Ok, first the disclaimer: I don't own even the smallest bit of Yu-Gi-Oh. Don't plan to … The characters are just too fun to play with (grins)

Warning! If you don't like OC's and OOC-ness and Mary-Sue's THEN DON'T READ THIS FIC. It was intended merely for the fun on the message board it was created on, with permission from everyone who participated in the RPG this story came out on…

A/N: This has nothing to do really with the actual story at all. I have a message forum for Yu-Gi-Oh and other anime and this little story was cooked up between my friend Blue and me. This is in the fantasy genre because it includes characters with magical powers. We have our characters as well as characters from the show. You will see Bakura acting slightly… ok a LOT ooc in this one. No flames if you choose to leave any remarks. This is strictly for the comic/romance tale to tell…

Well then… We are going from comedy, to action… On with the fic…

Chapter 6

Unpleasant Memories

Zahara gasped at the sudden urgency in Bakura's voice. She could have sworn she heard a note of fear in there as well. Fear and Bakura were two words that just did not fit well together. It was one of the things she liked most about him. He pulled her up from the sand and retrieved her cover slip and water shoes.

"But why, 'Kura? Why do we have to go? What's going on?"

Aurora's eyes narrowed as she watched Bakura move quickly to gather their things. Zahara's confused look confirmed that something was definitely not right. "I wonder what is going on?

"What do you mean?" Atem asked her. She nodded at Bakura.

"Bakura actually seems spooked by something." Atem looked down at the ground with a frown.

"Or it could be someone…"

"Bakura? What is going on?" He grabbed Zahara's hand, trying to figure out how to answer her question.

"There's no time, we have to hurry. Trust me. It's for us. We have to leave now."

Malik had hesitated getting in the car and RIJ was quickly losing his patience.

"GET IN THE CAR, MALIK!" Malik was tired of being yelled at by the psycho yami with the keys.

"FOR THE LAST TIME, NO!" He had made the mistake of letting RIJ drive once before and swore he would never ride with him driving again. RIJ moved so fast, Malik barely had time to react as he pinned Malik to the car and leaned dangerously close.

"Get in the car, now," RIJ ordered in a dangerously low voice. Malik for once found someone who could scare him. That was something he never knew could happen. But the man in front of him now, reeked with far more evil than he could ever have imagined. He shrank back away from him.

"…Okay… okay…" Reluctantly he allowed himself to be shoved in the car and within seconds RIJ had to running and on the road, Malik and their passenger clinging to whatever they could grab and praying to whatever gods would hear them to spare their lives.

Zahara tried piecing things together as they ran. Her thoughts a jumbled mess. Then it hit her what had sparked his sudden jump. "Where are we going to go? And what does Malik's being here have you so concerned for?" Aurora and Atem stood when the two took off running.

"Something is definitely not right." Atem nodded in agreement. Jackie joined them when she noticed the pair running as well.

"Should we follow them?"

"After we find Ryou. He may be able to shed some light on the subject," Aurora told her as they headed toward the surf club.

"Bakura! Please!" She nearly stopped in her tracks when she heard his voice shake with the threat of unshed tears.

"Don't worry, I'll explain later, I promise. Right now, we have to get as far away as possible." Otherwise, we'll be the ones who won't see each other again, he thought, trying to shield his thoughts from her.

Blue gasped suddenly, dropping her glass, the drink spilling onto the table as her face grew white. Ryou dropped his fork and knife and leaned to reach her, ignoring the fallen drink.

"What is it?"

"RIJ… He's close, and he's mad…" Ryou looked around with worry as he tried to calm her.

"AHH!" Malik shouted as RIJ took a sharp corner at breakneck speed.

"SHUT UP!" RIJ shouted back at him, turning another corner and causing Malik to nearly fly out the window.

"AHHH! I can't stand your driving!" RIJ spun the wheel again. Malik screamed out and was sent launching toward the window again, nearly falling out. RIJ grabbed his jacket and yanked him back inside.

"Sit down!" Malik wiped sweat off his brow and put his seatbelt on. He looked up and clutched the dashboard as if holding on to dear life.

"WATCH OUT!" He shouted, pointing to a traffic light that was clearly red. RIJ gave a psychotic grin and punched the accelerator. Malik screamed again. "I'M GONNA DIE!"

"Ryou!" Aurora called out as they entered the surf club. Ryou looked up from Blue and waved them over. "Ryou, there's a problem…" He nodded grimly.

"Yes, there is. Blue just told me she could sense RIJ coming here."

What is going on here, Jackie thought, watching them uneasily. Blue looked up at Atem and Aurora.

"Where are Bakura and Zahara? This is very serious."

"Why is it so serious, Blue? Can anyone explain why Bakura just took off with Zahara looking scared out of his mind?" Aurora asked. The answer was cut off as the sound of squealing tires caught their ears. The group spun toward the door, frozen into silence.

The car screeched to a halt in a parking space and Malik opened his eyes, breathing heavily and slowly.

"Next… time… I'm… driving…" RIJ gave a Cheshire cat smile at him.

"What's the matter, Malik? Can't take it like a man?" He asked him using a baby talk voice.

"SHUT UP!" Malik snapped back. "It's your fault. If I was the one driving, I wouldn't be like this! Damn, Bakura!" Malik cursed, knowing full well if Bakura had not bailed on them like this, he would not have had to endure that torment. RIJ got out and inspected his car, stopping at the side view mirror.

"Look, we got here safely, didn't we?" He asked with a laugh. Malik glared at him. "Oh look," he said playing with the side view mirror, readjusting it. "This was turned in the whole time…"

"RIJ!" Malik growled, shaking his head.

The door burst open to the club, and RIJ strode in with a smug look.

"Surprise, surprise!" He called out with an evil grin. "Am I late for the party?"

"Oh no…" Ryou exclaimed softly. Blue's eyes widened.

"He brought Malik too…" she whispered. RIJ scowled at her.

"What's the matter? You lot don't seem happy to see me, and after all we've been through, too…" Atem returned the scowl. Aurora stood up straight to face them.

"Never fails- someone tries to have a good time and you two have to come along and ruin it," she snarled at them.

"What do you two want?" Atem demanded.

"Why do I get the feeling I am not going to like the reason as to why they are here?" Jackie said softly, shaking her head.

Zahara's legs were getting tired after everything she had done that day. Her mind was filled with thoughts she no longer could be sure if they were even hers anymore.

"Where are we going, Bakura? Please tell me- you are scaring me… Please tell me what is going on!"

"Zahara, please, I promise I will explain all in due time. But first, we must hide." He looked up at the building he had taken them to. "In here, they will never find us here." He grabbed her hand again and led her inside.

RIJ gave his unnerving grin again.

"Awe, why all the angry faces?" He asked before raising his arms up in the air. "Come on! Let's have some fun." Blue turned her scared look into one of anger.

"The Pharaoh asked you a question RIJ. And I think everyone wants to know the answer!" she told him evenly. He quirked an eyebrow at her, not used to her taking the darker tone to him.

"Sounds like I get to be popular today." Malik was done playing games and he stepped forward with his arms crossed.

"Where is Bakura?" He asked, looking directly at Ryou. Ryou swallowed hard.

"I don't know," he told him after taking a breath. "And even if I did," he added. "I won't be telling you." RIJ began to carefully approach them, a predatory snarl on his face.

"Well then, we must have ourselves a little searching party, mustn't we?" Aurora stepped between them and Blue and Ryou, steadying herself for a fight.

"You and Bakura are almost always together. I find it odd you don't know where he is now. Why are you looking for him?" she asked RIJ.

"Doesn't matter," Atem interrupted. "They have to get through us to get to him." Jackie joined them, ready for the fight.

"If all you did was come here to cause trouble, then trouble is going to come right back at you," she told them. Malik cracked his knuckles, and RIJ cracked his neck. RIJ grinned again.

"Well then, let's get this party started," he said as they launched themselves into attack.

They ducked inside the building and Zahara stopped to catch her breath.

"'Kura? I'm scared. Please, tell me what is going on?" she begged him again, tears shining in her eyes.

Bakura sighed. "When you said Malik was here, I was afraid. Afraid I would lose you. You see…" He paused, rubbing the back of his head. "They don't exactly know about you. About us." He took another deep breath. "And if they ever do find out, well, I'm thinking it is a one way trip to the Shadow Realm for you." Zahara paled visibly. She had been to the Shadow Realm once. That was a place she never wanted to see again.

"But… w-why?" she asked him, her voice barely a whisper. "If Father can accept you, w-why the Shadow Realm f-for me…" Tears slipped down her face and she began to edge herself away from Bakura.

"Your father may have accepted me, but I'm not sure RIJ and Malik can accept you…" His voice trailed off as he noticed her backing away. He reached for her. "Don't worry, I'll protect you," he promised, pulling her close again. "I'll make sure they won't touch you! I will go to the Shadow Realm before they get their hands on you."

Aurora was ready for the attack as a flash of white light found her changed into her more powerful warrior form. A staff appeared in her hands and she deflected his attack, cracking him against the head with the return swipe of her staff.

"Have you forgotten the last time we met, Malik?" She growled as she swept him off his feet and pinned him to the floor by aiming the dagger like end of her staff at his neck. "You ended up in much the same position… Now what do you want with Bakura?" Malik smiled and ignored her question.

"But it's been a while since we met last," he smirked licking his upper lip. She cringed at the thought which allowedRIJ tocome up swiftly behind her.

"As for Bakura, it's none of your business!" He told her, grasping her and throwing her off Malik. Aurora ignored the throbbing pain in her arm where she had landed on the floor as she spun back around to tackle RIJ.

"You are wrong," she hissed at him. "Bakura is my business now," she added, pressing her staff level against his throat and shoving him against a wall. She tossed a look back over her shoulder at Malik who was battling Jackie and Atem. "I'm not finished with you yet." She returned to her current captive, pressing the staff harder against his neck. "What do you want with him?" RIJ's eyes went wide in shock before he began to cough under the weight of her staff.

"What do you mean, Bakura is your business? Where is Bakura!" Aurora blinked. Caught off guard.

"You mean, you don't know? I would have thought you would have been the first to know…"

"Know what, you wench!" He snarled at her, struggling against the staff. "Where is he? What's he been up to?" His fit of rage gave him an extra surge of strength in which he turned her own staff against her as he shoved backward, sending her to the ground. Straddling her, he pressed the handle of the staff against her own neck causing her to see stars. "Now tell me. Where is Bakura?" He demanded, his dangerously dark voice returning.

Zahara resisted being drawn into Bakura's embrace. She looked up at him.

"What is it about me they cannot accept? That I am the daughter of Atem? That I am with you, period?" He did not answer so she turned her head away. Her body began to tremble as flashback after flashback filled her mind. "I've been to the Shadow Realm, Bakura. Malik put me there once. I don't wanna go back. But I don't want to lose you to it either." She looked down, trying desperately to hide her tears. But her shoulders started to shake and she fell to her knees, her hands covering her face. "Why now of all times… Now when I am finally happy…" Her voice gave out and she began to cry uncontrollably. Bakura felt himself weaken at the sight of her tears. He knelt beside her and gently lifted her to her feet, wiping her tears from her face.

"Don't cry. Please, Zahara, don't cry. I don't plan on letting us go anywhere near that place. In fact," he started as he led her to yet another door. He opened it with a tender smile. "That is why I brought us here. The Iceland Ice skating rink." She sniffled and shielded her eyes from the light of the rink.

"The ice skating rink? How do you know they won't find us here? Will we have to run forever?" He managed a weak smile for her.

"I hope we won't have to run. And besides, if I know those two as well as I think I do, they won't come here till it's their last resort." Zahara looked down again. She said nothing at first, but finally se took a breath.

"I want you to know, Bakura… No matter what happens, I want to be with you. I want to go where you go… I have felt this way ever since I first met you, even though I knew I should not have been feeling that way. But I couldn't help it. And now…" She lifted her hand to gaze down at the ring he had given her. Her tears filled her eyes again. "We have to face them eventually. We can't run forever."

Aurora cried out as she hit the ground, her breath hissing in and her hands struggling to regain control of her staff. The stars danced in her vision as the staff crushed farther against her throat.

"Where is he!"

She snarled at him. "I. DON'T. KNOW!" She gasped for a breath before scowling at him. "And even if I did…You wouldnever get it out of me," she added with a sneer. "You will find new people here ready to protect him…" She coughed as he applied more pressure to her staff. Darkness began to creep at the edges of her vision. She knew she had to do something fast if she was to make it away before passing out. "Choking me won't get you the answers you seek." He was so intent on choking her; he never noticed the glowing white hand she placed against his chest. With her strangled shout, a blast of white light sent him flying off her and against a wall on the other side of the room. Atem looked up from Malik and tilted his head to the side at RIJ.

"I remember you doing that to Bakura once…" She arched an eyebrow and grinned at him.

"A small lesson to be learned if you get too close to me and I don't want you to be." Her eyes narrowed as she faced Malik again. Her hand still glowing white. "You're next unless you tell me why you want him…"

Well now... things seem to be getting interesting... The next chapter will be up soon...