Happy Bleated Independence Day everyone from the US of A!

This one took a little longer to write due to structure issues but I am VERY pleased with how it came out...especially given the foreshadowing and content.

Way more foreshadowing ahead so pay close attention Heehee...

Monster in the Dark

Red.

Red blinded him.

Curling wisps of red smoke like streaks of blood.

Blood splattered on the floor.

Rivers of blood pooling from his brother's back. His father's where the flesh had been stripped away. From his own where the heated knife pieces his skin.

Red like fire burning his skin, burning him to his bones, burning him until there was only darkness.

And his father's corpse.

Marik slammed on his brakes, blinking away the Doll's sight as Slifer melted away in wisps of smoke like a long suffering ghost finally out to rest.

It was gone.

He'd lost.

He'd lost the duel.

He'd lost Slifer.

The Red God necessary for his coronation and kingship.

To the Pharaoh! The Parasite!

He'd...failed. And the crushing weight of that realization was like a boulder pulverizing his every muscle and bone.

He'd failed to defeat the parasite.

He'd failed to avenge his people.

He'd failed to prove himself as a king.

And worst of all...

He'd failed to rescue Yugi.

That single fact more than any other stung his eyes. His beloved Yugi: the sweet, strong, sensible young man with so much passion in his soul, so much light in his smile and so much love glittering in his eyes...was still a slave to that selfish, spoiled, parasite who used his body as a tool.

A vessel.

Ra and all the Saints did Marik hate that title. Hated using that title whenever he spoke to Yugi but what choice did he have? How else could he convince Yugi to stay out of it when he was so insistent on coming between them? What threats and promises had that pompous false king made to sway his loyalty so?

It didn't matter.

In the end Marik had lost.

He'd failed.

He'd failed himself.

Failed his people.

Failed Yugi…

That single fact more than all the others struck like the bite of a steel-tipped whip across his scarred back and set his blood boiling in pure rage.

Ha! So what? You're just gonna give up? Just like that? A vicious bark of mocking humor cracked like a whip across his mind. The words were a sing-song, flamboyantly cold and pitched high with derision.

It snorted at Marik's jump of surprise, his bike nearly faltering under his lost control, but Marik was used to seeing out of multiple perspectives at once, and held iron control over his vehicle.

This time he forced the bike to stop, just outside Domino City and whirled around, relieved and disappointed, surprised and unexpected to find he was alone-and felt the sting of the Rod's ax digging sadistically into his hip, punishing him.

And you think you're worthy to be King, let alone of the Chosen One.

"Who are you." It was a demand not a question, for Marik had grown up with the legends and knowledge of the millennium items and the ancient scriptures-and the spirits of long fallen warriors who slept within their golden tombs.

Do you not know? A rough, gravely snort, that somehow managed to sound derivative and insolent all at once. Marik could hear the sneer, the curl of lips tugging into a smirk that showed teeth, see the slant of the eyes, mocking, telling, and yet revealing nothing.

I have always been here.

Pain exploded in Marik's back. Darkness swallowed his vision and the rush of memories so forceful and sudden it stole all the breath from his body. Thick, meaty hands dragging him into that horrible room that smelt like blood. The burn of coarse rope digging into his ankles and wrists. The hot stab of iron slicing open his skin Like a carcass for a feast. His father's shadow looming over him like a monster. The coppery smoke choking his nostrils. The screams tearing themselves raw from his throat until it bled.

Until all he knew as pain.

Pain…

And…

Darkness.

"You…" Realization struck. The pain, so fierce and terrible he thought he might die from it. Wanted nothing more than to die. The darkness surrounding him, offering comfort and coldness. The shadow on the floor. The way it stretched and spread like a living thing. Eyes glowing.

His shadow. His saving grace with glowing red eyes, promising to take away all his pain.

He came back to the future with a ferocious gasp, like waking from a nightmare. A drowning man inhaling his first gulp of air.

That's right ! The Spirit of the Rod practically sang. But don't fret. I'm here to help you. You want the Pharaoh's Chosen as your consort, correct? But you can't risk destroying the Pharaoh less you harm the vessel, yes? Well, then there's only one thing to do isn't there?

That derivative, mocking tone. Its words like a sing-song. A cat with a canary in its teeth and a secret it was just dying to tell.

Marik could just envision the smirk.

We must make the Pharaoh destroy himself.

Like it was so obvious.

Make him prove to your precious that he's a danger and a threat, not just to him, but to everyone he loves...starting with his so-called "friends".

And as it whispered its plans in Marik's ear. Told him what to do, met Marik's skepticism and distrust with promises that would soon yield evidence, if only he would trust him.

Slowly, reluctantly, Marik agreed.

X X X

Like a spider, he saw multiple viewpoints: the road ahead of him, the Doll looking out at the surprised and determined Pharaoh, all fiery eyes and subtle flesh standing next to Seto Kaiba, whose face and flesh he scrutinized with a mixture of surprise and delight, Marik's own eyes observing it all with third party absentees, ignorant of his own status as a pawn, and finally, Yugi's "friends" who would soon become his pawns.

He spoke with a voice that was not Marik's.

Adored the fire burning in those fierce eyes of the Pharaoh as "Marik" revealed all, the way his hands clenched, his teeth grit and the way his temper flared when "Marik" detailed exactly how he planned to use his pawns. So luscious the Pharaoh was in his rage. The way those delicious, lush lips pulled into a snarl as they insulted him. The determination firing that stance of his bringing to light all his masculine lines and rich curves.

He licked his lips, smirking.

He couldn't wait to break him.

His eyes fell on Kaiba, looking at the Doll he spoke through with a juxtaposing mixture of disgust and fascination. He eyed the man critically, analyzing the all too familiar form: its neat crop of plush brown hair, its sharp eyes and fine jawline. The impressive height and lightly muscled limbs. Oh yes, this was indeed the true vessel.

In time, he reminded himself, in time.

With a final warning to the King, he savored the look of terror flashing behind the fire and released the doll.

See? He told his "host". When you threaten what people love, it makes them afraid, and fear makes them stupid. Once your Yugi sees it is not you but the Pharaoh who is a threat to his friends, it's only a matter of time until your sweetheart abandons him.

He laughed, grinned. Marik nodded, thanked him for his assistance and willed himself back in control, completely oblivious to the fact, his so-called shadow had relinquished nothing.

X X X

"Enjoy Slifer while you can, Pharaoh," Marik spat, resuming his drive. That stall had cost him precious time, but not time he could not make up. Speed had always been his ally, and his glorious red Honda VT600-C Shadow VLX was made for it.

His arrival in Domino was like a rush of a powerful wind and the city itself unfolded about him like the parting of a crowd for its king.

Yes, soon he would be the King of this city.

Correspondence from his Ghouls assured him of Jounouchi and Aznu's whereabouts. Reluctant as he was to believe the Spirit's plans, it would still be good to keep Yugi's friends in his peripheral vision, after all, they could provide very important information concerning his future beloved...his favorite color, food, books, things, likes, where he would best like to go on dates...the thoughts flooded Marik with a warmth that soothed him and left him feeling giddy.

Something scoffed in the back of his mind but he ignored it.

But first...he had a Pharaoh to slay and a god to reclaim.

He pulled off his helmet, shook out his tawny mane, the golden spikes of his earrings jangled.

His duel disk snapped to life on his arm. "Great Ra who waits in my deck...God of Death and doom…" he whispered in prayer, feeling the Golden God's magnificent power rush through him like a bolt of lightning. "Give me the strength of the King!"

The fake-Pharaoh could have Slifer, for now. As long as he had the Rod and Ra, he would triumph.

"So…" came a gruff, husky voice from the shadows. "You're the one with the Millennium item…" The surprise in that voice caught Marik off guard and he spun.

Standing in the shadows, arms crossed in haughty arrogance, a white haired man scrutinized Marik with critical eyes and a leisurely smirk. There was a brief moment of calm realization, followed by a leisurely snort as if he didn't know whether to be impressed or annoyed. "Now, be a good boy and hand it over."

He held out his hand expectantly.

Marik flashed his own grin. "Who are you?"

A smile slit the man's face. His husky voice, rough with arrogant malice. "I'm the one who's going to kill you if you get in the way of my plan."


This one was really tricky to write, I honestly had no idea how to start to bridge the gap between this and what promises to be the turning point of Act One...but going back to Marik's perspective was a HUGE help.

As I mentioned last chapter, I've long suspected Malik, or Marik's evil side, has been pulling the strings much sooner than suspected, especially given its Marik's anger that brings him out, so him losing to the pharaoh and feeling that he failed everyone, himself and his beloved Yugi? I think that's enough rage for a certain someone to rear their spiky blond head and start pulling even more strings...again pay close attention to Evil Malik's pov LOTS of hints ;)

And of course Bakura steals the spotlight ;)

Next Time: Alliance are made. Rivalries are forged and set aside and Yami and Bakura both learn the consequences of keeping your friends close, and your enemies closer...