*Yami Bakura's POV*

I couldn't help but smirk as I leaned my back against the wall of that alleyway, still hearing the cries of the humans I had just left behind. They were mourning the lost of that worthless human I had rid the world of, most likely. Hm, they would cause a commotion if this kept up. They should be happy I spared his life! He just seemed too devastated to kill at the moment; it was much better to let him live and suffer.

For some reason, my heart was still pounding. This duel had been like a lot of the others…unreasonably fast. Which happens to be my opponents' faults. I don't know what had affected me so much in this duel. Something pulled me towards the corner to turn my head and take one last peek…I found my eyes wandering towards Seto Kaiba. How strange that he had needed my help as he did…although I could tell he was usually an excellent duelist. In fact, I'd be happy to face him someday. Before I realized it, my thoughts were wandering…images of our duel and the past times I'd seen him came flashing through my head…I blinked, probably looking dazed. I found that this whole time I had been staring at him…something about that smirk…I felt my cheeks grow hot…

Where was this going? I felt possessed by my own emotions, as if things I'd tried to block out came rushing in. I'm still confused, but it feels as if I'm trying to grasp something. Something important.

All of a sudden, I felt a sharp pain racing through my mind. Instinctively, my hands flew to my temples, trying to hold in my scream of agony. Eyes tightly shut, I sank down to the ground. What the hell?! After a moment's dizziness, everything went black…

- - -

"Bakura…" I heard a voice calling out to me faintly. I was standing in a dark area of emptiness. Gritting my teeth, I glanced around.

"Bakura…" That voice called again, only closer. It sounded like…Kaiba?!

"Nani yo?!" I shouted into the following silence, clenching my fists. This was too strange…I wasn't stupid enough to fall for one of Malik's tricks again.

A figure began walking towards me…a tall figure…my heart skipped a beat as I noticed the long white trenchcoat…

"Bakura…" He was there, standing in front of me…Seto Kaiba, looking down at me with lustrous eyes, a smirk on his face that was the same, yet at the same time I didn't recognize it…

After it began to sink in, I realized two things: one, he was extremely close to me, and two, my heart was about to jump out of my chest.

From all this shock, all I could utter was a small, protesting, "Kaiba…" Somehow my numbed nerves grasped the fact that his hand was firmly holding my chin…lifting it…

I felt possessed once again…something wouldn't let me move…but it wasn't a force or mind control…it was something different. I was too paralyzed to keep hold of anything…

Before my brain would allow me to do anything to stop him, Kaiba had his lips pressed against mine. My head swerved into a sudden light-headed state until I felt like I would pass out as my eyes were forced closed. I wanted badly to pull away…I didn't understand why this was happening…I couldn't think straight…something wouldn't let me break the kiss…

I forced my eyes open, still feeling dizzy as his lips stayed on mine. Suddenly, my senses all came rushing back at once. Violet eyes replaced the cerulean hues that had once been before me, sending my stomach turning belly flops.

"Aaahh!" My eyes were wide as I clutched my throat, only able to stumble backwards. Malik laughed loudly, mocking me, sending me lower in my pit of distress. How had I been so vulnerable? Why…why had he done this? Why hadn't I been able to push "Kaiba" away?

Just when I didn't think I could feel any sicker, the dark pit around us started to spin. He was bringing us somewhere else…it looked like Kaiba's office. Did he think that I wanted to see him right now? Of course not, Malik was only trying to torture me more. As if he hadn't done enough…

Kaiba was sitting at his desk, typing normally. I repeated to myself that this was only a dream…whatever Malik did to me couldn't be worse than he'd already done. I was still wiping my mouth disgustedly and was almost recovered enough to get up and kick his ass, but Malik was already at Kaiba's side. The dream Kaiba didn't even seem to notice him, but Malik unsheathed his Millennium Rod's sharp end and sent it directly into Kaiba's side.

The walls around us disappeared. Kaiba's screams of pain echoed through the area, through my head…I couldn't look away…the scene before me burning my eyes…

Malik seemed to be enjoying himself, spilling Kaiba's blood everywhere. When the maimed body finally lay still, he turned to me, still sneering. My mouth open in numbing shock, all I could do was stare as his clothes faded into the royal robes of the Pharaoh…the past Kings of Egypt…

He laughed out loud as he clutched his Millennium Rod tightly in hand. "This is a premonition for you, Bakura! This dream…it was merely a vision of the future…" That snickering laugh, mocking me once again…it filled me with a fury that I had never experienced before.

Letting out a scream that reflected such anger, I ran at him, not caring what happened, just as long as Malik's blood stained my hands. He looked taken aback by my anger and how quickly I'd recovered. I was running straight for him, fist held out, ready to hit him with all my force, but in a split second the end of his Millennium Rod was glowing and we were both gone…

- - -

My eyes snapped open. My heart was beating wildly, cold sweat running down my face. I could tell I had only been unconscious for a few minutes. I had too much common sense to think that Malik had really done what he had shown me; he himself said that it was a "vision of the future." Malik wasn't just a dream, though…I could still feel the bad taste in my mouth. The feeling of Malik's lips on mine was still there, and would come back to haunt me for endless nights…all I could do was lean against the wall and try to pull myself together. Clutching a fist, I actually began to look forward to the next time I could see him…I'm going to rip his lungs out.

* * *

When I pretend everything is what I want it to be

I look exactly like what you always wanted to see

When I pretend, I can't forget about the criminal I am

Stealing second after second just cause I know I can but

I can't pretend this is the way it'll stay I'm just

Trying to bend the truth

I can't pretend I'm who you want me to be, so I'm

Lying my way from you

No, no turning back now

I wanna be pushed aside so let me go

No, no turning back now

Let me take back my life

I'd rather be all alone

No turning back now

Anywhere on my own 'cause I can see

No, no turning back now

The very worst part of you is me

* * *

For the next few days, I continued collecting puzzle cards to get into the final tournament area. After watching Yugi and the others I realized that my time was growing slim. Also, I found myself around Kaiba a lot…he never saw me, of course, but after what Malik had showed me…I couldn't be too careful.

So today I found myself in a shadowed corner, watching the unsuspecting Kaiba brothers. They were discussing something or other about God Cards or something. I don't even know why I'm doing this. It must be my hatred for Malik; I don't know what he has against Kaiba, but it bothers me.

*Malik's POV*

Oh, Kami. There he is, lurking in the shadows again. I can see those dark eyes narrowed in suspicion. He's been watching Kaiba ever since I warned him…I didn't think he'd take it this way. No matter how hard I try to get a chance to get rid of Kaiba, he's always standing there, watching.

I know I should be focused on Kaiba and thinking on how to kill him without being seen, but I can't help but stare for a moment. Bakura…he looks so worried…does he even realize how he feels? I've seen his thoughts…the ones he tries to ignore…

I've seen him look at Kaiba. I saw how he reacted when he thought it was Kaiba on the other side of his lips…clenching a fist, I tried not to run out and stab Kaiba right now. I would kill him, and then Bakura would be mine. This would be easy to do with Kaiba out of the way. Sure, Bakura's hikari would be upset for a while. He's still captured in my Millennium Rod, and I know how he thinks about Kaiba too…heh, he's all part of my original. I'll use little Ryou to seduce Bakura…

When I finally pulled my eyes away from my Bakura, I noticed Kaiba talking to the younger one…Mokuba? I don't know what they were saying, but it gave me an idea…a smirk sliding onto my lips, I clutched the Millennium Rod in my hand as the end began to glow…

(A/N: Gomen nasai, minna! I meant to finish this chapter and put it up a log time ago, but I'm starting a new Yu-Gi-Oh fanfic. ^.^ It's not very long yet, but if I get enough requests, I guess I could. It's up to you guys. Oh, and the Japanese Translations and Lyrics thingies weren't supposed to last through the whole fic. -.- That just got annoying. If you want know, the lyrics are al Linkin Park. See if you can figure out the pattern in the lyrics and the chapter names. ^.- I'm gonna put the answer in the last chapter. Please review!!! Next chapter coming soon! Arigatou! )