Author's Note:

I don't OWN Yu Gi Oh!

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Here and Thereafter

Chapter 10: The Score To Settle

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Bakura looked down at Yami's form with pure boiling hate. His hands itched so much to kill again, to touch the slimy feeling of flowing blood, but he had learned an important lesson in all his years inside the Millenium Ring: patience.

He looked around wearily at the port warehouse in which he took the pharaoh. It was huge, housing only some twenty huge boxes or so. There were no guards. The place was perfect for the murder of his life. He licked his lips hungrily, tasting victory not very far from him now.

The King of Thieves fumbled in his pockets and brought out the KDC. His grin got more maniacal. While gazing at the gadget in his hand, he drew a magic card from his deck, the Time Seal.

"Activate." He spoke to the cube in a clear voice.

The KDC came to life, in which the micro LEDs installed into it started flashing different colors. The cube opened up in such a way that it covered the whole of Bakura's palm and a hologram projection in the form of Mokuba Kaiba blinked up at its master.

"Your objective, master?" Mokuba asked, his voice very computer-ish.

"Activate Magic Card." Bakura ordered, showing the Time Seal to Mokuba.

Mokuba looked at the magic card and closed his eyes. "Initiating."

The card glowed brilliantly, and turned into the paper seal that was the image of the Time Seal. Bakura's eyes widened with amazement. Mokuba opened his eyes.

"Time Seal activated." He said promptly.

"Good." Bakura nodded as he walked toward the still unconscious Yami and placed the Time Seal at the Millenium Puzzle. The seal flashed a brief red light, its powers activated. "Now, that blasted Yugi Mutou can't take over and interrupt my plans. Ha!"

"Anything more, master?" Mokuba asked.

Bakura had an idea. Surely those idiots are looking for them right now. He withdrew two more cards from his deck.

"Activate monster card, Earl of Demise." He ordered.

Once again, Mokuba looked at the card before closing his eyes in meditation. "Initiating."

Like the Time Seal, the card of the Earl of Demise glowed brilliantly before the monster literally came to life before its master. Bakura looked up at the creature with awe. Then he threw back his head and guffawed.

"Earl of Demise activated." Mokuba announced.

"Excellent!" Bakura laughed deviously. "Excellent, just the wonders only technology can do!"

He turned to Mokuba. "Activate another monster card, Dark Necrofear!"

"Initiating."

The Dark Necrofear popped out beside the Earl.

"Dark Necrofear activated." Mokuba saluted.

"Good." Bakura nodded again. "KDC, standby mode."

"Aye!" Mokuba answered before disappearing. The KDC automatically closed back into cube form, but the micro LEDs were still flashing beautifully on its surface. Bakura pocketed it.

"Now go, and keep Joey Wheeler, Tristan Taylor and Téa Gardner out of my way!" he ordered to his monsters. "If they persist, kill them!"

The Earl of Demise and Dark Necrofear bowed and left. Bakura returned to his primary target: Yami Yugi. His grin was there again.

At that time, Yami started to regain consciousness. He opened his violet eyes blearily, but his mind was quick to remind him of what had happened to him. He bolted upright, staring around until he found Bakura. His face gave way to a frown.

"You!" he snarled.

"Time to settle what has been begun three thousand years ago, pharaoh." Bakura said, raising his hand.

Light started to gather around his fingers, melding together into the shape of the Ancient Egyptian scimitar. The light started to disappear from the hilt to the blade. Bakura swung it down, the blade making an ominous whoosh with the air as it went.

Yami recognized that sword. It was the very same sword that killed his priest, Mahaado the Dark Magician, in the battle for the Millenium Ring. He didn't know that Bakura still had the ability to summon it-he had his priests destroy it after the execution.

"Just like the old times, pharaoh, a duel to the grave." said Bakura. "You won't know how long I have waited for this moment."

Yami stood up with great difficulty, owing to the injuries he had earlier. He didn't know if he could still summon his weapon, the curved gladius. But he had to try. Dammit, he couldn't even remember the basic swordhandling skills-but Bakura wasn't to know that.

He too, raised his hand, and to his great relief, he was still able to call forth his favorite weapon. The curved gladius looked like a grass hook, but it was a sword to reckon with. Yami knew his hands were shaking as he poised himself into what he hoped was a battle-stance. Bakura tilted his head sideward to look at him.

"Forgetting things, aren't we, pharaoh?" he said mockingly. "And to think you held the title of Kemet's Best Swordsman in those days."

A cold chill passed between Yami's shoulder blades. He couldn't remember anything about handling swords. This was a battle he was somehow going to lose if he didn't recall at least a single technique. But three thousand years in the Millenium Puzzle had robbed him of most knowledge in his reign as pharaoh.

The Millenium Puzzle!

Yami looked down at his artifact and gasped. "Damn-!"

"I had it sealed for both our conveniences." Bakura told him. "I don't want that puny boy taking over as I chop his body to bits. I don't want to hear his girly screams."

Yami's grip on his gladius' hilt tightened. I can't remember anything, oh great Ra, help me!

"I HEHT NU SETH NA!" Bakura shrieked as he leapt to attack, scimitar raised high above his head.

Marik was busy eating octopus balls in his favorite food stall that night. His black Harley was parked beside the wooden cart and he chewed on the delicious delicacy. The stall owner was smiling as he observed his most faithful customer.

"Hungry, aren't you?" he asked Marik. "Your sister not up to cooking, isn't she?"

"You bet!" Marik moaned in pleasure after drinking some refreshing tea. "She can cook, but I dunno if what she cooks are edible."

The storeowner laughed heartily. "I always love your little jokes."

Marik nodded appreciatively. Just then, Joey sat down beside him, looking weary.

"One serving of octo-balls, please." Joey sighed. "And pitch in some tea."

As the owner bustled to give Joey his food, Marik looked at the one sitting beside him. He knew it wasn't his business whatsoever, but he had to ask.

"What're you doing out here in this time of the night?" he inquired through mouthfuls of octopus meat and wasabi. "Aren't you supposed to be at home?"

"Yugi's missing. We've been looking for him everywhere." Joey answered.

Marik nearly choked, his memory darting back to that mysterious phone call Atemu gave him days ago and to the sight he saw earlier that day. Did this somehow have a connection.?

"Really?" he asked, pretending to be uninterested. "Oh he'll turn up, I'm sure."

"And Ryou Bakura's gone as well." Joey added.

His worst suspicions confirmed, Marik straightened in his seat.

"They can't've been missing, I saw them downtown walking together!" he burst out.

Joey turned to face him so suddenly that Marik could have sworn he heard Joey's neck give a crunch. "WHAT?!?"

"I saw them, I swear!" said Marik, facing Joey completely. "Yugi looks drunk, I mean, and Ryou was tugging him as they walked-supporting him, more like-did you know that Yugi drinks?"

Joey opened his mouth to answer, but the storeowner put his food before him. But something else happened as the storeowner's eyes widened, his hair stood on end and he screamed his loudest in his life.

"YAAAAAAAAAAARGGGGHHHHHHHHH!"

Both Joey and Marik jumped out of their skins in fright as the Earl of Demise loomed behind them, ready to kill.

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Cliffy! I always love cliffhangers! Please review!