Moons: Another chapter. And now we find out what Marik wants with Yugi and Ryou. And what happened to poor Yami and Bakura who I left passed out on the floor of Ryou's room.
Aurora: Who cares? Get back to Marik!
Moons: Hush you! I already said that I'd get to him didn't I? Must you be so impatient?
Aurora: YES!!!
Moons: *sigh* Fine…here we go…
Unbroken
CHAPTER TWELVE
Marik dumped the two innocents on the floor with out any gentleness. Their bodies hit the ground with a loud thud. Usually that would be enough to wake someone up from his mind tricks. He controlled three elements, fire, mind, and heart. While he could beat Bakura and his two (water and mind) he was no contest for Yami and his grasp on all of them. But that didn't seem to be a problem at the moment. Yami had no control on any of his powers at the moment in time. He remembered how long it took him to get his powers back. Sure, after an hour they came back, but not in full. He had tried his luck using his fire but it didn't work. It only worked at his strongest for the first few moments, and then it faded. After a day he was able to completely control his powers again.
He cast a sour glance at the two innocents. How he envied them. Granted he loved having the powers he did, but what he wouldn't give to have a normal life. To be able to live in his own house and light the fire place from the other room. Not having scientist breathing down his neck every time he used his powers, or being tortured by the pain he would feel if attacked by someone else with powers. They had the life, the real life.
The white haired one moved first. Groaning slightly he pushed himself to his knees and looked around him. Marik grinned. So he would be the one to feel his wrath. Some mind games with an innocent sounded like fun. He rose to his feet and moved to kneel in front of the boy.
"Good morning." He spoke in a low voice.
The boy jerked back away from and looked around the room quickly. There was a franticness in his eyes that led Marik to believe his mind games wouldn't go far. They always cracked sooner when they were terrified.
"W-where am I?" His voice was little more then a whisper. He glanced over at the still unconscious form of his friend. "What did you to do to us? Where's Yami and Bakura?"
Marik laughed and sat back on his haunches. The boy cowered away from him, seeing him as ready to pounce. Marik waved a hand at him and shrugged lightly.
"Lord knows if I even know where I brought you." He answered. "Some abandoned house. Your friend's are still back at your place, probably just waking up from the blow I gave them. And I just overloaded your mind which sent you into the darkness for a while. Now, you know my name. Please introduce yourself and your sleeping friend here."
The boy cast the other another quick glance. Marik could see him shivering. He definitely was terrified. Maybe he'd wait till the other woke up to play mind games. But this white haired boy was still his target.
"R-Ryou." He stuttered out his name. "And that's Yugi. Please, you can't hurt us. We've done nothing."
Marik moved from his haunches to sit cross legged on the floor. He didn't want to intimidate Ryou, just learn more about him. After all, these two were his way to get to the Pharaoh and the Tomb Raider. So a little one on one might clam his nerves.
"I'm not going to do anything to you." He leaned back onto his arms. "You two are just bait for bigger fishes. Now tell me, how did you come across the Pharaoh and the Tomb Raider?"
Ryou imitated Marik's action of sitting Indian style. He scratched at his head and appeared to think.
"Well I ran into Yami after he passed out at the mall with Yugi." He spoke slowly, as though he didn't trust Marik. Which he didn't, not as far as he could throw him. "I helped him bring him home which was where Yugi filled me in on everything about Yami. And then Bakura showed up, being used as a pawn for these two scientist, Alan and Brett. We went to my house after Yami got hit by this weird bullet that drained him of his powers. And then you showed up. Now I don't understand anything."
Marik nodded as though this was all new information to him. But it wasn't. He had dipped into their minds while carrying them to this place. He had seen just how Ryou had come across the other two. And he knew had Yugi had found Yami. He had been running home after being beaten up by bullies. He found the Pharaoh cowering in an alleyway, near his breaking point. But after taking him home he had nursed back to his full mental health. He also found a quite amusing memory which had to do with Yami and an extremely loud gang movie.
"Do you have a code name?"
Marik was surprised by Ryou's question. He didn't seem to be the kind to have enough gall to ask someone with his powers such a personal question. Not that he minded. He was rarely asked personal question. They were usually, did that hurt, does this hurt.
"Yes." He answered in a level voice. "My code name is Rod Bearer."
Ryou cocked his head. Marik found that motion almost cute. It reminded him of a puppy who didn't understand why you're yelling at him an hour after he had gotten into the garbage. He chuckled lightly before continuing.
"I was brought to the lab when I was three." He explained. The story was extremely personal, but it didn't bother him the way Bakura's did. When you're older it hurts more. "I was born in Egypt and lived there until my powers were discovered. I accidentally lit a market cart on fire. My parents were threatened with everything that could be thought of if they didn't get rid of me. They thought of everything and were about to resort to killing me when this weird man showed up and offered to take me. He said he had a facility where he kept and took of care of kids with my 'conditions'. So my parents gave me up to him.
"But before I left my mother gave me this weird rattle. It was painted gold and had an odd Egyptian symbol in the center of the actual rattle part. It looked almost like an eye. When I got here I missed my mother so much that I refused to put the rattle down. I took it everywhere with me. I brought it to the cafeteria when I ate, I stuck it under my pillow when I slept, I even placed it under my chair when I started receiving lessons. So Master gave me the code name Rod Bearer, cause whenever anyone saw me I was carrying that damn rattle. It wasn't until I was ten that I stopped carrying it."
Ryou had shifted over closer to him at some point during his story. Marik eyed him with some surprise. He hadn't expected the kid to actually make some movements in his direction. But there was sorrow in Ryou's eyes. The boy actually was pitying him.
"Why'd you stop carrying it around?" Ryou blushed after asking the question and looked away.
Marik laughed but continued on with his tale. This was the first time he had ever been able to tell someone his story. It was actually quite uplifting. Too bad once his friend woke up he would have to start the torture.
"When I was ten I received one of the worst lessons of my life. And it was the only time that I didn't place my rattle on the ground. No, stupid me kept it clasped in my hand because a part of my heart told me that I'd need its support during this lesson. When the element choice of that day hit me, it went straight through me and to my rattle. The thing shattered into millions of pieces. But it absorbed all the power and I'm grateful towards it for taking my hit. If it hadn't I would have seriously been hurt.
"After that it was gone and I had nothing to remind me of home. So I gave up. I never broke but I just stopped trying, like Yami and Bakura still did. I stopped thinking that one day I would be let go and allowed to return to home. I stopped thinking that I was the same as everyone else and started to realize that I was more different then I could ever imagine. I mean, my own parents had to give me up. What made me think I was as good or better then anyone else."
Marik looked down at his feet. Telling this story brought back all those horrid memories back. He had been broken, whether he wanted to admit it or not. Giving up was the same as breaking, they went hand in hand like newly weds. No more like a couple on their fiftieth anniversary. Still going on strong after too many years.
"I'm sorry." Ryou whispered. "Telling that story must be hard for you. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."
Marik shrugged and waved him off. It was better to tell it then keep it locked up inside. Eventually he would have exploded and taken many people down with him. This was definitely better. Being evil had its many ups.
"Don't think twice about it." He murmured. "Better to tell a story then to keep it all in like some kind of dirty secret."
Ryou looked away. He didn't understand why he felt bad for Marik. Marik had purposely hurt Yami and Bakura and then kidnapped him and Yugi. He sighed once and stared at his tennis shoes as though he had never seen them before. Marik noticed his conflicting emotions and hid a grin. Hopefully his little buddy would wake up soon. Then the fun could begin.
"Why'd you have to hurt them?"
Marik was startled back into reality by Ryou's question. The boy had looked up from his shoes and was now staring at him with accusing eyes. Marik shifted nervously under his stare but then stopped with a mental scolding. He didn't have to be afraid of this little boy. He was only a regular human, not a holder of power such as himself.
"Hurt who?" He asked even though he already knew the answer. The kid was talking about his new friends. The ones he had left unconscious on the floor of his bedroom. "Your friends? I hurt them to teach them. They still think they're better then everyone else. Fighting to remain unbroken. It's aggravating really."
Ryou shrank back again, his fear returning. It was as though Marik had suddenly turned into a snake and was ready to strike. Not that Marik minded though. He didn't want the kid to become attached, to actually start becoming attached.
"But they want to use Yami to take over." Ryou pointed out, hoping in vain that it would have an effect on Marik. "They want to use him as a tool of destruction!"
"I know." Marik grinned. "So if I break him, I can use him."
Ryou now jumped to his feet and backed away from the spot where Marik sat, still leaning back on his hands. There was a grin on his face that sent shivers down Ryou's spine. Marik was a monster, he was a snake ready to strike. And he already had a target. Marik frowned and waved a hand at Ryou.
"Oh, sit down." He growled.
Ryou felt his legs give way as his body involuntarily dropped to sit on the floor. Marik had forced him to sit, like some sort of magician. Come see Marik the Magnificent! He can control your mind with just a wave of his hand! Come watch, and be amazed!
"You know," Marik pushed up off his hands. "That's a very offending thought. I'd never use my powers in a magic show. It's demoralizing."
Ryou whimpered when he realized that he couldn't move his body. What happened to the teenager he had just been talking to? The one that had seemed just as lost as Yami and Bakura? He had been kind, warm almost. The Marik he was looking at now was cold, ruthless, and ready to attack. And he was the one in the line of fire.
Marik stood and walked over to him. He leaned over Ryou like a building ready to collapse and devour him in its debris. His lavender eyes were narrowed slits of anger and excitement. It was the excitement that frightened Ryou and caused him to begin to shiver. This was insane.
"Now," Marik paused and backed away form his position of looming over Ryou. "This won't hurt a bit. You may feel a slight pulling sensation but then it will all be lost in the blur of confusion."
Marik reached down and grasped Ryou's face between his hands. He paused for a second before he broke out in gales of evil laughter. Ryou found himself paralyzed. He wasn't able to pull his face out of this madman's grasp.
"I believe I lied." Marik chuckled. "This will hurt. A lot."
Marik closed his eyes and tightened his grip on Ryou. If anyone had been outside the abandoned house at that moment, they would have heard the blood curdling scream of pain that came from the white-haired teen.
~*~
The silence in the room was broken by a quiet groan. Still lying face down on the floor, Bakura shifted his weight and slowly came back to the real world. Placing his hands under his chest he pushed himself up. His stiff body cried out in agony and he had to bite down on an anguished cry.
"God damn." He ground out.
It had been a long time since he felt an attack like that. And he had only gotten the after effects. Yami had taken the whole blow directly.
Bakura gasped and snapped up, ignoring the pain that flashed through him. In front of him, Yami was still laying face down on the carpet. His face was tilted to the side, and his breathing was ragged. Sweat was forming on his face and running down to make little droplets on the carpet. Other then that he seemed no worse for the ware, there was no physical damage, at least that he could see. Crawling over to him, Bakura gently shook his shoulders.
"Yami." He spoke softly. "Yami, wake up buddy. Please."
Yami moaned as his closed lids tightened. He fought the fiery pain that flashed through his head. What happened? All he could remember was Marik blowing his way into the room. He had tried to fight back but couldn't control his powers. Then there was just a fierce pain that had blinded him from everything. Then he woke up here. What had Marik done? He rolled onto his back. That small movement cause him so much agony that he had to catch a scream in his throat.
"Bakura?" He whimpered. "W-what happened? Why do I hurt so much?"
Bakura gave Yami a soft smile and helped him into a sitting position. This time a scream did crawl its way up Yami's throat. Bakura winced. This was ridiculous. Yami was in so much pain that he couldn't even sit up. Was being free really worth all this?
"Y-yes." Yami choked out. "Bakura, anything is worth my freedom."
Bakura jumped. He had forgotten that Yami could read his thoughts. He had been too caught up in worrying to remember that. But it didn't matter. All that mattered was getting this all straightened out. There was only one thing that Bakura didn't get. Marik had told Yugi and Ryou that he was going to take their new friends with him, but they were both still sitting in Ryou's room.
"Yugi!" Yami gasped, struggling to sit up under his own power. "Where is Yugi and Ryou?"
Bakura looked around the room, noticing for the first time that the two innocents weren't there. Panic flashed through him but he forced it down.
"They're probably down stairs." Bakura tried to sooth Yami to keep him from hurting himself. "They're probably waiting for us to wake up."
"No." Yami moaned, now fighting to stand up. "They wouldn't leave us up here alone. Not like this. Marik took them. Marik took Yugi!"
The desperation in Yami's voice pulled at the strings of Bakura's heart. He knew that Yami was speaking the truth, but he didn't want to believe it. The thought of Ryou and Yugi in that man's grasp was frightening. What Marik could do with out even trying…
Yugi pushed himself to his feet. He grimaced as his knees gave way and fell back to all fours. Bakura rushed over to him and helped him back to his knees.
"We have to go find them." He wheezed. "We can't leave them in his control. He'll kill them!"
Bakura shuddered. Yami was right. Marik wouldn't hesitate to take out a innocent to get what he wants. And now he had two. And they were two that Bakura had become found of. He couldn't let anything happen to them. He slowly helped Yami to his feet and allowed him to way heavily on him.
"We'll find them." Bakura assured Yami. "Marik knows just about as much of this town as we do. And that means he couldn't have gone far or brought them anywhere we can't find."
Yami gave Bakura a weak smile as they started out the door. They had to find Yugi and Ryou. It was all his fault that those two had been drawn into the hell that they were in now. And he wouldn't rest until they were both safe.
'Hang on Yugi, Ryou.' He thought bitterly. 'Hang on. We'll get you back. I promise, we'll get you back safely.'