SilverD: Okay guys! Ready for number twelve?
DWyrm: I am sure they are, since they are reading this.
SilverD: Oh yeah, anyway, thanks for keeping up everybody, it good to see our regulars still reading.
DWyrm: Yes, yes, very nice. Now let us get on with it.
SilverD: Ok, ok.
Disclaimer: FanFiction.net, duh.
Notes: No new ones today.
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Ch. 12: Criminal Conference
Ishizu pulled out of her trance, exhausted. She had stayed in the past longer than what was healthy. 'Nabe's past life is who I've feared. I need not search further; the Dragon is his yami. I just hope I can contact the pharaoh in time.'
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Nabe loitered around Battle City, watching duels. He was worried about Rhona, but from her earlier actions, he was sure she could take care of herself. He wondered what Yugi and the rest of the gang were up to. 'Yugi must have six locator cards by now, and Joey, well, I'm not so sure about him. I hope he does too.'
Sebak waited patiently in his chambers, counting off the minutes till he felt the telltale dark presence of Marik. Just as he was reaching 120, his silent mental scanning was answered. Eagerly, he contacted his hikari. //Nabe, I have some business to take care of, would you mind letting me use your body for a bit? \\
/Uh, what kind of business? \
//My own, now please, can I? \\
/Oh, fine. It's not like I have anything better to do with six locator cards. \
//Thank you. \\
/Yeah, sure, whatever. \
Sebak quickly took possession of the teen's body, letting Nabe play in his soul room. For safety's sake, the dragon did not let any physical changes creep over the body, besides the inescapable eye change. Now in control, the spirit doggedly tracked the power signature. After a good half hour of brisk walking, Sebak came to a set of buildings with alleyways intertwined between them. The ancient one slipped into a nearby passage and looked around for Marik. He could hear his voice speaking with another. Not wanting to interrupt the two, Sebak glanced up for a way to the roof. A good 20 feet or so up was a fire escape ladder, the only access to the roof barring scaling the wall itself. Coiling his legs, the dragon prepared himself for a seemingly impossible feat. Sebak jumped, propelling himself up with his unnatural strength. His outstretched hand just missed the bottom rung, sending him back to the ground. Annoyed, Sebak tried again and failed. 'Weak little mortals,' he grumbled to himself.
After another two tries, the dragon gave up jumping for the ladder. Instead, he was going to climb. Sebak let his more subtle features appear on the teen's body. The thick, stumpy horns, the rough, scale-like skin, the toned, larger muscles, and the needed claws all shimmered into existence. He extended the blades to their full length of two and a half inches, just shy of his true talons. The spirit sank one set into the concrete and brick wall, the points biting readily into the stony surface. He reached his other arm up and repeated the action, again, and again, until he was high enough to reach the ladder. Quickly, Sebak climbed the rest of the way up by means of stairs. Once on the roof, he slipped quietly to the edge and peered down at the two conversationalists. He recognized one gold-banded individual as Marik, the dark signature emanated from him. The other he was not sure of, for a moment. 'Wait, that is the holder of the Ring; what is his name, Ryou? I had a scrap with him at the museum.' Sebak shuddered. 'I have no idea how I will be able to work with an Item holder.'
Soon their chatter floated up to the dragon's ears. 'So this Marik wants Ryou to help him as well. I wonder why, are I not enough?'
The two continued on about their deal. Marik would hand over his Millennium Rod to Bakura if the spirit helped him by dueling someone on his behalf. The dragon was quickly tiring of this useless babble and was about to jump down to them when the two item holders began to glow with magical auras. Hissing like an angry cat, the spirit fell backwards from his sanding position, landing on his butt, and crab-walked away from the energies. The ever-alert tomb robber heard the noise. Bakura looked critically up at the roof. "All right, who's up there? Show yourself."
"What is it?" asked Marik.
"I heard a noise from the roof."
"A spy?"
"I don't know."
The two waited patiently for their watcher to appear. Finally, Sebak bundled up his courage, and his pride, and stood, walking nobly to the roof's edge. Bakura recognized him instantly. "YOU!" he shouted up at the Manacle spirit. "What in Ra's name are you doing following me?!"
The dragon growled down at him. "Whoever said I was following you."
Bakura looked quizzically at Marik. "Why would he be following you?"
"That is an interesting question. Why are you following me?"
"You told me we should meet. I did not know how you would find me, so I found you," replied Sebak from his lofty perch.
Realization dawned on Marik's face. "Ah, now I remember you. You're that guy I met after that duel."
Confused, Bakura looked at Marik for answers. "What duel?"
"It does not concern you," said the tomb keeper, and then turning to Sebak, "Why don't you come down here so we can talk."
"As long as Ryou does not attack me.
"Ryou!" yelled Bakura. "Ryou is my good-for-nothing host. My name is Bakura."
"Fine whoever you are, do not attack me."
"What authority do you have to tell me what to do?"
The two had a stare off for several seconds, daring the other to move. Finally, Marik intervened, speaking loudly so both could hear. "Both of you stop this waste of time. You," he said up at the Manacle spirit, "get down here now."
Sebak gave him a haughty look before stepping calmly off the edge of the roof. The two in the alley gasped as the dragon fell the whole five stories, landing with cat-like grace on the pavement bellow. Startled but not surprised, Bakura waited indifferently. Marik nodded with approval, smirking at the way Sebak looked back at him. "So you have some skills, but now are you going to enlighten me about who you are? A name would be helpful."
The dragon looked at the tomb keeper, trying to decide whether or not he should trust him. "You know," said Marik, fingering the eye symbol on his Rod, "I could always find out for myself."
Sebak's eyes widened at this, and he took a tiny step back. "Fine, if you put it that way," grumbled the spirit. "You may call me Sebak."
"Sebak, is it?" replied Marik. "Very well. It seems you have met Bakura."
The dragon gave the tomb robber a disgruntled look before answering. "Yes, we have run into each other before."
"Excellent," said Marik, "now here's what I have planned: Yami has a circle of little friends. He will do anything for them. It is his major weakness. I'm sure them both of you have noticed this before."
The two nodded in agreement before the Rod holder continued. "We need someone close to his friends, so we can play to this defect of his. Now, who is closer to them?" asked Marik, looking back and forth between his two accomplices.
Bakura stepped forward. "I am. My host has been friends with Yugi for some time."
"Yes, you will do nicely," continued Marik, a victorious grin spreading over his face. "You will duel for me as your host; those pathetic fools would never hurt one of their own."
Sebak spoke up, "That is a good idea, but holograms do not hurt."
"That's why I'll be dueling in the Shadow Realm," replied Bakura.
Sebak grimaced at the mention of that hideous place. The tomb robber laughed. "You truly are weak."
"My powers reside in other places," hissed the dragon in return.
"Enough," said Marik. "You two bicker like a pair of wild dogs."
The other two calmed down, but only a fraction. "Now then, to business," said the tomb keeper. "People always hate to hurt their friends, but they hate hurting their friends more if they are already hurt."
"What do you mean?" asked Bakura.
Sebak butted in, interrupting Marik, "He means we should hurt you, so you will have a greater affect on Yami's friends."
"I certainly will not let you hurt me!"
"Come now Bakura," said Marik, again fingering his Rod, "it's not you getting hurt, it's your host."
"Well, when you put it that way…"
"Excellent," said Sebak, extending his claws again. "Marik, may I do the honors?"
"Fine, just don't overdo it."
The dragon leaped at Bakura; the tomb robber had to stifle his instinct to dodge and retaliate. Sebak slashed him fiercely along his upper arm. Bakura winced, but held his ground as blood began to flow, dripping to the pavement. Sebak was about to slash again when Marik stopped him. "I think the claws are a bit too much. Normal thugs wouldn't cut him that much."
Sebak grunted in reply, withdrawing the talons to their shortest length, proceeding in pummeling the tomb robber. After a few minutes, Marik stopped him again, deeming the numerous bruises and sores adequate for their purpose. Then the tomb keeper bandaged the cut as best he could and lead the now weak looking Bakura out to find Yami's friends. Before he left, Marik gave Sebak explicit instructions not to follow, but to precede to the Battle City finals, where he would hopefully get to duel, and crush, the pharaoh, all of which out of Bakura's ear shot. Now Sebak had nothing to do as he watched the two actors stumble down the sidewalk, so he returned control to Nabe. The teen was confused at why he was in a dark alley, but did not ask questions; he knew he would not get any answers. After wandering around battle City some more, he decided to look for Yugi and the others. Sebak too was curious on how the pharaoh was fairing, and waited till his host found him.
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SilverD: Yes! All done with numba 12!!!!!!
DWyrm: Woo hoo.
SilverD: You're such a pessimist.
DWyrm: I do what I can.
SilverD: *sighs* Anyway, to the reviewers.
Mina-chan AMD: Glad at least one of you liked it. Sorry Kaiya, but we did what we had to do.
sdrive: Thanks, we'll read yours too.
LittleYugiBoy: Glad to have your support. Glad you like the flower thing. Thanks for the tip. Keep reading!
Shadow of Society: Happy to have you as a new reviewer! Keep reading; it gets better.
Shayken Destiny: At least someone commented on the history. Glad you like it and the duels too.
DWyrm: Alas, now is where we say goodbye.
SilverD: But not for too long, I hope.
DWyrm: REVIEW!!!!!!