"Now now, Victoria….you're alright. This is where Yami…. Where Rakura and I live. Come." Yami Marik picked her up, and set her on a bed pallet. "Tomorrow, we finish what we started, then you can be free."

"Mawik….." The little one tried to climb out of the bed. She wanted the nicer Marik. This one wasn't nice at all. "I wants Istar…."

"Get back in that bed, now! You do what I say here!" Yami Marik turned the oil lamp down. "Don't let me hear even a whimper out of you!"

Victoria crawled back into her bed, silent tears trailing down her little face. She curled into a tight ball, trembling in fear. "Mawik….Shizu…." She cried softly.

Yami Marik watched her silently, before turning to leave. Stupid girl. Doesn't she realize he can't reach her here? Ha! She's all mine here. I can do with her exactly what I want. The evil yami walked off to find Yami Bakura.

*************************************************************

"She asleep yet?" The thief asked.

"No. But she'll cry herself to sleep. She keeps asking for that infernal hikari of mine!" He grunted.

"That will soon change, my friend. The portal she holds control of is a time portal. Fairly new concept, but if we can change the past, you will never have to be here again."

"Excellent. How is Jo's training going?"

"It would go better if she would learn that silence is the thief's code. But she is doing much better than a year ago."

"Good….good." Yami Marik looked over to where the little girl slept. "It is strange. Neither of them is ill from being here. I suspect we've been here for quite sometime already."

"Of course they aren't. That is because, like it or not, they both have a healthy dose of hatred in their little hearts." Yami Bakura explained. "Our plans have thus far succeeded. Now, about that deal."

"You will get your pay back soon enough. " The other yami was sensing trouble. "Quiet. Trouble is coming this way."

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Marik was wandering the one place he never thought he'd see again. I swore I'd never see this place again, but I must help Victoria. She's in grave danger. Perhaps while I'm gone, my brother and sister will ask Shadi about the portal she can open. It would help me greatly if I knew why my yami insists on having her. He stopped suddenly, sensing fear. "Vicki…." Marik said softly to himself. He headed in the direction where the feeling was the strongest. "Victoria!" He called out. He hoped she'd answer him.

"She won't come, you foolish boy!"

Marik glared at his darker side dangerously, the Rod raised. "What have you done with that child?!"

"She is unharmed. I can't very well hurt her right now. I need her." The yami sneered. "She's going to be a big help in restoring me to your body."

"What do you mean by that?! She'll never help you!" Marik's eyes narrowed.

"Just what I said, you fool! She's mine now. So just leave."

I'll not leave her to torment and death at your hands! You know that!" Marik raged, clutching the Rod tightly.

"Who said anything about death?" The yami chuckled evilly. "I plan to drive her mad. Just like I did to you."

"You won't get the chance!!" The Rod began to glow. "Take me to her,Now!"

"Very well…." Yami Marik took his hikari to his home place. "There. She sleeps."

"Victoria!" Marik ran to pick the girl up, but not before he was shocked from behind.

"Oh no.….We shouldn't take things that aren't ours." His yami had blasted him with Shadow Energy. "There might be deadly consequences."

"Y-you…will…. not….win!" Marik forced himself up. He hurt all over, and he was sure he'd be blasted again, but he had to do his best to get Victoria back to her own world. "Where's Yami Bakura? Where's her friend Johanna?"

"Oh Johanna is quite content to stay with me." A voice replied from behind the Egyptian boy.

"They don't belong here! They need to be with family." Marik persisted.

"Johanna has no family. She is what we call a street rat. I take care of her. In my own way." Yami Bakura replied. "Much like I did my own sister."

"You'd do better to put her in foster care! You're not a parental figure!" Marik told him. "You're teaching her how to steal!"

"So long as she learns the art right, she'll never get caught." The ancient thief replied. He picked Johanna up gently. Though he was often very cruel and rough towards the young girl, he did have some heart. "Tell this boy you want to stay, Jo." The girl had followed him when he'd gone to help the other yami.

"I 'taying wif 'Akura." Johanna replied, wrapping her little arms around the thief tightly.

"But Jo…." He sighed deeply. He'd have to work on Johanna at a later date. His main concern was the girl that was so close, yet, so far away from him. "Victoria. Come to me…come on."

"She will not." Yami Marik glared at the child warningly. "You make a move,and I'll blast him."

Marik whirled on Yami Marik, and blasted him instead. "Victoria, come quickly, Child." He ran to scoop her up. He'd nearly made the door with her, when another sharp pain hit him. This time, he sank to his knees, feeling peculiarly light.

"MAWIK!!!" Victoria bursted into tears. "Mawik, det ups!!"

"He can't. His soul is gone." Yami Bakura replied, taking Victoria by the wrist firmly. "This is the price you pay for betraying us." He led her out of the room. "You shall sleep in my room tonight. I suspect Master Marik himself will have his own plans for that foolish boy's body."

"Wet goes!!" Victoria struggled, choking out cries for her best friend. "Mawik!!!"

"Enough!" Yami Bakura set Johanna down gently, before grabbing Victoria up by the front of her shirt. He shook her rather violently. "Stop that inane crying and screaming this instant! You belong to Master Marik now, and you will like it!" He put her down again, nudging her to his sleeping partition. "Here you will sleep. Now do it!"

Johanna watched all this silently, afraid to speak out against her guardian's actions. She didn't like what they'd done to Marik, and she didn't like to see her best friend so terrified and upset. "Wakura, I sleep wif hers."

"Fine. Have it your way." The thief relented, and tucked Jo in beside the weeping Victoria.

"Shh….It's tay, Towia." Johanna wrapped an arm around her younger friend. "Mawik be tay." She only hoped this would be the case, as she shut her eyes to sleep.