[I know, I know, you've all been wondering why I haven't updated in nearly two months. Well, I was afraid that this chapter was going to be a total disaster. So after hours and days of writing and rewriting, I came up with this chapter. Tell me what you guys think please (smile).]
Awakening:
Tea felt herself being hauled off. Her mysterious kidnapper had tied both her wrists and ankles with rope and blindfolded. She heard the sound of what sounded like a car door opening. Feeling herself being thrown in the car, her head landed on the armrest. As she heard the door slam, Tea recalled what had taken place earlier.
[-]
Her hands had been struggling with the handcuffs for quite some time. Many thoughts ran through her mind, wondering why Serenity had chosen Marik's side, despite the fact that it was him who nearly killed her brother.
All of a sudden, the sound of glass shattering broke through as a brick had been hurled through the window. A cloaked figure jumped inside of the window, quickly spotting Tea. Making its way towards her, its hand yanked her out of the chair, ripping the handcuffs off leaving the cuffs on her wrist. Throwing her over its shoulder, it quickly sprang out the window.
[-]
She snapped back to reality as she heard a familiar voice.
"I can't believe you would stoop yourself to this level. If Marik or you know who finds about this, you're a dead man."
Tea's eyes widened as she recognized the voice belonging to Ishizu. "Ishizu? Ishizu, is that you? Help me!!"
Ishizu, who was standing outside the car, looked inside through the window. "Tea, I don't know if I can say you're in safe hands or not."
But before she could continue, the driver started up the car once more and sped off. From the backseat, Tea kept bouncing up and down, fearing that she would be thrown out of the window. Although ten minutes later, the car came to a complete stop.
"Who are you?" Tea struggled against the ropes. "Do you work for Marik? What do you want?"
The driver made its way to the backseat, placing a hand on her shoulder. To this, Tea flinched.
"Tea, Tea it's me."
Tea's eyes widened, recognizing the voice all too well. The driver reached out and removed her blindfold, leaving Tea all the more surprised.
[-]
"Where is she?!?"
Bakura had stormed in the pawnshop that Shadi owned. He was just about to close up but seeing Bakura, he thought otherwise.
"If you're talking about Ishizu then you'd have to ask Rishid that."
"Don't be playing games with me." Bakura snarled. "You know exactly who I'm talking about."
Shadi stopped polishing a fake gold bar before setting it on the display shelf behind. "You're the second person to ask me where Miss Mazaki has been all day."
Bakura gave Shadi the strangest look. "Don't tell me Yugi the clown had come down to look for her."
Laughing, Shadi tossed the rag to the side. "Very cute indeed. But he never dropped by."
"Well, it couldn't possibly be Kaiba." Bakura crossed his arms over his chest.
"With all that hair you got on your head, you're obviously more moronic than I thought. If you must know, Marik's got the girl but she'd be gone by now."
"That bastard!" Bakura slammed his fist onto the counter as hard as he could, only to have shattered it. Bringing out his hand, he didn't mind if his hands was bleeding and pierced by the glass.
"I thought you would be the only one to come crying when she was gone. But it looks like the best friend had beat you to it."
Bakura gritted his teeth as the only person he could think of popped in his mind. "I think I got the idea."
"Please tell me that is not the look of jealousy." Shadi noticed Bakura's scowl.
"Maybe half of it is but that's not the problem." Bakura's eyes gazed to the floor.
"So tell me something I don't know."
Bakura looked outside the window at the starry night. His eyes widened as he spotted the full moon. "The sorceress, the spirit will awake within Tea during a full moon. That's tonight!!"
"Exactly. If those two were to meet, all hell will break loose."
"I better find those two before it's too late. And not because I give a damn about the circus freak!" he turned and hurried out of the pawnshop.
Shadi just simply stood there, gazing down at the shattered glass before him. Picking a single shard, he watched Bakura's blood drip onto his finger.
"Tea," he whispered to himself. "Who are you really after?"
[-]
"Yami?!?" Tea stared at the pharaoh in disbelief.
Nodding slowly, Yami started to uncoil the ropes that have bounded her. "I'm sorry Tea. I didn't mean for you to think I was one of Marik's rare hunters."
"How did you know I was at Marik's?" Anzu stretched her arms.
"Let's just say I had a few sources with an old friend of mine." Yami smiled. "Look Tea, there's something I've wanted to tell you for quite some time."
"Well, now that I don't have anything to worry about, sure." Tea gave out a relaxed smile.
"You see I know that you and Bakura have been going out for some time but the thing is, I love you."
"Say what?" Tea was taken back.
"Not as a friend Tea." He took her hand gently in his. "Ever since Yugi had set us up on that date, I felt something I've never felt before."
Tea's face flushed as Yami continued to look at her for a time. All of a sudden, he gently brushed her cheek before leaning in and giving her a small kiss on the lips, causing her face to redden even more. Although Yami may have found it unusual, she found it rather awkward, as if there was no feeling to the kiss. Immediately, she pulled away from Yami, her face holding no expression. Facing away from him, she looked up at the night sky.
"Can you take me home?" she asked quietly.
Yami seemed to be concerned. "Are you all right?"
But before she could answer, a white fire sensation started to spread throughout her body. Screaming in pain, Tea grabbed her wrist to where the bracelet was adorned. Noticing this right away, Yami tried every possible way to comfort Tea but nothing could calm her down.
"Tea!" Yami called out. "What's wrong?"
The horrifying scream stopped. Tea's head tilted down, staring down at the floor.
"Tea?" Yami was worried.
An evil smirk curled Tea's laugh as a familiar laugh escaped out of her system. "It's about time we meet pharaoh."
Yami was taken by this as he recognized the voice all too well. "No…"
The sorceress slowly raised her head, looking up at Yami. "So we meet again. Has it been, what, centuries?"
Clenching his fist, Yami glared at one of his true enemies. "I thought I sealed you up for good this time!"
Laughing softly, the sorceress brushed her fingers through her hair. "I can't be locked up forever pharaoh. Sooner or later, someone was bound to release me."
"I will seal you up once more peacefully." Yami said in a low voice.
"Oh no you don't!" she raged. "I will certainly not go back to that Ra forsaken darkness." She closed her eyes, chanting something. All of a sudden, Yami started floating. Before he could react, he was hurled through the car window headfirst. His head shattered the glass as he was tossed out the window. Blood started to seep from his head and lip. His face was pierced by the shattered glass.
Getting out of the car, the sorceress made her way towards Yami, looking down at his battered body. That smirk had not left her lips as a foot pressed down on his head.
"There are some others that I have to deal with." The sorceress smiled a sickening smile. "But I'm glad I ran into you first."
Yami's eyes weakly looked up at her, whispering fiercely. "Let her go."
"My aibou has intense energy that I couldn't bear to let go." That smirk had not left her face. "Such a strong girl." She held out her arm, the millennium bracelet started to glow and suddenly, a dark purplish fog surrounded them. Although weak and unable to get up, Yami's eyes widened, realizing where they were: The Shadow Realm.
"The darkness has been waiting for you pharaoh." Licking her lips, she took a step back from him. "They have been for a long time."
All of a sudden, she felt something similar to an electric shock run through her body. Sensing someone from the Egyptian past, she disintegrated the Shadow Realm and backed further into the alley.
[-]
Bakura had been searching for Tea all night, combing the empty streets. His millennium ring had gone quite awry the last few hours, the directions it was trying to guide him were leading him nowhere.
Until now…
He spotted a red Mitsubishi parked right by the alleyway. A body lying helpless on the ground, he managed to catch his eye on. Making his way towards the body, he lifted the hair out of the face. Recognizing the face, he could easily sense the sorceress nearby, standing up.
"I know you're here!" Bakura hissed, his eyes darting to the streets. "Show yourself!"
Suddenly, a childish laugh echoed throughout the alley. As his eyes rested within the alley, the sorceress emerged from the shadows, gazing up at Bakura.
"I knew you had awaken and have come back to exact revenge on the pharaoh," Bakura kept his gaze on her. "But what else are you here for?"
"You don't remember do you?" the sorceress glared at him. "You left me Bakura! I waited for you to come back but no! It's the damn pharaoh's fault and you left me in the village to rot!" Tears rolled down her cheeks. "I'll be back Bakura, I can guarantee that." Laughing hysterically, she disappeared in the darkness.
Bakura ran after her, trying to catch up with Tea but as he ran, she had vanished. There were no places to hide, no windows to jump in to, no ladders to climb and no fences of any sort to hop over. As if she had vanished within the thin air.
Slowly, he made his way towards Yami's body, still battered from the assault he received. He felt no need to help the pharaoh up in any way but something urged him that he would be useful. Gently picking up the body, he threw Yami over his shoulder and walked down the lonely streets of Domino.
[-]
Meanwhile at Yugi's house, Joey, Yugi, Tristan and Duke gathered about.
"Where did you say Yami was again?" Joey shuffled his cards.
"I'm not exactly sure." Yugi replied. "All he kept saying was that he was going to get Tea back."
Joey, Tristan and Duke exchanged glances for a moment. Suddenly, it seemed to have dawn on them.
"Strip bar." The three said in unison, nodding in agreement.
"Oh come on," Yugi slapped his forehead. "I don't think either of them would go that low."
"Well Yami of course can get in." said Tristan. "I mean, he's a 5000 year old pharaoh."
"Speaking of pharaohs," Duke pointed out the window. "I didn't know Yami could float."
"Say what?" Joey was dumbfounded. They all looked out the window seeing Bakura carrying Yami over his shoulder. Rushing out the shop, they ran after the two, screaming Yami's name.
Bakura took a glance back, seeing the four run after him though it didn't stop him from walking.
"Yami-kun." Joey tried to shake Yami awake. "Yami are you all right?"
"Jeez Bakura," Yugi had a cross look on his face. "Just because you knew Yami liked Tea didn't mean you had to bash his head in."
Bakura ignored Yugi's rants as he continued walking, the four right behind him.
"I hate to ask but what happened?" Tristan was slightly dazed from the sight of Yami's body.
"I found him like this." Bakura simply replied, passing by the stairs that led to the subway and to the pawnshop.
"Please," Joey rolled his eyes. "This is where I had to fess up on your relationship with Tea."
"That doesn't matter." Bakura knocked on the closed door three times.
"You're not going to sell Yami are you?" Duke laughed at his own joke.
Suddenly, the door opened with Shadi standing there. With no question, he opened the door enough to allow Bakura and the rest in saying, "Follow me."
They made their way to the backdoor-labeled "Storage Room". After unlocking it, to their surprise, it was as big as one's bedroom. Besides a bed, desk, and a small fridge, the rest of the room had been piled with boxes. A huge stone leaned against the walls with hieroglyphics carved on it.
"Just place Yami on the bed." Shadi instructed. Bakura laid Yami on the bed gently before returning to Shadi. Shadi gave him a look before asking, "How much do you remember?"
"Not a lot to tell the truth. All I can remember is that Mari was a fiancé of mine and had a deep hatred for the pharaoh."
"So you became a player, huh Bakura?" Tristan grinned, wrapping an arm around Bakura's shoulder. "Who is this Mari chick of yours anyway?"
Only Shadi chuckled to Tristan's question. "So you're interested about the sorceress? Well," he pointed to the stone behind him. "Have a look. I'm sure you'll be able to spot her easily."
Tristan, Joey, Duke and Yugi gathered, looking down the stone. Easily they spotted Mari but was shocked at what they were seeing.
"No way!" Joey's eyes widened.
"Maybe it's a coincidence. "This can't be what it looks like." Yugi was taken back.
Shadi nodded once more. "Strong resemblance to her all right."
"How much did you figure out?" Bakura's eyes tried to decipher the writing.
"At least most of it." Shadi replied.
"That's good enough." Bakura leaned against the wall.
Shadi looked up at the stone for another moment before he too leaned on the wall. "Mari was not born with dark powers. She was just an ordinary peasant girl in everyday Egypt who grew up in the same village as you Bakura."
"So what does this have to do with her hatred for Yami?" Bakura cocked his head to the side.
"According to the legends, as you know, I believe in order to make the millennium items, one hundred people had to be sacrificed. I'm not sure if it were the Gods or the pharaoh that decided to choose your village but they did." He continued to stare on at him. "Is it coming back to you?"
"I remember having to be called on to be one of the sacrificed but I managed to escape it."
"And from then on, that's when you started your career of being a master thief of all sorts. You left your fiancé on whom you have loved since childhood. From then on, shortly after, Mari lost her brother, who was struck with an illness."
"Who was her brother?" Joey wondered.
"That would be me." Said Rishid as he entered the storage room. Ishizu followed after, slamming the door shut, locking it.
"What's going on?" Shadi looked up at Ishizu.
"A thousand apologies," Ishizu gasped for breath. "Someone is after us!"
"Who?" Shadi watched as the two shuffled to the back.
"I have no idea." Rishid seethed.
"Well, "I guess since you're here, you get to hear the magical fairy tale of the sorceress."
"You know?" Rishid pointed a finger in the air. "I believe we saw her by the school."
"You don't say." Shadi crossed his arms.
"Oh god, pharaoh,' Ishizu rushed towards Yami, looking him over. As she lifted his head up, Yami groaned in pain.
"Who did this to you?" Ishizu demanded to know.
Yami groaned. "Take a wild guess." Ishizu gently scooted Yami, resting his head onto her lap, pressing a rag onto his forehead.
"So go on with the story." Yugi urged Shadi to go on.
"She suffered a great deal of depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Her parents sacrificed, her brother dead, her fiancé mysteriously disappearing. Who could she go to? Only one person had taken her under his wing."
"I'm afraid to ask." Rishid read the hieroglyphics.
Shadi pointed to a picture in the middle. "Perhaps this could give a better explanation."
At that point, Joey, Tristan, Duke, Yugi, Rishid and Ishizu gasped in shock. There carved on the stone was Tea kneeling before who seemed like Marik.
"How can that be possible?" Ishizu gazed at the picture. "My brother was a tomb keeper. I would have known if he had any existence with Ancient Egypt."
"It is true that Malik did not exist within the Ancient past." Yami's gaze was more of a dazed look. "But I would assume it's the darker side of your brother."
"Marik taught her the dark magic. She, however, was picking up, learning, and mastering at an alarming rate. Everything from mind control, to dark curses, to possession, to even summoning the Shadow Realm. All of a sudden, she was known to be quite powerful."
"So what's her reason?" Yami whispered.
"She believed it was the pharaoh's fault that most of the village people have been sacrificed and thought Bakura was dead. By then, she was unstoppable. Time and time again, she would attempt to kill the pharaoh. She successfully sent half of his servants to the realm without any skill in dueling."
"That's it Yami!" Duke beamed at Yami. "All you gotta do is duel Tea and maybe that sorceress would leave her alone."
"It's not possible." Shadi shook his head. "Mari is different from all of those who had ties with the ancient past. You see, the bracelet is not really a millennium item but a jewel that the pharaoh had sealed her up. At the time, after all, she was causing unspeakable chaos throughout the entire city of Cairo."
"Marik must've enjoyed it." Ishizu muttered.
"Wait a sec," Joey continued gazing at the stone. "How does my sister play into this?"
"I believe Marik is using Serenity as a pawn. But I fear the worst."
"What worst?" Joey glared at Shadi, cracking his knuckles.
"Not only he's teaching her the dark arts but I think she's falling for him."
All of a sudden, Joey gave out a blood-curling scream. "Not Serenity! It's all a lie!"
"Shadi's eyes directed to the stone. "I believe history is repeating again."
"What do you mean?" Tristan was skeptical.
To this, Shadi smirked. "I see many things going on. And, just as I feared, we are reliving most of the past."
"You've gone crazy!" Bakura growled.
"When you unexpectedly dumped Tea, that's the same with the ancient thief leaving his fiancé. Or Marik training Serenity. History repeated!"
Balling up his fist, Bakura forced himself to take a deep breath. Noticing everyone staring at him, he sneered. "What the hell are you guys staring at? It ain't your fucking business!!"
Before anyone could react to Bakura's behavior, violent pounding sounded off on the door in the shop.
"SOMEBODY HELP ME!!" It sounded like the voice of a woman.
"Jesus Christ, what the hell's going on?" Joey raced outside the storage room and to the door, trying to undo the locks.
"Hurry and open the door before it's too late!" the voice called out desperately.
Joey's eyes widened, recognizing the voice. "Mai, hang on! Just let me get the locks undone!" As Joey finally undid the last lock, he immediately opened the door. Mai was sitting on her knees, her eyes in a lifeless daze as she collapsed to the floor.
"Mai!" Joey tried to shake her awake. "Mai, what happened?"
Shadi raced to where Joey is. Yami, Tristan, Yugi, Duke, Rishid and Ishizu followed out. Bakura was the last to come out.
"Joey," said Shadi. "Turn her over."
Without question, Joey turned an unconscious Mai over. Shadi brushed her hair back, seeing a symbol of the devil's circle encrypted on her forehead.
"No…" Shadi's eyes widened. "It can't be!"
"What's that symbol on Mai's forehead. "Yugi gazed at the mark in disbelief.
Before Shadi could answer the question, a soft laugh echoed throughout the darkness. Looking up, they saw Tea standing there, the millennium bracelet embracing her wrist.
"Tea!" Yami's eyes widened.
"What did you do to Mai, Tea?" Duke gazed at Tea in horror.
"That's not Tea." Shadi gazed at the form, realizing who she truly is.
"Shadi," Mari smirked. "How do you like my art? I promise you that there will be more to come."
"Mari!" Bakura raged at her. "End this now!"
"This only sent her laughing hysterically. "Why? After all those times of solitude, I can't have any fun? Haven't had this much fun in a millennium"
"If you don't stop this foolishness, then I'll force you myself." Bakura leaped out of the pawnshop and raced towards her.
"Bakura wait!" Shadi called out.
Mari smirked, closing her eyes, chanting something as how the Mystical elf would do during a duel. As Bakura neared Mari, he felt a huge force slam him right into the shop's glass window, shattering it. Some of the jagged pieces sliced his pale skin.
The sorceress smirked at Bakura wickedly. She then shifted her gaze towards Yami. "I will be back pharaoh. I will get my ultimate revenge. You're friends are going to be mine one by one." She allowed the darkness to surround her, disappearing within the shadows.
"Damn it!" Bakura screamed as Joey and Tristan helped him up.
"I don't get it.' Joey was confused. "Why is it only now she appears? Why didn't she appear when Tea got the bracelet in the first place?"
"The spirit was to awaken during a full moon." Said Bakura. 'I don't know. It's only recently that I've been getting these flashbacks."
"Is Mari supposed to be good or evil?" Yugi gazed at what seemed to be nothing.
"I'm not sure anymore." Bakura peered into the darkness.
"Not even I can tell if she's good or bad." Shadi shook his head sadly.
"She got away!" a familiar voice shouted out.
Recognizing that voice immediately, Joey looked to the right seeing the familiar brunette standing there. "Serenity!" his face turned enraged, as well as nearly the rest, when Marik stepped in the scene.
"Marik." Yami released a growl. He leaped towards but Rishid, Ishizu and Joey held him back.
"Well, well." Marik smirked. "The pharaoh and the traitor, midget, sister, little woof, CRV and dice man along with the thief and the guy who knows everything. Didn't know you had a family reunion."
"So you pawn Joey's sister and kidnapped Tea." Bakura locked eyes with Marik.
"And I intended to keep Mazaki which was going fine until Yam-Yams the clown ruined it."
"So you're saying you knew all along?!? Duke and Tristan could not believe it.
"Tea, I know, would be arrogant to give up the bracelet all because it was a gift from Bakura."
"So that's why Serenity…" Joey started to say.
Marik nodded. "She is, after all, Tea's friend. That's why I needed her help. And when I found out she became too attached to the bracelet, I knew I had to do something. So Serenity and I decided to go by force but that didn't work either."
"Your millennium rod Ishtar." Joey clenched his jaw. "Aren't you forgetting that you're controlling my sister against her will?"
"These times, she's in a trance." Marik replied. "It only helps put her mind at ease when I teach her a thing or two to help stop Mari.'
"So you kidnapped Tea because…" Yugi asked.
"To get rid of the bracelet before full moon. But as I see now, it's too late."
"Mari," said Ishizu. "This is going to be crazy but you gotta help us."
"Say what?!?" Everyone locked their glazes at Ishizu.
Marik had a disgusted look bunching on his face as he arched an eyebrow. "Me, help you guys?!?"
[-]
So what do you guys think? Good? Bad? Hopefully to be continued.