Sakakku

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Notes: More scene jumping. Also, italics are a flashback, just like in chapter 1. (Wow, that was a long time ago, wasn't it?)

As for the time-travel: Yes, it's supposed to be confusing. Anyway, Kaiba remembers because he was the one who Summoned Time Wizard. Yami and Joey remember because they're his allies (though I tried getting him to admit it. ::cringes:: Take my advice… it's hopeless). Marik, Bakura, and everyone else have forgotten.

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Chapter 27

xXx

"Why is this palace so f-cking big?" Malik snarled, stopping to slam his hand against the wall. Unsatisfied, he continued to pound at it until the dust that had accumulated along the upper corners drifted down and landed in his hair. Then he gave a violent roar and shook his head frantically, trying to get it off.

Geoff stared at him in astonishment. This was so unlike the Malik he'd seen. But perhaps he should have realized he acted this way occasionally, from the stories Malik had told him of his past.

x

"You know, this is all my fault," Malik said conversationally.

Geoff brushed his fingers along the wall, troubled. Something odd was lurking in there. Hard to say what it was.

"You can't blame yourself for something Marik did," he told Malik.

"No, no," Malik shook his head. "It's not like Marik started all this. I did."

Geoff's fingers slowed in their tracing until they stopped. He stared at them. "Huh?"

"I formed the Rare Hunters," Malik informed him. His tone was forcedly conversational. "I was supposed to be a Tomb-Keeper, awaiting the return of the Pharaoh and guarding the Millennium Rod. But… I don't know. I've never been very patient. And I guess I got greedy. Because I betrayed my sister and my family and broke off. I corrupted Odion and started stealing the God Cards. When I met up with the Pharaoh, I tried three times to defeat him in a Duel and take the Puzzle. But all that happened was that I lost Slifer.

"So I used the Rod to possess his best friend. Joey Wheeler. I pitted the two of them against each other in a stupid duel, for Slifer, for the Puzzle, and basically for all the power I know now I couldn't control.

"I won the duel, but lost so much more. The Pharaoh got away, thank the gods. But at the time, I was angry. Furious. So mad, I accidentally unleashed the darkness within myself: Marik.

"Well, he's a lot like me. Which means, he doesn't like sharing. He was okay ruling side-by-side with Bakura, because they were different types of 'bad'. But like I said, I was a lot like him, and he didn't want me around. So first he locked me away within my own mind. Later, when he figured out how to separate bodies, he did so right away. Then locked me away again, just in here.

"The best thing anyone ever did for me was to stick me with Ryou Bakura for eleven and a half months. I'd already started to see what was going on, and how it wasn't such a hot idea as I'd always thought. Plus, I noticed the darkness around Marik and Bakura- the different kind of darkness- the God Card darkness. And- well. Let's just say, some of the things they did weren't pretty. Something troubling was starting to prod at my mind. You know- that old, 'Maybe taking over the world and ruining life as everyone knows it isn't such a great idea!' " Malik laughed. Geoff's mouth was slightly open in shock.

"Anyway. I talked with Ryou- there wasn't much else to do. So we talked, and he lectured, and I got angry, and he lectured some more. Then I got really angry, he tried to hide under the bed, we didn't talk for two days until I got bored, and we started to talk again. After a while, his moral views that I used to call sappiness won me over.

"I'm going to skip all the gushy stuff. Let's just say, I really think I'm a better person. My sister Ishizu would like me now. Odion would be proud. And Ryou is my best friend in the world. I owe him everything. Can you imagine what I'd be like if I didn't know him?" Once again, Marik laughed, but this time with a rather bemused expression on his face. "I wish I could still talk to him."

x

"Calm down," Geoff urged now. "We're never going to find Kaya and Ryou if we lose it now."

"I think we're never going to find them at all," Malik said, suddenly subdued. He slid down the wall angrily. "This palace is huge! And the hallways are as twisted as Marik's mind! You've spent several weeks here, and you don't even know where we are! We are completely lost!"

The floor he was sitting on began to vibrate. He looked up quizzically at Geoff, but the other boy didn't seem to notice anything. "What?" Geoff asked in reference to Malik's staring.

"Do you feel that rumbling?" Malik asked hesitantly. He was pressed against the floor and the wall, and was therefore very sensitive to their movement. His doubts that Geoff, standing in the center of the hall, could feel it were confirmed when he shook his head.

"I think something odd happened down there," Malik said, pointing vaguely to the left.

"Really?" Geoff shot the wall a glance. The rumbling stopped.

"Yeah. Let's try to get over there," Malik said, rising in a hurry. "It might not be Ryou and Kaya. But then again-"

"I suppose," Geoff said, following Malik. There were no turns left, however, and they wasted additional time trying to find the right pathway that would lead them to the area where Malik had felt the vibrations.

Just as Malik began wondering what exactly he thought he'd find, they noticed a few pebbles farther down the hall. When they rushed to the end and looked right, the pebbles had turned to giant stones scattered carelessly around. Part of the wall and ceiling were missing.

In the middle of the mess was a body.

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Ryou's pounds had slowed to weak thumps on the door when it swung open. "Ryou!"

Ryou stared blankly up, his hand still slowly falling down. It landed on Malik's chest. Malik ignored the fist and grabbed Ryou's arms, dragging him out of the closet.

"Help," Ryou croaked, his voice hoarse.

"Ryou! What were you doing in there! What-" his voice suddenly dropped. "What happened to Kaya?"

Ryou glanced down the hall. Geoff was kneeling over his sister's body, head bowed. Suddenly the nausea in his stomach rose violently and he leaned his head to the side, so he wouldn't throw up on Malik. Luckily, he didn't vomit. But the sickness didn't go away, either.

"I'm-" Malik started awkwardly, but fell silent. Nothing he could say would come out right.

Geoff slowly came up to them and Ryou slowly looked at the other boy in sadness and despair. Geoff's eyes were red. His face was blotchy, as if he'd been crying.

"Your hands are bleeding," Geoff said flatly.

"Wha-" Ryou dazedly brought up his hands to eye level. He'd scraped them raw, pounding on the stone. "Oh. It doesn't matter. Nothing matters."

"Bakura and Marik matter," Malik said firmly. "Remember why we're here in the first place. Yami is outside. Maybe…"

"Maybe what?" Ryou asked blankly. Geoff was fishing around in one of his pockets.

"Maybe." Malik didn't finish his sentence. Geoff silently handed Ryou a damp cloth smelling strangely. He patted his hands down with it, and abruptly the blood dried up and his wounds closed. The pain was mostly gone, too. He flexed his hands wonderingly.

"Thanks," he murmured, handing the cloth back to Geoff. Geoff carelessly tossed it over his shoulder.

"We have to go out there. I'd bet my life something's going on." Perhaps Malik hadn't chosen the best words, but both of his companions agreed with the sentiment.

Malik and Ryou had been locked up for the duration of their time spent in this palace, so they didn't notice the suspicious absence of Rare Hunters, especially once Geoff located the main, broad hallway that led to the outside. He kept this knowledge to himself. It was enough that he knew Malik was right- something was going on.

xXx

Mai's thoughts were woozy. She only vaguely remembered being dragged across the desert by Yugi and Yami- how decidedly uncool. Then blessed coldness was placed on her leg, and abruptly all the lingering pain was gone. All that was left was a faint tiredness, but that was quickly fading. She laid on the hard surface under her, trying to piece together what had happened.

A lot of people had gathered here in this cavern. They'd had a conference… then Yami had left, taken off for the palace, stopping only to reassure a frantically worried Yugi. A few hours after that, Ishizu had fallen to her knees, gasping out a vision. Mai remembered the black-haired woman's words:

'The Pharaoh will not survive without the Millennium Items. The Necklace isn't necessary now… but the Scales and Key must be given to him immediately!'

After a hasty discussion, Yugi and Ezra had left. Yugi was on the verge of tears. Ezra had brought along the jackal, Anuba. They'd tied up the Millennium Items in a bundle and fastened that to the jackal's back after letting her sniff Yami's cowl. They were hoping Anuba could track Yami down and deliver the Items to him.

She swung her legs off the bed and stood. Her vision momentarily blackened, but quickly cleared. She felt much better.

Those that were left- Mokuba, Pegasus, Kimo, Ishizu, and Shadi- were giving her curious looks. "I'm leaving," she announced. "There's no way I'm going to sit around here and wait for news."

Ishizu shrugged. Her face was lined and weary. "I sense the world falling to pieces," she intoned. "Everything we know is about to change. It doesn't matter anymore. Go, go to the palace. Maybe you can help."

Mai's purple orbs widened. Mokuba looked shocked. The other men looked vaguely grumpy. "I expect Odion will want to leave in a few minutes too," Ishizu said, looking at her brother. "In fact, I know it. In precisely two hours, he will wake up and want to go after Miss Téa Gardner. He still feels responsible for her."

Of course, Ishizu was right. She was always right. But she prayed all that afternoon- after Mai left, after Odion left, after they heard the ruckus coming from the palace- that she'd be wrong about what she saw coming next.

xXx

When Yugi decided to go after Yami, Ezra had insisted on coming with him. When he responded distractedly that she wouldn't be of any help, obviously not intending to be rude, she'd flashed him the Luster Dragon. Across the room, the card had caught Mokuba's attention. Mokuba's eyes grew wide and he stared for a few seconds before ducking his head with a smile on his lips. Yugi had found it pointless to argue, since he knew exactly how Ezra felt; and besides her dragon might be of use to their mission.

Those last few minutes kept flashing through Ezra's head as she dashed after Yugi and Anuba loped easily at her heels. She nervously checked the precious bundle Anuba was carrying every few seconds. She didn't know what they were charging into, not really. All she could do was hope.

But then again, that was all any of them were holding onto, in the end.

xXx

"Here we are," Yugi said. Ezra glanced up, half caught off guard. After running through their strategy multiple times, they'd fallen silent as they dashed through Akuma. Focused on her feet, and on worried thoughts of Seto, she had barely noticed the giant white wall looming closer. She swallowed nervously; it seemed a whole lot bigger than she'd expected. From the look in Yugi's eyes, he hadn't really expected it either.

Following Yugi's lead with the Red Eyes, Ezra Summoned Luster Dragon. She was surprised; it somehow seemed easier. She shot a troubled look at the pack strapped to Anuba, the jackal patiently sitting at her heels. Was she inadvertently tapping into the power of the Millennium Items?

Yugi hesitated a short second. "We'll distract the Hunters with the dragons while Anuba finds Yami?"

"That's the plan," Ezra replied. They had discussed it a hundred times during the frantic sprint over.

"It seems risky…"

Before Ezra had even replied, Yugi spun around. "All right," he called to the Red Eyes, pointing at the wall. "Smash your way through!"

Red Eyes roared; the sound reverberated through the air as the dragon swung its powerful tail at the white marble. Two lashes and it crumbled inward; the dragon charged through headfirst. Joining with a gleeful roar, Luster Dragon stomped through the ruble, bits of stone bouncing off its hard scales.

Wide-eyed, Yugi started a bit, then began cautiously picking his way through the chaos the dragons had left in their path. Ezra followed, and Anuba quickly pulled ahead of them.

It hadn't occurred to either of them to doubt whether Anuba could, in fact, find Yami. Ezra had faith in her jackal's prowess, and Yugi trusted in… well, Yugi trusted. As the jackal bounded off, evading incredulous stares from the Rare Hunters who were focused on the dragons, they could only hope their instincts were right.

Yugi clenched a fist at the Hunters, who were starting to recover from the shock. "We have come for-" he paused only for a fraction of a second. "Téa Gardner!"

Oh yes, a cover story. Téa's name sounded familiar. Ezra vaguely recalled Seto informing her that Téa was imprisoned here; he had been scowling as he did when talking about any of Yami's counterparts.

"You may have come to rescue her, but it is you who will need rescuing," an unpleasant voice sounded. Ezra glanced left to try and find the speaker, but was met with a wall of Duel Monsters. She swallowed nervously; planted her feet firmly into the ground, for all the good that would do; and in the next instant the Monsters attacked.