A/N: Probably should've said this earlier, maybe I did---I dunno? Anyway, I know that Rashid goes by many names (Odion, Odeon, Rishid, Rashid) but since I started calling him Rashid before the series (where I'm from) revealed that Marik (Malik, also Namu) calls him Odion (Odeon) in the American series version I'm just gonna stick with it. Confused yet? I know I am. O_o Take an aspirin, read the story, and email me if ya have questions.
For The Love of Past and Present
Part 11: Heart Over Mind
Felaine stood in the Shadow Realm before a portal doing what she did best---watching and waiting. She hadn't been able to hide a smile when she saw Mystic and Yami Bakura wrapped in each others' arms, but she knew full well that the thief wasn't through with his task yet. Marik may have succumb temporarily to the Queen's attack but he still remained in possession of the Millennium Rod. And as long as that powerful item remained in his clutches Yami Bakura still had a job to do...
Pegasus, Yami, and his friends rushed to the scene of the brawl between Marik and Rebecca. The pharaoh's eyes widened when he saw that Rebecca had managed to shift to her duel monster form and subdue the maniac. "Rebecca?!"
The Queen of Games tossed a glance in his direction and called back, "It's okay Yami, I've got him down for the count! How's that for boundless power?!"
Yami grinned, she was still as confident as ever. It appeared that he had worried for nothing. In fact, he almost felt sorry for Marik.
"Brother?" Ishsyzu asked timidly approaching the fallen Egyptian.
Marik slapped a hand down on the pavement in front of him and pushed himself back up. Glaring daggers at his own flesh and blood he shoved her roughly aside and charged the Queen. "Neither the pharaoh nor his supercilious queen shall ever stand in the way of what destiny has planned for me!!!"
Striking a fighting stance Rebecca nervously prepared for whatever attack Marik would send her way...be it physical, mental, or worst of all---magical.
"REBECCA!" Yami rushed towards his love and knocked her out of Marik's destructive path.
The insane Rare Hunter skidded to halt after missing his target and turned to strike down both obstacles.
"Hey!" a voice called out to the two royals. Yami and Rebecca looked up to see the Guardian with crossed arms and an expression of annoyance. "Protecting the Queen is MY job, Pharaoh!"
The cloaked madman held his item high to attack the minds of the distracted couple. He was surprised to feel the heel of a boot land right in the curve of his back. Turning to face the fool who dared to kick him as he fell he was only slightly shocked to see Yami Bakura.
"So, you are back for more are you Tomb Robber?" Marik scowled and rolled out of range before jumping back to his feet.
"Didn't I tell you I would be?" the thief smirked.
Marik nodded and waved the Millennium Rod tauntingly before him, "Looking for this?"
"Yes, now hand it over." Yami Bakura ordered.
A dangerously unstable smile spread over the tanned face of the Rare Hunters' leader, "The only way that you'll ever lay a finger on my item ...is by prying it from my cold, dead fingers!"
"I'm in no mood to humor anyone who spouts clichés." the white-haired scoundrel grumbled. Producing a dagger from a strap hid beneath his pant leg the thief lunged for Marik, "Time to pay you back for the gash on my shoulder!"
Mystic helped the two 'lovebirds' to their feet and glanced around to make sure that the crowd didn't get any 'heroic' ideas. Everyone seemed to be under the impression that this was all some big dueling game staged by the Kaiba Corporation. "Better that they praise Kaiba than interrogate us." she decided.
"Agreed," Yami nodded, "Kaiba, Mokuba, Mai, and Joey are doing a fine job of keeping everyone at a safe distance. As long as we defeat Marik quickly we should be able to keep the damage to a minimum."
"What in the world?" Rebecca was watching the struggle between the two power-hungry item holders. "Don't tell me that Yami Bakura's still trying to steal that item! Urgh, he'll stop at nothing!"
"I think he has his limits." Mystic smiled. Rebecca noted that smile and knew that she was correct in assuming that Yami Bakura and Mystic had come to 'friendly' terms with each other.
"That may be," Yami spoke up, "but this crowd is going to draw the attention of the local authorities soon. We have to end this---NOW!"
"Bossy little ancient guy, isn't he?" Mystic asked Rebecca as they followed Yami over to the struggle.
"Yeah," the blonde sighed, "but he's got a soft side that more than makes up for his commanding streak."
"Sounds like the perfect guy for you." Mystic winked.
Rashid! Marik yelled within his mind as he continued to battle with the ancient thief.
Yes Master Marik? came the solemn reply.
Dodging a punch he rammed an elbow into the spirit's chest, Bring the limo here immediately! We're approximately three blocks south of the main Kaiba Corp. Building.
I shall arrive shortly Master. Rashid's mental voice came again.
You'd better, Marik seethed with a glance at his sister, it's bad enough that you let Ishsyzu and Pegasus get here!
A punch in the jaw from Yami Bakura caused Marik to refocus his anger. "First rule of combat Marik, concentrate on what's right in front of you or you'll get a mouthful of blood every time!"
Lavender eyes full of fury and humiliation the manipulator struck out at Yami Bakura with his Rod's dagger. The blade grazed the right side of the thief's face and sent a small river of blood flowing down past his neck. Wiping away the crimson trail (although it quickly reappeared) the tomb robber glared back at Marik. "Now you're a dead man."
"Not if you die first." Marik sneered.
With a rapid swing at Marik's face Yami Bakura succeeded in distracting him, the false punch allowed him to bring the dagger up, slashing Marik's left side, with the dagger. Eyes wide Marik growled and backed away. He touched the wound beneath his ribs, fresh blood flowed over his fingers. "HOW DARE YOU DRAW MY BLOOD!"
The thief tapped his shoulder, "I swore to pay you back for injuring me Marik. And now I'll take your item."
A spark of malicious inspiration hit Malik, Yes Marik...give him our Millennium Rod.
Are you insane?! Marik snapped back while keeping an eye on the impatient white-haired spirit.
As if you should talk. Malik answered, If Yami Bakura thinks that you're giving up he'll drop his guard. Arrogance like his can easily be used against a proud opponent.
Marik had to resist the urge to cackle madly at this ingenious idea. "Alright Tomb Robber, you win. I refuse to be cut down before I have the chance to rip away all of the pharaoh's powers."
"Whatever." Yami Bakura held out his hand expectantly.
"Tomb Robber no!" Yami warned, racing towards the pair.
"It's a trap Yami Bakura!" Mystic shouted, "It's gotta be! Marik isn't just going to hand you the Rod!"
The thief seemed unfazed, "He knows that he's defeated. What can he possible gain by trickery? I cut him once and I'll gladly do it again."
"Oh really," Marik murmured, the time was right. "Well it's MY turn to carve into someone!"
The tomb robber looked back at Marik to see that instead of handing him the Millennium Rod he switched it to dagger mode again and was about to shove it straight forward, past his outstretched hand and into his chest!
Mystic mimicked Yami's earlier move to save Rebecca--only this time--just one person hit the ground without a serious injury.
"My love or not you will NOT meddle in my affairs!" Yami Bakura snapped as he sat up and glared down at the redhead who'd shoved him.
Mystic however, didn't move.
Yami and Joey (who'd rushed away from the crowd when he saw Marik's last move) tackled Marik and held him pinned to the ground.
"You really are a lunatic, you know that?!" Joey yelled down at the struggling blond.
"Marik! I know you're evil but this is just plain sick!" Yami snarled, "Even worse than brainwashing my friends!"
Rebecca noted the Millennium Rod laying just a few feet away, "Marik must've dropped it when Yami and Joey tackled him."
Yami Bakura snatched up the item. Holding it before his lap he caught sight of Mystic still laying on the ground---motionless.
Reaching out he shook her shoulder, "Mystic?"
That's when he saw the wound in her chest. "MYSTIC?!"
Rebecca watched helplessly as the Tomb Robber began to panic and shake the Guardian. No matter what he tried she wouldn't regain consciousness. Tears were streaming down his face now, "MYSTIC?! MYS---DINA! DINA WAKE UP!!! DON'T LEAVE ME! DON'T LEAVE BAKURA!! DINA PLEASE!!!"
Everyone was getting choked up now, even the spectators.
"That's the saddest thing I ever saw June," one passer-by informed her friend.
"I know Linda," June sniffed and blew into her handkerchief, "who would've ever guessed that Duel Monsters had so much drama??"
Clutching Dina tightly against himself and holding the Millennium Rod out in his other hand Yami Bakura sobbed harder than he'd ever remembered crying in his life (both before and after being sealed in the Ring).
Back in the Shadow Realm Felaine decided that now was as good a time as any to make her appearance.
In a flash of swirling colors and golden sparks the feline came before the duelists in her human form.
"Whoa," Joey gasped, "talk about makin' a grand entrance."
"Stay back everyone!" Kaiba ordered.
"Yeah," Mokuba added, "we wouldn't want anyone harmed by our newly enhanced special effects."
"What a gullible breed you humans are," Felaine remarked while peering around at the crowd.
Yami Bakura looked up and noticed the feline-turned-human. "Who are you?! Wait! You're Felaine...just...oh I don't care! Just help her!"
Felaine stared down at the redhead that the spirit was holding up to her. Then, without wavering, she let her gaze fall upon the Millennium Rod. "Ah, so you managed to complete your part of the deal after all."
"What?!" Yami Bakura glanced down at the item, "How can you think about this thing when Mystic's life hangs in the balance?!?"
"In case you've forgotten," Felaine held out her hand, "we had a bargain Tomb Robber. The Millennium Rod in exchange for granting one wish for you."
Yami Bakura was trembling with anger, "Here! Take this ridiculous piece of junk! The relic means nothing to me now!" he slapped the item down in Felaine's hand.
"And now for that wish of yours." Felaine sighed.
"I DON'T CARE ABOUT THAT STUPID WISH RIGHT NOW!" the spirit's fury was unparalleled, "JUST HELP HER!"
"You are Mystic's caretaker." Rebecca reminded Felaine, "Aren't you obligated to heal her?"
"Not necessarily," Felaine replied nonchalantly, "you see I'm only permitted to heal extreme injuries which have been received via a Duel Monster or inside the Shadow Realm. While I can treat less severe cases, the verge of death wounds leave me with my paws--well--hands tied."
"So you can't do anything?" Mai gasped from her stance before a section of the crowd.
Felaine shook her head, "I'm afraid not."
The tomb robber was furious, he HAD to help Mystic! He wasn't going to let her die! She'd pushed him out of the way to stop him from being killed by Marik. Marik's wrath wouldn't have been evoked in the first place if he weren't so caught up in obtaining all seven Millennium Items!
It's all my fault. he admitted. Looking down at the young woman laying lifelessly in his arms, her breath growing weaker and her spirit slipping away, he realized that he'd do absolutely anything to save her. And he knew of only one way...
"Proclaimer!" he shouted, the feline in disguise turned around. "You want me to make my one wish so badly, well I fully intend to!"
The cat smiled, "I was hoping you would."
Yami eyed the thief suspiciously, "What are you up to now?"
"QUIET!" Yami Bakura demanded, "This doesn't concern you Pharaoh so just stay out of it!"
Rebecca prayed that Yami Bakura wasn't going to wish for some awesome power that would allow him to take possession of all the items and even---overthrow Yami!
"I'm waiting." Felaine spoke tiredly.
Jolting his head back around he uttered his desire, "My fee was one wish, anything I chose. Well here it is. Proclaimer, since you cannot heal this wound by your own accord I now summon forth my wish...repair the damage done by Marik's Millennium Rod and restore the mortal back to her full health immediately!"
"Consider it done," Felaine held out the Millennium Rod which began to glow. The eye emitted a strange beam which hit the eye of the Millennium Ring. With the pupils connected by the stream of golden light each item took on a different aura, the Rod was magenta while the Ring was sky blue.
Everyone watched in awe as the pointers to the Millennium Ring all tilted towards the Guardian and channeled the light to her wound. Once the light show was over there wasn't a soul there who wasn't on the edge of their seat (so to speak).
"A deal is a deal," Felaine said finally, "and now that ours is completed, I have no need for this item."
"What do you mean?" Yami demanded.
"Why my dear Pharaoh," Felaine smiled, "you should know by now that I always have a greater agenda than what's presented to others."
Yami Bakura was distracted when Mystic slowly began to shift in his arms. Blinking she stared up at him with those mesmerizing blue eyes of hers. "Y-Yami Bakura?"
Tears spilled forth from the thief's eyes, "Mystic! You're alright!"
"Well duh," Mystic grinned up at the odd sight, "why's that making you gush all over me?"
"You were almost killed when Marik stabbed you." Rebecca explained.
"Speaking of lowdown, rotten, dirty madmen," Joey glared down at the platinum blond trying to break free of the hold Yami and he held him in, "what've ya got to say for yourself now Marik?"
Malik was screaming at his alter ego from within his mind, You inexcusable klutz! How could you have let yourself get captured so easily?!
Quiet you demented whelp! Marik growled, If you had been in control of this you'd have tried your pathetic 'Namu' stunt again and been thwarted hours ago!
"I believe that Marik won't be saying anything." Felaine approached the lavender eyed miscreant.
"What do ya mean?" Mokuba had stepped forward for a better view.
"I mean," Felaine held up her hand and began to recast a spell, "that I shall now use the same spell on Marik that I used on Bakura. Only this time, since the soul is not the original possessor of the body, I can keep Marik subdued for as long as his 'lighter' half allows."
NO!!! Marik felt his control slipping away as he was pulled back into the recesses of Malik's mind.
"Malik?" Ishsyzu came forward.
Malik blinked and shrugged the two males away so that he could sit up. "Ishsyzu? So Marik's finally been put in his place huh? Good, I have no tolerance for those who fail me!"
Right on cue a limousine pulled up and the crowd parted. "If you'll excuse me," Malik leapt to his feet and dashed for the limo, "my ride's here."
"Malik!" Felaine called.
The young man spun around, "What now?!"
"I believe this is yours." Felaine tossed the Millennium Rod back to him.
Malik threw her a questioning look as he caught the item.
"Since I didn't win the item from you in a duel its powers are of no use to me." Felaine explained, "But beware, I for one know that everyone has their weakness. And I just happen to know that yours will become evident very soon."
Ishsyzu watched the scene before her and recalled a vague vision that her Millennium Necklace had given her. There was a stranger, like none yet revealed, who was somehow connected to both Malik and his wickeder counterpart. Whoever this 'third' new power was, she sensed that the time of their arrival was drawing near.
Pegasus called out to Yami as Malik slammed the door to the limo, "Are you just going to sit there and let him get away?"
"I think Malik's less of a threat than Marik." Yami answered, "At least for now."
"Yeah," Joey added, "he'll probably just go hid behind his Rare Hunters again."
Ishsyzu sighed, "I suppose that all has turned out for the best then."
"Precisely," Felaine grinned, "Mystic is alive, Yami Bakura is no more powerful than he was before, and Marik is banished within the mind of Malik Ishtar once more."
"Not to mention," Mai exclaimed, "Rebecca's finally got control over her new Duel Monster form."
Rebecca blushed, "Better late than never."
Yami Bakura was enraged, "Do you mean that you arranged the whole ordeal with stealing Marik's Millennium Rod just so that you could rob me of another chance to gain possession of all the items?!"
"Not quite," Felaine had begun teleporting away, "I also had to bring Bakura's 'darker' side together with his true love."
Now it was Mystic who was red, "She's such a meddler."
"So that's where you get it." the thief chided her, "I suppose some good might've come out of all this."
"Speaking of good," Mystic laughed, "shouldn't Bakura be waking up anytime now?"
The spirit grumbled, "Curse this Ring!"
"See ya later Yami B." she chuckled and gave him a quick peck on the nose.
"Do NOT call me that!" he growled before being forced back into the Millennium Ring.
No sooner had he departed than Bakura took control. "Dina!" he exclaimed happily and hugged the redhead tightly.
"Um...Mystic right now." she corrected as she returned the embrace.
There was a collective "AWWW!" from the crowd causing the couple to turn bright red.
"Alright people," Seto held up his hands and waved them away, "move along. There's nothing more to see here."
"You heard the man," Mokuba joined in, "show's over!"
"Not a bad ending," Rebecca propped an elbow on Yami's shoulder.
Yami reddened and embarrassedly returned to the Puzzle. Yugi took over, "Cupid must make frequent stops in Domino."
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*I hope there's not a lot of errors in this chapter, I dunno though. Oh well, thanks for the feedback, keep the reviews coming. ^_^ Next chapter: I wrap things up and then move on to "Ultramarine Fire"!*