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Episode 16 – Fortune Faded

"Yami…" Ryou groaned as he walked faster to catch up with him. "Are we any closer to Yugi yet?"

"Yes, for the tenth time." Yami said through gritted teeth; Ryou was starting to get on his nerves.

"Well, sorry for being worried about Yugi…" Ryou said angrily, falling back to walk with Bakura. "God, what's up with him?" He grumbled, getting annoyed with Yami's constant snapping.

"Maybe you should just leave him…" Bakura said, trying to sound as non-offensive as possible.

"Hmph."

"Well, just stop asking him about Yugi all the time, then. Leave him alone."

"Fine."

"Hey, don't worry… We'll find Yugi. Yami knows what he's doing." Ryou sighed, and then nodded.

"Yeah, I guess so…" Bakura reached for Ryou's hand and held it tightly. "But what about…Joey?"

When Seto heard Joey's name, he perked up; he sped up, so it was easier for him to hear what they were saying.

"Well, I don't know really… We have no idea where he is. When we find Yugi, maybe then we'll know… But let's just concentrate on one thing at a time."

"Okay…" Ryou let go of Bakura's hand and slid it around his waist, leaning on his shoulder. Bakura smiled, placing his arm around Ryou's shoulders.

Seto frowned to himself as he fell back to walk by himself again.

#How can Yami be so sure that we're going to find Yugi? For all we know, he could be dead! And what if it's a trap? We could all die! In which case we wouldn't be any further ahead than we already are…but Ryou's right. We don't know where Joey is, and finding Yugi may help… But still, it doesn't make me any more confident!# Feeling more determined by his little talk to himself, Seto strode confidently onwards, resolving to help all he could.

"Hey, Ryou…" He said, catching up with him. Ryou turned to him, frowning when he saw him; but before he had the chance to speak, Seto cut across him. "Listen, I'm sorry for shouting at you earlier…I was just stressed. Can you forgive me?" Ryou looked curiously at him.

"Why the sudden change in attitude, Seto?"

"Well…I don't know, really. I just figured that me being…well, not very helpful wasn't going to get us anywhere very fast. So…I'm sorry."

"Well, it's all very good you apologising to me, but its Yami you need to say sorry to." Seto sighed. "Go on! He needs all the support he can get…"

As Seto caught up with him, Yami seemed to sigh.

"I'm sorry about earlier, Seto. You're right, I was being weak." Seto shook his head and placed a hand on Yami's shoulder.

"That's not what I came to you about. Well, not exactly." Yami looked at him.

"You want to apologise?" He paused. "Well, you don't have to. I know you're sorry, and so am I; that's all that matters. We need to stay together." Yami smiled kindly at him. "It's all that matters…"

Seto continued to walk ahead with Yami, his thoughts wandering to his so-called 'past'; how he was a high-priest in the great halls of the Pharaoh in Ancient Egypt; how he had ruled by Yami's side, and they and the five other Millennium Item holders had ruled over their country, guarding it against the dangers of the Shadow Realm. Well, Seto couldn't actually remember most of this. He only knew this from what Yami and others had told him about it, but he had steadily grown to believe it. How on earth could he have read the Ancient Egyptian text form the Winged Dragon of Ra card if he had no connection to Egypt itself? And he had a few memories… He could remember the glittering golden sands of Egypt shining in the sunlight; he remembered riding along the bank of the Nile on his horse; he remembered the grand halls of the Pharaoh's palace… But this was all vague to him. Just shadows of memories long since past.

"Yami…?" He asked tentatively, looking down at him.

"Hmm…?" He seemed distant, as if he was in his own world; but all the while he was frowning with concentration.

"Do you remember…you know, anything about…about your time?"

"Yes, I remember lots of things… And you know what?"

"What?" Yami smiled at him, before sighing and looking forward.

"Most of my memories have you in them…" Seto blushed a little, not sure if he should be pleased about this or not. "And you have your own memories, do you not?"

"Yes…a few. But they're very vague…"

"But not so vague that you don't believe them?"

"No…I didn't before, but now… I can't help but believe it." Yami nodded.

"Good, I'm glad you do. Perhaps some of our memories are the same…" Yami sighed again. "I remember…" Seto looked at him. "I remember when we were children…we were playing by the River. I tried to get something that was near the edge of the bank, but I slipped and fell in. I would have died if you hadn't pulled me out again, Seto. It's because of you I'm still alive today…" Seto stared wide-eyed at him, feeling a strange sensation run through his body. "I don't know why I remember that in particular, I just…do. Oh well, never mind."

Yami shrugged and picked up his pace, so that he was walking slightly ahead of Seto. He stared at him in wonder, asking himself whether Yami had just made it up to make him feel better, or whether he was actually telling the truth. He knew that he and Yami had been cousins, but…he still couldn't be sure. Well, at least he thought he had heard Yami mention that they were once, anyway.

Seto continued to think to himself, furrowing his brow in concentration. #I suppose I should trust Yami more than I do… But all of this seems… I don't know, surreal I suppose. I mean, how many people are there that just happen to be Ancient Egyptian Priests without even realising it? Maybe I'm just overreacting.#

"We should stop here." Yami announced, stopping by the edge of a large chasm and sitting down.

"Why?" Bakura asked as he and Ryou caught up with them.

"Because…it's going to take us at least another day to reach Yugi."

"What! I thought we were closer to him than that!"

"We're not far…its just going to take us some time to get across this chasm." Yami explained casually, waving his hand towards it. "And anyway, I expect you're all tired by now. We should get some sleep."

"Yeah, I've got to admit I am tired…" Bakura said wearily, sitting down next to Yami. Ryou sat down in his lap, while Seto sat down on Yami's other side and leant back against the wall behind them.

"What if something attacks us while we're asleep?" Ryou asked, the thought suddenly coming to his mind.

"Don't worry, I'll keep watch…" Yami said, yawning. Seto frowned.

"Don't be stupid, you look like you could fall asleep on your feet. I'll keep watch, you rest." Yami shook his head.

"No, I'll-"

"Look, if it makes you feel better we can take it in turns. I'll go first, then I'll wake you up and you can watch." Yami smiled, and nodded.

"And you, Bakura." Bakura nodded.

"Does anyone else have a watch apart from me?" He asked.

"Yes." Yami and Seto said in unison. They smiled at each other.

"I'll wake you up at twelve…" Seto said, checking his watch. "Its eight now… so we can do four hours each. Bakura, you can go at four."

"Okay…" Bakura yawned, before settling himself down with Ryou on the ground.

"Are you sure you're alright with going first?" Yami asked quietly, watching Seto as he made himself more comfortable next to him.

"Yes…"

Seto had managed to set himself into a trance-like state as he stared ahead of him, noticing any flicker of movement there happened to be. There was no air flowing where they were, so as a result it was overwhelmingly stuffy. Keeping himself awake was going to be a problem.

"Huh!" Seto jerked upwards as he felt something hit his arm, and looked down to see what it was. He sighed with relief though when he saw it was just Yami, who had fallen asleep and slumped sideways against him. Seto thought this would be a good time to check his watch, and saw that it was eleven thirty. #Half an hour…# Seto thought, before turning back and gazing at the wide space in front of them.

Joey held Marik as the world around them dissolved and then turned into the familiarity of the Snakes and Ladders board Joey had been in before. He looked down and found that he was back on square number five again, and then saw Kamu standing in front of him.

"As you won that last Game, you are allowed one reward; although you do not have any choice in it, I think you'll be grateful nonetheless."

"Okay…" The room once again dissolved, and a new room layout appeared; this time it was a bedroom, with two beds in the middle and a door leading to a bathroom.

"You may rest here. Get yourself clean. Do what you please in here; you will be given a limited amount of time, but it will be enough."

"Right…why?"

"Because it means you will have enough energy to complete all the challenges we will have for you tomorrow…" And with that he disappeared.

"Okay, this is just getting pointless…" Joey said, lifting Marik up onto one of the beds. "You okay?" Joey asked him.

"I don't know how long I've been here, but I reckon it's been long enough for me to have a bath…" Marik smiled. "I'll be fine." He got up, stumbled, and promptly fell over on the floor. "On second thoughts, maybe not…"

"Come on, then…" Joey lifted him up and carried him into the bathroom, closing the door with his foot behind him. "Uhh…" Joey moved Marik so that he was sitting on the edge of the bath, and stood in front of him, not sure of what to do.

"Uhh… I would do this by myself, but…currently I can't move very much." Said Marik, casting his gaze to the ground.

"Okay…" Joey moved forward and turned the taps of the bath on, checking it with his hand to make sure it was warm enough for Marik. "Is this alright for you?" Marik moved his hand so it was under the flow of water.

"Yes…thank you, Joey."

"That's okay!" Joey squeaked slightly when he saw Marik taking his top off, and quickly jumped up and turned around.

"What's wrong with you? It's not like you haven't seen anybody else naked before…" Marik said. "Or haven't you…?"

"Err, yeah, but this is kinda different!"

"Well, you don't have to worry Joey. I don't mind."

"Uh…okay…" Joey turned around, blushed bright red and spun around again. Marik had managed to strip himself of all his clothes, and was now standing with his back facing him, with no apparent guilt at standing completely naked in front of him. Joey heard a splash as Marik slid himself into the bath, and breathed a sigh of relief. He turned around again to find Marik laughing at him, and scowled with annoyance. "Hey, you may be alright with people staring at your manhood, but not everyone is like you!"

"Oh well." Marik said, shrugging. "That can only be a good thing. I mean, if everyone was the same, this world would be a very boring place."

"I suppose so." Joey paused. "Umm…you need any help?"

"Actually, now that you've mentioned it…yes, please!" Joey couldn't help but laugh, so he walked over to the bath and knelt down beside it.

"So…what do you need help with?"

"Err, everything. Well, washing…thing." Marik said, waving his hand around. Joey nodded.

"Okaaaay, soap…" Joey said, getting up and rummaging through one of the cupboards on the wall. It didn't take long, and soon Joey was rubbing it into a sponge he had also found. "Right, you hold this," Joey said, passing Marik the soap, "and I'll use this." Joey brandished the sponge. "Okay, lean forward…" Marik did as he was told and Joey started move the sponge over his skin, cleaning off the dirt and mud that had managed to stick itself to him.

"God, how did you get so dirty?" Joey asked through gritted teeth, scrubbing off a particularly tough bit of mud.

"Uhh, not sure about that one." Marik said, smiling. The more he tried to think about it, the more he remembered. "I keep seeing this face…"

"Face?"

"Yeah…I know it's important to me, but I can't put a name to it…"

"Well, tell me what it looks like." Joey watched Marik's face as he frowned to remember.

"It looks like…it looks like me." Marik laughed. "It's stupid, I know."

"No, it isn't." Marik looked at him in confusion.

"Why not? I don't know anyone who looks like me." Marik's smile faded as Joey looked at him seriously.

"You should. If I'm thinking of the right person…" Joey paused. "This person caused a lot of trouble for you. Tried to kill you."

"No, I don't think so." Marik said, shaking his head. "When I think of this face, I feel…love." Joey snorted.

"You couldn't love him…not in a million years…" Marik sighed, resting his head on his knees.

"Well, you could at least tell me his name."

"His name is, or was…Malik."

Malik stared with wide eyes at the screen as the words resounded around his head.

'"You couldn't love him…not in a million years…"

'"Well, you could at least tell me his name."

'"His name is, or was…Malik."'

"Marik…I'm sorry." Malik whispered, touching the screen in front of him. "This never should have happened to you." Malik turned away and sat on the floor, leaning his back against a wall. #I remember when all of this started…when we first fell in love… I promised you I would never let harm come to you, especially when Odion and Ishizu left you… They didn't understand what it was like, but you, Marik… You didn't care. You stayed with me because you loved me. I felt bad because this had made Odion and Ishizu leave, but you stood by my side… Never left me. You were willing to forgive the mistakes I had made, you accepted my apology for hurting you so before… But now… You'll never love me now. You never could. Not now Joey's told you that all I did was hurt you. If only I could change what had happened…

#When I first came back from the Shadow Realm, you were still angry with me. I understood, though. While I was in there, I had time to think about what I had done. At first I still hated you, but then I thought about how I never would have existed if it weren't for you… Then I realised how much I needed you, how much… I loved you. I finally managed to get out from the Shadow Realm, and went looking for you. I thought that you would understand, but you didn't. And over the time I took to explain everything to you, I grew fonder of you… And I'm just glad of the fact that you actually sat down and listened to me. Nobody else would have done that for me. But it was all pointless… You don't even remember our love. But even now, I will try my hardest to get you out of there…#

Malik felt a tear slide down his face as his memories came back to him. #Memory…that's what this whole game is about.# Malik wiped the tear away before standing up, turning to look at the screen again. He felt a great sadness as he watched Joey and Marik hugging, and felt no point in trying to stem his tears as he longed to hold Marik in his arms again…

#Joey…if only you knew… Just how sorry I am.# "I don't blame you…"