Hello again everyone! How are we all doing?
Well, I have what is probably a bit of bad news for you all; this story doesn't have long left. I'm gonna stick a pin on 3-4 chapters, but might be more or less. However, once it's over, I'll have a BIG announcement to make. I would make it now, but it specifically relates to how this story finishes. This is just an advance heads-up, okay?
Interesting, though, was the responses to the last chappie. 15 of you want Set dead, punished, tortured, mutilated or similar, but nine people either remained neutral or actually said they like Set! *grins* The issue that divides the world (or my fan base at any rate): Is Set really so bad? ^_^
Now on with the reviews!
To loki-reincarnated: Yeah, I could have been more dramatic... but one, you were sat behind me makin me hurry it up, and two, Bakura ain't really the dramatic entrance type, in my opinion. He's just ~there~ suddenly, and that's it and all there is to it *shrug* So I think anyways. Hope ya like this one, a nice bit of angst for your 'Kura!
To Shadow-Specter: Hehe... you're just one of many who want to kill Set ^_^
To 'Kayu': Apology accepted ^_^ *sidesteps the first wave of rabid fangirls* ^_^' Now now, if they attack me, how could I possibly update, be it for better or worse?
To QueenOfGames2: *cowers from crazed attack on Set* Geez, I'm gonna run outta stunt doubles so fast. You do realise I'm on a budget here?
To Silverlily aka Blood Moon: Lovely lil storyline there actually ^_^ I won't be using that, since I've already got plans for an ending that NO-ONE has guessed so far, but methinx it sounds like the kind of thing you'd write very well ^_^ And as for the Bakura\Malik idea... *giggle* Was part of the plan, and a motive has already come up ^_^
To 'Katya': *ducks* SHOESTRING BUDGET! SHOESTRING BUDGET! Sheesh, so much violence amongst my fans...
To Serendipity84: *ponders* Yeah, that would definitely hurt *eyes gleam* Now there's an idea for the future...
To Ame!: *giggles and huggles* Don't hurt yourself now hun ^_^ Am back now anyways, so hopefully see ya soon! ^_^
To SoulDreamer: Here ya go!
To 'Emily': Thankyou ^_^
To 'Yuki KIKI': Haha... you really don't like him, do ya? And dinnae worry about that rant, one day I may look back at that and think "Ah-ha..."
To KittKat: *huggle* Will be okay... possibly... but here's an update anyways ^_^'
To Yami Vixen: Uhm... pwease don't? It's jus that if you do I won't abe able to breathe and then I'll die and then I won't be able to update and the story'll never finish...
To 'DarkWolf193': Because if Set wasn't so mean there wouldn't be much of a storyline and this fic would just degenerate into hentai. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but, ya know... Besides, he coulda got nicer over those 5000 years!
To Emriko: *rolls eyes, sighing* It's okay, you can let go now... *looks down* I said you can let go... hey, you can... ah, nuts to it. Here's the update
To Nek0-chan: *huggles gently* Awww, poor girl! *looks at wrist and calls Yami no Malik over* Look after her, will ya? ^_^ Anyways, glad you like my work ^_^ And I love that word!
To Chaotic Bystander: *eyes knife nervously* Now, that would only be meant for Set, right? It's just... ack, neh mind that. Don't worry, everyone'll get what's coming to them. After all, I'm an official Yugiholic!
To Yami Yami Yugi: Sixth sense or complete fool? Heh... you'll just have to see ^_^ Of course, it could be that you've just been lucky all along!
To Hijiri Hitokiri Battousai: *looks at floor and fidgets foot nervously* Heh... yeah, sorry bout that... ^_^' I just kinda do that sometimes... but anyway, want 'Kura to find his Malik? Heh... jus have to see!
To TheVampyre-Atropos: Actually it would make a very funky film ^_^ I've often thought that - the trouble is, ya'd never get it shown in the cinema or on TV in most countries, which would really suck *ponders* Maybe one day I'll wake up with an amazing manga-drawing talent and make an anime out of it! ^_^
To '_VIIIXIX_': Ah yes, more anti-Setness. Here's the update ^_^
To Sweet-little-Yugi: I know it ain't fair... but that's how life is sometimes, ne? Jus give the ficcie a chance ^_^
To 'Blueraydragon': Ah, my second-locallest fan (the first living in Luton as well) *hugs back* I gotta admit, that is a nice thought ^_^ *sees 'Kura licking Set's blood from a blade* *nods, satisfied*
To AnimeObsessed: I know that was cruel - I actually wanted to hurt him as I wrote it! But anyhoo, here's the update ^_^
To Acid Rain1: Yeah! Go Yami and Yugi! I also say Yeah! Go 'Kura and Malik! And I ALSO say Yeah! Go you for not shovin that chapter down my throat! *huggles*
And here's the latest installment. I'm not overly sure about this chapter - it's a bit short, though that can't be helped (you'll see why once you read it). I'm more concerned about the content - something just seemed a bit... off with the first draft. I hope I corrected it during the type-up, but if not... I apologise!
Here we go!
*~*~*~*~*~*
"I want a word with you, Pharaoh."
Yami felt his breath catch at these words, but - much to his initial surprise - felt no fear. Ordinarily such a sentence would be taken as a threat; spoken with malice. But whoever said it seemed to find it almost humorous that such a situation should arise. You could almost hear the speaker shaking his head in disbelief - that is, you could if the smirk in the sentence wasn't so prevalent.
Slowly turning to look over his right shoulder, the Pharaoh reiterated his earlier question. "Who's there?"
The intruder responded with a chuckle. "Come come now Pharaoh, has it really been that long?"
The window! Yami spun round till he was facing the window the voice was coming from. Sat with his back leaned against the stone wall and one leg draped over the sill on the inside, the other leg drawn halfway up with his elbow rested casually on the knee, was none other than the despicable low-life tombrobber Bakura himself, idly staring outside. With a growl Yami assumed a fighting stance, one fist drawn back ready, and opened his mouth to threaten the thief.
"Don't waste your time Pharaoh," Bakura stated casually, almost sighing, yet somehow managing to keep a threatening tone in his voice. "If I'd wanted to hurt you, you'd already have a knife at your throat." Yami's stance failed to waver, and Bakura continued. "If you want to fight, go for it. I'll just drop out the window and you'll never know why I came here."
Yami slowly dropped his stance, but glowered unblinkingly at Bakura, fire dancing in his eyes. "Very well," he uttered coldly. "Why are you here?" Yami wasn't in the mood for games, and particularly not Bakura's games.
Swinging his leg over, Bakura dropped from the windowsill to the floor with a graceful flop, landing in a crouching position and locking his eyes on the Pharaoh's, the familiar glint in them. Standing, he strode across to the Pharaoh, his pink tongue flicking delicately across his lips as he looked the Pharaoh up and down en route. "That's simple enough Pharaoh," he purred. Placing a finger on Yami's chest, slowly running it up and brushing Yami's cheek, he leaned forward until his lips were just an inch away from his rival's. "I want you."
Yami slapped Bakura's hand away with a snort, taking a step back and baring his teeth. "Don't toy with me thief," he growled. "Just hurry up with it, I don't have the time for this."
Laughing, Bakura walked around Yami, stopping to lie down across his bed. Arching his back and leaning his head backwards in a suggestive manner, exposing his taut and defined stomach, Bakura sighed deeply. Purring again, deliberately winding Yami up, he murmured "Oh Pharaoh, I could play with you all day if you'd let me."
Yami folded his arms and frowned, unimpressed. "Listen, thief. I'm going to walk to the door and call the guards. You have until then to convince me not to or to get out." With that, Yami turned and began purposefully striding across the room.
Bakura sat up quickly. He loved winding up the upper classes, but he knew where to draw the line. Particularly when he needed the individual. "Pharaoh, please!" he cried out. "Malik's been captured and I… I need your help."
Yami paused and looked over his shoulder disdainfully. "Not good enough, tombrobber," he commented, practically spitting the last word, before walking on.
"Your slave is with him!"
Yami froze completely this time, mid-stride. Slowly, shakily, he turned to face Bakura, who was kneeling on the floor, his hands held as if they carried a begging bowl. "Y… you know where Yugi is?" Tears began to form in his eyes as his lost love's face returned to his mind's eye, and he blinked them away furiously. To his utter amazement, he saw that Bakura had tears in his eyes too.
Lowering his head, Bakura nodded. "I saw your High Priest taking him away, so I followed. He has a secret prison out on the desert." Bakura sighed heavily, his hands fisting in his lap, and he used one fist to push himself up off the floor and sat on the edge of the Pharaoh's bed. "I went in to investigate, and I saw Malik in there too. He looked so miserable…" Bakura looked up at Yami, his eyes wide and wet. "I tried to get through to him, but there were too many guards for me to handle alone. I couldn't get through." Bakura closed his eyes, trembling, and a single tear rolled down his cheek. "Malik…"
Yami felt a small wave of empathy for the thief, his display of humanity and weakness affecting the Pharaoh, and he sat down beside Bakura. "He really means that much to you?"
Bakura nodded. "Up until I saw that, I thought you'd taken him, and… I would've done anything necessary to get him back, even if it meant killing you." Bakura looked Yami in the eye. He didn't intend it as a threat - he was simply telling Yami the truth, and Yami saw that. "He means as much to me as Yugi does to you. We're both ready to defy an empire for our loves."
Yami couldn't think of a way to reply, and swallowed a lump in his throat as Bakura continued. "Eight years ago, your father had my brother executed as a spy, even though he did no wrong. He was all I had, and your father stole him from me. That hurt me more than I could ever possibly say. And now…" Bakura choked as a sob broke forth. "Now I have to…" Bakura's voice rose slightly higher as the tears came, his lower lip trembling and he tried to hold them back. Saying it out loud was always the hardest part. "T… to f-face it all over again…"
The Tombrobber's face began to crumple up again, and before he could change his mind, Yami slipped an arm round Bakura's shoulders. Bakura turned his head and cried into the Pharaoh's chest, returning the hug gratefully, and Yami wrapped his other arm round the broken Tombrobber. He genuinely felt for Bakura, and a small voice deep down argued that maybe the thief wasn't so bad. Right now, the only difference between the two was their status - and if a Pharaoh and a slave could overcome that gap, why not a thief as well?
'Besides' Yami thought, mentally sighing. 'He's right… We're both ready to defy an empire for our loves…'
*~*~*~*~*~*
Yami stared at his reflection in his mirror, a piece of silver that had been hammered flat until it was smooth and reflective enough to serve its purpose. Out of his Pharaonic clothing, there was nothing to suggest that he was any different to any other man. He ate. He breathed. He loved, and he hurt. Deep down, despite everything he and his people believed, he supposed that, really, he *was* just any other man. He gazed past himself to the reflected tombrobber on his bed. He was just another man too. He loved, and he hurt too. And he had swallowed his pride and asked the Pharaoh for help, for what must have been the most important thing in the world to him.
"I'll do it."
Wiping his teary eyes, Bakura up. That was the last thing he'd actually expected to hear. "P-pardon?"
"I'll do it." Yami turned to face Bakura. "We'll rescue our loves together."
Bakura bowed his head and closed his eyes. When he looked up, Yami almost gasped in surprise. Bakura was smiling at him. A genuinely happy smile, like the sort a ten year old boy might give his older brother, adorned the thief's face. "Really?" Yami simply nodded, and Bakura whispered in reply. "Thankyou…"
Yami took Bakura's hand and pulled him to his feet, off the bed. "So what's the plan then?"
Wiping the last of the tears from his eyes, back in control, Bakura smirked his trademark smirk. "Well…"
*~*~*~*~*~*
So there we have it! An alliance is formed - for now at last! And I hope you all take home the moral of this chapter... if you don't, I'll just have to include it in another story *shrug*
Anyways, like I said earlier: Big announcement at end. End is eve (not quite nigh yet! ^_^)
Oh, and I beg of you all now... IF - and I emphasise IF - you don't like the end... don't kill me, pwease?
Now hit the button and tell me what you think!
Well, I have what is probably a bit of bad news for you all; this story doesn't have long left. I'm gonna stick a pin on 3-4 chapters, but might be more or less. However, once it's over, I'll have a BIG announcement to make. I would make it now, but it specifically relates to how this story finishes. This is just an advance heads-up, okay?
Interesting, though, was the responses to the last chappie. 15 of you want Set dead, punished, tortured, mutilated or similar, but nine people either remained neutral or actually said they like Set! *grins* The issue that divides the world (or my fan base at any rate): Is Set really so bad? ^_^
Now on with the reviews!
To loki-reincarnated: Yeah, I could have been more dramatic... but one, you were sat behind me makin me hurry it up, and two, Bakura ain't really the dramatic entrance type, in my opinion. He's just ~there~ suddenly, and that's it and all there is to it *shrug* So I think anyways. Hope ya like this one, a nice bit of angst for your 'Kura!
To Shadow-Specter: Hehe... you're just one of many who want to kill Set ^_^
To 'Kayu': Apology accepted ^_^ *sidesteps the first wave of rabid fangirls* ^_^' Now now, if they attack me, how could I possibly update, be it for better or worse?
To QueenOfGames2: *cowers from crazed attack on Set* Geez, I'm gonna run outta stunt doubles so fast. You do realise I'm on a budget here?
To Silverlily aka Blood Moon: Lovely lil storyline there actually ^_^ I won't be using that, since I've already got plans for an ending that NO-ONE has guessed so far, but methinx it sounds like the kind of thing you'd write very well ^_^ And as for the Bakura\Malik idea... *giggle* Was part of the plan, and a motive has already come up ^_^
To 'Katya': *ducks* SHOESTRING BUDGET! SHOESTRING BUDGET! Sheesh, so much violence amongst my fans...
To Serendipity84: *ponders* Yeah, that would definitely hurt *eyes gleam* Now there's an idea for the future...
To Ame!: *giggles and huggles* Don't hurt yourself now hun ^_^ Am back now anyways, so hopefully see ya soon! ^_^
To SoulDreamer: Here ya go!
To 'Emily': Thankyou ^_^
To 'Yuki KIKI': Haha... you really don't like him, do ya? And dinnae worry about that rant, one day I may look back at that and think "Ah-ha..."
To KittKat: *huggle* Will be okay... possibly... but here's an update anyways ^_^'
To Yami Vixen: Uhm... pwease don't? It's jus that if you do I won't abe able to breathe and then I'll die and then I won't be able to update and the story'll never finish...
To 'DarkWolf193': Because if Set wasn't so mean there wouldn't be much of a storyline and this fic would just degenerate into hentai. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but, ya know... Besides, he coulda got nicer over those 5000 years!
To Emriko: *rolls eyes, sighing* It's okay, you can let go now... *looks down* I said you can let go... hey, you can... ah, nuts to it. Here's the update
To Nek0-chan: *huggles gently* Awww, poor girl! *looks at wrist and calls Yami no Malik over* Look after her, will ya? ^_^ Anyways, glad you like my work ^_^ And I love that word!
To Chaotic Bystander: *eyes knife nervously* Now, that would only be meant for Set, right? It's just... ack, neh mind that. Don't worry, everyone'll get what's coming to them. After all, I'm an official Yugiholic!
To Yami Yami Yugi: Sixth sense or complete fool? Heh... you'll just have to see ^_^ Of course, it could be that you've just been lucky all along!
To Hijiri Hitokiri Battousai: *looks at floor and fidgets foot nervously* Heh... yeah, sorry bout that... ^_^' I just kinda do that sometimes... but anyway, want 'Kura to find his Malik? Heh... jus have to see!
To TheVampyre-Atropos: Actually it would make a very funky film ^_^ I've often thought that - the trouble is, ya'd never get it shown in the cinema or on TV in most countries, which would really suck *ponders* Maybe one day I'll wake up with an amazing manga-drawing talent and make an anime out of it! ^_^
To '_VIIIXIX_': Ah yes, more anti-Setness. Here's the update ^_^
To Sweet-little-Yugi: I know it ain't fair... but that's how life is sometimes, ne? Jus give the ficcie a chance ^_^
To 'Blueraydragon': Ah, my second-locallest fan (the first living in Luton as well) *hugs back* I gotta admit, that is a nice thought ^_^ *sees 'Kura licking Set's blood from a blade* *nods, satisfied*
To AnimeObsessed: I know that was cruel - I actually wanted to hurt him as I wrote it! But anyhoo, here's the update ^_^
To Acid Rain1: Yeah! Go Yami and Yugi! I also say Yeah! Go 'Kura and Malik! And I ALSO say Yeah! Go you for not shovin that chapter down my throat! *huggles*
And here's the latest installment. I'm not overly sure about this chapter - it's a bit short, though that can't be helped (you'll see why once you read it). I'm more concerned about the content - something just seemed a bit... off with the first draft. I hope I corrected it during the type-up, but if not... I apologise!
Here we go!
*~*~*~*~*~*
"I want a word with you, Pharaoh."
Yami felt his breath catch at these words, but - much to his initial surprise - felt no fear. Ordinarily such a sentence would be taken as a threat; spoken with malice. But whoever said it seemed to find it almost humorous that such a situation should arise. You could almost hear the speaker shaking his head in disbelief - that is, you could if the smirk in the sentence wasn't so prevalent.
Slowly turning to look over his right shoulder, the Pharaoh reiterated his earlier question. "Who's there?"
The intruder responded with a chuckle. "Come come now Pharaoh, has it really been that long?"
The window! Yami spun round till he was facing the window the voice was coming from. Sat with his back leaned against the stone wall and one leg draped over the sill on the inside, the other leg drawn halfway up with his elbow rested casually on the knee, was none other than the despicable low-life tombrobber Bakura himself, idly staring outside. With a growl Yami assumed a fighting stance, one fist drawn back ready, and opened his mouth to threaten the thief.
"Don't waste your time Pharaoh," Bakura stated casually, almost sighing, yet somehow managing to keep a threatening tone in his voice. "If I'd wanted to hurt you, you'd already have a knife at your throat." Yami's stance failed to waver, and Bakura continued. "If you want to fight, go for it. I'll just drop out the window and you'll never know why I came here."
Yami slowly dropped his stance, but glowered unblinkingly at Bakura, fire dancing in his eyes. "Very well," he uttered coldly. "Why are you here?" Yami wasn't in the mood for games, and particularly not Bakura's games.
Swinging his leg over, Bakura dropped from the windowsill to the floor with a graceful flop, landing in a crouching position and locking his eyes on the Pharaoh's, the familiar glint in them. Standing, he strode across to the Pharaoh, his pink tongue flicking delicately across his lips as he looked the Pharaoh up and down en route. "That's simple enough Pharaoh," he purred. Placing a finger on Yami's chest, slowly running it up and brushing Yami's cheek, he leaned forward until his lips were just an inch away from his rival's. "I want you."
Yami slapped Bakura's hand away with a snort, taking a step back and baring his teeth. "Don't toy with me thief," he growled. "Just hurry up with it, I don't have the time for this."
Laughing, Bakura walked around Yami, stopping to lie down across his bed. Arching his back and leaning his head backwards in a suggestive manner, exposing his taut and defined stomach, Bakura sighed deeply. Purring again, deliberately winding Yami up, he murmured "Oh Pharaoh, I could play with you all day if you'd let me."
Yami folded his arms and frowned, unimpressed. "Listen, thief. I'm going to walk to the door and call the guards. You have until then to convince me not to or to get out." With that, Yami turned and began purposefully striding across the room.
Bakura sat up quickly. He loved winding up the upper classes, but he knew where to draw the line. Particularly when he needed the individual. "Pharaoh, please!" he cried out. "Malik's been captured and I… I need your help."
Yami paused and looked over his shoulder disdainfully. "Not good enough, tombrobber," he commented, practically spitting the last word, before walking on.
"Your slave is with him!"
Yami froze completely this time, mid-stride. Slowly, shakily, he turned to face Bakura, who was kneeling on the floor, his hands held as if they carried a begging bowl. "Y… you know where Yugi is?" Tears began to form in his eyes as his lost love's face returned to his mind's eye, and he blinked them away furiously. To his utter amazement, he saw that Bakura had tears in his eyes too.
Lowering his head, Bakura nodded. "I saw your High Priest taking him away, so I followed. He has a secret prison out on the desert." Bakura sighed heavily, his hands fisting in his lap, and he used one fist to push himself up off the floor and sat on the edge of the Pharaoh's bed. "I went in to investigate, and I saw Malik in there too. He looked so miserable…" Bakura looked up at Yami, his eyes wide and wet. "I tried to get through to him, but there were too many guards for me to handle alone. I couldn't get through." Bakura closed his eyes, trembling, and a single tear rolled down his cheek. "Malik…"
Yami felt a small wave of empathy for the thief, his display of humanity and weakness affecting the Pharaoh, and he sat down beside Bakura. "He really means that much to you?"
Bakura nodded. "Up until I saw that, I thought you'd taken him, and… I would've done anything necessary to get him back, even if it meant killing you." Bakura looked Yami in the eye. He didn't intend it as a threat - he was simply telling Yami the truth, and Yami saw that. "He means as much to me as Yugi does to you. We're both ready to defy an empire for our loves."
Yami couldn't think of a way to reply, and swallowed a lump in his throat as Bakura continued. "Eight years ago, your father had my brother executed as a spy, even though he did no wrong. He was all I had, and your father stole him from me. That hurt me more than I could ever possibly say. And now…" Bakura choked as a sob broke forth. "Now I have to…" Bakura's voice rose slightly higher as the tears came, his lower lip trembling and he tried to hold them back. Saying it out loud was always the hardest part. "T… to f-face it all over again…"
The Tombrobber's face began to crumple up again, and before he could change his mind, Yami slipped an arm round Bakura's shoulders. Bakura turned his head and cried into the Pharaoh's chest, returning the hug gratefully, and Yami wrapped his other arm round the broken Tombrobber. He genuinely felt for Bakura, and a small voice deep down argued that maybe the thief wasn't so bad. Right now, the only difference between the two was their status - and if a Pharaoh and a slave could overcome that gap, why not a thief as well?
'Besides' Yami thought, mentally sighing. 'He's right… We're both ready to defy an empire for our loves…'
*~*~*~*~*~*
Yami stared at his reflection in his mirror, a piece of silver that had been hammered flat until it was smooth and reflective enough to serve its purpose. Out of his Pharaonic clothing, there was nothing to suggest that he was any different to any other man. He ate. He breathed. He loved, and he hurt. Deep down, despite everything he and his people believed, he supposed that, really, he *was* just any other man. He gazed past himself to the reflected tombrobber on his bed. He was just another man too. He loved, and he hurt too. And he had swallowed his pride and asked the Pharaoh for help, for what must have been the most important thing in the world to him.
"I'll do it."
Wiping his teary eyes, Bakura up. That was the last thing he'd actually expected to hear. "P-pardon?"
"I'll do it." Yami turned to face Bakura. "We'll rescue our loves together."
Bakura bowed his head and closed his eyes. When he looked up, Yami almost gasped in surprise. Bakura was smiling at him. A genuinely happy smile, like the sort a ten year old boy might give his older brother, adorned the thief's face. "Really?" Yami simply nodded, and Bakura whispered in reply. "Thankyou…"
Yami took Bakura's hand and pulled him to his feet, off the bed. "So what's the plan then?"
Wiping the last of the tears from his eyes, back in control, Bakura smirked his trademark smirk. "Well…"
*~*~*~*~*~*
So there we have it! An alliance is formed - for now at last! And I hope you all take home the moral of this chapter... if you don't, I'll just have to include it in another story *shrug*
Anyways, like I said earlier: Big announcement at end. End is eve (not quite nigh yet! ^_^)
Oh, and I beg of you all now... IF - and I emphasise IF - you don't like the end... don't kill me, pwease?
Now hit the button and tell me what you think!