Bad chappie, I know, but I have explicit LIME in the next chapter. Lots and lots of hot, limey goodness. (Beams)
Oh yes...for those of you who seem to be worried about the hinted deaths of the characters..
..only one character will die in this fic. I won't tell you who, but since this goes by Battle City plotline...well, that's a lot of hints already. But don't worry. There will be a sequal to this, that goes along the AE plotline. So don't worry, whoever dies here will come back later. Is that alright?
I swear I have everything all planned out for this story. And it's not over yet!
Chapter Eleven: Marik vs. Bakura
"Rishid...the Shadows are waiting...as well as death."
Marik smirked as he cocked his head to one side. Oh, how pathetic Rishid looked in his bed. Slowly, Marik unsheathed the dagger hidden within his Rod, smirking all the while.He was about to plunge the knife into Rishid's heart, about to welcome the high wave of murderous glee as he did when he killed Malik's idiotic father...
...when a soft tingling noise distracted him, followed by a low, evil laugh.
Mildly interested, he swiftly turned around, and saw the silouhette of his lover in the shadows.
"Ryou?"
There was a small laugh, as the figure took a step. Immediately, Marik noticed the confident stance, the missing limp, the tense, hard muscles across thin, skeleton figure. And the hair. Raised into the air, sharp and cruel. And the eyes. Not Ryou's eyes.
Marik should've known.
"Not exactly," smirked the voice, face hidden among the shadows. Ryou never hid among the shadows. He was a sunny person, who liked the light, but didn't mind darkness. But this person...was enjoying the darkness of the shadows, loving it. "Although I'm sure I brought someone else with me you'd like to see just as much."
"Hmnph," Marik snorted softly, raising an eyebrow.
"He's your other side, your other personality," smirked the shadow again. "Your hikari, aibou, the other Malik."
Marik closed his eyes, smirking and snorting again. He had been wondering how this spirit was going to come back from the Shadows. How ironic. When Malik had possessed Ryou's body to talk to the spirit housing within, he had left a piece of him behind...
"Hello, Bakura."
Bakura stepped out into the light, his cover finally blown, but of course, he didn't look worried. If anything, he still had his narrowed eyes, his small, deranged smirk.
"Good to see you too, Yami no Malik," smirked Bakura. "Hmn. How sweet. Am I interrupting anything? Family business, perhaps?"
Chuckling to himself, Marik looked up.
"Well, what do you know. I had forgotten my weaker side was hiding behind your shadow, Bakura. Tell me, how does it feel to be his lap dog?"
"Why don't you ask him yourself?" smirked Bakura. A transparent image of Malik appeared next to him, his expression grim.
"Why, hello, my lighter personality," smiled Marik. "And how do you faire today?"
"I won't let you kill Rishid!" said Malik angrily. Marik threw his head back in laughter.
"There really isn't much you can do to stop me, can you, Malik?" laughed Marik. He stared back at Bakura, who was still smirking.
"How about you hand over the Rod, Marik," suggested Bakura lowly, poison dripping his sarcastic tone, "before I add you to my collection of miniature idols?"
Marik snorted. He raised his Rod, and for an instant, simutaneously, his eyes and the eye upon the Rod glowed red. "Go die, Bakura."
Bakura's thin frame was crashed into the wall, yellow, golden ripples forming across his anatomy.
"Now you be a good boy and stay where you are," laughed Marik, smiling. "Once I dispose of Rishid, I'll turn my attention back to you." He turned around to raise the dagger, when suddenly, golden ripples paralyzed his arm in midair. "My hand...! Damn you..."
He turned around and saw the Ring glowing like mad around Bakura's neck, as the ripples disappeared. Unfrazed, Marik cocked his head in mild interest.
"Ahh...how interesting, Bakura. You and I are so much more alike than we thought. We're both darknesses, both yamis, both part of the Shadows. Why not settle this among the setting that best suits us?"
Bakura snickered. "Alright. But it will be your fate."
As each of them headed their own ways to get to the arena, Marik flashed Bakura a dangerous, threatening look.
Stay in there, Ryou. I promise I'll dispose of your darker half once and for all. Just stay with me.
They met uptop the blimp; Marik on one side, Bakura on the other. Marik smirked. Oh, how arrogant did the thief look. What a pity.
Muderous rage spilled through Marik's blood, fuelling them until this blood boiled, threatening to combust through his veins. Bakura was going to die this time, no matter what!
They set the rules, the stakes. Marik laughed, throwing his hair back in halarity as Bakura proposed his stakes.
"Really, Bakura?" Another laugh. "Is the Millennium Rod all you care about? And the secret to the Pharoah's memory? Who would've known, the way Malik always thought about you?"
"You will keep Malik out of this unless I will it to," Bakura snarled lowly. Malik blinked incredously.
"Of course I'm in this!" he protested. "I promised you the Rod and the Pharoah's secret...!"
"And more," smirked Bakura, but as his eyes averted towards the Keeper's Light, his eyes softened slightly with fondness. Malik saw it and had to fight hard to not smile.
"I know," Malik said softly. "But I'm in this too, Bakura. You can't say I'm not. I'm fighting with all I got next to you."
Marik laughed. "How sweet. You two sound like the sweetest couple I've ever seen. The weakest, I'm sure, but sweet all the same."
"I'd say the same thing about you too, Marik," smiled Bakura, his eyes narrowing. "Tell me, how does it feel to be inside my host's body? I never knew you'd like someone as weak as he is. You yourself have always been so strong, so dominating, that I would never have thought you'd fall for someone as weak and pathetic as my host himself."
"You thought wrong," retorted Marik coldly. "I don't fall for Ryou. Needless to say, he does feel good. Very good."
"So...he's nothing but a toy to you then?" smiled Bakura, cocking his head. "I gathered as much, but my pathetic host was so convinced otherwise that he suffered for three days straight in your stead. Now I can prove it to him that I was right all along. You don't care for him anymore than you care for Malik."
"And you?" snapped Marik harshly, anger boiling dangerously at the mention of Ryou's suffering for those terrible three days. "You? You care for Malik? Don't kid me, Bakura. You're a Darkness, a yami. You can't care for anyone at all."
Bakura merely gave Marik a smirk.
"Well...I could say the same as you, Marik. Malik does feel good. Very good."
At this, Malik blushed and frowned at Bakura, but the thief paid hiim no heed. The spirit was prodding dangerous areas, hoping to find the best place to rub, the worst buttons to push to agitate Marik as much as possible.
However, at the mention of Bakura's screw with Malik, the Egyptian Darkness merely shrugged.
"So you screwed with him. Big deal. I have never been protective of my other half, Bakura. You, for some odd reason, have been like the Pharaoh for all the time I've known you. Caring over Ryou, protecting him from Slifer's attack..."
"I don't care for Ryou at all," snarled Bakura back, his own buttons pushed. "He means nothing to me more than a vessel, a host, a shell for me to occupy."
"So I've seen," said Marik dryly. "You don't give a crap about Ryou, and I know it. That's low, Bakura. Destroying someone as..." he trailed off. He was about to say, "kind, sweet, loving", but it was not the time to say such things. Marik growled at himself when he saw Bakura smirk, obviously knowing what he was about to say.
"You mean as 'pathetic and weak' as my own hikari," Bakura supplied. "That's his own fault, Marik. He can never survive in a world where he needs to hide behind someone's back."
"Who are you to accuse Bakura, anyways?" yelled Malik suddenly. "Are you really trying to tell us you love Ryou? Who are you trying to fool, yami!"
"I never said I loved Ryou," Marik said coldly. Bakura laughed, throwing his head back.
"I'm sure. And I suppose you didn't say it even after you seduced him so aggresively he fell asleep in your arms, confessing his love?" Marik's jaw threatened to drop, but almost instantly his fists clenched in anger.
"What are you?" he growled fiercely at Bakura. The thief laughed. Marik seethed, stepping back to regain his posture. If Bakura made another push, another move, another pissing comment, Marik swore he would lunge at the Darkness before him and strangle him then and there. He looked at Malik.
"You really think that I've been the one to cause Ryou pain?" Marik asked, his lips leering into an evil smile. "Do you really think that? I know your thoughts, my other. I've seen the way you look at Bakura, the way you smile when he smiles back, the way you laugh when he laughs, the way you cry when he's upset. You care so much for him, living under the illusion that he's a gentle soul towards his Light."
"He's...not," Malik said softly, sadly chancing a glance at Bakura. Firmly, he looked up, straight into his darker half's eyes. "But I care for Ryou. He's almost been like a second brother to me. You could cause Ryou more pain than Yami Bakura ever would!"
"Oh are you sure?" sneered Marik scathingly. "I didn't stab Ryou's arm, if I remember correctly. In fact, you were the one responsible for Ryou's misfortune. You asked Bakura to join you, asked him to stab his arm so that he could seal a blood pact with you. You even asked to 'borrow' Ryou from Bakura! And what's worse, Malik, is that you actually pretended to be Ryou's friend after that! You pretended you found him on the ground, bleeding and helpless, when you were the one who caused it all! That makes you no different than me, Malik!" Marik smirked at his other's shocked expression. "And judging by what's been done, I'd daresay that the odds are against you. You've caused Ryou more pain than I have so far. And yet here you are, lecturing me how I would hurt Ryou? You're such a hypocrite, Malik."
"But-but-Ryou forgave me...!" Malik protested weakly, as shock began to sink in. His insides wirthed...Marik was right. He did do all that...and yet...Ryou forgave him...!
Marik laughed at his Light's poor attempt to find a way to defend himself. However, Bakura stepped in for it.
"If I had cared, Marik," he said lowly, "if I had cared for my hikari at all, I would've stopped Malik from hurting him. But I don't, and I didn't. Does that prove enough to you that I don't care for Ryou?"
Marik laughed again, his chest heaving rapidly at the thought of Bakura caring for Ryou.
"You don't need to repeat yourself, thief. Really, circular logic?" Marik smirked. "I never knew you had enough of a brain to think of it."
"Watch it," snapped Bakura lowly.
"But...!" Malik was still struggling with his internal debate. "But...you're worse than me! You've hurt Ryou so many times! Those three days you left him...!"
"If I remember, idiot," retorted Marik lowly, "Bakura was the one who tormented him for three days. He was the one who gave Ryou illusions that torutured his soul. Not me."
"But!" Malik sighed, finding his efforts finally futile. He gave Bakura a sad glance. Marik laughed.
"You can't bring yourself to admit exactly how horrible Bakura is, can you?" Marik roared with laughter. "You're so much in love that you can't even notice the difference between me and him! He's just as bad as I am, Malik. Don't fool yourself to thinking that Bakura's capable of compassion, or any passion at all!"
"But...I know he does," Malik said softly, glancing at Bakura melancholicly. "I know he does."
Marik roared with laughter again. "Listen to yourself, Malik. You've always been strong, but not as strong as I am. Look at you! Weak with sentimental thoughts and the feelings of love...do you expect Bakura to pop up at your door, with flowers in his hands and a box of chocolates for you every day?"
"Didn't stop you, did it?" smirked Bakura. "I'm sure Ryou was quite happy with the rose you gave him. You cannot believe how annoying it was the screw with another Lighter half and suddenly feel this lovey dovey emotion from your own lighter half just because he got a stupid rose."
Marik stiffened. One more move...
"You never cared for Malik," Bakura said lowly. "He's not weak. He's strong, and I admire him for it. It's amazing how much strength and skill he had to use just to keep you secret for all those years. Ryou could never have the willpower or the strength to keep me in. Malik's different. You ought to be glad you have such a respectable Light that shares your interest."
Marik laughed again.
"So you love him," Marik said simply. "You love my Light. How sweet." His gaze suddenly narrowed as he wrinked his nose menacingly at the thief. "You ought to be glad you have someone to care for you, Bakura. Ryou has told me many times how he used to heal his own wounds, just so that you could get better. You shouldn't take advantage of such a wonderful asset, Bakura. I should've known better."
"Asset," repeated Bakura. "Ryou is an asset .Whatever he can do, I can do on my own if I only had his body."
"You love Malik, don't you?" asked Marik, avoiding the subject of Ryou. "You care for him, don't you, Bakura? Admit it."
Bakura chanced a slow glance at Malik, who was staring back, slightly frowning apprehensively. Bakura glowered. It wasn't a desperate frown that Ryou always gave...it was a strong frown, one as though...as though Malik could take it if Bakura said no. If Bakura yelled, proclaimed, declared that he didn't love Malik with his heart, Malik would still nod, and turn away.
But Bakura knew Malik better than that. Malik was strong, he always wore a mask that shielded his true feelings. And he knew that Malik would genuinely be hurt if Bakura said no, though he wouldn't show it.
Hence, when he turned back around to face Marik's sneering gaze...
.."I do admit it. I do love Malik, Marik. I love your lighter half."
Marik blinked, and slowly raised and eyebrow, smirking. "I thought so."
"And for all the pain you've caused him," yelled Bakura, bracing himself, "I will send you to the Shadows where you belong!"
Marik laughed, and suddenly threw out his arm first, his instincts faster than Bakura's. Black clouds fumed from Marik's side of the arena, consuming the blimp in a thick, glossy fog that tinted purple and flurry lavender. Bakura seethed at his recklessness; he had missed his chance to take advantage of the duel. No matter. He was the Shadows. He could get Malik back out, anytime.
"Since you've admit you love Malik," smirked Marik lowly, casting his eyes downward, "then I will admit, that I care for Ryou." He snapped up, an evil smirk upon his lips. Bakura was going to pay now, in the Shadow Realm, for what he'd done to Ryou. And to have Malik suffer was an added bonus; for Malik also had caused Ryou pain, and Malik had also betrayed his loyalty to Marik as being his other half..
...not that Marik had cared.
But to watch Malik suffer...Marik smirked. Bakura would suffer in agony knowing that Malik would be destroyed because of him. Perfect defeat .Perfect triumph.
"You will die in this duel, Bakura," stated Marik lowly. "For all the pain you've caused Ryou. Everything he went through, you deserved. Now shut up and duel!"
"With pleasure," retorted Bakura scathingly.
Marik looked up, smirking. Bakura returned the smirk, confident and arrogant.
"Let's duel."
Ryou gasped for breath, clutching at the bars. Marik...admitted he cared for him...he really was being truthful. Ryou remembered how on the exact same morning he had begged Marik to at least lie if he didn't love Ryou...at least prevaricate to make him feel better..
...but Marik had been truthful!
And now, Ryou couldn't help but feel more anxious. Bakura was confident he was going to win, and Ryou had a cold, sick feeling of dread that he was. He didn't want to be banished to the Shadows yet! Marik really did love him! He couldn't go now, not when he finally realized that Marik really did care for him!
"Marik..." Ryou whispered, tears stinging his eyes. "Marik...please be okay."
Ryou's hope dropped down a notch.
Bakura had the Sun God Winged Dragon card.
"Tell me, Marik," smirked Bakura, as he eyed the golden card in his hand. The Winged Dragon of Ra...the Sun God Winged Dragon...where had he seen it before? In ancient Egypt? Why had he felt as though he had felt this god's wrath once before, an odd, premonition prickling, as though he could almost feel the Sun God's attack against his flesh. "How do you plan on winning? If you attack me, Ryou will die...sent to the Shadows and you will no longer have your sweet lover."
"Obviously you don't know the full extent of my powers, Bakura," Marik replied off-handedly. He knew how it was going to work. He was going to send Bakura to the Shadows, leaving nothing but the actual body in its wake. Ryou would still be housing that body, and no sooner was Ryou alright, Marik would actually venture forth in to the Shadows themselves...
..and kill Bakura.
Unfortunately, Bakura had the exact same plan in mind. His, however, included Marik's soul being banished to a tiny little miniature, then Malik's soul would be returned, before Bakura could crack the Marik figurine beneath the heel of his shoe. A lot more simple than whatever Marik had in mind, Bakura was sure. Simplicity had always been the best appraoch.
"Don't try to think too hard, Bakura," Marik taunted. "You're such a pathetic duelist. I can see all of your strategies through and through. Do you really think you can beat the God cards that are in my deck?"
"I've defied gods before," Bakura replied crossly. "This will make no other difference."
Marik laughed. "Don't ramble on about lies you can't fulfill, Bakura."
"Who said they were lies?" Bakura smirked. He threw the card into the air. "REVEAL YOURSELF, WINGED DRAGON OF RA!"
"Ryou...?" Malik whispered softly. He couldn't watch anymore. Bakura had the Sun God Winged Dragon card...he was undoubtedly going to win. But Malik couldn't take Bakura's harsh tone any longer. It seemed as though everytime Bakura was under the prescence of a god, whether it was Obelisk, Slifer or Ra...he was always tense, edgy, as though he despised them.
It was one of things Malik found odd about Bakura. Bakura knew very little about his past, but he knew that he had defied the gods at some point in his life. Malik wasn't so sure. Bakura didn't seem to be...that powerful. Sadistic, evil, and ambitious, sure, but not powerful.
Bakura was one of the only duelists that didn't care for the God cards. Malik found that odd. Really...Bakura only wanted the Millennium Items, only wanted the Pharoah's memory. He didn't even want the God Cards for the memory...why did he despise the gods of Egypt so much?
"Ryou...?" Malik whispered again, slipping into Bakura's conciousness, finding a cell instead of a soul room. A small whimper came from the corner where the bars stood, and Malik saw the outline of a cowering Ryou, who was leaning against the bars for support. Malik hurried to him.
"It's okay, it's just me," he soothed assuringly, revealing his face in the light seeping through the bars. He saw Ryou relax, giving him a small smile.
"Hi."
"Hi," breathed Malik, sitting down. Ryou gave him a sad look.
"Is something wrong, Malik?"
Frowning, Malik shook his head. "No, no...nothing's wrong." For some odd reason, his eyes couldn't help but linger at Ryou's still bleeding wound; dammit, Marik was right. That was his fault... Blowing hair out of his eyes, Malik quickly took off his shirt, surprising Ryou quite a lot, before pressing it to the wound. He heard Ryou gasp and pull away, but he merely held it there firmly to stop the bleeding.
"You're going to die of blood loss if I don't put this here," said Malik firmly. He bit his lip. He had given Ryou that wound...he had made Bakura stab Ryou in the arm...just because he wanted to make sure Bakura would stay by his side forever...
"Malik?" inquired Ryou curiously, shuffling upwards so that he could sit better. "Are you sure nothing's wrong?"
Malik shook his head. "Nothing..."
Ryou frowned, but didn't press. He looked down at the lavender shirt against his wound, and gently eased Malik's hands away. Malik blinked at him.
"It's okay," Ryou assured. "You'd better get back to the duel. I'll take care of it. I've done this loads of times before."
"Are you...sure?" asked Malik uncertainly. Ryou nodded.
"I've bled...a lot more often than this," said Ryou softly.
"But you're sensitive to blood loss," protested Malik. "You fainted last time."
"Yes...well..." sighed Ryou sadly, looking out the window. "Marik's...Marik might lose...and then you and Bakura will be happy together..." he shrugged. "Bakura's right. After Marik's dead...I'm afraid to say it..but he's right. I doubt I would have any incentive to live after he's killed Marik."
Malik blinked. Ryou looked so sad, so forlorn, as though he had already given up hope as he stared out through the bars. Malik's heart lurched with sympathy when he saw the glimmer of hope jump in Ryou's eyes when Marik's life points raised themselves to 8550. How could something so simple be so assuring?
"You...really do love Marik then?" asked Malik softly. Ryou looked up at him, looking somewhat nervous.
"U-um..." Ryou looked down, his eyes casted towards the floor. "It's...okay...Bakura loves you...and...it's okay that you guys want to be together. Bakura never loved anyone before so I guess...I guess he should be allowed this chance..." Ryou's soft voice trailed off, and Malik could see the hurt in Ryou's eyes as he worriedly looked back out of the bars of the cell.
"Ryou," said Malik firmly. "Don't worry. Bakura and I will take care of you after we destroy Marik. He can't live anymore. Marik killed my father, almost killed Rishid. He almost killed me."
Ryou closed his eyes, squeezing them shut, seemingly fighting tears.
"I...I know."
Instantly, Malik's heart sank when he realized what Ryou must've been feeling. In attempt to reassure him, to show him the light at the end of the tunnel, Malik said, "Bakura really does care for you, you know? I mean, after we're done with Marik, I promise Bakura and I will take care of you...you won't ever go through pain again, I promise."
Ryou didn't reply as he bowed his head. When he finally spoke, his voice was soft and defeated.
"...it's okay. You two deserve to be together. Bakura never loved anyone...and...he should be able to deserve the chance to be with someone he cares..." Ryou looked up, tears staining peacefully down his cheeks, "...even if it isn't me."
Malik's throat tigtened with guilt. "Ryou...I'm..."
"It's okay, Malik," assured Ryou sadly, looking out. "Don't feel bad. Bakura never really cared for my feelings. But...I guess...everyone needs a second chance..." his voice trailed off to barely a whisper. "..even if I can't get Marik another one."
Malik froze, staring, utterly stupefied at the small figure in the corner.
"Ryou...I..."
"Malik!" yelled Bakura's voice somewhere. "Malik, come out...! I think you forgot to tell me something."
"Oh," said Malik simply. He glanced at Ryou, helpless Ryou, who was cuddling himself in the corner. "I'll be back soon," he assured. Ryou barely acknowledged him with a nod, before Malik quickly left the "soul room" and appeared next to Bakura's side once again.
Ryou sighed sadly, weakly looking back out the bars. Marik...why couldn't anyone give Marik another chance...?
Marik...I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. I wish I could be with you...but it's so hard...I want to be with you, to love you, to care for you, but in sacrifice I destroy Malik's life and Bakura's life.
I'm really going to miss you, Marik.
"You didn't tell me about the different abilities of Ra!" yelled Bakura angrily as he glowered at Malik. Malik looked protesting back as he turned to face his darker half, with a grim look on his face.
"I didn't know he had that card."
"Malik!" Bakura yelled in frustration. "Dammit, this is all your fault!"
"What did you say!" yelled Malik back, facing the thief straight into the eye.
"Give me a little confidence here!" snarled Bakura back. "Stop bossing me around!"
"I wasn't bossing you around!" yelled Malik back, his nose barely skimming Bakura's.
"Oh yeah, sure!" snapped Bakura back.
"I!"
Their argument was interrupted, however, with Marik's low chuckling.
"It's such a pity to see two friends bicker like you two," he said, his hands on his hips in an exasperated expression. "You two almost sound like a married couple."
"Don't push it," snapped Bakura and Malik at the same time, instanly averting their attention to their main foe. Marik merely leaned his head back casually, his half-lidded gaze in such a lenient attitude as he regarded them with extremely mild interest.
"You'll be sent into the Shadows for all eternity within a second, Marik," sneered Bakura confidently. "So make your final move."
"Really?" said Marik, still looking only merely mildly interested. "Well then, you'll let me make my final move in peace then, won't you? I draw." Marik drew a card from his deck, and smirked. Perfect...so perfect, he found it halarious. He began to chuckle evilly beneath his breath as he stared at his cards.
"What are you laughing at now?" snapped Bakura, clearly annoyed. Marik was quite pleased to see the annoyed opponent actually look a litte reapproachful when he continued.
Marik merely shook his head, chuckling, closing his eyes. When he finally trailed off into silence, he looked up into Bakura's eyes calmly.
"The one turn kill," he whispered softly.
He was extremely pleased to find Bakura's cross expression turn slightly worried. "What!" the thief demanded.
"The one turn kill," said Marik softly. "A special effect of Ra that will be the execution of your demise."
"What are you saying?" Bakura seethed, gritting his teeth. Marik's smirk widened.
"Calm down, thief," he said, smirk widening into a wicked grin. "You should be pleased. You're going to witness a special effect of Ra first handed...a special effect that even your precious Malik doesn't know!"
There was a tense silence as both Bakura and Malik comprehended this new intimidating concept. "A special effect that I don't even know...?" breathed Malik, astounded and suspicious. "What on earth can that be...?"
He glanced at Bakura, whose eyes had narrowed quite remarkably as he stood back, glaring at the spikey-haired silouhette in front of him.
"...the one turn kill..."
"Catching on, aren't you, Bakura?" sneered Marik lowly as he grinned, eyes widening with pleasure. He laughed loudly when he saw Bakura flinch, a cross, angry look on his face as he braced himself for Marik's next move.
"Just make your move," Bakura snapped. Marik chuckled.
"With pleasure."
He peered down at his cards, knowing all too well that Bakura's defeat was assured. "Raise Dead"...it was a card that he had taken from Bakura when the thief had played "Exchange" so that he could snatch away Marik's God card. Marik's smirk widened into a sadistic grin as he played Bakura's defeat in his mind...Ra's attack was very strong, very devastating...even the Spirit of the Millennium Ring would not be able to stand it, much less Malik. Marik could see it all, and it made his heart speed with excitement, his mind breathless with anticipation. Flames roaring, monsters exploding, Bakura screaming, Malik crying...
...perfect.
"Make your move, baka!" snapped Bakura impatiently.
"Patience, Bakura," said Marik softly. "Or are you so eager for death that you can't wait one more turn?" Chuckling, Marik raised the card that would bring him his triumph. "You will pay for what you've done to Ryou, Bakura. And you, Malik. How convient it is to have vengeance and tedious banishment concur all in one duel?" Marik laughed, raising the card to eye level, flipping it mockingly in front of Bakura's line of sight. "This is the card that will bring you your demise, Bakura. In fact, it's your own card..." He flipped it around, revealing its name. "Raise Dead. You're finished, Bakura."
Bakura's cross expression turned cynical as he perked an eyebrow, watching the holographic image materialize a few feet in front of him.
"Of course, this does mean that I must chose a monster from the graveyard..." Marik smirked. "And I chose: SUN GOD WINGED DRAGON...THE WINGED DRAGON OF RA!"
Marik grinned as he watched fire erupt from Bakura's duel disk, shocking the thief and sending him into a frenzy of surprise as the flames shot themselves into the sky. In another instant, there was a blinding flash of light, clearly illuminating both Bakura's and Malik's faces of pure terror.
"But...Marik didn't use any monsters to sacrifice for Ra..." breathed Malik worriedly. "So the Sun God Winged Dragon has no attack points...!"
"Really?" smirked Marik, a conniving grin upon his lips as his voice dripped with mockery. "Perhaps now is the chance to finally admit that you don't know all the abilities of Ra, Malik. Fortunately, you're going to learn today. Just you watch."
With that, Marik raised his arms, crossed them over his chest, muttering. He had to supress his urge to laugh manically with pleasure at Bakura's sweating, tense expression and Malik's frightful, shocked look. Marik loved this feeling. His heart was beating rapidly, his passageway tightening, an exciting, insane bubbling sensation building just beneath his chest. It took a lot of effort for him to supress the veins that appeared against his skin...veins only appeared when he was either feeling very sadistic or very very mad.
...of course...with Bakura standing in front of him...
Marik could feel both anger and sadistic hatred build up inside him as he laughed silently. Slowly his body began to disappear, starting with his legs, followed by his torso. He chuckled lowly to himself at Bakura's horrified expression...so much for the well-known sadistic, I-shall-destroy-half-of-my-life-points-without-my-opponent's-help Darkness. Bakura's eyes had widened considerably and his brown eyes grew small as he watched the Shadows eating away at Marik's anatomy.
"What's going on!" demanded Bakura breathlessly. "Your body...what are you doing to your body!"
"What you've been doing to yours," smirked Marik as he felt the cold tendrils of the Shadows beginning to nibble at his face.
"You are utterly insane!" snarled Bakura, stepping back, eyes widening in horror as he realized that the Ra's attack points were gaining. "You...you're sacrificing your life points...for a monster's attack points!"
"Exactly," replied Marik, his voice dripping with cold sarcasm as half of his face disappeared. "Remember me, Bakura, for this will be the last time that you see me as I am."
"What?" Bakura seethed, stepping back. There was an explosion of billowing black cloud uptop Ra's forehead; suddenly, a majority of Marik's anatomy had formed upon it. Bakura growled at his opponent's face...eyes wide, pupils small, a wide, wicked grin as the breeze of the Shadows swept past those sand-gray bangs.
"Ra's secret special ability..." laughed Marik, drawing himself to his full height, "...is that he and I can form together...and become one! This is your ultimate demise, Bakura! This will be your payment for your neglect and your suffering upon Ryou's soul! Fear the flames of Ra as you burn in hell, Bakura!"
"...this can't be happening!" yelled Bakura, clenching his fists. "It's not possible!"
"Anything is possible," Marik smirked, his menacing voice echoing in the emptyness of the Shadows, travelling and piercing through the darkness. "Winged Dragon of Ra...attack Bakura's life points now!"
There was a loud, menacing roar as the dragon reared, a large boulder of consuming flames combusting at its mouth, before shooting straight towards Bakura and the transparent Malik. Marik laughed, watching at the stupified expression upon their faces as the ball of fire exploded against them, sending monsters shattering...
"Suffer the flames of Ra, Bakura!" Marik yelled triumphantly. "And burn in hell!"
The flames swept past the theif, his expression in utmost pain, eyes wide and pupils small; white mane flashing past from the force of the flames, his only cry of agony a strangled gasp.
"Goodbye, my other personality!" Marik laughed. "Your destiny is mine now! Your only fate is suffer with your lover among the flames of Hell!"
Malik screamed as the flames engulfed his soul, consuming him by the sides, eating away his only remnant as a spirit.
"MALIK!" yelled Bakura as he desperately reached out for the Keeper.
"Bakura...!" Malik screamed, reaching forward with his own hands... for a single moment, their fingers slipped pass each others' before...
"NO...!"
The Keeper's body had entirely disappeared, leaving nothing behind but the fiery embers smoking into the night.
Bakura slumped in defeat, his body slowly disintegrating into feeble whisps of gray smoke. Marik had a look of absolute triumph as he remained uptop the god's forehead, watching the thief with careful anticipation.
"You fool..." Bakura said lowly. He looked up briefly, his bangs casting dark, frightening shadows against his eyes, which burned feral red as they met dark amethyst, a conniving smirk upon his lips. "...haven't you forgotten? I am the shadows, Marik. Nothing can stop me."
"You are the Shadows?" repeated Marik, laughing. "Hasn't this defeat gotten you a little touched in the head, Bakura?"
Standing back upright, Bakura threw his head back in laughter. He looked neither afraid nor terrified as the Shadows eating slowly at his soul, his spirit evaporating fast against the night.
"So I lost to you this time," Bakura said softly, a smirk evident on his shadowed face. "But remember Marik..I am the Shadows. I will find a way to come back, and when I do, I swear on your eventual grave that I will kill you."
By now, the Shadows had already consumed most of Bakura's figure, now eating away the final features of his pale face.
"But it's of no matter," he said softly. "While you and Ra can become one, rest assured, I can do the same with the darkness of the Shadows. We will meet again, Marik, and when we do, I assure you, you will die."
With that, the remander of the thief's feral eye had disappeared, leaving nothing but his echoing high laughter as the Millennium Ring clacked onto the ground.
Marik watched, hidden among the darkness of the Shadows, as the figure of the Pharaoh swiftly turned back. Marik chuckled to himself, watching the former king leave through the foggy wall of the Shadows. Yami had sensed the Shadows uptop the blimp and automatically came to find Ryou...
"Pharaoh," whispered Marik softly to the darkness. "Let Bakura's fate foreshadow your own."
The regal shadow left, unaware of his opponent's threat.
"Trying to find Ryou my ass," Marik whispered, his eyes narrowing. "Don't kid yourself, Pharaoh. You don't care for Ryou at all. Why else had it taken you so long to get here, whereas almost instantly you appeared next to Jonouchi's side the last time I played Ra? You don't care anything for Ryou, for fear of the next time Bakura would strike your pathetic soul."
His bitter thoughts withered away as he closed his eyes, a small smile upon his face.
"No one cares for Ryou," he said softly. "Except me."
He looked back up, evaporating the Shadows with a flash of his eyes. The black clouds shifted away, retreating back to the realm of darkness from whence they came. The only thing they had left in their wake, was a small, thin, unconcious form sprawled upon the ground, ivory hair spilling across his duel disk, which was tinted with slight blood. Chuckling to himself, Marik revealed himself from his hiding spot, and strolled over to the unconcious figure. He gently laid a hand on the form's back, expecting a soft moan and got one in return. Swiftly, he picked Ryou up, craddling the Light in his arms.
"No one cares for Ryou," he whispered softly to himself, "except me. Then by all means, Ryou should be mine...and mine alone."
Weakly, he felt the figure stirr in his arms, awakening. Ryou blinked up, moaning softly, his eyes focusing for a minute before his face lit into a tired, yet happy smile.
"Marik.."
Marik smiled upon Ryou's relieved expression, kissing him lightly on the forehead. Ryou's face split into a happy beam, as he threw his arms around Marik's chest, never letting go.
"I thought you were gone..." Ryou said softly. "Oh Marik...I'm so glad you're alright..."
"Have a little confidence in me, will you?" chuckled Marik as he turned around. "Did you really think I would let Bakura beat me?"
Ryou smiled, looking up. "Well...I suppose you proved me wrong. You always do."
Marik smiled back, kissing Ryou's soft, tender lips. "I know I do."
And with that, the Egyptian Darkness carried the Light back to his room, where they slept all night in each other's arms, whispering mumurs of love and comfort.
Eh, how did you guys like that chappie? I actually thought it sucked, but personaly that's because I've been through (and under) numerous amounts of stress lately. What with updating my other account as fast as possible (and writing a 22 page chapter in the making) and updating my artwork...spare me!
Read and review!
And no...it's not the end yet.
