Part Two of the Intertwined Series!

This will be an anthology series consisting of one-shots taking place during off-screen events that will follow the plot and also totally change the story. This takes place after Yami and Yuugi's duel with Pegasus in the manga where Pegasus explained his origin and the rest of the gain waits with Mokuba before helping him reunite with Kaiba before Bakura goes off to "face" Pegasus Warning: Minor angst in the beginning, lots of blood, and Bakura being a psychopath and Marik anger issues. Other than that enjoy!

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

PART 1

Entering the Dark

Mind and Memory

The Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle stared out over the sea, Pegasus' words still haunting his mind.

The mystery only grows deeper. He thought to himself, a slight shiver as he recalled the grim details of Pegasus' story. Shadi. Pegasus, the seven millennium items, not just the puzzle or the ring or the eye but seven total, the tablet of the pharaoh's memories. Kul Elena village...why did it all sound so familiar? Was it all connected? How so? And what did it have to do with him? Was that why he didn't remember?

He clenched the puzzle so tightly its jagged, golden edges dug into his palm.

Evil intelligence, that's what Pegasus had called it. Another presence living inside the millennium puzzle and inhabiting the body of an innocent boy.

Where did I come from? The question burned in his mind. Was he really just a spirit? Another mind living in the puzzle? Was he even alive? Or was he just a soul? A ghost? A parasite?

Who am I?

Evil Intelligence. Those wicked words came again. Evil. Evil. Evil.

You are not evil!

The Spirit shot up at the indignant protest and whirled about grateful he was on the balcony and out of earshot of his friends. Yugi stood there incorporeally, arms crossed and face pulled into a defiant pout. You are not evil, Spirit, I don't care what Pegasus or Shadi or anyone else says.

How do you know? He asked sadly. The Spirit could almost be proud of him for it, Yugi had grown so much from the shy, timid boy he'd first met, but he wasn't vain enough to believe it was because of him.

Of course, it's because of you! Yugi said, his voice muffled like he was about to cry. You're not evil, Spirit, I don't care what Pegasus or Shadi or anyone else says. You're my friend. I'm stronger now because of you!

Yugi squeezed his hand and its warmth surprised him.

But…the Spirit paused, uncertain. How can you be sure…he opened his mind to Yugi replaying past memories of his origins. Darker days when he used to dish out punishments to all those who wronged them: Ushio, Ms. Chono, Imori, how many others whose names he hadn't bothered to remember, even Kaiba.

They were different, Spirit. They were all cruel and selfish. They didn't care about anyone but themselves. You gave them a chance and they refused to learn from their mistakes…but Kaiba did. You saw for yourself.

He gestured to the two brothers, hugging and smiling. That's the real reason why you didn't want to subject Pegasus to a shadow game isn't it? It wasn't because you were afraid of proving him right, it's because despite everything he did, he was doing it for someone he loved. That doesn't excuse what he did…but you understand why he was willing to do all this, why he was willing to take such risks.

Yes," the Spirit smiled. It was a small, sad smile, but a smile nonetheless. When did you become so wise, abiou?

Even incorporeally Yugi blushed and it was a cute, apple-cheeked blush that accompanied a sweet smile that stole the Spirit's heart. I guess I had a really good friend to teach me.

The spirit chucked. Their eyes fell back to their friends: Tristan laughing, Joey bickering, Tea rolling her eyes, Seto and Mokuba still hugging each other.

Other me, it doesn't matter where you come from.

The Spirit looked surprised, but Yugi's smile was honest and not a flicker of doubt clouded his eyes. What matters is that I'm glad you're here. You mean a lot to me…and they feel the same way. He turned back to their friends who were still bickering.

The Spirit watched them and a sudden nostalgia overcame him: he had friends, people how cared for him, he had Yugi. A smile curled across his lips, a true smile.

Yugi squeezed hid hand again, his own delight radiating off the Spirit's. And I still don't know your name?

Well, since I don't remember having one, why don't you call me…he thought of a name, then decided. Yami.

Well, Yami, I'm happy to call you my friend. With one last high five, the Spirit, now called Yami relinquished control back to Yugi. As he faded back into the calming, familiar darkness of the puzzle's labyrinth, he thought, Yugi's right, it doesn't matter who I am or where I come from. I'm happy with the way things are. I don't need my memory.

X X X

Bakura licked the blood from the Millennium Eye with an evil cackle.

"You can take this replica with you to hell, Pegasus," he mocked the man lying in a heap on the floor, blood pooling from his now empty left eye socket. "Two down, seven to go! Mwahahahahahaha!"

"We're not…so different…you and I…."

Bakura's laugher died in this throat and he whirled. "You're still alive?" he snickered. "I admit, I'm impressed, though I doubt you will be for long."

"You can fool yourself, Bakura…spirit…whatever you are…but you can't fool me." The man's words were a chocked rasp, as if every word scraped his throat. "I recognized it…your ring…it was the one that man stole the day I met Shadi…I felt its presence that day, and yet Shadi had me test the Eye…he knew. That was you wasn't it. You calling out to those thieves…desperate for some way to escape him…to escape Shadi….and now…I know why…"

Bakura stilled, his expression hardening into a natural glare.

"You're right…my mind is weak from my duel with Yugi and the Puzzle's Spirit…but I was still able to see into yours…"

Bakura's face betrayed no emotion, but his fingers clenched at his side.

"He doesn't remember…but you do…You remember…you needed to be certain. Certain that it was him inside the Puzzle."

Bakura said nothing, refused, to give him the satisfaction.

Pegasus had the gall to smile. "You can't trust anyone else to get him back, not even your host, because everyone else has failed…everything you've ever done, everyone you've ever hurt or used, your host, even me, were all just pawns in your scheme to get him back…" The man chuckled with a confidence only a dying man who had nothing left to loose could have.

It infuriated him.

"How ironic….you're doing all this for him, and he has no idea who you are, and after all this…I wonder if he'll even want you—"

A swift strike across the jaw silenced the man before he could say another word. Bakura ceased him by the throat, quick as a cobra and held him by the neck, his grip tight and constricting as a snake. Even in his weakened state, Pegasus clung to life and his feeble hands scrapped pathetically at Bakura's grip.

Bakura grinned, snorted then laughed, a maniacal laugh.

It was just too funny! Did the bastard really think he was going to get out of this? Did he really think he was going to get the last word? Bakura laughed even harder, then fixed the man with a wild-eyed star, his eyes brightening at the look of pure fear and shock in the man's remaining eye.

Leaning close, Bakura whispered soft and secret as a lover, but with all the malice of a monster. "You're right. I don't give a shit about you or anyone or anything else if it means getting him back," Bakura snickered, feeling the man tremble in his grip. "Though I confess, I am quite fond of my host, yes, he did betray me, but I can't help but respect him for that. And I did promise him I wouldn't hurt him or his friends, but I also confess to an ulterior motive. You see, to get what I want, I need Yugi Mouto and Kaiba and perhaps to a lesser extent the rest of those fools."

A dark smirk curled at Bakura's lips reminiscent of a serpent about to devour a bird. "But if any of them should get in my way….well, like I said, nothing is going to stop me from getting him back…and if I have to set the whole world on fire to get him back, to restore that memory, well…" He squeezed the cowarding man closer, his smirked curling at the corners and he hissed the words like they were a sacred prayer. "Then I'll strike the first match."

With a final howl of laugher, Bakura tossed him to the floor, content to leave the worthless scum bleeding there, a fitting punishment for all he put him through, and strolled out of the castle juggling the Millennium Eye in his hand and laughing like a mad man, only relinquishing control to his none-the-wiser landlord once he reached the outside steps.

Catching a glimpse of the Spirit, just as they both returned control to their hosts, Bakura smirked. Just a little longer, Pharaoh...he thought, slipping back into the darkness, fingers clenching tightly around the one secret even Ryou wasn't even allowed to know. Just you wait.

X X X

"Master Marik."

He didn't bother to look up at the voice of his most loyal servant.

"What have you to report, Rishad?" he demanded, stroking the sharp axes of the Millennium Rod, the glided smoothly under his fingers as if harmless, but he knew all too well how deep and delicate they cut.

His servant hesitated, something he never did.

"We have received reports that Pegasus Crawford, the holder of the Millennium Eye had been defeated…" he hesitated again.

Now that intrigued him.

Marik sat up, lifted his gaze from the Rod, waiting for Rishad to answer.

"By a boy named Yugi Mouto."

Marik's lavender eyes narrowed. His servant's face was shielded beneath the mask of his long hood, but Marik did not need his item to recognize the man's tells…the stiffness of his stance, the way his fingers rung.

"And what else Rishad?" he demanded, furious he even had to ask.

"This boy, Yugi Mouto…we are not yet certain, but if the rumors are true…"

"Yes," Marik hissed, his patience gone and the Rod held threateningly.

Rishad hesitated only a moment before answering. "He has solved the Millennium Puzzle…and now houses the Pharaoh's soul."

Rishad did not flinch when something crashed against the wall.

Marik stood shaking with fury, the Rod clenched so tightly, his knuckles went white.

"Track down this so called Pharaoh, Rishad." His every words was a malicious his drowned in anger and pure hate. "And report back to me."

"Yes, Master Marik." The man bowed and left leaving the leader of the Rare Hunters alone to seethe his rage.