"So, we turn right here?" Marik asked Kelda as they walked down the street after waiting for the traffic light to change. It was Sunday, and Marik was going to visit Kelda's house for the first time. He was both excited and nervous.
"No, we still have one more block to go. And since we technically live in the store, it is located in the business district." Kelda answered.
"Oh. I didn't think about that. Is it loud?" Marik asked curiously. The only other person he knew who lived above a business was Yugi. But his situation was a bit different since the Kame Game Shop was located in a residential area.
Kelda looked thoughtful. "It can get a bit loud at times with all of the cars. But it's not really bad once you get used to it. I like to listen to music while I do my homework. That helps a lot. And my grandmother is pretty cool about it since she is usually working in the storeroom in the basement, anyway." She explained.
"That sounds pretty convenient. Although, to be honest, I've never really been one for music. So I don't have to worry about arguing with my family about loud volumes." Marik said.
For most of his childhood, Marik hadn't known that music and songs had even existed. When he had first had access to the modern world after leaving his old home, Marik had initially been fascinated by all of the different types of songs on the radio. But after a while, he had come to realize that a lot of the lyrics were just variations of the same, basic themes. It was also mostly the same with television programs. Marik liked educational programs, like documentaries, because information and news about the world was always evolving. But he had lost interest in everything else on TV.
"You don't like music? That's a first. Not that there's anything wrong with that, though!" Kelda said; adding the last part a bit hastily.
"Well, I might have been a bit different if I hadn't been raised so strictly back then. But in a way, I feel like my childhood helped me to gain a different perspective about a lot of things in life..." Marik trailed off thoughtfully.
Kelda raised her eyebrows at Marik's comment. He sometimes made vague references to his past like this. But he would never elaborate any further if she pressed him for more details. Marik would either just say that it was a story for another day, or change the subject completely. Kelda guessed that Marik needed more time to get to know her better before he felt comfortable enough to start disclosing about his past. But it was still frustrating for her. Even though Kelda enjoyed having mysteries, she hated not being able to actually solve them.
"Hey, isn't this the street that you said your place is on?" Marik asked; quickly utilizing tactic number two of his avoidance strategies.
"Yes, it is. The Oracle's Mirror is right around the corner. Now before we go inside, I think that I should warn you about something first. My grandmother can be a little...eccentric. But she means well. She just takes her job very seriously, that's all." Kelda explained somewhat nervously. She fervently hoped that Marissa wouldn't say or do anything too embarrassing in front of Marik. It wouldn't have been the first time that her grandmother had scared her friends with a routine "aura check".
To Kelda's surprise, Marik had a look of interest on his face. "So, since you both run a fortune-telling shop, does that mean that your grandmother could give me a reading to predict my future?" He asked curiously.
"I'm the one who does the actual readings. But don't expect anything accurate. I'm mainly just doing it to help keep us afloat. After all, no one can actually predict the future. But Grandma's job is different. She's always said that she can communicate with spirits and read a person's aura. But I have no idea whether that's true or not. I mean, it's not like I can see or hear ghosts, so how would I know for sure? And as for reading someone? I will admit that she can be good at sensing someone's mood or intentions. But that's only when I know the person that she's read myself." Kelda explained.
"It is extremely unlikely for an individual to possess the power to predict the future. They would most likely need to rely on the assistance of an outside force or object to do so. However, I do believe that the spiritual sense is more common worldwide than people have originally estimated it to be. Particularly among collective cultures." Marik said.
"Wow. She's really going to like you!" Kelda said ruefully. She was a bit surprised that Marik actually bought into all of this occult nonsense. But on the other hand, Kelda couldn't deny that along with everything else, it somehow made Marik even more interesting.
Let's just hope he doesn't get into this stuff enough to do anything weird like that ridiculous cosplay act he had going on during Battle City. Kelda thought wryly to herself as she opened the front door to the Oracle's Mirror.
"Grandma, I'm home!" Kelda called out. As usual, there was no response.
Kelda turned to face Marik, who was looking around the shop in fascination.
"She's probably downstairs." Kelda said as she pointed towards the door leading to the basement.
As Kelda and Marik descended the stairs to the basement, Kelda could hear her grandmother's voice.
"I know that you are still upset about not being able to win the world championship. But it is time to move on, Daisuke. After all, it's pretty hard to play baseball when you are dead! But only you can decide to make the journey." Marissa said as she conversed with a seemingly empty space.
Kelda was mortified. Of course, she just had to have brought a friend over on a day when Marissa was having one of her spiritual "talks" with a soul that was reluctant to move on into the afterlife.
To his credit, Marik didn't laugh or question Marissa's sanity. He simply turned to Kelda and said: "I'm guessing that is part of being a medium, right?"
"Yup..." Kelda replied wryly.
Suddenly, Marissa noticed Kelda and Marik standing in front of her. "Oh, hello! You're finally back, Kelda! And I see that you've brought a guest with you!" Marissa said with a smile.
Marissa turned back to face her presumed client. "Daisuke, I'm afraid that we will have to finish this conversation later. But I would be completely fine with you deciding to not re-schedule if you decide that you have somewhere else you want to be." She said pointedly.
"Sorry that I didn't knock first, grandma." Kelda apologized sheepishly.
"Oh, don't worry about it. I was actually supposed to be done with that appointment half an hour ago, but you know how the resistant ones can get! But enough about that. Who is this handsome young man that you've brought home for me to meet!? Your new boyfriend, perhaps?" Marissa said teasingly.
Kelda and Marik both blushed furiously.
"No! It's not like that at all, grandma! This is Marik Ishtar. He's the one that I told you that I met on the train." Kelda explained.
"It's very nice to meet you, Mrs. Hale! You have a wonderful store, and I would be very interested in learning more about your work here." Marik said politely. He extended his arm out to Marissa for a handshake.
"Well, aren't you an absolutely charming young man! I can see why Kelda already likes you so much, Marik!" Marissa said with a smile.
As soon as Marissa started to shake Marik's hand, she quickly pulled her own hand back and gasped in alarm. It was as if she had received an electric shock from him.
"What's wrong!?" Marik asked nervously.
"You... I just felt the presence of a great evil inside of you! I've never felt anything like it before! But it is also strange. He is a part of you, yet separate. A spirit, and yet not one. I don't understand..." Marissa said shakily.
Marik froze in horror. He knew that this was not an act. She knows! She can sense him! He thought to himself in fear.
Kelda was angry. "Grandma, you're being rude! There is nothing wrong with Marik, and you're scaring him with this nonsense!" She scolded.
Marissa seemed to regain her composure. "I'm terribly sorry, Marik. I didn't mean to frighten you. I sometimes enjoy playing that trick on new customers, and they usually get a kick out of it. But I really should stop. Don't worry, you're perfectly fine!" She said.
Marik could tell that Marissa was lying to him, but decided not to say anything about it in front of Kelda. "Oh. Ha, ha. Well, that was...interesting. Don't worry, I'm not offended." He said with a feeble laugh.
"Thank you for being a good sport about it. But I'm sure that you kids are probably tired of hanging out with this old lady! So I'm going back to work now. Feel free to look around the store, Marik. And let me know if you two would like a snack or some tea. I'll see you later!" Marissa said with a wave as she turned towards the other part of the basement.
As soon as Marissa had left, Kelda turned to Marik. "I'm so sorry that my grandmother said all of that about being possessed to you. You do know that it wasn't really true, right?" Kelda asked.
"Don't worry. It's alright. Once I got past the initial surprise, I actually saw the humor in it! Your grandmother is a very fascinating person." Marik said; trying to mask the fear that he was still feeling.
"Thanks for understanding. I love her, but I wish that she wouldn't go so far with all of this hocus-pocus. But I suppose that that is what makes her so good at her job." Kelda said as they both went upstairs.
"You don't believe in her." Marik said. It was a statement, not a question.
"It's not that I disrespect her work. But how am I supposed to believe in ghosts or magic when there is no physical evidence of anything like that actually existing?" Kelda asked in frustration.
Marik couldn't help smiling. "You sound like someone I know. It is hard to believe in something that you can't see. But if a time ever comes when you see something that you can't explain, then it becomes a lot easier." He said.
"Well, let's hope that nothing like that ever happens! Would you like some tea or something?" Kelda asked as they walked into the kitchen.
"Sure, that sounds great!" Marik said.
xxx
"So, have you always lived with your grandmother?" Marik asked Kelda as they both had their tea at the small kitchen table.
"I'm guessing that that is just a politely re-phrased version of the question: "Where are your parents?" Am I right?" Kelda asked with a wry smile.
"Very perceptive. And yes, it is. If you don't mind me asking." Marik said.
"I don't mind. I've lived with grandma since I was three. Before that, I did live with my parents. But I don't remember them at all. All I know is that they lost a custody battle for me in court to grandma, and I haven't seen or heard from them ever since. And don't even get me started on just impossible they are to find! In this day and age, you would think that I would find something, but they may as well live on another planet for what I've found on them. Or I should say, haven't found. Not that I care anymore, though. They chose to stop wanting to be a part of my life a long time ago." Kelda said bitterly.
Marik was fascinated. Usually, parents were considered as the main guardians for their children, so the fact that they had both lost in court must mean that whatever had happened was very bad. For a moment, he thought of his own father. If Marik and his siblings had been being raised in the outside world back then, far away from the secrecy of the underground tombs, then he had no doubt that his father would have gotten into serious trouble for his actions against them all back then.
"I'm sorry. I never would have guessed that something like that had happened." Marik apologized.
"It's okay. I'm pretty happy with the way my life has turned out, so it really doesn't matter. But what about your family?" Kelda asked.
"I've lived with my older brother and sister for a while now. And since you've seen the Battle City finals, I'm sure that you remember them. Right?" Marik asked with a smile.
"Right. Ishizu and Odion. I bet that Ishizu would earn a lot more money at my job than me with the way she got into telling the future! Um, do you think that she would possibly be interested in a job here?" Kelda asked sheepishly.
Marik laughed. "Sorry, but I'm afraid that her days of seeing into the future are over!" He joked.
"Oh, well. I had to try! So, what about your parents? Are they still..." Kelda trailed off; unsure of how to finish her question.
"I've never met my mother. She died giving birth to me... And my father died when I was still a child." Marik explained somberly.
"Oh. How did your father die?" Kelda asked carefully.
Marik hesitated for a moment. "He was murdered." He said firmly; hoping that Yami Marik was listening. Even though Marik had stopped loving his father a long time ago, he still didn't believe that he had deserved to die like that.
"I'm sorry..." Kelda apologized.
"No, it's fine. You had no way of knowing. But I think that this is enough depressing conversation for one day. Why don't you show me around the store once we're done here? Then, I thought that we might have a practice duel just to see how you are doing. What do you say?" Marik asked.
"Sounds good to me!" Kelda agreed.
xxx
A couple of hours later, Marik was in the basement again. He had told Kelda that he had left something downstairs by accident, and that he would be back in a few minutes so that she could see him off before he took the next train back home. But in reality, it had just been an excuse for him to ask Marissa a question.
"Mrs. Hale?" Marik asked when he spotted her arranging some tarot cards on a small table.
Marissa looked up quickly at the sound of Marik's voice. "Oh. I thought that you had already left." She said in surprise.
"I will soon. But I wanted to ask you something. I know that you weren't just joking around when we met. You could sense my other half." Marik said.
Marissa sighed. "So you are aware of him. I don't know what has happened during your life, Marik. But I do know that you yourself are a kind soul." She said.
"But since you have powers, then there must be something that you can do to help me get rid of him! Please, is there any way that I can be saved!?" Marik begged desperately.
Marissa looked at Marik sadly. "Not the way you want to be." She said.
Marik hung his head in despair. "I see. I'll understand if you don't want me to spend anymore time with Kelda..." He said. Marik didn't like it, but he didn't want to put Kelda in danger, either.
"I can't forbid Kelda from doing much once her mind is made up about something. And she does like you quite a lot already. However, it would probably be for the best if you didn't see each other anymore. I've never felt a more malevolent presence than what is inside of you in all of my years as a medium, and frankly, it frightens me..." Marissa explained.
"I understand. I shouldn't have gotten involved with your granddaughter in the first place. I'm sorry..." Marik apologized helplessly. He turned to leave.
"Marik. Despite everything, I do still believe that you are good for Kelda. But only you can decide where to go from here." Marissa said.
"I hope that you are right..." Marik said.
xxx
Ryou Bakura was sitting at his kitchen table, still hard at work despite how late it was getting. He was working on designing new character figurines for the tabletop version of Monster World. Ever since Marik and the others had told him at school yesterday that they would like to get together for another game, he had been working overtime to create the figurines for the new character classes that they had requested. Marik had chosen to be a Paladin, which was basically a warrior type character who also possessed the ability to use some basic healing magic.
As Bakura was adding some blue paint around the edges of the armor, he heard the doorbell ring.
That's odd. I don't usually get any visitors at this time of night. And Marik and the others always call first. Bakura thought to himself.
But despite the fact that it was almost 11:00 PM, Bakura couldn't help wanting to see who was at the door. He was curious about this potential mystery visitor of his.
After putting his cellphone in his pocket, Bakura got up from the table and walked over to the front door of his apartment. When he looked through the peephole, he saw two men who appeared to be in their early to mid twenties. They were both wearing business suits and carrying briefcases. Intrigued, Bakura opened the door a crack.
"Hello. May I help you?" Bakura greeted them politely.
"Good evening. We apologize for coming here at such a late hour. Would you happen to be Mr. Ryou Bakura?" Suit #1 inquired.
"Yes, that's me. May I ask what this is all about?" Bakura asked.
"Right. You see, we both work at an up and coming game company called Raizon Inc. Perhaps you have heard of us?" Suit #2 asked.
"No, I'm afraid that I haven't." Bakura apologized.
"Yes, well that is part of the reason why we are here. Raizon is still relatively new, and it is unable to compete with larger gaming companies like Kaiba Corporation and Industrial Illusions. That is why we need you, Mr. Bakura. We have heard of your work on converting Monster World into an internet based game. It is very impressive, and we could use talent like that at Raizon." Suit #1 explained.
"Thank you very much. But Takeshi is the one who does all of the programming. I just write out the campaign scenarios!" Bakura said sheepishly.
"But that is exactly what we are looking for! Ideas! You see, we want to create an RPG that is similar to Monster World, but at the same time, completely different. It's sort of hard to explain..." Suit #2 said.
Bakura started to feel excited. Despite how much time he already spent on Monster World, the idea of a whole new RPG sounded like fun.
"That sounds amazing, and I would love to be involved in the project! Here, why don't you both come in and let me make you some coffee so that we can all discuss the details together!?" Bakura said excitedly as he opened the front door all of the way.
"Thank you. That would be great." Suit #1 said as both he and his companion followed Bakura inside.
Once the two men were both seated at the kitchen table, Bakura got to work behind the counter; brewing fresh coffee for his guests. Since he was facing away from them, Bakura didn't notice when they started rummaging through their briefcases.
"I'm sorry if the coffee tastes a little bit off. I don't usually have guests here aside from Marik and his friends. And speaking of them, I'm sure that they will be very interested in this new game that you have proposed! I can't wait until-" Bakura started to say.
What happened next was all too fast. Before Bakura even had time to react, Suit #1 threw a strange powder-like substance over him. There was then a brilliant flash of golden light. Suit #2 then quickly pressed a button on a small metal device, causing a beam of light to flow from it, and then directly towards the golden light explosion surrounding Bakura that the powder had caused. The golden light was then absorbed into the device. A blank, dead-looking expression appeared on Bakura's face. He then fell to the floor; unconscious.
"That had to be the easiest one yet!" Suit #1 said with a laugh.
"Yeah! He didn't even ask for our names, or for any proof that our so-called company even exists! As soon as we mentioned Monster World, any sense he had just flew right out the window!" Suit #2 said.
"It was the same thing with that Yugi kid, too. These kids and their stupid games!" Suit #1 joked cruelly.
"Well, that's it for tonight. But I'm glad that this is almost over now." Suit #2 said ruefully.
"Right. Four down, and two to go." Suit #1 said. They both walked out of the apartment; not even bothering to spare another glance at Bakura's soulless body.
Author's note: I apologize if this is starting to seem a bit dark. But you might want to fasten your seatbelts, because you haven't seen anything yet! XD To Silencer39: Marik will eventually have a duel in this story. But even though I am a duelist myself, I'm not what you would call a creative one. So don't expect any overly complicated strategies. They will probably just be simply countering each other's moves.