SilverDragon: Smeh. Just read.

Disclaimer: You should know this by now. So go away.

Zora reeled. This news was totally unexpected.

"You...but—but..." She started, "How?" she finished weakly.

"Come on," Malik said, pulling on her arm, "I can explain on the way to my house. If you would be so kind as to move your feet." He added.

They walked in silence, away from the school, away from the Game Shop, and away from the part of Zora's life that finally made sense. Of course, she wasn't even born in this dimension, so who is she to talk?

"I believe you wanted to ask me some things?" Malik prompted, glancing at the girl walking next to him. Zora flushed slightly.

"How did you know I wasn't, uh, from around here?"

Malik smiled slightly. "You've got a funny accent."

"Gee, thanks."

"No problem," he said, ignoring her sarcasm, "That and you came into our school in the last three weeks and you had no idea what to do with your free time; that's strange considering that everyone around here is obsessed with Duel Monsters. I know that doesn't sound like much, but..." He shrugged. "That was actually the easy part." He paused just long enough for Zora to feel like she should say something; so naturally, she did.

"...Then what was the hard part?"

"Figuring out where you came from."

Zora didn't say anything.

"I was totally stumped. I asked around, but nobody seemed to know. You just showed up one day and everyone excepted you like you were an old friend." Here Zora shifted uncomfortably. Malik was making it sound like he was blaming her for something. He continued, apparently oblivious about her discomfiture. "It was actually kind of creepy. This random fifteen year old girl shows up, no I.D., no family, no one making a fuss about it... I'm not blaming for it, mind you. I know it's not your fault."

'What's not my fault?' Zora thought to herself. 'And why is he so friendly all of a sudden? Why is he telling me these things?'

Ignorant to Zora's inner turmoil, Malik continued, "But then these really strange things started to happen, although if one lives with ancient Egyptian spirits, things tend to pale in comparison. Everyone having sudden memory loss at Kaiba's party, Anzu missing, Anzu then re-appearing and trying to steal the Items, then my yami was acting all funny...said something about an eighth Item. ...We're here."

And indeed they were. Malik's house was a two-story deal with gray-blue paint, peeling slightly. The windows were darkened, but they didn't seem foreboding, just quietly lonely. Malik unlocked the door and gestured Zora inside.

~*~*~*

Yami was staring out the window when Yugi came home. He smiled at his lighter half. "Hello aibou. How are you doing?"

Yugi grinned back. "Fine, thanks, Yami."

Yami followed Yugi into the kitchen where the height-challenged teen was grabbing a glass to put some soda in. Yami took the soda from the fridge and poured both Yugi and himself a glass of the bubbly liquid. "Yugi, do you know where Zora is?" The spirit asked as casually as he could.

Yugi paused, his glass halfway to his mouth. "Yes. She was talking to Malik. Why?"

Yami shrugged and downed his soda. He rinsed out his glass and stuck it in the dishwasher. He straightened and suddenly his eyes unfocused and he shivered violently, a small noise of surprise escaping him and attracting Yugi's attention. Yugi dropped his glass with a sharp clatter and ran to his partner's side. "Yami! Are you okay? What happened?"

Yami waved him away and sat down on the kitchen chair. Yugi stood next to him and placed a delicate hand on his shoulder. "Tell me what happened, Yami." He demanded gently.

Yami looked up at him, his expression unreadable. "It was nothing, little one. Just... I—nothing."

"Yami. Don't lie to me. I know when something is nothing and that was definitely not nothing."

"You're not gong to leave me alone, are you?" Yami asked dryly with half a smile.

"Nope," Yugi replied with the other half.

The taller teen sighed. "Fine. I can't really explain it, but it was like a vision. Don't look at me like that, you wanted to know. I was in this dark room and there were people. A girl and a guy, I think. He was calling me 'Pharaoh' and he did something to the girl. She fell over...there was blood... and then I snapped out of it." Yami stared at the table, not wanting to see what Yugi's reaction would be.

"I don't think you're insane Yami. But could you describe the man or the girl? Or the room?"

Yami shook his head. "No, it was too dark. But...the guy had violet eyes... and I do remember a bracelet."

"...A bracelet."

Yami screwed up his eyes, trying to remember. "Yeah. On the girl. It was gold, I think."

A chill crept up Yugi's spine as the bottom of his stomach dropped. He walked back to the living room. He was just putting on his shoes when Yami went in. "I've distressed you. I'm sorry," he said.

"No, it's not you," Yugi replied, shaking his head. "It's just that Zora's been gone a long time, she might've gotten lost. I going to go look for her."

Yami nodded. He put on his shoes, too. "I think I'll come with you. I haven't been out all day and it's so nice out."

They closed the door and walked down the street towards the school, where Yugi had seen Zora last.

Yugi stopped and looked around. The area was totally deserted, as was to be expected of a school on summer break. He shook his head and led the way towards Malik's house, Yami following slowly behind.

~*~*~*

Zora looked around the house she was led into. It was typical: couch, television, carpeting in the living room, from what she could see from where she stood, a relaxed-looking dinning room. Stairs went up to the second floor. She caught Malik looking at her. She attempted to smile and said, "It's nice... but why did you bring me here?"

Malik jerked his head toward stairs leading down, presumably to the basement. "C'mon, I have to show you something..." As he turned to lead the way, Zora caught sight of his face. His mouth was twisted and his eyes held guilt in them. It looked like he was being forced to do something he knew was wrong. A chill crept up Zora's back and made the hairs on the nape of her neck stand up.

"...N-no, no thanks, Malik," she stammered, "I think I should be getting home now...Yugi and Yami will wonder where I am by now." Her eyes slid over the dark stairwell and she suppressed a shudder that threatened to wrack her frame. Malik stopped suddenly, his back to her. "Look Malik, it's already starting to get dark out..." She gestured weakly toward the window where the sun's last rays were shining through. Malik slowly turned, his body stiff. He stared at Zora with hard, cold, dark purple eyes. Zora unconsciously stepped toward the door, which was slightly ajar. She took another step and jerked her thumb over her shoulder at the door, mouthing wordlessly. Finally she managed to squeak out, "I...I'll, uh...see you around, Malik...gotta go, you know...people to see, stuff to do..."

Malik's frowning mouth twisted into a horrible sneer, a smile that might appear on a hawk that has cornered its helpless prey. "Oh no no no, that won't do. You're staying right here." He loosened the Sennen Rod from his belt with practiced ease and formed light-bonds around Zora's hands and feet. Malik, who was no longer Malik, strode over to where Zora was struggling to stay upright.

Zora summoned all the courage she had and glared at the person in front of her. "Who are you? What are you? Why are you doing this? Let me go!" She tugged vainly at the bands of light that kept her from running away, like a sensible person would have done long ago.

"Tsk tsk tsk...so many questions. I don't like questions. But...I think I will answer those, and only those, mind you. I am Marik, the spirit of the Sennen Rod, and I need you to lure the Pharaoh here. There, all done! Now come with me." Marik picked her up and slung her across his back, starting across the room.

"No!" Zora screamed. There was a flash of golden light and another girl appeared crouching in front of Marik, solid, free of bonds, and looking pissed. Then her expression cleared and she shifted into a more comfortable position rather than a battle-stance.

One of Marik's eyes twitched, unnoticed. "Dear sister, how are you? I must admit, I'm surprised you didn't find me sooner; you were always ambitious. You even said once that not even death could stop you... So I tested that hypothesis... Seems you were right."

Siri looked around the room ran a finger over the tattoo beneath her eye in a gesture of boredom. "Yeah," she drawled, "You were always like that: jealous, sneaky... a slimy, nasty, spineless back-stabbing son of a bitch...you know, stuff like that." She flicked a miniscule speck of dust off her shirt. "But I'm afraid that I'm going to have to kill you now for trying to harm my abiou. Sorry about that." She lunged towards Marik; her hands outstretched like talons. But Marik was faster. He dodged her attack, and as Siri was picking herself up for another go, Marik plucked the Sennen Bracelet off Zora's arm and threw it expertly out the still slightly open front door. It clattered on the opposite sidewalk. Siri fell to her knees, gasping in pain. She clutched her middle and clenched see-through fingers. Zora already could see through her entire body, and she was rapidly getting fainter. "You bastard..." Siri whispered with potent venom in her voice, but in the next second she was gone, the link to her host cut.

"Siri..." Zora felt woozy and light-headed. It was like vertigo with your head stuffed with cotton balls. She was faintly aware of a mind-numbing pain slicing through her chest. Siri's pain. She looked up at Marik's sneer of triumph with half-lidded eyes and immediately felt enraged with herself. 'I cannot play "damsel in distress"! I can't wait for someone to save me! There's too much on the line! And I have to help Siri now, and save Malik, because I know he has nothing to do with this. ...But I feel so tired... What's wrong with me...?'

"Come along," Marik said, once again lifting Zora up. He started across the room. "Where were we? Ah, yes, I was telling you that you were bait. Heh, must be nice to know that as soon as the Pharaoh gets here I'll kill you, ne?" He chuckled.

"Malik?" A new voice said from near the door. "Do you know..." Yugi stopped and gaped.

Yami poked his head in. "Aibou? What is the matter?" He looked from his friend to the figures standing halfway across the room. The breath caught in his chest. "Marik!" He thundered. He started to run across, but stopped when Marik put the dagger he had hidden in the Rod to Zora's throat. "Let her go. Now!"

Marik smirked and pressed the blade harder against Zora's throat, making a thin red rivulet of blood trickle down. "I don't think you're in a position to make demands, Pharaoh."

Yami glowered and took a step back. His mind raced frantically. "I'll duel you for her!" He cried suddenly, falling back on his strong point.

"A Shadow game?" Yami swallowed and nodded almost imperceptibly. Marik assumed a thoughtful expression, then he spoke. "Only if I get to make the rules."

Yami blinked. Marik wasn't acting like himself at all. Yami warily agreed. Marik said, "The girl and him," glancing at Yugi, "will stay here. If he tries to free her or get help, I automatically win."

Yami looked at Yugi, who nodded and closed the front door. Yami turned back to Marik. "Yugi's agreed. Now let's start."

Marik placed Zora on the couch, where she sat and stared at the floor, mute. Yami looked questioningly at her, but her eyes were dull and she refused to meet his gaze. He was brought back to his senses when all around them went dark, black and purple making up the swirling ground and sky.

Marik bared his teeth at Yami in a mockery of a smile. "Here are the rules of the game, Pharaoh. We'll make this an instant death match, with a few catches here and there. We will shuffle our decks and draw ten cards, not looking at them. Then we will hold out the cards to the other player, face down, and that player picks one of his opponent's cards and summons it. Get it so far? Then we have the option to pick another card, but if it's a monster, then your first monster automatically destroys it. We will then battle with those cards: one on one. Stronger one wins, obviously."

Yami scowled at the spirit. "And the catches?"

Marik chuckled. "Ah, yes, of course, your Majesty." He said the word like a vile insult. "This being the Shadow Realm, all Dark-, Spellcaster- and Fiend-type monsters get a three hundred point boost, all Fairies get a three hundred point reduction."

"Is that all?" Yami tried to keep the irritation out of his voice, but it didn't quite work.

Marik smirked, glad to know that he was getting under the Pharaoh's skin. "...No... If you pull a Trap card, you automatically lose. If you get a Magic card you can use it to power up your monster. Fair?"

"One more thing, do effects work?"

"No, just attack points versus attack points."

"Fine then. Shuffle your deck."

Marik took out his deck and shuffled it. He pulled ten cards and held them out to Yami, holding them so they faced down. Yami let his hand drift over the cards, thinking. Finally his fingers rested on one in the middle and he pulled it out. Marik stared as Yami flipped it over and showed him, smirking. "The Dark Magician (ATK/2500 DEF/2100)?!"

Yami smiled more broadly as he shuffled his deck. "Yes, and his attack is one of the highest. I won't draw again." He drew ten cards, looking slightly confused. He voiced his thoughts. "Marik, I didn't know that you kept a Dark Magician in your deck..."

Marik only said, "I don't," and drew a card. Before Yami could say anything Marik spoke again. "It's a Magic card. I'll draw again." He picked up another and turned it over. A maniacal grin spread across his face. "Red Eyes Black Dragon!" He cried, showing Yami. "It's a Dark monster, so its attack went from 2400 to 2700! Higher than your pathetic Magician's!"

Yami smiled knowingly. "But my Magician is Dark too, and a Spellcaster, so now his attack is 3100! Dark Magician, use Dark Magic Attack!"

Marik burst out laughing, a chill sound that had no hint of merriment in it. "You fool! Did you forget? My Magic card, Malevolent Nuzzler! (Magic Card—A monster equipped with this card increases its attack by 700 points. When this card is sent to the Graveyard, you can pay 500 Life Points to place it on top of your Deck.) My Dragon's attack is now 3400! Red Eyes, attack the Dark Magician!"

There was a massive explosion as the two supercharged attacks hit. When the smoke cleared, only Marik's Red Eyes was standing. Yami took a shuddering breath and dropped to his knees, the cards in his hand scattering across the floor. He had lost... The infamous King of Games had lost... and not to Seto Kaiba, not to Yugi, no...To Marik. Yami felt sick.

Marik's laughter pealed again as he dissolved the Shadow Realm around them. They were again in Malik's living room, with Zora sitting listlessly on the couch where Marik had placed her, Yugi sitting anxiously beside her, Yami kneeling on the rug, and Marik's laughter ringing around the room. Yugi looked at Yami, wanting an answer, and fearing it at the same time. Yami would not look at him. Marik finally slowed his bout of joy. "Tell you what, Pharaoh," he said, still grinning, "if you're so sure she want to go with you then take her, she's yours! Bwahahahahaa!" (AN ^^ I'm sorry to interrupt, but before you all flame me for having Marik be OOC, I must inform you that he's being... ...influenced. You'll see. And I just couldn't pass up that thought of Marik laughing... *drools*)

Yami stared at Marik, who had sat down in a chair, continuing to chuckle at something he apparently found infinitely amusing. Yami got up off the floor, glaring self-consciously, and strode to where Yugi and Zora sat. Yugi jumped up and hugged Yami around the neck. Yami turned a delicate pink and gently removed Yugi's arms; he grabbed Zora's wrist and pulled to get her upright. She didn't budge. Marik finally stopped his laughing and lounged in the chair. "I don't think she wants to go with you, Pharaoh." The Eye glowed on his forehead.

"What did you do to her?" Yami said quietly, but the white-hot fury was unmistakable. His right hand twitched, as if he longed for nothing more than to Mind Crush Marik.

Marik picked at the imaginary dirt beneath his fingernails. "Oh, nothing much. Tweaked emotions here, separation from the other half of her spirit there...and the result. Actually, I didn't do much she was always like that underneath." He looked at Zora. "She's pitiful, isn't she? Spoiled rotten." A muscle in Zora's neck twitched ever so slightly. "She wants to have everything done for her and not lift a finger. She's quite the typical helpless maiden, waiting to be rescued from danger by Prince Charming so they can fall in love and live happily ever after." He strode over to Zora and lifted her chin with a finger so he could look at her face. Her eyes were dull and stared at nothing. "Hn. Not even pretty. A certain exotic appeal, I'll grant you that, Pharaoh. But she's incurably stupid. Heh, 'Birds of a feather...' eh, Pharaoh?" Both Yami and Yugi edged away from Marik and closer to Zora. He was acting almost friendly, if you excluded the scathing insults. He was talkative, too. Why had he drawn them here? Surely this couldn't be it? "But," Marik continued, still holding Zora's chin, "I suppose that if she doesn't want to go with you, she could always stay..." He gave a feral grin and lowed his head, placing his lips firmly over Zora's.

Four things happened in rapid sequence: There was a flash of light and Siri, slightly transparent and clutching her chest, charged toward Marik and Zora with an unrivaled fury, Yami, taking heart from Siri's sudden appearance, charged forward also, and finally Yugi gasped at Marik's kiss, Siri's materialization, Yami's attack, and the fourth thing. This fourth happening I will now tell you. They were no longer in Malik's living room, they, in fact, were no longer on the Earth: they could see it hanging hugely below them. Marik had disappeared, the Sennen Bracelet was again on Zora's wrist, and there was a man-like figure with several pairs of wings standing, or rather floating, before them.

Siri gathered Zora up in an embrace of mutual relief. The girl clung to the spirit, eyes shut and shaking. Yami grasped Yugi's hand as all four of them floated closer to the unearthly man. Yugi had a sudden thought of how they could breathe in a vacuum, but it was banished by the man's voice.

My children, I hope you bring me good news.

The voice was both huge and intimidating and gentle and soothing. For some reason, it brought back happy memories to all present. They each re-lived those moments before any one could answer. There was a silence. The winged man seemed to be waiting for them to say something. Yami spoke out. "What do you mean 'good news'? We don't know whom—what—you are. And where are we?"

The man made a shrugging motion, which quite spectacular, involving his four arms to spread gracefully, and the many wings to extend and shimmer, causing the space around him to brighten slightly. What is Where? What is When? There is only Now, Before, and Later. As to who we are...? He smiled, revealing small fangs. We are no one of consequence, he said.

Siri did not like riddles. She scowled and said, "Stop speaking in Tongues. We want to go home."

And go home you shall. He boomed quietly. But first tell me, did you let Anzu take any of the Sennen Items?

Zora stared at her shoes, but Siri and Yugi looked to Yami. He said, "No, everyone has their own. ...Well the Tomb Robber has the Sennen Eye, but I'm sure I can persuade him to give it back." He smiled slightly.

The man nodded casually flicked some fingers at him, causing the crops in ancient Mesopotamia to flourish for the entire season. Good. And did you beat Marik?

Yami hung his head. The answer was quite apparent. Strangely, the man seemed to be happy. Ah, everything according to plan. But, you should know, Yami, that it was I who defeated you, not Marik. Yami looked questioningly at the bright, floating man, but it was rather hard, considering that he didn't know what to look at. We inhabited Marik's body while you two were picking your cards. We put your own Dark Magician in your hand, and Malevolent Nuzzler and the Red Eyes in his Marik's. After that we left, but we didn't know if you were going to Banish him or similar. Our powers are vast, but not omnipotent. Now that you know, you may go home. He paused.

Zora looked up. "Why?" It was the first this she had said since Marik had torn away the Sennen Bracelet.

The man's wings shimmered again, she gathered that it was similar to a sigh. All right. What do you want to know? Why we brought you here? Or why no one cared that you seemed to pop out of nowhere and no one cared? Or why Marik took it out on you? Or why you were given a Sennen Item?

"...Yes."

Again the shimmer. I knew that something bad was going to happen, something that might effect the whole cosmos if I didn't nip it in the bud, as you humans say. We needed someone who Yami and his friends could care about, and someone who could free Siri. Not many fit that bill.

"But why me? This isn't even my world!"

The man made a motion of brushing away Zora's comments, which made a few dinosaurs die. Yes it is, just a different universe. And if something happens in this universe, it could effect all the others too. So--

"Wait. 'All the others'? There are more?"

Thousands, probably. Maybe even more than we have numbers for. It's like a chain-reaction, the butterfly effect.

Yugi nodded. "The butterfly effect, otherwise known as the chaos theory. A butterfly flaps its wings in Japan and there's a hurricane in the United States."

Yes. Well, on to more interesting things than random destruction. The man said dryly, quirking a finely arched eyebrow. It's time for everyone to go their separate ways. I'll give you two minutes. He made a complex flourish and retreated.

Zora looked at Yugi and tears slid down her cheeks, unbidden. She grabbed him in a bear hug that crushed the air out of his lungs and both sobbed and laughed into his shoulder about how she was going to miss him. "It's okay, Zora." Yugi managed to squeak. She slowly stopped crying and released him, then laughed, embarrassed, as he desperately pulled air into his lungs.

Zora turned to Yami. He turned faintly pink and held out his hand. "It...was nice to meet you, Zora. I'm sorry you have to go."

Zora's eyes brimmed with tears again. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. She didn't...couldn't...say any more. Slowly she let go and turned to Siri.

The spirit had her back to her. "Siri..." Zora began.

"No. I don't want to hear it. I'm going with you and that's final."

Zora slipped her hand into Siri's and rested her head on her yami's shoulder; all her innocence and love and trust going into that simple gesture. Siri's lip quivered, but no tear fell. She had promised herself that she would not cry, because, as everyone knew, she was not going to part with her hikari. This was not goodbye. She wouldn't let it be. The shining man swept Yami and Yugi up and deposited them in Malik's house where they wondered why they were there and what they had been doing, all memories of Siri, Zora, the Sennen Bracelet, and the duel with Marik forgotten. They vaguely felt that they had lost something, but neither voiced it to the other.

Then the unearthly being's vast power swirled around girl and spirit. Zora felt a mental tug. And then again, harder. The man was trying to take her and Siri apart! 'No, not after all I've been through...' Zora thought desperately as the tug came again, wrenching her soul. "No!" She tried to cry, but the exclamation was lost in the howling dirge that she was wrapped up in. "Siri!..." All was black.

~*~*~*~*~*

Zora bolted up. She looked wildly around. Refrigerator. Stove. Ice cream bowl half-filled with the cold dessert. The television on, but with static. She looked down. Pajamas. Slightly dirty tile floor chilling her bare feet. She was home. Instantly she felt a wash of happiness followed closely by acute pain that drowned everything else out. Yami was gone. And Yugi. And she didn't get to say good-bye to Seto and Joey and Ryou and the others... And Siri. Siri didn't let her say goodbye...

A sob worked its way up and burst out of her mouth. Before she knew it, she was sobbing on the couch. But as the tears drained away, Zora realized she was being stupid. It was obviously all a dream induced by...low blood sugar or illness or something. She sat up and wiped her eyes. 'That's it, a really, really weird and realistic day-dream.'

//Hey!// an indignant voice demanded in her head. //Just who are you calling a day-dream?//

Zora smiled as she realized it was...

The End.

(SD: Yes, I know the ending was really stupid, but this thing was unfinished for months and I hadn't written in months, and it was driving me insane. But! I did manage to explain –most- of the incredibly idiotic "plot" with the stupid ending. So there. See the next 'chapter' for thank you's and Super Chibi Otogi! Cookies for minna-san!)