Disclaimer: noodles!

Thanks to:
Lmann: Um... no. But you'll see! Love always finds a way!

Twister91: (screams and runs) what I do?

The One To Rule Them All: thanks

Beastfire: aw love, thanks!

Astral Firefly: he might be! You'll have to wait and see!

Malachite tugged at his bonds and growled in frustration, the chains clanged loudly and echoed through the citadel as he pulled continuously. Zakuro watched him, almost pityingly,
"Malachite, it's no use" she reasoned gently, trying to coax him out of his rage. Malachite growled and pulled harder,
"I won't give up!" he roared and kept pulling. Zakuro sighed sadly then looked up in shock when the door opened and Mandarin walked in. He had a twisted expression on his face which scared Zakuro to the pit of her soul.
"W-w-what do you want?" she asked, trying to keep her usually determined voice from shaking, Mandarin merely cackled and unlocked her bonds. He grabbed her in a split second and stuffed her in a small cage, Zakuro gazed out wildly. She saw Malachite's face contort with anger and he roared and swore at Mandarin furiously, she noticed a small creak as he stretched the chains attaching him to the wall. Mandarin smirked and dangled Zakuro in front of him teasingly, then turned away and left. The last thing Malachite saw of Zakuro was her frightened pleading expression, he slumped for a second.
"No..." he whispered.
Bakura watched as Otogi stared at the picture, he'd been like that for hours now. Watching and examining every tiny detail of it.
Suddenly the door banged open and Skeleton King walked in, a wide grin stretching his face,
"It's time" he rasped, in a voice filled so much with perverted glee Bakura felt sickened. Otogi nodded and roughly grabbed Bakura, he walked out carrying Bakura by the scruff of his neck like he was no more than an alley cat.
They walked down millions of corridors and at such a pace that Bakura started to get dizzy, so he closed his eyes. He only reopened them when he heard a strange whirring noise and he looked up to see they were in front of a strange machine. It was large and brass coloured, with large coils so close sparks jumped across them. There were wires which the sparks were feeding into, all going up in a thick rope to a point which was fashioned into a laser and pointed at a plate of metal with chains on it.
"What... is this?" he asked to no one in particular, but Otogi heard and decided to reply.
"It is an aging machine; something Lord Skeleton King requested should be made for his next plan"
"What plan?" Bakura couldn't help asking, though he knew he wouldn't get an answer.
"None of your business...yet" said Otogi, smirking to himself.
Bakura was about to protest that it was his business when the door slammed open, he looked sharply and saw Mandarin enter, struggling with something black and pink. He watched as Mandarin seemed to pull hard with the black and pink thing to drag it over to the metal plate. It was only when Mandarin managed to tie it to the plate and moved away did Bakura realise it was Zakuro. He gasped and struggled,
"Zaki!" he cried, trying to break free of Otogi's grip. Zakuro looked up and she looked scared, this made Bakura shiver and almost freeze at the sight. His sister, scared? Bakura couldn't believe it; the confident, cocky, energetic person he knew as his sister had been reduced to a shaking, frightened mockery of herself.
But if Bakura had been more aware, he would've realised that Otogi's grip had wavered slightly on his neck,
"Her eyes...they look... familiar... and yet... so distant" Otogi whispered, almost mesmerised by Zakuro's eyes. He stepped forward, in a trance, and touched her face; Zakuro gazed up fright in her eyes. Otogi suddenly recoiled at the sight of her frightened eyes and stepped back, almost like the sight had burnt him. He clutched his head in both hands, dropping Bakura, and seemed to be having an internal battle. He shook his head rapidly, before breathing deeply and walking out.
Bakura sighed slightly, he didn't know why he'd been holding his breath but he felt that maybe having Otogi see Zakuro's eyes would help them. He shook his head sadly, he should've known better.
Mandarin walked over, grinning in triumph at was obviously his latest creation and seeing it run according to plan, and he checked that Zakuro's bonds were tight enough. He pressed a button and the laser started to hum,
"Well, my dear, you should be grateful" he said in typical bad-guy fashion,
"Grateful my tail!" spat Zakuro, some of her old self reappearing. Mandarin tutted mockingly,
"You should show some respect, you're the first for my aging ray to be used on!" Zakuro paled as she worked out what that meant.
"But... t-that means I'll..."
"Yes, you'll be aged to teen years! I hope you enjoyed your childhood, dear, because it's over now!" he crowed, he suddenly stopped then glared. He pushed another button and a cage trapped Bakura, who had been sneaking up to the release button "and I'll have to make sure it goes uninterrupted!"

Bakura closed his eyes to block out Mandarin's ugly gleeful face but it only intensified his sick laughter. And as Mandarin laughed, Bakura felt his hope of being rescued vanish.
Malachite sat back against the wall, panting heavily at his last attempt at escaping,
"It's no good..." he suddenly thought of Zakuro's fear-filled eyes when she was taken away "Zaki..."
He hung his head, shamefully admitting defeat when suddenly the door burst open. He looked up and saw a white haired blue eyed man,
"Ryou!" cried Malachite gleefully, but looked confused when the man shook his head.
"No, my name is Otogi" he corrected as he took a key from his pocket, Malachite waited until he'd unlocked his shackles before speaking again.
"But... you uh... you look" he tried to think of how to word it without sounding rude, Otogi smiled almost bitterly,
"Yes, I know. I'm their triplet brother" he explained, Malachite gaped. He would've asked more questions but he heard frantic screaming,
"Zaki!" he cried, "she's in trouble!" Otogi nodded and stood up,
"Follow me" he said as he ran out and Malachite followed close behind.
Mandarin smiled a twisted smile as he watched the power level rise on his laser; Zakuro struggled desperately, trying to free herself and her eyes widened as the tip of the laser glowed orange.
"Let me go!" she screamed, pulling hard, "please! Anyone! Save me! Malachite! Malachite!" suddenly, as if her prayers were answered, Malachite and Otogi burst into the room.
"Hold it right there, Mandarin!" Malachite demanded, in typical hero fashion, he decided not to waste anymore time on words and got his saws out. He lunged towards Zakuro, ready to cut her free.
"It's too late, child!" hissed Mandarin, gleefully, and he pressed another cage releasing button. Soon Malachite was entangled within a mess of metal and all he could do was watch in horror as Mandarin fired the beam.
"No!" cried Otogi, running forwards, but thick metal rope lashed out and wrapped around his legs and arms, holding him back.
"And as for you!" snarled Mandarin, "I'm sure his Lord would like to know of your treachery!" Otogi struggled for a long time before hanging his head. Mandarin grinned at his defeat before turning to watch the laser strike Zakuro.
She screamed in pain and fear, her body convulsing with the electricity running through it, before finally slumping down unconscious.
Mandarin waited eagerly, his eyes shining with anticipation, Malachite gazed in sheer horror and grief, dreading the worst and Bakura still kept his eyes shut, not bearing to look at his sister's unconscious form.
The room filled with a tense waiting silence as everyone gazed upon the black monkey, then, as if someone had put on fast forward, Zakuro seemed to grow and mature. Her chubby child face became more oval and elegant, her tubby baby belly became sleeker, and her eyes became more cat-like.
Malachite gazed on, mesmerised, until he finally worked out what was happening.
'Mandarin's ray... ages people!' he realised as he watched the growth slow down before finally stopping. Zakuro now looked like a young adult and Mandarin ran up to her and took her face in his hand,
"Beautiful..." he whispered, in sheer amazement, "truly beautiful. I knew she would take after her mother, but I never knew she would excel her!" he grinned then leaned in slowly, bringing her sleeping face closer to his. Closer and closer their mouths became until
"Don't you dare!" shrieked Malachite, making Mandarin jump. He swung around to glare at the green striped monkey and blinked when he saw that he wasn't in the metal mesh cage anymore.
"Where could he..." he never got to finish his musings as a foot came down hard on the back of his head, knocking him out cold.
Malachite glared as he fell, before cutting Zakuro, Bakura and Otogi free.
"Let's get outta here!" he said, holding Zakuro in his arms like a bride, and they rushed out.
"I know where your ship is being held" said Otogi and they followed him to a large hanger, he rushed to the controls and typed in the password. Malachite's ship was released from its bonds with a hiss and they all jumped in. Otogi sitting in the back with Bakura on his lap, whilst Malachite sat in front to pilot with Zakuro curled up in his lap and leaning against his chest. He looked down at her and stroked her cheek softly before starting the engines and flying out.
As they flew back, Otogi explained about why he'd decided to join their side and about being Ichigo and Ryou's triplet brother.
"Our village in Japan hated us because we were albino; they were very superstitious and believed we were really demons. A mob came to our house once and tried to take us away; I escaped through a window and ran. I managed to get to the next town and presumed my family was dead. I went to the local orphanage where a kind man, who lived on another world, adopted me some time later. Seeing that photo of my siblings, alive and grown up, gave me new hope in seeing them again. And when I looked into your friend's" he nodded at Zakuro "eyes, I saw that she was related too. I couldn't bear to assist in the destruction or torture of my family so I decided to help you"
"I see..." said Bakura quietly, smiling up at his newly-found uncle, "and 'm glad you decided to, we really needed your help!"
Otogi beamed and ruffled Bakura's fur,
"I was glad to do it; anything for my family!" he smiled and watched as they landed, "and now, the true battle begins!" he jumped out and there was a shocked silence.