Since I've been away for a while, I'd like to thank some of my reviewers. If you don't want to read, just skip 'til you reach the title of the fic.
I'd also like a little moral support. I'm thinking of posting some of my drawings on either DeviantART or Elfwood, but I need some support to jump that last hurdle
For those reading My Legend of Zelda crossover, it's been posted again, but from the start. Damn!
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ShadowGoddessHikari- You've been with me from the start, supporting me as I went along, thanks a lot. Hope your up and coming fic goes well, I know I'll read it. (I reckons Kaiba will be a good pairing too. Hehehe.... Poor Kaiba never gets a break does he? As for your Rating problem, how about you save a backup file under a different name with schoolwork or something primarily in it, or even make the changes at the last minute and post it up. I suppose the question is how often she reads it. If you want to talk to me more about this, contact me on )
Alexia Black1- I have no idea if you are still reading this, but still. You contacted me about the name, making me change it to Memories of the Shadows, which suits it more then Shadows of the Past. Thanks for that.
PyroDragon2006- Another one of my starting readers. Again, thanks for being there and supporting my writing.
ShadowFire2- Thanks for being there from the start. And I'm sorry about the lateness! Don't send your dragons after me! AIEEEE!!!! (Runs..... PS- Did you know that my pen name roughly means Fog-Dragon? BWHAHAHAHA! Dragon freaks forever!)
Sweetbriar- Another one who's been there for me since the start. You're fic rocks, and I'm sorry I haven't been reading it. Haven't been in a Reading/Writing mood lately. And yes, I did make up that recharging idea. Lol, The millennium puzzle is Eco-friendly! =P
Kikoken- You came later, but have supported me since. I hope that there's enough plot twits for ya! =P
Celeb'ronyo- Thanks for reviewing in all of my fics. Your support was much needed!
Minor Arcana- WORSHIP! (Bows down, then winces because of broken leg) Your fic rocks so much! I am so honoured that you like mine. Thank you for your support.
ALL OTHERS AND ALL THOSE TO COME- Thank you so much. I couldn't have gotten this far without you.
Wow, that was really awkward. Now, let's go to the main fic.
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Memories of the Shadows
A Yu-gi-oh fanfic
Disclamer- I do not own Yu-gi-oh and most of the other things in this fic.
/Hikari to Yami/
#Yami to Hikari#
{Thoughts}
Chapter 10- Pawn
'It has been a long time, Tomb Keeper.' The High Priest said, walking around the room. 'Although, we never really met. You took over before I could contact you.'
'What the hell do you mean?' Malik said hoarsely, sucking in deep breaths.
'When you first came into contact with the Rod, of course. You didn't think that I wasn't there, did you?' He crouched down, coming face-to-face with Malik. 'We could have negotiated. I could have lent you my power for a time, until I located my true reincarnation, but no. You forced yourself into the rod, squeezing my soul into a small corner.'
'That wasn't me!' Malik yelled suddenly, pulling himself towards Seto. The possessed Bakura snarled and pulled him back. 'And you know it.' He glared at the High Priest, who laughed cruelly.
'But he was! Was he not a side of you, composed of your negative emotions?' He raised an eyebrow, the cruel smirk still on his face. Malik said nothing, hanging his head down weakly, trying to regain strength.
'Now, here comes the hard part.' Seto slowly paced around the room, twirling the Rod. 'What should I do with you?'
'You're not turning me into a slave like Bakura?' Malik raised an eyebrow.
'Tch! You think me a fool!' Seto glared coldly at the Egyptian. 'I know all of the Millennium Rod's powers; and I also know that since you once possessed the Rod, that you are immune to most of them.'
'Seems I've escaped your wrath then.' Malik said on impulse, not really meaning it.
'Not quite. It just means that I have to be a bit more creative then usual.' The malevolent smirk once again appeared on Seto's face, sending a chill down Malik's spine. 'I could kill you,' He mused. ' But that would raise questions. As would sending you to the Shadow Realm, plus I'm sure that you would eventually escape from there anyway.'
Seto started walking around again, tapping his chin with the head of the Rod. Malik watched his movements with a detached terror, whilst the Possessed Bakura watched with an almost bored look. Seto stopped suddenly, an even more chilling and cruel smile appearing on his face.
'Of course...' He said, almost whispering. 'Why should I neglect what is already there?'
'What the hell are you talking about?'
'And in doing so, I gain your servitude.' Seto locked his gaze with the Possessed Bakura. A moment of silence, then the Possessed shuddered.
'You are willing to go this far?' He asked. 'Just to settle your lust for revenge?'
'You know nothing about my lust!' Seto snarled angrily. The Possessed winced.
Do it.
The command was mental, stimulated by the rod. The possessed Bakura looked at Malik, his face a toss up between stoicism and sympathy, before he twisted him around, lifting up his shirt and revealing the tattoo on his back.
'What?!' Malik yelled, trying to wriggle his way out of the iron strong grip. Seto paused, turning the music up on Malik's stereo system, then placing a magical sound barrier around them. Malik yelled for help, but his efforts were futile. Seto revealed the hidden blade on the Millennium Rod, murmuring words of the ancient language of the Egyptian Priests. Then he slowly dragged the blade over the tattoos. Blood dripped down, then retracted back into the wound, making it glow a bright cherry red. Malik screamed in pain, barely hanging onto consciousness. Within a few minutes, Seto was finished. All of Malik's back was glowing, as if molten metal had been poured onto it. To Malik's perspective, it just might well have been.
'If you say anything about this, or reveal any information about me or the Rod to the others,' Seto smiled and clicked his fingers, the pain suddenly flaring up again. Malik had to bite his lip to stop himself from screaming out again. He slowly lifted his head, and looked into the crazed eyes of the High Priest.
'And now, I must take my leave.' Seto stepped into the shadows, disappearing from view. The Possessed Bakura slowly let Malik out of his hold, then he picked up his stuff and started towards the door.
'Why?' Malik asked hoarsely, shuddering in pain.
'Because I have no choice. Because I have to protect those who have no place in these events,' The Possessed turned to face Malik, his face emotionless. 'And because I couldn't stop him even if I tried.' He turned back around and continued his decent. Malik slumped onto the ground, thin wisps of steam seeping from the cooling tattoos.
'The poor devil.' He whispered weakly, before slipping into a fitful sleep.
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'News flash: Malik Ishtar has come to school!' Jounouchi mocked, his hands making a camera. Malik, in a bad mood, simply pushed the energetic blonde away.
'You seem preoccupied.' Yugi commented. 'Anything wrong?'
'Nothing!' He snapped, tearing his gaze from Yugi's.
'We both know that's a lie.' Yugi said seriously. 'It's about the Magic isn't it.'
Malik was about to open his mouth when his back started throbbing in pain. A warning, it would seem.
Give him any more information, knowingly or otherwise, and I guarantee that you will live to regret it.
Seto's voice echoed through Malik's head, reminding him that he was worse off the Bakura; at least he didn't know he was a pawn.
'Leave me be!' Malik growled angrily, walking away from Yugi and his group. Why did they have to be so nosey?! Damn them. Damn the High Priest. Damn Yami Malik. And damn himself for not disposing of the Rod properly.
Yugi watched Malik walk away, knowing that there was something different about him.
'He hasn't changed.' Jou humped, folding his arms. 'You'd think that he would have lightened up a little.'
'I don't know.' Yugi replied. 'He seemed in better spirit at the airport. I think something must have happened, something to do with our magic problem.'
'..... Mm? What where you saying?'
'Nothing.' Yugi sighed. It was always the same. Whenever he tried to explain what was happening, the others would just space out and miss the entire conversation. Only the Millennium Item owners seemed to be immune to this. That also meant that there was only three people, including himself, that could help with the crisis. He sighed again.
'Yugi, I need to talk to you.' Ryou said hurriedly, as he walked past. Confusedly, Yugi followed. They walked down corridors until they got to an empty room.
'What is it Bakura?' Yugi asked. At first, Ryou said nothing, simply glancing around the room. Then he took off the Millennium Ring and placed it on a desk.
'... I think that my Yami is somehow involved in this.' He said quietly.
'What makes you think that?' Yugi asked.
'My Yami possesses me often, and usually I have an inkling about what for. But recently....' He paused, looking down at the ground. 'Last night at nine, he took over. I regained control an hour and a half later. My shirt was bloodstained, for once not my own, and I felt extremely fatigued. When I enquired about what happened, my Yami simply told me to keep my nose out of other people's business.'
#DAMN THE GRAVE ROBBER! HE'S BEEN LEADING US ON ALL ALONG!# Yami yelled from his soul room.
'We shouldn't draw conclusions.' Yugi said to both Ryou and Yami. 'I mean, we must remember that we're up against the Rod.'
'That makes it even worse then!' Ryou said miserably. 'Who knows, he may be listening even now. All our plans would have been for nothing.'
The bell ran at that point. Ryou slowly picked up the Ring and once again placed it around his neck. The two then slowly trudged back to class.
Malik also went to class, taking his seat. A perfect seat too, right in front of the High Priest. He could feel the ice cold eyes boring into his back now.
Kaiba sighed heavily. He was caught up in a series of events that he had no control over. He did not like this feeling. His eyes narrowed. It was time to wrest control from his past life.
Seto was too deep in thought to detect the mutinous ideas from Kaiba. The pharaoh was too close to discovering his true identity. He needed a plan to divert attention away from him and to give him time to prepare for the final attack. He could use the Tomb robber, but that would dissolve too soon. He needed something new, something unexpected.
At that moment, Otogi Ryuji walked in from his four week vacation. An idea formed, and the High Priest smiled.
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R&R Please. Hope this chapter makes up for the long wait. And such a plot twist! Oooh, evil...