic laugh.
Bakura pulled on the vines in vain. He looked up and saw the glint of the blade in the dim light.
"Stay still, for a clean slice." Malik threw his arms back, scowling at his attempts.
He stared up at him. Maybe this was deserved?...Maybe this was expected?...Maybe this was fate? He hung his head. A pathetic life with a pathetic end. Great story huh...
He glared at the ground. Great fucking story.
Kisara slammed her foot on the gas, eyes narrowed. She turned on the acceleration. She speed down the street into the mansion. Crashing through the doors, tearing down wall by wall.
Bakura heard something in the distance. Screaming?
"RRAAAHHHH!" He lifted his head to see a flying truck land beside them. It's descending shook the already fragile earth, fiercely. Malik fell, losing his balance.
Bakura saw his chance and bit into the vines, freeing himself.
"Mr. Journalist!" Kisara cried from the vehicle.
He looked at her, "I think I love you."
She jerked back at that, she looked him up and down, "I like my men more effeminate." She blushed.
"That's weird." He said, turning to look for Malik.
He was lying on the ground, face twisted in pain. His back was glowing brightly. Bakura got on his knees. He tugged shirt up.
"What are you doin-"
"Shut up while adults do things!"
She glared at him yet did shut up.
His curse markings were moving. The 2d stems were coming through his flesh and becoming real. They moved, drawing blood with their thorns. The Roses overflowed with red, pouring blood.
He reached his finger out only to have it stabbed through with a thorn. He remembered Isis gave him a serum, saying to sedate him. He opened it up to pour it down his throat quickly only to find a needle. He sighed.
"Malik, I'm going to give you a needle. Don't move." He said, holding the needle at his neck. He didn't receive a response so he delivered the needle. As soon as he pumped the serum in Malik's eyes opened, black as night. Bakura almost ripped the needle out in shock. Almost.
"Stay still."
"You're trying to kill me." He grabbed his arm, "Let me go."
He pushed the syringe deeper. Malik gasped, "You're killing me!"
"I'm sedating you! Shut up!"
His eyes turned lavender again, "No you're not." He pushed him away, crawling backwards.
"Stop fighting me!" Bakura yelled, glaring at him. Malik covered his neck with his hands, panting. He crawled into a ball, screaming. He threw his head back in pain.
Bakura saw his neck was turning black starting at the needle hole. He looked at the syringe in his hand and threw it. He should have never trusted Isis.
"Malik..."
The blonde looked him in the eye, "You win." He grinned. His eyes rolled up to the sky, body collapsing. He stopped breathing. Bakura crawled over to him. The ground shook underneath them again. He closed Malik's eyes gently.
"Mr. Journalist!" Kisara yelled, "The ground!"
He looked up, the ground started to give out. He picked Malik up, running to the truck. Kisara started the truck back up. Bakura sighed reaching his journal. It wasn't there. He couldn't leave it. It was too valuable.
"Kisara, drive towards the front and meet me."
"Meet you?"
He got out the truck, running into the mansion. Kisara stared after him, "Dammit!" She drove off to the front.
Bakura ran through the crumbling building, "Bertha! Bertha!" He called for his book. He whipped the falling dust from his face, dodging falling vases and decorations. He saw his journal next to the staircase.
"Bertha!" He sprinted. The column holding the staircase cracked in half. He slid across the floor, grabbing the book. He kept running, despite the fact everything around him was crashing around.
"You can make it! You can make it!" The whispered resounded in his head, "Make it out! Be free! Be free!"
He kicked the doors open.
"Bakura!" Kisara yelled driving towards him, arm extended. He grabbed her hand jumping on the side of the truck.
They drove past as the buildings around them crumbled. One by one destroyed. The vengeful spirits hissed as they disappeared from existence.
Everything must one day fall. Nothing will be forever.
The drove back into town. The town was falling apart too. Bakura narrowed his eyes as his home crumbled before him. Everyone he knew, everyone he loved. His home. Devonshire. He closed his eyes.
It was gone.
"Bakura! Mr. Journalist! Look, look!" Kisara yelled, slowing down
Bakura opened his eyes.
"The sky!"
He looked up in the sky. There were lights in the sky. Soft lights all soaring for the heavens. His eyes widened.
"Be free! Be free! Live! Love! Laugh!" He heard in his ear. It was his people whispering. Protecting him, worrying, encouraging. He sighed, happily.
"You too." He mumbled out, biting his lip. One of the spirits floated to the car, soaring around Bakura.
"Brat." He heard from the spirit. He extended his hand.
"Hiromi."
The spirit engulfed his hand. It felt strange, it tickled. The spirit backed away. There was a symbol on the inside of his wrist.
"Wisdom," He read, "...thank you." He looked sadly as the spirit of a great woman.
The spirit floated to Malik's chest. His chest glowed a bit. His eyes fluttered open a moment later. He sat up, blinking.
"Hiromi? You're-" He covered his mouth, eyes narrowing with tears, "Congratulations." He smiled. The spirit went to his shoulder, "What are you doing?" He asked as she engulfed his shoulder.
"My arms are not rough you bitch...Like hell you were ever smooth like a sanded rock, you were a hairy beast...Excuse you, I am too desirable! I have a lot of qualifications...will you shut up and tell me what you're doing."
The spirit moved from his shoulder. He looked down, trying to make out the symbol from upside-down.
"Courage, you said? Why?...Don't get snippy with me!" Malik pouted.
The ball of light floated to Kisara's neck.
"Don't give me a hickey!"
She left a symbol on her too. It read Strength.
"Why did you mark us?" Malik asked. He listened to her carefully, "...Alright." He said with a gentle smile, "At least...at least show them your new form."
The spirit glowed brightly, as she morphed into a human like form. Hair flowing, skin shinning like the sun, robes draped in perfection.
Bakura's eyes widened and Kisara stopped the car completely.
"Remember who we were. Remember what we are now. There's so many souls longing for rest of any kind, treat them well. And your pasts mistakes can be redeemed nothing is written in stone." She opened her eyes, practically blinding them. "Life is such a precious thing."
A child came over to her and she wrapped him in her arms as they ascended into the sky.
"Malik, is she a angel?"
"No, she's completely free. It's what some call it absolute happiness. She reached her end and accepted it purely." She was truly beautiful.
"Goodbye." Malik waved.
"BYE!" Kisara yelled.
"See you on the other side." Bakura stated. He felt his heart skip a beat as the clouds opened up and he saw blue. The sky was...blue beyond the clouds. And he was determined to touch it.
"I can't hold it anymore, Isis!" Ryou said pushing the door with the rest of his might.
The woman sighed, "Let's open it then. I can fight most of them off."
"What about the rest?" He asked.
"That's the part where you run, idiot." She moved from the door, "Open it on three." She grabbed her knife.
"1..."
Ryou gripped the knob.
"2."
He breathed heavily not wanting to open the door.
"3!"
He swung the door open. Isis lifted her knife up ready to attack.
"Huh?" She walked to the door, "Ash? They were put to rest?"
Ryou sighed, relieved, "Guess so."
"That means he..." She held her head in her hands, sighing.
"Thank god for this miracle!" The 'angel' exclaimed.
Isis shook her head, "...everything is done for a reason." She reminded herself. This was the path she chose. She knew the only way to reach her goal was...damnation.
"Isis? Isis? Come on! Let's play some more."
She looked at him, "Fine."
Hi! Hi! I don't usually explain stuff but I thought I should for a chapter with so much symbolism.
First of all, it was revealed Malik and Isis' 'true' identities. Virgil and Beatrice. These two people were characters in The Divine Comedy, a story about a man named Dante journeying through hell, purgatory then heaven. Virgil was his guide through hell and purgatory. While Beatrice guided through heaven. Virgil was quite snippy with Dante often scolding him for crying over sinners. Yet despite being snippy, proud and sometimes downright mean, he had a loving side. Virgil becomes a fatherly and occasionally motherly figure to Dante to the point of where they call each other father and son.
Beatrice, however, was a girl Dante fell in love with yet died early. She never loved him back and never knew his love. She guided Dante through Heaven which was less of a task than Hell and Purgatory. She made sure to keep him in check and only refer to her as teacher. She often rambled on about divine teachings. As they went higher through heaven, her beauty became more divine. She was a stricter teacher than Virgil.
Secondly, the spirits in Malik's old neighborhood. The message of those spirits simply disappearing is that they were evil. They were greedy people in life and are greedy spirits now. Their wealth means nothing now that they're dead. Explaining why they wanted Kisara's body.
Third, Hiromi ascending was an illusion to the love of a mother and child. It can be depicted through Mary and Jesus also Goddess Isis and Horus.
Finally, Heart, Soul and Mind. Courage lies in the heart, Strength comes one's soul and Wisdom is of the mind.
Sorry for rambling. Hope this cleared things up! See you next time!