This is a Yu-Gi-Oh, fic. Yay! o.o It takes place after Battle City, but I've decided to pretend everything after that never happened, at least not yet. Hey, I needed a place to stick the setting, alright? Kazuki Takahashi owns Yu-Gi-Oh, and all of its characters. I take no claim over them. For future reference: Yami Marik is Marik, Marik is Malik, and Yami Yugi is Yami.

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There was a sound of cold metal against flesh and something warm and wet ran down the back of Malik's neck. Malik passed out. However, Malik hadn't lost his head. In fact, nothing had happened at all, to him at least. Domestique snarled at the fact that his execution had been interrupted and he was glaring at the reason why. The base of the guillotine's blade was embedded deep into someone's hand, Marik's. Marik couldn't focus properly and he wavered on his feet. The pain in his chest hadn't faded like he thought it would, it was only joined by that of his profusely bleeding hand.

"You were not supposed to interfere!" Domestique shrieked at Marik. Marik gave the man a disoriented but angered look, "Sucks for you..." Closing his hand around the edge of the guillotine's blade, Marik pulled the blade free, causing his already wounded hand to spray blood both on the blade and the boy below. He tossed the bloodied device aside much to the dismay of Domestique. "Ma Madame! You fiend! For this you will be most sorry!" Domestique growled as he swung his hatchet at Marik.

Bakura found a secluded area of the cavern where he would wait. Predicting a fight ahead, he'd keep himself safe until he could wipe all of their minds clean and have them forget this ordeal. Yami and Joey turned away from the scene above and attempted to free their friends. Serenity looked fearful, "They're fighting!" Yami nodded while trying to free Tea, "Let them." Serenity wondered what he meant.

Marik leaned back, avoiding the slash. He reached into the back pocket of his pants and produced Bakura's switchblade from earlier. He too attempted to attack. Domestique retired to the back side of the guillotine, backing down the stairs and keeping his gaze on Marik. Marik growled and darted around the guillotine, following Domestique, "Prepare to die!" Domestique laughed aloud, "How can I die a second time?"

Tea rubbed her wrists after being freed completely, "Thanks, Yugi." Yami nodded and assisted Duke next. Tea noticed the fight going on up by the guillotine, "Yugi, we need to do something!" Yami shook his head, "No we don't." Duke gave Yami a confused look, "Why not?" Yami freed Duke's ankles "He's not worth it." Joey paused while releasing Mai which made her pout, "Yug', you feelin' alright? I mean, I know ya' don't like the guy, but come on..."

Marik slashed at Domestique as he reached ground level, succeeding in cutting the sleeve of his suit. Domestique laughed, "Nice try mon ami!" Marik hissed, "I won't miss next time!" Marik darted at Domestique with hopes of slashing his throat. Domestique moved aside, sending his hatchet into Marik's side. Marik shrieked in pain and backed away from Domestique, clapping a hand over his wound.

Once freed, Tristan and Joey went to go get Malik out of the guillotine. Yami checked to see if everyone else was alright and they agreed that they were. Tristan pulled up the upper half of Malik's neck brace while Joey unshackled him from the wooden board. "Poor guy," Joey said. Tristan nodded, "Yeah, I know what you mean." Joey picked up Malik rather easily since he was taller and Malik was lightweight. He supported Malik's shoulders with one arm and his legs with the other. Tristan and Joey left the guillotine platform. As they neared Yami and the others, Malik started to wake up, "Did I die?" Malik asked the question a bit weakly. Joey set him down, steadying him before he was able to stand on his own. "No, yer' fine. Marik stopped the guillotine," Joey explained. Malik's eyes widened, "Marik did what?!"

Marik and Domestique emerged from behind the guillotine platform, slashing at each other with their respective weaponry. Bakura observed that Marik had his knife, ~ I'll have to retrieve that later... ~ Domestique, "This fight really has no point, mon ami! You cannot truly win," Domestique taunted. Marik tossed Bakura's switchblade from his right hand to his left and slashed at Domestique's midsection. Domestique placed his hatchet in the way and the two metals clashed. Both fighters drew back their weapons and struck at the same time, impaling each other's throats. Blood spatter made itself apparent from both of them.

Domestique chuckled, blood rising in his throat and dribbling from the corner of his mouth, "The fight is ended between you and I only. This body has expired, but I have not. I will 'live' to see another day in a new vessel. You do not have such a fortunate fate." Marik gagged on his own blood and pulled back from Domestique, dropping his blade. The respective fighters collapsed to the ground. Domestique laughed one final time before becoming very still. Marik's eyes fixed to the ceiling for what little time they could. The fall alone had cut his head open in the back, not to mention the gaping slash in his throat. His breathing became pained and his chest convulsed one last time, sending a short fountain of red from his mouth. He then fell silent, his eyes sliding shut.

Malik shook, feeling tears welling in his eyes. In the last moments of the fight, Malik screamed, "Marik!!!" As his Yami hit the floor and passed away, he felt something torn in him. The tears in his eyes spilled down his face, drawing the attention of all around him. Yami didn't seem too effected by the death, but as for everyone else, a veil of sadness hung. Malik took a few steps toward his Yami and then ran the rest of the way to his side.

Yami himself didn't understand. It wasn't so long ago, only minutes that Malik hated Marik with a passion. Why did he care now? Malik stood over his bloodied and lifeless Yami, falling to his knees. He didn't really understand his own actions either. But he had understood what Joey said. Marik saved his life and died in the process. If he truly didn't give a damn, then why did Marik do that? He sacrificed the most precious thing he owned, only to save Malik. Back near Yami, Serenity had begun to cry, Joey looked at her strangely, "Heya Sis, what's wrong?" Serenity gave him a bitter look, "Marik is dead! What's wrong with all of you? Someone dies and you don't care?!" Yami sighed, looking back at her, "Serenity, he isn't worth crying over."

Serenity walked over to Yami and slapped him. Tea and the others were caught off guard by this action. "I can't believe you!" Serenity shrieked, "He was a person! I cared about him! I'll be damned if he dies and nobody says anything. I'm not going to just walk away!!!" Serenity broke down on herself, sobbing. The others still didn't understand; they tried, but they couldn't. They were all so blind to the fact that Marik had a change of heart. And it was too late to acknowledge the fact to his face. Joey tried to pull Serenity into a hug, but she jerked away and walked over to Malik.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..." Malik whispered to the corpse in front of him. Malik brushed some hair out of Marik's face, "You're just like me, and I see it now." Malik heard someone behind him and looked over his shoulder at Serenity. Seeing tears in her eyes as well gave him some solace. Malik stood and slowly stumbled over to Serenity, "We should go. There is nothing here but sorrow..." Serenity nodded reluctantly. She wanted to stay, but she knew Malik was right.

Bakura questioned his own Hikari's trust. If he himself happened to die like that, would anyone care? These questions plagued him up until the point where he vanished from the cavern with help from his millenium ring. No one seemed to notice his absence at the moment. Yami suddenly noticed a soft golden light from somewhere, looking to the millenium rod in his hand, he noticed it was glowing. Marik twitched...