You know, when you think about it, this story is half AU. Here are my reasons why:

1. Mariku never did exist in Ancient Egypt, he was born from Malik who at the time it happened, was not in the ancient times.

2. The past is completely bent to my will and all the things relating to the Sennen Items never happened.

3. The God cards are probably completely wrong XD

4. Well, I could say that all the characters are completely wrong too, but well - that's obvious XD So really there aren't too many reasons. Oh well~

Reminder Note

[ Bakura to Ryou ]

{Ryou to Bakura }

Warnings: Yaoi - Clashshipping (Yami/Mariku), Seto/Shinkou, Malik/Rekhi. Future character death(s).

Maybe only one chapter after this one left. But, but, but! There's going to be a semi-sequel! Well, it will be a sequel, just the focus of characters will shift. A lot.

"Sorry is a word you like to say, but sorry won't erase the things you did yesterday." -Unforgiven: Fefe Dobson

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A door in the back chambers of the Sennen Puzzle opened with a click, the memory swirling around and filling Yami's conscious. It was different this time…all the memories he'd had so far weren't like this…He could hear everything, including the thoughts of others. But he began to realize that it meant the Shadow Realm's gap was opening too wide for comfort and the shadows were revealing to him what the puzzle couldn't.

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The pharaoh nearly choked as the air became thick, he wanted to reach his hand up to his throat, but the pressure in the room was too much for him to even try. Ishizu's voice was loud. And growing louder. Her Egyptian words lulling from her lips in a song like manner, curving around all the ones in the room. The seven items on the alter were glowering with brilliant color, the light licking out towards the figures. I won't be afraid, the thought crossed through Yami's mind as he forced to keep his eyes open, using all his strength to stand.

Mariku managed a quick glance at the other worriedly, but pulled his attention back to Ishizu. Just a little longer, Yami. You can do it…

Bakura's body shifted from where he laid, eyes opening and glancing to the Sennen items. He growled darkly and laid back down. How dare they…ironic though…the items from my own village are the ones that will be my demise… He mumbled darkly, flinching when the items became enflamed with energy. How joyful for him…

Shinkou watched from the other side of the room in horror, making eye contact with Seth for a brief moment before the priest looked away. He tried to stand, but only managed to sit up part way, "Stop it! You can't do this to them!" You can't leave me alone…She has no right to take everyone away from me! He sent a dark look to Ishizu, begging her mentally to stop the spell, but it was too late….too far into it…

A change overtook the Oracle's voice and the light from the items gathered and swirled out, waving between everyone as she made a comment for each person to make an internal vow - the Sennen items would feed off them. Shinkou sat there, only wishing he was apart of the ritual…so he could vow to see Seth again…but no…he was stuck on the sidelines. Watching.

Ishizu - May we be able to live on…

Shaadi - My job shall stay the same as always.

Seth - I'll see you again, Shinkou.

Yami - I want to be who everyone thinks I can be…

Mariku - I'll protect you forever, Yami.

Bakura - They can't get rid of me that easily…I'll finish them off again!

Bakura's eyes widened in pain, light energy tearing through his back and out of his chest, meeting up with the Sennen Ring. He opened his mouth, breathing hard as he felt his body pulling apart in many directions.

"What's…going on…?" Shinkou blinked, watching the same thing occur with each one of them.

Reia gave a sigh, standing not too far from him, "The Sennen items are choosing their keepers based on their vows," she could tell his next question and answered it immediately, "The Pharaoh, Mariku, and the thief are in pain because their souls are being put into the items. …I wish this didn't have to happen…but there's no other option…"

Yami's vision blacked out as the puzzle's power surged through him, taking away everything about him and sending it into the walls of the item. The energy was the only thing that kept him standing at that point, his body limply wavering in the air.

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

Rekhi watched them, carefully. Laughing with amusement at their presence, eyes falling onto Seto. "So glad you joined us, priest. I knew you couldn't resist from coming. All of you are foolish enough to have come…"

"…So it was you…you must've been the one who attacked my yami!" Ryou cried out, staring at Rekhi who was adorned with the Sennen Ring around his neck.

"Me? I just did him a favor. He was too soft for his own good, so I put his mind and body to darkness and took over as him…heh…am glad I did," his shoulders shook with the laughter he couldn't contain, Malik besides him even gave a brief chuckle. "And then there's you…" Rekhi's eyes narrowed as he walked forward, right in front of Mariku. "…The little hero. The outcast rising up to rescue the 'all-mighty' Pharaoh. But there's no might to my pet, so why must you keep wasting everyone's time to save him?"

Yami kept his blank gaze to the ground, blonde strands masking most of his face. He sat near Shinkou's form, hands clutching the flooring. They're all going to die because of me…

"Shut up," Mariku bit out, "you know nothing about him."

"I know more than you could imagine," he snickered, striding over to the tired looking Seto. "Be a good priest now, would you?" he asked sweetly, but his voice just as quickly was deadly again, thick with warning, "Hand Obelisk over to me."

Seto only glared at the other, wishing he had saved some energy up from before.

"You're trying my patience!" Rekhi yelled, hand seizing the other's chin and part of his neck, squeezing, leaning close enough to whisper in the other's ear, "Or you're loved one is going to suffer right before your eyes. Again, and again, and again."

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"Isis!" Jounouchi complained, trying to keep up with the woman (who wasn't exactly going that fast anyway). "Come on, what's in your head now?"

"You still wish to help Seto, am I right?"

"What? Yeah, of course I do!"

"Then we must get to Yuugi first, I have an idea though," she whispered calmly. They had went to Ryou's to check on him not too long ago, having to break in using some of Jou's skills. But all they found was a note on a table reading: 'At the hospital with my yami.' Jounouchi couldn't understand why this seemed so important to Isis, but when she was set in her ways - it was hard to change them it seemed.

They slowed down and he blinked when he noticed they were already there. He sighed with relief, watching the woman knock on the door and wait a moment. After it opened, he blinked when it was Anzu who opened it.

"Eh? Anzu? Why are you here?"

"Yuugi called me over. He was saying something about the puzzle feeling numb…" she trailed off, glancing to Isis with confusion, "Is something wrong?"

"There's going to be soon, I believe. We need to go over to the hospital and find Bakura," Isis watched as Yuugi came up besides Anzu, his body worn and sickly. "We'll need your help, Yuugi. I think you could be of some use as well, Anzu…"

"All right," she nodded in agreement, glancing to Yuugi and letting the silent boy move out in front of her.

Isis smiled reassuringly and set a hand onto the boy's shoulder, "It'll be all right, Yuugi. We're going to make sure your other will live."

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Seto's pupils shrunk and he tried to pull away from the other's grasp, but the pale hand held.

"Is the priest afraid of me? I know you know that I'm not lying…it's in your eyes. So make it easy for us all now, will you please?" he chuckled darkly, watching Mariku and Ryou in the corner unsure of what to do.

Seto's hand unconsciously moved for his pocket, but a surge down his arm caused him to pull back. He was beginning to think that the memory of his past self was becoming more than that… I have to give him the bloody card!

"Right, of course. Like that will save Shinkou."

But - Seto sighed. Giving up Obelisk would only make things worse.

His glare tightened and Rekhi hissed darkly, the Sennen Ring strongly shining, but no one saw anything.

"If you want to play like that, priest, then so be it. I can play these games too, you know," he snickered, letting the other go and walking towards the center of the room, rumbling in the background. "Can you hear it? …The storm that begins outside…" he signaled towards a window and indeed the clouds were blackening, lightning lashing out. "They arrive from my power - and yours will join them soon enough!"

The roof whipped away in a cyclone method, being drawn up towards the center of two circling colors, wood from the roof splintering away distantly.

Crimson and gold spun together.

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"Isis?" Yuugi finally spoke once they made it to the entrance of the hospital. She looked to him, eyes in question as he gazed in the opposing direction. "What are those lights?" Anzu and Jounouchi followed his eyes as well and blinked, speechless and waiting for the Egyptian woman's answer.

"Ignore it…we must hurry…" she continued moving inside until Jou grabbed her arm.

"Tell us what it is or we won't help ya."

Her eyes narrowed in warning, "You want to know that much, Katsuya? Where everyone except you three are? They're by those two lights…and you know what they are?" her snappish voice caused Jou to pull away in fear, "They're the God Monsters - Osiris and Ra, waiting for their master's command. And if we don't hurry, it will only get worse, understand?"

The three nodded, Jounouchi dumbly.

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Mariku's hands pulled into tight fists at his sides, head held down in anger before his eyes snapped up to look at his love, "Yami! Get on your feet, now!" his hands uncurled in disappointment when the other failed to move, glazed eyes fixated to the floor still.

Rekhi went into another fit of laughter and promptly grabbed the former pharaoh's arm and heaved him up, smirking as he nuzzled his head against the side of Yami's. "He's my pet, remember? He won't listen to your commands. And I told you, I know more than you ever could," he purred, reaching up a hand near Yami's neck and running a thumb passed the collar of the shirt. He watched with amusement as Mariku stiffened and the anger returned, but Rekhi didn't care. "I know every scar on his poor lithe body and how they got there. Each has a story, see? The different times I've slipped a dagger along his beautiful skin. Like this one…." he chuckled, pulling the collar down away from Yami's neck as he held the other close to him, forefinger rubbing over a long, jagged scar that extended beneath the shirt, presumably down his chest. "Second scar I gave him."

"You….bastard…" Mariku was doing his best not to make a lunge for the other's throat. There was too much power against him at the moment to even make the attempt, with the two god's spirit forms circling above them and the risk of Rekhi injuring Yami…he had to keep calm….but…

"He still had too much fight in him at the time. Continuously drawled on and shouted that he was pharaoh and I had no right to try and injure him. Ah, he learned after this mark," Rekhi smiled, caressing the part of the scar that could be seen. At that point Yami seemed to snap out of his daze and panicked, trying to pull away, but Rekhi placed his other hand forcefully against Yami's torso and forced him still. "Now, now, my little pet, behave, we have guests."

Malik had rolled his eyes, arms crossed as he watched the scene. Does he have to hold Yami so close? He gave a sigh, eyes shifting and widening. Where'd Kaiba go? He turned around quickly, checking on Shinkou to see the body had moved and he spun about once more. That rotten priest! He internally growled, watching as Seto was holding Shinkou up over a shoulder - and worse yet, the other was starting to wake. Malik hissed and looked back towards the silver-haired, "Rekhi!"

"What?" he shifted slightly to look to the other, catching what was so important and nearly threw Yami away from him.

Mariku managed to sweep down and grab Yami before he hit anything, holding both arms as confusion of what was going on swarmed Yami's mind and he resulted in struggling, "Yami - Yami! Relax, it's just me…I'm not going to hurt you!" he let out a breath when the other slowly calmed down, holding him gently close. "It's going to be all right."

"You shouldn't have come," he nearly choked out, hanging his head disgruntled, "He's going to kill everyone."

"I don't care…" Mariku growled, his embrace tightening, "I'm not letting you die alone."

"Good god, can't you just behave?!" he shouted, the ring filling over with a golden glow, a card already pulled from his pocket and flying through the air, "Dark Scorpion - Meanae the Thorn! Stop them!" the card shaped into the warrior monster, her whip falling around her body and then uncoiling as it took to the air, grasping around Seto's ankles and pulling him to the ground. Rekhi snorted, "What a waste of time. Yuumei! Keep an eye on them."

She glanced up and around before nodding, walking over to join Meanae as Seto and Shinkou tried to struggle to sit up. Ryou moved to the other side of the room, keeping unnoticed as he made it to a table where the fragment of the tablet lay. He ran a finger over its sensitive surface, glancing around again, forcing a smile when everyone seemed to ignore him. I wish I knew how to help…

"I have a better idea, priest," Rekhi finally spoke after a few minutes of silence. He moved over to Malik, tension building in the air, "If none of you are going to act willingly. I'll just pry the God Card from your bloody corpse! And you too! I'll just kill you all in one god forsaken sweep of power! Fuck you all!" he yelled in rage that even scared Malik. "May all you burn in the flames of Hell that I'll put you in!"

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The pharaoh felt his body finally start to sink for the ground, or at least it seemed that way. In reality the puzzle was drawing his soul to its dark walls. Yami held up a hand towards it, touching a side of it and feeling all his power wash away. His eyes slid shut, body curling as darkness surrounded him.

He woke in shock, body barely sitting up right. A hand grazed his head and he blinked, thinking he saw someone there - but he was just alone. "Mariku? Seth?" shaken, he stood. Still he saw nothing, but he slowly heard something in the distance, coming closer to him, voices. But he'd heard them all before, it was like everything was flashing before him - so much it was beginning to hurt.

"What, the poor little Pharaoh can't save himself?"

"Run my lovely Pharaoh…run if you wish, it makes my life much more enjoyable."

"Come on, get up, someone's going to think I killed you."

"You really care for him…don't you?"

"Someone so virtuous as you shouldn't be so scathed…"

"Did you think you could hide from me?!"

"Shinkou has gone after him, but you have to rest…"

"Tell me what it is, Ishizu. What must I do to stop this…?"

"You can't be serious…? We have to be locked away into some…some item to stop all this…?"

"I'm scared, Mariku, I really am. How does she think I have enough power to do this..?"

"You can kill me, but I won't allow you to kill him!"

"You're going to pay…you're all going to pay…and this time, I don't think you can summon Ra twice…I'll show you the true meaning of pain…"

"Pathetic. Well, Pharaoh, where are you guards and priests to help you? Where are they hiding? Or did you 'order' them away to save yourself from embarrassment? Heh…never mind, you're not that smart."

"Keep him sedated! I do not want to see him awake even for a moment!"

"The Sennen items are choosing their keepers based on their vows…The Pharaoh, Mariku, and the thief are in pain because their souls are being put into the items. …I wish this didn't have to happen…but there's no other option…"

Yami felt like he was going to be sick when the voices finally died down. His arms wrapped around his stomach after falling to his knees, bending forward until his head was resting to the ground. He blinked his eyes tiredly when he saw something cling to the ground, held up by a leathery string around his neck. He carefully pulled up and sat back, holding a hand to the item and examining it as it radiated with a soft holy aura. "This is…" he placed his thumb over the eye molded over the upside down pyramid and felt it warm slightly to his touch, "…the puzzle…"

He cringed, the darkness flashing with light for a few moments before merging into the ground, a scene being shown to Yami. He blinked and felt around, still touching the ground as it if were glass and looked out to see Ishizu, Shinkou, Reia, Seth, and Shaadi. Shinkou was yelling erratically, but Yami couldn't decipher his words as Reia held him down, Seth simply left the room in silence. Ishizu forced a smile and Yami actually heard her words, "I'm sorry it had to be this way. I apologize to you all."

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"Isis! What did you do to them?!" Jounouchi shouted as the Egyptian continued to walk down the hall. His eyes stared around them, noting that most were in a dazed state as if they weren't even there. "You know - they still have lives to save!"

"Quiet down, they can still do their jobs, they simply don't see us," she sighed…so tired of this other. She rounded a corner to face a separate hallway leading to the Intensive Care section and headed for it, the other three following quietly behind. When they stepped in, they met the challenging part…getting everyone out of the room Bakura had been put into.

"If they 'can't see us,' why not just drag them out and lock the door?" Jou muttered bored, shrugging when Anzu gave him a crazed look. "What? It could work!"

"It will work perfectly," Isis gave a smile, volunteering Jounouchi to push out the two doctors once they were in the room. The two were obviously shocked when the door slammed in their faces, unable to open it again as Isis laid out a spell to seal it. "Now…" Isis cast a single glance to Bakura before walking up to Anzu, staring at her carefully, "…I thought so…"

"What? Is something wrong with Anzu?" Yuugi blinked with confusion.

"Not at all," she chuckled a bit, "You just remind me as someone I once knew. And I have a feeling a part of her thrives within you, which will help perfectly."

"Someone…thrives within me…?" Anzu gulped, obviously not at ease by this conversation, "…Who?"

"The High Priestess Reia," was all she said, walking over to stand besides Bakura's bed, taking one of his cold hands into her own. "Such a poor soul…you were so evil in the past…and then now…" she hung her head, squeezing the hand, "your past has caught up with you…but I will do my best to save the life you have now…" Isis looked over to Anzu, "stand on the other side."

"Um…all right…" the girl did as asked, glancing to Jou and Yuugi in confusion. "So…now what?" Anzu took Bakura's other hand when Isis pointed to it.

"All I want you to do is focus on Bakura's hand and the monster card the Emerald Dragon, understand?"

"…I guess…"

"Why the dragon card?" Yuugi questioned out of curiosity, sitting himself in one of the chairs.

"Because it was the primary monster of Reia. While Anzu focuses on it and the other's hand, she'll be able to channel energy into Bakura - even if she doesn't know it. I will take care of the rest," she checked around the room, making sure most would be in order before speaking once again, "Yuugi, please stand to the foot of the bed. The presence of a Sennen item may wake his mind better."

Yuugi hopped from his seat and moved over to where he was needed, Jou muttered behind him and took the chair, wondering why he needed to be here. "Now everyone stay silent, that mainly means you, Katsuya."

"Fine, whatever," he huffed, crossing his arms.

Isis closed her eyes and Anzu followed suit, assuming it was the best thing to do and focused on the dragon card in her mind and the hand she was squeezing. Isis' voice lulled out softly, "*Nuk Ast nebt heka ari heka khu tchet kheru. Khet akhem-tu pet hetepet her tep re en Ast. An kheper khet nub tu erek. uben - f em khut erta - f shep en her ket sehetch-nef shu em shuti-f bah-neh taui ma athen em tep tuait. Shems aui ruu ta em hetep kher neb-f. Khet en ankh!"

Jounouchi leant forward and blinked, watching as light bathed over the three of them. Now he really felt left out. Man, this is so awesome! He held back an 'eep' when he heard a crack of power and the light began to seep into Bakura's body until the brightness was gone. Isis' eyes reopened and Anzu screamed, unable to help herself.

Bakura's hand tightened back.


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Ryou was feeling much like a fool, hiding by the table as Rekhi shouted his claims of death. He glanced up slowly at the sky, the spirit's of the two god monsters swarming in their circle still, lightning crackling around more constantly. I need to do something…

[ …Ryou. ]

The boy looked down at the Sennen Ring, then around the room in shock, making sure he was alive and not in some sort of dream. Can he really be…?

{ B-Bakura…? }

[ …Yeah…it's me… ]

{ You're alive! But how? The doctors were saying it was going to be impossible! Everything is such a mess here…there's this guy who's calling himself by Rekhi and says he's you from the past and - }

[ I know Ryou, I know…I can see. Isis and Anzu somehow placed energy into my mind…I can't fully move yet…but I can mentally get to you…which is all I need… ]

{ What are you talking about? }

[ You have to kill him, you know that, right? ]

{ Well…yeah…. } Ryou blinked, not understanding why his darker half seemed hesitant and almost afraid at his words. And then it hit him. Rekhi was from the past…if he died then Bakura would… { No! I'm not killing you! }

[ Ryou! You have to! It's either him and I die, or all of you! None of us want that. I may have changed, but I've done horrible things in ancient times. I don't understand why on earth Isis wanted me to live, but it doesn't matter. Ryou…you know this is what needs to happen… ]

Ryou closed his eyes to stop the flow of tears and leant his head back against a wall, slowly letting the thoughts wash over him. He could distantly hear Mariku and Rekhi shouting back and forth and Malik mumbling quietly besides Rekhi.

{ A-All right… But I…I don't know what to do… }

[ That's expected. I'm going to guide you through what I want you to do. We first need to help out Shinkou and Seto, and I know Yuumei isn't going to listen, so we need to take out the Dark Scorpion. I'm going to cross my deck over into your soul room. ]

I hate this… Ryou bit his lip, feeling the ring glow briefly, sensing his other close in his mind for a moment before it faded again. Ryou probed his own mind and found the deck, grasping it and pulling it into reality. At least he felt more confident knowing his dark half could see what was going on.

[ That's good. Now, focus on the ring and use Fire Sorcerer and the magic card Shooting Star Bow - Ceal. That'll get the sorcerer's attack to 2000. ]

Ryou nearly jumped when the spellcaster materialized besides him, hat hanging crooked on her head and stern face looking right at him. He gulped and held up a hand to point at the Dark Scorpion across the room, "Um…get rid of her…"

She gave him a brief smile and held out a bent hand that filled over in fire, mouthing a word and closing her hand fully, the fire vanishing and reappearing around the target - scorching her to nothing. Yuumei jumped at the disappearance of the other and was prepared to yell for her master. Ryou crawled forward before his yami could say anything and snapped out a magic card, "Despell!" he whispered loudly, his target for Yuumei.

| You roach, you can't - | she cursed, the card's effects hitting her and sending her back as a card.

[ That was too close for comfort…go over and help those two…they seem ok, but while Rekhi is distracted it's good to have you three be able to do something against him…]

{ Right. }

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I'm getting tired of this, Malik stared at the floor, still standing close to Rekhi. There's so much power here that it's making me sick. "You don't have to do this," he whispered for the other to hear, but was mostly ignored. "Please…you don't…"

"Quiet!" Rekhi finally snapped from under his breath, more soft than biting.

Malik closed his eyes and sighed, feeling the other put an arm around him gently, "Do you rather be with them, is that what you're saying?"

"No…that's not it….it's just…" he shook his head. The other wasn't going to understand, "I just want my yami to live. He's…a part of me…"

Rekhi snorted and held a hand up towards the sky, "It's not like I'm killing you," he muttered in annoyance, thinking briefly that maybe he should listen to the other. But as he watched Ra's gold wings unfold he snorted. He'll understand what I'm doing afterwards. Then we can live peacefully. With none of these slugs around, heh, that's right. "You don't have to act like you're protecting them," were his finally words to the other until he tipped his head back to yell up, "Ra! Show them your hell!" his arm fell so his finger was pointing where Mariku was, Yami having been pushed away. "Destroy him!"

Yami lost his footing after being pushed, falling to the ground in horror, "NO! Mariku, move!"

Ra's form glowed and came into full shape, breaking away from the circle him and Osiris had been creating, jaws opening as the energy gathered within them.

Malik made one last attempt, breaking away from Rekhi's loose embrace and stepping before his dark half, "I told you! Don't do this, Rekhi! Please!"

"You idiot - get out of the way!" Rekhi felt his heart drop momentarily before his face hardened and he growled, "Fine then, go protect those asses, see if I give a damn!" he shouted, voice drowning out as Ra's attack exploded through the air, tearing above Rekhi's head and for its target, the area around its radius glowering brightly.

Rekhi for the first time felt a taste of fear…

…and regret.

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Not as much as a cliffhanger as I wanted to do. Damn. Oh well. Live with it XP Not too horrible, hn? Hope not anyway. I think I keep losing reviewers :/ how upsetting.

So a note on the Egyptian Isis used. It basically all together makes absolutely no sense, but nevertheless here is the translation (taken from E.A Wallis Budge's The Gods of the Egyptians Volume 2):

*I am Isis, lady of words of power, worker with words of power, might in utterance of speech. The fire is extinguished, heaven is content at the utterance of Isis. Not shall happen thing any evil unto thee. He riseth on the horizon, he giveth light through the darkness, he shineth with light from his plumes, he floodeth with light the two lands like the Disk at early sunrise. Departeth, evil goeth away, the earth is a peace beneath its lord. The staff of light!

I apologize, all those lines are taken from different points of the book and pieced together, but I do not remember which pages they're from. Oi.

Please review .____. I know it took me a bit to get this chapter out, but I did work hard on it o.O;; There's only one or two parts I didn't like.

Oh! The whole past-scene with Yami and all the quotes are each from just about all of the past-scenes from beginning to end. Only some I left out, because, well, Yami wasn't present, lol.