If you would like to request that a ship goes early, please check the RQing rules on the intro page before you leave your review with the request.

Defershipping (Shadi x Marik) - Requested to go early, by the guest Storm.

Erm… This one's pretty much total crack. I'd like to point out before I start that there are absolutely no fanfics or images for this one – not even an empty Tumblr, XDDD. And also that the origins of its name are utterly unknown… even to the great Seventh Star. (Maybe I should make up an explanation, since I'm the first to cover it…?)
Flaws of the pairing: Well… They haven't ever met, to my knowledge, but I think it can argued quite well that they'd never be in a romantic relationship. For starters, Shadi is NOT going to like Marik. Okay, so he'd like Yami Marik even less; but that's beside the point. Shadi holds the Millennium Scales and Ankh – and he's pretty loyal to the Tomb Guardians. As one can see with the way Pegasus and the museum curators were treated, Shadi sticks rigidly to his traditions, and he NEVER lets emotions get in the way.

And Marik is… well, Marik is not loyal to his clan. To clarify, I highly doubt that attempting to kill the rightful king and take their place is at all loyal.

Yeah… If they did meet, it wouldn't work out very well.

Warnings: As always, it's a mildly OOC Shadi Marik's dealing with.
Time Period: During Battle City, at the time that Marik's riding to Domino on his motorbike.
Names:
Marik Ishtar/Malik Ishtar = Marik
Shaadi/Shadi = Shadi

Synopsis: Marik's bike gets a puncture… and Shadi decides to haunt him while he's trying to fix it!

Soon, the God Cards shall be mine! All mine!

Sitting on the motorbike, my hair whipped back by the air rushing past me, I have to bite my lip hard not to throw my head back and cackle. Here I am, living a dream – and I'm so close to my desire now! The thrill of the ride, the expectation in what is to come; it's simply exhilarating–

BANG!

With a feral growl, I slam on the brakes, the bike skidding across the abandoned road as I do so. With some effort, I manage to keep my balance on the vehicle, bringing it to a halt seconds later. With a few mumbled curse words, I get off. Squinting at the bike, I can see that there's something wrong with the front wheel. I lean closer, investigate further-

"A hole in the tyre."
"I can see that, dolt!", I mumble, responding to the new voice without really registering it. Over the years, I've become quite used to hearing a voice in my head. It's only when the shadow falls over me and my bike that I actually realize that someone's standing right behind me.

I whirl. "Who are you?"
The stranger is tall, thin. He doesn't smile, doesn't frown. And in his hand is a set of golden scales.

A Millennium Item!
Warning bells scream in my head, and I snap into action; scramble away from the new man, rolling across the tarmac and to my feet. "Well? Answer me!"
A thin smile. "That is not something you need to know." The words are in fluent Egyptian, which only makes me tense up even more. If he's a Tomb Guardian, sent to destroy me, then things could get nasty.
I glance at the bike, wondering if I could get on it and run him over if I had to. "Actually, I'm-"

A shudder goes right through me – it feels as though a door in my mind just got opened, and there's cold air rushing in. The newcomer's smile vanishes instantly.
"So… You are determined to do this?"
"Eh?"
He looks at me, almost sadly. "You plan to betray your clan, and kill the king."
"Well, he–"
"Regardless; you plan to do it." He points the set of scales at me, the ankh around his neck glimmers in the sunlight. "If you cannot be persuaded to act otherwise, I may have to use my Items to destroy you." Needless to say, my jaw drops; my suspicions are finally confirmed.

Not one Millennium Item… he's got two!

Another chill runs through me, and the man nods. "Yes. The Key and the Scales."
"Millenn…"
"Millennium Items." His eyes narrow. "I do not wish to destroy you."
"Well, tha–"
"You are too… pitiful for that." He towers over me, and I don't try to get away; in fact, I feel as if I've just been slapped rather painfully in the face. The man in the turban glares down at me – I don't want to meet his gaze, but he grabs my chin, forcing me to look into deep blue eyes.
"You run on hate, nothing but your hate for the True Pharaoh. Thus… I must sedate it with love."
And he leans down before I can protest, lips brushing my forehead in a delicate kiss.

It's official – this guy's a total nutter.

Still, I'm partially stunned, and the stranger takes full advantage of it – within twenty seconds I'm flat on my back, and he's gleefully on top of me, mad eyes boring into mine. "Now! I shall teach you love!" And he thrusts–

–the book into my hand. (1)"Open to page 79, please."
"Uh…"
"Third line down. Read it." I read it silently, and he growls. "Read it!"
"Thou shalt love thy neighbor."
"Yes! And will you?"
"Will you get off me and leave me alone if I say yes?" He looks at me for a very long time after that, his expression… almost sad.

"…Yes. Yes, I will."
I take a deep breath. "Then… Then I promise to love my neighbor."

A slight smile. "Very good." He pokes me in the ribcage. "Now, page 453, line 6."
"Wha…?"
"I said I'd get off you and leave you alone if you said yes. But I never did say when."
oOoOoOo
Several hours later, he melted away into the desert, and I went back to swearing at my bike.
Well… At least Rishid didn't see that, thank Ra.

Notes:
1. Told you I'd never do lemon!