Marik still clung frantically to the window ledge. It must have been about five minutes by now since he had had to jump through the pane of glass to escape the assassins, and he was just waiting to make sure the coast was clear. Once the men got outside and saw that there wasn't a body on the ground, they'd know he was still alive—and if he was still hanging from the ledge, they'd be sure to look up and see him—so Marik knew he had better try to climb back inside immediately.
Exactly how he would do that was another matter entirely. He really needed someone to pull him up, but there was no one around to do so. Marik was entirely on his own.
Reaching up with all his strength, he managed to grab hold of the window sill and then tried to hoist himself up. For one minute it seemed like he would slip and fall, but he gritted his teeth in determination and kept struggling, ignoring his open wounds from the glass and the pain shooting through his body. He had been in a coma only a short time before, and though his health was improving, he really wasn't well enough yet for such excursions.
With a gasp, he pulled himself up through the window and collapsed onto the floor below, breathing heavily. No one was in sight, and Marik was quite content with that. Now he just had to sneak into a medicine closet, treat his new wounds, and then make tracks. He didn't know where he would go, but obviously he couldn't keep staying here.
****
"Man, Yug!" Joey cried as he and Tristan walked through the door of the game shop and found their friend tending the counter. "You won't believe what happened to us!"
"Were you followed again, Joey?" Yugi asked worriedly.
"We sure were!" Joey said hotly. "And they took our picture! Ain't that right, Tristan?"
The hazel-eyed boy nodded. "When they knew we'd seen them, they turned around and drove off!"
Yugi shook his head. "This is bad," he said grimly. "And you guys aren't the only ones who had a scary experience." Then he related what had happened to Bakura and his Yami the previous night.
"Someone just broke into the house and stabbed Bakura's Yami in cold blood?!" Tristan said, wide-eyed.
Yugi nodded. "If they had stabbed Bakura instead, he'd probably be . . ." He let that thought trail off.
"See?" Joey cried. "I knew someone was stalkin' us! I just knew it!"
"Someone is stalking you?" a new, but familiar, voice said smoothly. The teens turned around to see Weevil Underwood standing in the doorway smirking. "Now I wonder who would want to do such a thing."
Joey's short temper boiled over. "Man, Weevil! Whaddya want?!" He went over and grabbed the mint-haired boy, raising him into the air. "I bet you're the one stalkin' us!"
"Unhand me!" Weevil cried. "I've done nothing! I just couldn't help but hear you all conversing as I walked past," he said, struggling to push Joey away.
"Man, I wouldn't be surprised if I found out you *are* responsible for what's been goin' on," Joey growled, letting the other boy go.
"And why would I want to stalk you?" Weevil grumped. "I have much more important things to do with my time."
"Oh yeah? Like what?" Tristan demanded.
Weevil shrugged. "That is none of your beeswax!" He adjusted his glasses and began wandering through the store.
Yugi watched him uneasily. "Uh . . . can I help you find anything?"
Weevil chuckled. "No. I am just looking." He examined several packs of Duel Monsters cards and then wandered over to look at the rare cards kept under lock and key in the glass counter.
"So, I heard that you're moving here to our neighborhood," Yugi said, trying to sound friendly.
"You heard right," Weevil replied, not offering any more information. After seeming to consider for a time, he chose several booster packs and shoved them at Yugi. "I'll just take these," he said.
"Alright," Yugi agreed with a nod. He rang up the cards and then gave Weevil his change.
"Tryin' to improve your deck, huh?" Joey said, trying to look.
Weevil sneered. "I just might be." He turned to leave.
"Man, I don't like the way you're smirkin', Weevil! If you're behind the stalkin', you're gonna wish you'd never been born!" Joey growled.
Weevil's eyes narrowed. "Do I detect a threat?"
"Sure, if you're guilty of the crime," Joey said.
"Take it easy, Joey." Yugi put his hand on Joey's shoulder. "Try to calm down."
"I'll have you sued for false accusations!" Weevil yelled at Joey, pushing past him and Tristan and going out the door.
Yugi sighed. "Joey, you know we don't have a shred of evidence to prove that Weevil did anything," he said, "and anyway, he may be a creep, but he wouldn't try to kill someone, nor would he hire someone else to do it."
Joey's eyes narrowed. "I don't know that I'd put anything past that pint-sized troublemaker," he growled.
"Well, he's up to something, there's no question about that," Tristan admitted. "But I agree with Yugi—I don't think he's responsible for the weird goings-on."
Joey grunted. "Well, I'll be keepin' my eyes on him anyway," he vowed.
****
Seto walked up the steps leading to the Domino Museum. "I can't believe I'm doing this," he muttered, and he wouldn't be if it wasn't that he was worried about Mokuba's safety. He would do anything for that boy.
When he walked inside, the museum seemed deserted. "Hello?" he called. "Is anyone here?" His voice echoed throughout the empty corridors.
He wandered over near the ominous basement and suddenly Ishizu's silky voice came from the darkness. "Welcome, Seto Kaiba. I've been waiting for you."
Seto whirled around to face the lovely Egyptian woman. "Tell me what's going on here," he demanded, not bothering to say hello. Or admit that he'd just been startled.
Instead of answering directly, Ishizu turned to go back in the basement. "Follow me, Kaiba," she said, and Seto did. This path was only too familiar to him.
When they reached the bottom, Ishizu clicked the lights on and gestured to the ancient stone tablets on the walls. "Kaiba, do you remember the first time I showed these to you?"
Seto's eyes narrowed. "Of course I do. How could I forget?"
Ishizu walked to the infamous one portraying two people engaged in battle with Duel Monsters. "I told you that you were this one." She pointed to the carving of the evil high priest.
"And I said you were crazy." Seto crossed his arms. "I don't believe that nonsense."
Ishizu smiled in her mysterious way. "Not even the trips into the past could convince you."
"Of course not. That guy was a loud-mouth jerk. You can't compare him to me!" Seto retorted, starting to get annoyed. "Look, I didn't come here to reminisce."
"I know what you came for," Ishizu said calmly. "You came for answers." She paused, looking deeply into his piercing blue eyes. "I know what happened to you last night, Kaiba, and I know your dream."
"Then tell me, Ishizu—what does it mean?" Seto demanded. "You say someone wants me dead. What if they want to hurt my brother as well?"
"That I cannot see at this time," Ishizu replied. "I do not know all things, Kaiba. Only God does." She paused. "But Kaiba, what I *have* seen is that you may have been right all along. At least partially."
Seto blinked. "Huh? What do you mean? Right about what?"
Ishizu turned slightly to again study the carving. "You may not have once lived as the Pharaoh's evil high priest," she said softly.
Seto snorted. "I could've told you that. All your talk about the past is ridiculous."
Ishizu shook her head. "Kaiba. Just because I may have been incorrect about that does not mean that everything I have said is wrong. Many of my predictions have came true." She paused. "And I was not completely incorrect in what I said about the high priest, though I believe I did misinterpret part of what I saw."
Seto wasn't pleased. "Now what?"
"Kaiba, this high priest—whoever he was—does have some connection with you. It is impossible to mistake the striking resemblance between you both," Ishizu said firmly.
"A mere coincidence." Seto was becoming bored with this.
Ishizu continued right on as if she hadn't heard. "I believe that he may have been your ancient ancestor," she announced.
Seto wasn't impressed. "Well, I suppose it's an improvement over thinking I was him," he remarked. "But I want to know who's after me! My brother's life might be in danger, and I'd like at least some idea of who I'm going up against." His eyes narrowed. "I really have no interest in *who* that evil priest was."
Ishizu nodded. "Ah, but Kaiba . . . *he* is whom you will be up against." She indicated the carving again.
"What?!" Seto gave Ishizu an "Are you nuts" look.
"Kaiba, I know about the dark presence you felt last night," Ishizu replied. "When the priest was killed for his wicked actions, his spirit was banished to the Shadow Realm, where it has remained imprisoned for thousands of years."
"And now you're saying that someone released it." It was a statement, not a question.
"I am afraid so," Ishizu nodded.
Seto didn't answer immediately. This was all so strange to think about.
"Kaiba, because of your ties to this spirit, destiny has chosen you to defeat him," Ishizu announced, again looking him directly in the eyes.
****
Marik watched the towns go by as he rode at the back of the Greyhound bus. He didn't have any money with him, but he had managed to sneak past the driver when a whole group of cheerleaders had gotten on board. He had left the hospital as fast as he could, managing to elude his would-be murderers, but now he was really no better off. He didn't know his name, his occupation, or anything about himself. All he knew was that he had done something so terrible that men wanted to kill him because of it.
He thought back to what the men had said. "You don't have the Millennium Rod any more, and without it, you can't control us!"
What on earth was the Millennium Rod? Why would he want to control people? Marik shook his head. Maybe he didn't really want to know who he was. Perhaps he should just start fresh . . . if he could.
The bus stopped and the cheerleaders all stood up to get off. Marik decided that he might as well follow them. It wasn't like he knew of anywhere he could really call home anymore, so one place was just as good as another.
This time his presence didn't go noticed.
"Hey you!" the bus driver snapped. "I don't remember seeing you get on!"
"Surely you are not aware of every person who enters your bus," Marik replied coldly, walking down the steps before the driver could protest further.
He watched the cheerleaders all begin to split up and go their separate ways, then glanced up at a sign above him. Welcome to Domino City, it read. Well, that meant nothing to him. With a sigh, he started walking down the lonely streets.
****
When Tea got to school the next morning, she spotted Yugi, Joey, and Tristan right away and hurried over. "Hey you guys!" she chirped. "Is everything okay?"
"No, it ain't," Joey replied, and again related what had happened to him and Tristan. "And," he added, "I wouldn't be surprised if that sneaky Weevil is mixed up in this!"
Tea blinked. "Why would Weevil do this? It doesn't make sense, Joey." She looked around. "Where's Bakura?" she cried.
"I don't think he'll be coming to school today," Yugi said slowly.
"Why not?" Tea gasped. "Is he hurt?"
Yugi shook his head. "No, but his Yami is." He explained what had happened in the early morning hours. Tea was horrified.
"How could someone just break into his house like that?!" she wanted to know. "That's just terrible!"
The others nodded in solemn agreement, then looked as Seto's limo pulled up. The aloof boy stepped out, looking preoccupied, grim, and tired.
"Man, you didn't get much sleep last night, did you?" Joey blurted.
Seto grunted. "You don't look so well yourself, Wheeler," he retorted.
"Are you okay, Kaiba?" Yugi asked.
"I'm fine, Yugi." Seto wasn't in the mood to talk. He was still thinking about everything Ishizu had told him. He didn't know whether to believe it or not, but he did know that something very evil and probably not mortal had spoken to him last night. Something was definitely amiss—he just didn't know whether the high priest was involved or not.
The bell rang then and the teens headed to homeroom.
As Yugi opened his desk, he was startled to find another white envelope with his name on it.
"Oh man," Joey said from the next desk, "another one?!"
Quickly Yugi tore it open. As before, a single sheet of paper fell out.
I'm watching you!
"Well, that's just great!" Joey said in frustration. "Another unsigned message! And this one seems to say that whoever's doin' this is also responsible for all the other stuff that's happenin' to us!"
The teacher called the class to order then and everyone had to turn to her and pay attention, but inwardly Yugi was worried. Very worried.
****
Marik wandered down the streets, wondering what he was going to do. Suddenly a figure sitting on a rotting porch looked up and called to him. "Hey kid!"
Marik turned. "You are speaking to me?"
"Yes, you! Don't I know you from somewhere?" The man's eyes glinted.
"I can't imagine where," Marik replied, feeling uneasy.
The man came down and stood next to him, and Marik backed up in fear. "I do know you," he sneered, "and I've waited ages to do this!" Without warning he grabbed Marik fiercely around his neck, and the boy felt the gold collar he was wearing cut into his throat.
"What . . . what are you doing?" he gasped, trying in vain to pry the man's rough hands away.
"What I should've done years ago," the man hissed, squeezing hard. There was no mistaking what he was trying to do—he wanted to strangle Marik!
Exactly how he would do that was another matter entirely. He really needed someone to pull him up, but there was no one around to do so. Marik was entirely on his own.
Reaching up with all his strength, he managed to grab hold of the window sill and then tried to hoist himself up. For one minute it seemed like he would slip and fall, but he gritted his teeth in determination and kept struggling, ignoring his open wounds from the glass and the pain shooting through his body. He had been in a coma only a short time before, and though his health was improving, he really wasn't well enough yet for such excursions.
With a gasp, he pulled himself up through the window and collapsed onto the floor below, breathing heavily. No one was in sight, and Marik was quite content with that. Now he just had to sneak into a medicine closet, treat his new wounds, and then make tracks. He didn't know where he would go, but obviously he couldn't keep staying here.
****
"Man, Yug!" Joey cried as he and Tristan walked through the door of the game shop and found their friend tending the counter. "You won't believe what happened to us!"
"Were you followed again, Joey?" Yugi asked worriedly.
"We sure were!" Joey said hotly. "And they took our picture! Ain't that right, Tristan?"
The hazel-eyed boy nodded. "When they knew we'd seen them, they turned around and drove off!"
Yugi shook his head. "This is bad," he said grimly. "And you guys aren't the only ones who had a scary experience." Then he related what had happened to Bakura and his Yami the previous night.
"Someone just broke into the house and stabbed Bakura's Yami in cold blood?!" Tristan said, wide-eyed.
Yugi nodded. "If they had stabbed Bakura instead, he'd probably be . . ." He let that thought trail off.
"See?" Joey cried. "I knew someone was stalkin' us! I just knew it!"
"Someone is stalking you?" a new, but familiar, voice said smoothly. The teens turned around to see Weevil Underwood standing in the doorway smirking. "Now I wonder who would want to do such a thing."
Joey's short temper boiled over. "Man, Weevil! Whaddya want?!" He went over and grabbed the mint-haired boy, raising him into the air. "I bet you're the one stalkin' us!"
"Unhand me!" Weevil cried. "I've done nothing! I just couldn't help but hear you all conversing as I walked past," he said, struggling to push Joey away.
"Man, I wouldn't be surprised if I found out you *are* responsible for what's been goin' on," Joey growled, letting the other boy go.
"And why would I want to stalk you?" Weevil grumped. "I have much more important things to do with my time."
"Oh yeah? Like what?" Tristan demanded.
Weevil shrugged. "That is none of your beeswax!" He adjusted his glasses and began wandering through the store.
Yugi watched him uneasily. "Uh . . . can I help you find anything?"
Weevil chuckled. "No. I am just looking." He examined several packs of Duel Monsters cards and then wandered over to look at the rare cards kept under lock and key in the glass counter.
"So, I heard that you're moving here to our neighborhood," Yugi said, trying to sound friendly.
"You heard right," Weevil replied, not offering any more information. After seeming to consider for a time, he chose several booster packs and shoved them at Yugi. "I'll just take these," he said.
"Alright," Yugi agreed with a nod. He rang up the cards and then gave Weevil his change.
"Tryin' to improve your deck, huh?" Joey said, trying to look.
Weevil sneered. "I just might be." He turned to leave.
"Man, I don't like the way you're smirkin', Weevil! If you're behind the stalkin', you're gonna wish you'd never been born!" Joey growled.
Weevil's eyes narrowed. "Do I detect a threat?"
"Sure, if you're guilty of the crime," Joey said.
"Take it easy, Joey." Yugi put his hand on Joey's shoulder. "Try to calm down."
"I'll have you sued for false accusations!" Weevil yelled at Joey, pushing past him and Tristan and going out the door.
Yugi sighed. "Joey, you know we don't have a shred of evidence to prove that Weevil did anything," he said, "and anyway, he may be a creep, but he wouldn't try to kill someone, nor would he hire someone else to do it."
Joey's eyes narrowed. "I don't know that I'd put anything past that pint-sized troublemaker," he growled.
"Well, he's up to something, there's no question about that," Tristan admitted. "But I agree with Yugi—I don't think he's responsible for the weird goings-on."
Joey grunted. "Well, I'll be keepin' my eyes on him anyway," he vowed.
****
Seto walked up the steps leading to the Domino Museum. "I can't believe I'm doing this," he muttered, and he wouldn't be if it wasn't that he was worried about Mokuba's safety. He would do anything for that boy.
When he walked inside, the museum seemed deserted. "Hello?" he called. "Is anyone here?" His voice echoed throughout the empty corridors.
He wandered over near the ominous basement and suddenly Ishizu's silky voice came from the darkness. "Welcome, Seto Kaiba. I've been waiting for you."
Seto whirled around to face the lovely Egyptian woman. "Tell me what's going on here," he demanded, not bothering to say hello. Or admit that he'd just been startled.
Instead of answering directly, Ishizu turned to go back in the basement. "Follow me, Kaiba," she said, and Seto did. This path was only too familiar to him.
When they reached the bottom, Ishizu clicked the lights on and gestured to the ancient stone tablets on the walls. "Kaiba, do you remember the first time I showed these to you?"
Seto's eyes narrowed. "Of course I do. How could I forget?"
Ishizu walked to the infamous one portraying two people engaged in battle with Duel Monsters. "I told you that you were this one." She pointed to the carving of the evil high priest.
"And I said you were crazy." Seto crossed his arms. "I don't believe that nonsense."
Ishizu smiled in her mysterious way. "Not even the trips into the past could convince you."
"Of course not. That guy was a loud-mouth jerk. You can't compare him to me!" Seto retorted, starting to get annoyed. "Look, I didn't come here to reminisce."
"I know what you came for," Ishizu said calmly. "You came for answers." She paused, looking deeply into his piercing blue eyes. "I know what happened to you last night, Kaiba, and I know your dream."
"Then tell me, Ishizu—what does it mean?" Seto demanded. "You say someone wants me dead. What if they want to hurt my brother as well?"
"That I cannot see at this time," Ishizu replied. "I do not know all things, Kaiba. Only God does." She paused. "But Kaiba, what I *have* seen is that you may have been right all along. At least partially."
Seto blinked. "Huh? What do you mean? Right about what?"
Ishizu turned slightly to again study the carving. "You may not have once lived as the Pharaoh's evil high priest," she said softly.
Seto snorted. "I could've told you that. All your talk about the past is ridiculous."
Ishizu shook her head. "Kaiba. Just because I may have been incorrect about that does not mean that everything I have said is wrong. Many of my predictions have came true." She paused. "And I was not completely incorrect in what I said about the high priest, though I believe I did misinterpret part of what I saw."
Seto wasn't pleased. "Now what?"
"Kaiba, this high priest—whoever he was—does have some connection with you. It is impossible to mistake the striking resemblance between you both," Ishizu said firmly.
"A mere coincidence." Seto was becoming bored with this.
Ishizu continued right on as if she hadn't heard. "I believe that he may have been your ancient ancestor," she announced.
Seto wasn't impressed. "Well, I suppose it's an improvement over thinking I was him," he remarked. "But I want to know who's after me! My brother's life might be in danger, and I'd like at least some idea of who I'm going up against." His eyes narrowed. "I really have no interest in *who* that evil priest was."
Ishizu nodded. "Ah, but Kaiba . . . *he* is whom you will be up against." She indicated the carving again.
"What?!" Seto gave Ishizu an "Are you nuts" look.
"Kaiba, I know about the dark presence you felt last night," Ishizu replied. "When the priest was killed for his wicked actions, his spirit was banished to the Shadow Realm, where it has remained imprisoned for thousands of years."
"And now you're saying that someone released it." It was a statement, not a question.
"I am afraid so," Ishizu nodded.
Seto didn't answer immediately. This was all so strange to think about.
"Kaiba, because of your ties to this spirit, destiny has chosen you to defeat him," Ishizu announced, again looking him directly in the eyes.
****
Marik watched the towns go by as he rode at the back of the Greyhound bus. He didn't have any money with him, but he had managed to sneak past the driver when a whole group of cheerleaders had gotten on board. He had left the hospital as fast as he could, managing to elude his would-be murderers, but now he was really no better off. He didn't know his name, his occupation, or anything about himself. All he knew was that he had done something so terrible that men wanted to kill him because of it.
He thought back to what the men had said. "You don't have the Millennium Rod any more, and without it, you can't control us!"
What on earth was the Millennium Rod? Why would he want to control people? Marik shook his head. Maybe he didn't really want to know who he was. Perhaps he should just start fresh . . . if he could.
The bus stopped and the cheerleaders all stood up to get off. Marik decided that he might as well follow them. It wasn't like he knew of anywhere he could really call home anymore, so one place was just as good as another.
This time his presence didn't go noticed.
"Hey you!" the bus driver snapped. "I don't remember seeing you get on!"
"Surely you are not aware of every person who enters your bus," Marik replied coldly, walking down the steps before the driver could protest further.
He watched the cheerleaders all begin to split up and go their separate ways, then glanced up at a sign above him. Welcome to Domino City, it read. Well, that meant nothing to him. With a sigh, he started walking down the lonely streets.
****
When Tea got to school the next morning, she spotted Yugi, Joey, and Tristan right away and hurried over. "Hey you guys!" she chirped. "Is everything okay?"
"No, it ain't," Joey replied, and again related what had happened to him and Tristan. "And," he added, "I wouldn't be surprised if that sneaky Weevil is mixed up in this!"
Tea blinked. "Why would Weevil do this? It doesn't make sense, Joey." She looked around. "Where's Bakura?" she cried.
"I don't think he'll be coming to school today," Yugi said slowly.
"Why not?" Tea gasped. "Is he hurt?"
Yugi shook his head. "No, but his Yami is." He explained what had happened in the early morning hours. Tea was horrified.
"How could someone just break into his house like that?!" she wanted to know. "That's just terrible!"
The others nodded in solemn agreement, then looked as Seto's limo pulled up. The aloof boy stepped out, looking preoccupied, grim, and tired.
"Man, you didn't get much sleep last night, did you?" Joey blurted.
Seto grunted. "You don't look so well yourself, Wheeler," he retorted.
"Are you okay, Kaiba?" Yugi asked.
"I'm fine, Yugi." Seto wasn't in the mood to talk. He was still thinking about everything Ishizu had told him. He didn't know whether to believe it or not, but he did know that something very evil and probably not mortal had spoken to him last night. Something was definitely amiss—he just didn't know whether the high priest was involved or not.
The bell rang then and the teens headed to homeroom.
As Yugi opened his desk, he was startled to find another white envelope with his name on it.
"Oh man," Joey said from the next desk, "another one?!"
Quickly Yugi tore it open. As before, a single sheet of paper fell out.
I'm watching you!
"Well, that's just great!" Joey said in frustration. "Another unsigned message! And this one seems to say that whoever's doin' this is also responsible for all the other stuff that's happenin' to us!"
The teacher called the class to order then and everyone had to turn to her and pay attention, but inwardly Yugi was worried. Very worried.
****
Marik wandered down the streets, wondering what he was going to do. Suddenly a figure sitting on a rotting porch looked up and called to him. "Hey kid!"
Marik turned. "You are speaking to me?"
"Yes, you! Don't I know you from somewhere?" The man's eyes glinted.
"I can't imagine where," Marik replied, feeling uneasy.
The man came down and stood next to him, and Marik backed up in fear. "I do know you," he sneered, "and I've waited ages to do this!" Without warning he grabbed Marik fiercely around his neck, and the boy felt the gold collar he was wearing cut into his throat.
"What . . . what are you doing?" he gasped, trying in vain to pry the man's rough hands away.
"What I should've done years ago," the man hissed, squeezing hard. There was no mistaking what he was trying to do—he wanted to strangle Marik!