Chapter Three: Of Malik and Memories

Marik was thinking. It was a hobby he had picked up recently to replace his old one of 'try to take over the world.' He had found it seriously disturbing at first, especially when he realised that he had never wanted to take over the world in the first place. What would he do with it anyway? No, he hadn't wanted to take over the world - he had wanted to destroy it. So had Malik. And now they didn't. Neither had coped too well at the loss of the main driving force in their lives.

Malik had looked at Isis and snarled "How would you feel if you had a dream and the will to carry it out, but you knew that those who claimed to love you would do practically anything to prevent that from happening?"

Isis hadn't answered. And Marik had tipped back his head and laughed, because at least his light side had loved ones to strike out at and hurt, and because the boy's dream to see the world had come true despite everything his sister had tried.

When he was younger, Malik had been different. He had been just as quick to anger, to feel hurt, but he had also been swift to take joy in the simplest of things and to laugh just from happiness. His one sight of the world filled him with wonder, and a terrible longing to see more. Terrible, because Malik had been spoiled, not by having too much but by having too little. His longing changed as he grew older, never to acceptance but to bitterness and hatred. The painful creation of the tattoos on his back was one final straw of many. Malik's young self - the one that could see the beauty in the world - had been lost long before Malik and Marik ever met, and so Marik had only met the child in his hikari's memories, tainted by the young man's bitterness and need for revenge.

Now was different. What was the point in taking revenge on those who hadn't hurt you, when those which had - like Isis - you care to much about to destroy. The only person that really deserved Malik's vengeance was Marik, and for some reason his hikari seemed to include him in the list of people he cared about. Malik still didn't trust him much though, a fact that Marik disliked extremely. True, he had tried to take over the boy's body, but that had been before he had seen him smile.

They had been in a garden. Marik didn't remember why. He had been strong enough by then to be substantial even to non-millennium item holders, (the theory being that it had something to do with the amount of time he had had a host and wasn't just trapped in the rod.) He was there only because he felt like it, and because his hikari couldn't do a thing about it.

Malik had caught at his dark side's hand spontaneously. "Marik, look! Isn't it beautiful?" And Marik had looked, for the first time in his life. A world that had once only contained madness and darkness, now contained madness, darkness and a butterfly, and the sight of his aibou's face bright with delight. The ex-assassin had never seen anything like it before, and it fascinated him. Now, above all desire for power, or the world, or revenge, he wanted to see Malik smile and laugh again and mean it, just like he had then.

He did so now, notes of astonishment and wonder drawing him out of his thoughts. "Look yami, someone's sent us an owl with a letter!" Which was nonsense of course, except that there really was an owl - looking extremely elegant and predatory in bright gold plumage - perched on Malik's shoulder. "Isn't he gorgeous?" Marik had to admit that he was, but that didn't stop him from watching suspiciously as his light opened the obviously enchanted letter. "It's for both of us, I think." Malik scanned the letter quickly and handed it to Marik. "I'll just tell Isis we're leaving tomorrow, then we can get ready to leave." He disappeared upstairs, leaving Marik to read.

Ma'ik Ishtar,

You are hereby invited, along with two others, to fill the position of Defence

Against the Dark Arts, at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Should you

choose to accept, the Hogwarts express will be leaving from Domino Station,

platform 3½, every Tuesday at 12:00 noon. Please send a reply with the owl that

delivered this letter, informing us of your decision, and/or date of arrival.

We await your owl.

Their far from normal background was not one that promoted disbelief in a school of magic. Marik's greatest shock was that anyone would consider him or Malik as suitable teachers. ~How do they know we won't abuse our position?~ As soon as that thought occurred to him, another followed it. ~How indeed?~ Ever since Isis had insisted on their disbanding the Ghouls, they had missed having minions. This was going to be fun.

That evening, Dumbledore was accosted by an arrogant golden owl with a very sharp beak. "Why is it that I end up sending out the only group of owls that have an extreme dislike for me on one of the most important missions of the year?"

Fawkes looked at him smugly. Albus sighed. "They are the fastest, true. But - ouch!" The owl saw fit to remind him he was supposed to be suffering, and at least trying to retrieve the letter.

Ma'ik's reply, once he had wrested it from the owl, seemed hardly worth the effort. One word. 'Tomorrow.'

He put it next to the note from Rakura that had said 'Fine, see you tomorrow.'

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In the Beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth. This has made a lot of people very angry, and is generally regarded as a bad move. Until it is ascertained which God it was, however, it is lamentably impossible to press charges, or even to get Him to rectify His mistake. Which suits everybody just fine, thankyou-very-much, in an "I'm sure we will look into the matter when we're not quite so busy now get out" kind of way. You can almost see the insincerity condensing on the windowpane.

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That chapter was a bit strange, I think. Certainly AU in places. Please review and tell me what you think. I like questions - especially intelligent ones!

Review replies:

Cyborgirl0016, ruth 4 kai, Kanberry - Thanx! Glad you like.

Starlit Hope - I've confused myself now. If there are pairings they will be yaoi (hikari/yami) hence the warning. But who knows . . .

Dark-necrophhia666 - *removes hand from sword-hilt and curtseys in return* Delighted to hear that, I certainly shall. I don't know that much about the actual cards, so if you'd tell me a bit about the necro' there's a good chance I'd use it in my story. Up to you, of course.

Silvie - All quotes are adopted then adapted as suits my fancy. Read Discworld or suffer my wrath. The hitchhikers guide to the galaxy too, while you're at it.

Murphy is actually part of my pantheon - the God of Irony, I believe. )If you know how to get on his good side, this is actually not a bad thing.)

DBZ? Oh, you mean the fusions? Yep. It's a really cool concept - lots of fun. Imagine a fusion of Anzu and Pegasus. On second thoughts. . . don't.

In this reality the yamis get gradually more 'real' the longer they spend out of their items. So they can be solid when they want to be now. (In truth, I just thought it was more fun that way.) I do have an excuse for Ryou and Bakura trusting each other, but that would be a spoiler.

I haven't read the manga, or even seen the end of Battle City *sounds of screaming and breaking china are heard in the distance.* Reruns happened. I expect this is AU - oh well.

And it is Mithril - I checked. (Fellowship of the Ring, just after Moria)

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I shall return! MwahahahahahaMWAHAHAHAHAHA!

Yours Insincerely

Eris, Goddess of Discord, Darklady of the Spire, and Patroness of Chaos.