I'm feeling motivated so I got this chapter out! Whoo!

Sorry if this one is slow moving. I'm trying to make this one in a certain way and it's taking a while...

Anyway, here's Chapter 4:


It wasn't long before Bakura came running inside their hideout and dived behind the door as if trying to escape from something. Everyone was put on high alert.

"What is it?" Ishizu asked.

"Shhhhhh!" Bakura shushed her, and the reason was evident. Outside, merely fifty feet away, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon statue that had come to life from before was walking around, trying to find them. It would sniff around like a dog and then, unable to pick up a scent, would start walking in a random direction. Then in another twenty feet, would repeat the process over again. Yami was satisfied to see that its wings were broken off due to the building falling on top of it. It was like karma was working its magic.

"I really hate that dragon," Joey mumbled but no one responded. They were too busy watching the statue sniff and walk. Luckily, it was walking away from them, towards the entrance to the park. They sat and waited for it to leave and once it was out of sight, everyone seemed to exhale in relief.

"Should we get out of here now?" Ryou asked. Bakura nodded.

"I think that's a good idea." He said. "Marik better be in here or I'll kill him."

"Now, now," Ishizu said looking grim. "I think there has been enough killing for one day, don't you?"

Ignoring Bakura's smirk, Yami walked over to Yugi who had finally stood when the dragon showed up. He was looking better than when they first arrived at the park but his condition still worried the ex-pharaoh. Nothing had changed dramatically since he came back to life the night before and Yami hoped that when they had gathered all seven Millennium Items, restored the Earth's balance, and saved everyone, that he would get back to normal. He hated seeing Yugi this way and it was making Yami more protective than usual.

"Will you be alright to get going?" he asked. Yugi looked at him and nodded.

"Yeah…let's go," he said, his voice sounding forcefully stronger than it should have been. Yami narrowed his eyes at that but didn't say anything. Everyone else was anxious to go, and they did have a time limit. Shadi only gave them three days to bring all of the item bearers together, and they were already almost done the first day.

With that thought in mind, he stayed with Yugi while following Bakura out the door. Everyone else crept behind them. Bakura led them down the edge of the building and behind it, heading deeper into the park.

"So I do hope that we are going to stay away from any statues this time," Ryou said in a low voice. Joey didn't say anything, and Yami could tell that he was still feeling emotional, as he was about Tristan's death. Yami was ready to keep the conversation away from Tristan at the moment so they could keep their minds clear for the trials ahead.

"Where do you think Marik will be?" he asked. Bakura smirked.

"Probably in the most inconvenient spot in the park." He said. "Doesn't he usually like to make things harder for other people?"

"Bakura," Ishizu said glaring at the ex-thief. "It's true that my brother has made some questionable choices in the past, but I assure you that they were not meant to make life harder for anyone else. If he did…. well…it was unintentional."

"Ah, and there's the word of the day," Bakura said rolling his eyes. "Let's unintentionally wake a dragon wanting to kill everyone, or unintentionally break the planet to the point of pure destruction and ruin."

Yami was about to give Bakura a warning about what he was saying, but Ryou beat him to it.

"It's not like you haven't done those things before Bakura," Ryou said smugly. "So, if I were you, I'd leave your judgments behind with your past. We've been through this before."

Immediately, Bakura stopped talking. Yami couldn't see his expression as he was walking behind him but Bakura was suddenly being compliant. He and Joey exchanged surprised glances at Ryou's strong hold over Bakrua. What had happened between those two to create such a relationship?

"I suggest that we look inside that building," Ishizu said pointing ahead. The building that she was referring to was a large gymnasium looking building that was probably used as storage for props. All of the park's rides lie behind this building, divided by wire fence. Bakura pulled out the Millennium Ring again, and miraculously, it pointed towards the building.

"Lucky guess," he said. Without another word, they all walked towards the building.

As they walked towards it, Yami started thinking about the man who started this mess. Kalcifer did not seem like your typical man. He could summon fire at will, and could animate completely inanimate objects. He could be a powerful sorcerer, but Yami felt that there was more to the man. He thought back to when he first saw Kalcifer and how there was a beetle hanging from his shirt. Come to think of it, it almost looked like a dung beetle, and the thought struck a sudden chord in is memory.

But before Yami could think about further, he realized that they had come up to the building that Ishizu and Bakura surmised that Marik was in. It looked even larger up close, and the 12 foot tall steel doors that guarded the entrance didn't make it seem any less intimidating. Joey walked up and, with a grunt, pulled one of the doors open. It creaked so loudly that the echo could be heard all throughout the park.

"Quickly, lets get in before that dragon finds us!" Ryou said urgently.

No one could really argue so the quickly stepped inside. Joey shut the door behind them as a safety measure but Yami quickly wished that he didn't. They immediately realized that there were no lights on as it was pitch black inside this building.

"Great, now we can't see anything!" Joey said sounding slightly frightened.

"Oh no…what ever shall we do without light?" Bakura said mockingly. There was a sudden golden glow and the Millennium Ring could be seen to Yami's right. "It's not like three of us don't have Items that glow or anything."

"We can do without the sarcasm, Bakura." Yami said. Nonetheless, he activated the Puzzle just enough for it to cast a golden glow on their surroundings. Ishizu did so as well without a word. The light from the three items did create a decent amount of light, but not enough to cover the entire interior. In fact, Yami was certain that they were just a small globe of light in an incredibly vast amount of darkness.

What the light did reveal was not comforting. Large amounts of parts for amusement park rides lay strewn about and stacked upon each other. To their left, were pieces of track that belonged to a roller coaster stacked nearly ten feet high (or that's at least how far the light would reach). Directly in front of them, were machinery that Yami only guessed was used to move the large and heavy equipment around them. There was stuff everywhere but there seemed to be a path leading the way deeper into the building.

"Not very organized, is it?" said Ryou.

"Hey Marik," Joey yelled, his voice echoing off the walls. "You in here?"

"You fool!" Bakura pushed Joey in annoyance. "Why don't you just give our position away to every enemy in the park?!"

"What, and the glowing light you're giving off won't?"

"Come on guys," Ryou said in a huff. "Why do you always pick the most inconvenient time to pick a fight?"

"Ryou's right," Yami said. "We need to focus. Bakura, which direction is Marik in?"

Grumbling slightly, Bakura held up the Ring. Yami watched as the needles pointed directly ahead of them.

"Guess he's in the middle?" Ryou said. Ishizu nodded.

"Yes, let's go!"

They started to walk towards what could have been the center of the building, the light from the Millennium Items bouncing off of everything they walked past. The air in this large building was thick unnerving. Yami half expected someone to jump out at them around every corner.

But that did not happen, at least for the first ten minutes.

Yami was walking past a random pile of junk when there was a shudder in all of the equipment around them. They all stopped and looked around, unsure what was happening due to the small amount of light that they were given. They were surrounded by discarded coaster rails and other pieces of equipment.

Then, it was if all of the rails around them became sentient all at once. Slithering like snakes, or jumping up in the air all around them, it was a sudden chaos that Yami was not expecting.

"What the-?!" came Joey's voice "This has to be some weird technology of Kaiba's, right?"

"It might not be," said Ryou. "Remember when Kalcifer made that suit of armor come to life? This is probably his doing."

Then, all of the equipment and rails started to fly around them all at once. Yami dodged when a particularly large beam came flying at his head. He looked around and saw everyone else running for cover.

"Run back to the exit!" Yami yelled to everyone, hoping they would hear. There was no way they could take on a horde of flying inanimate objects with limited lighting. It was best if they could regroup outside. "Yugi, where are you?"

Due to the confusion, Yami did not expect an answer. But his condition was not good and Yami feared that he would be an easy target.

Hoping that Yugi, and everyone else would be able to find the exit, Yami ran in the direction that he thought that the exit might have been. But then, powerful metal objects twisted themselves around his wrists and ankles. Try as he might, he couldn't break free.

"Oh no!" he yelled, trying to break the bonds to no avail. The metal suddenly shifted and started to lift him in the air. "W-what's going on? Can anyone hear me?"

He said that last part because he could hear his friends yelling in the distance, no doubt trying to distance themselves from getting into the situation that Yami found himself in. Then, the same metal that was lifting him in the air, started to pull him in the opposite direction that he was running towards. Yami could barely see anything but in the direction that it felt as though he was being pulled in, he saw an orange light that was close to the ground. It didn't take long for him to get there and not surprisingly, the metal stopped within ten feet of the light. The light, as it turned out, was being created by a small fire. It was no bigger than your average campfire but was being held in a large metal brazier. Though the odd thing about it was that the fire didn't seem to have anything underneath it as a fuel source…

Tearing his eyes away from the flame, Yami realized that Ryou just appeared to his left, suspended by his wrists and ankles in midair, much like he was.

"Ryou!"

Ryou looked at him in surprise. "Please tell me you know what's going on?!"

Yami was saved on having to say "no," by Joey, who appeared at his right, suspended the same as Ryou and him.

"Well," Joey struggled to break free. "That could'a gone better…"

Ishizu appeared on Joey's right, not struggling but looking livid.

"What is the meaning of this?!" she said sternly.

Then, from behind the fire, Kalcifer appeared as he had materialized from withing the fire itself.

"Well well well," he said snidely. "So nice of you all to join me!"

"You jerk," Joey said angrily. "Let us go!"

"Now why would I go and do something silly like that?"

As Joey started throwing a colorful array of insults at Kalcifer, Yami looked around distractedly. Yugi and Bakura were missing. He hoped to all the stars in the sky that they make it out or at least were able to hide safely. Not only that, but Marik, or at least the Millennium Rod, was supposed to be here too.

"Ah so you've noticed Pharoah," Kalcifer said suddenly, tearing Yami from his thoughts.

"Hey, I'm not done talkin to you!" Joey tried to interject but Kalcifer ignored him.

"I'm sure you've noticed who's missing. Bakura must have ran off but…"

Kalcifer snapped his fingers and there was a flash of a flame and another figure was illuminated behind him. It was then that Yami noticed who was hanging suspended like they all were.

"Marik!" Ishizu yelled. Her brother looked up at the sound of his name and smiled weakly.

"Hello sister…"

Marik looked weak for sure. He was full of bruises and there were a couple of deep cuts on his face and torso. Yami wasn't sure how long he had been here, but Marik looked a little worse for wear.

"Kalcifer, what are you up to?" Yami yelled at the man. What was his plan? Surely there had to be some sort of motivation for all of this?

But then Yami thought back to their last confrontation with him. Kalcifer mentioned that he wanted to have fun, while waiting for the earth to be destroyed. Could that still be his main motivation?

"I'm not really up to anything," Kalcifer shrugged with a smirk. He looked up at Marik who glared back. "The Rod bearer and I were just having a little chat, that's all. Though we didn't necessarily agree with everything we discussed so here we are."

"You tried to bargain with my brother?" Ishizu said incredulously. "That will not work. Marik's dark side is gone forever!"

"Not true!" Kalcifer said with a large smirk. "Everyone has a dark side. It's just a matter of bringing it out! Let me first demonstrate first wiiiith…"

There was another bright flash of fire and to Yami's horror, Yugi appeared behind Kalcifer looking dazed.

"Woah, Yugi?" Joey said wide eyed. "H-hey, you let him go!"

"Tch, or what?" Kalcifer said with a baleful glare in Joey's direction. Joey recoiled slightly at the look but did not back down.

"O-or else…!"

Despite Kalcifer's threating look, he laughed. "Are you always all talk or do you show any backbone every once and a while?"

"Why don't you untie me and then we'll see who has backbone!"

"Maybe you'll change your attitude when I do this…!"

Kalcifer then brought out his palm and a small flame appeared on it. He then slowly brought the flame to Yugi and before Yami could shout any forms of protest, the flame disappeared within Yugi's chest.

Even in the dim lighting, Yami could see the change in Yugi's eyes almost immediately. Instead of being distant and dull, now they were more full of life than they had been in the past twenty-four hours. But even though they were full of life, his eyes were also full of hate. Yugi was no longer himself and as he faced them as Kalcifer did, Yami could see something similar in both their eyes.

"Wh-what have you done?!"

"Not much," Kalcifer laughed. "Or maybe I gave little Yugi here a little of my own power so I could have some fun."

"You creep," Joey yelled looking livid. "Change him back right now!"

"Seeing as how you seem to be full of idle threats, I'm going to ignore you." Kalcifer then looked at Joey as if he had a brilliant idea. "OR! I can have Yugi kill you right here and now Joey."

"What?! Yugi would never!"

"Hmm, maybe you're right," Kalcifer said looking at Yugi thoughtfully. He then chuckled and looked back at Joey with excitement in his eyes. "However, you're not looking at Yugi anymore…are you?"

"What do you mean?" Yami said, fear creeping up on him. He knew what Kalcifer was getting at. If Yugi didn't realize what he was doing, there was nothing stopping him from doing much of anything except Kalcifer himself.

"Why don't you find out for yourself?" Kalcifer said, pointing at Joey. "Yugi, attack Joey!"

"No, stop this!" Yami yelled but he might as well have talked to the floor for all the response he got. Yugi's eye's sparked and both his hands exuded a powerful flame, no doubt thanks to Kalcifer's power radiating inside of him.. He pointed both palms in Joey's direction, no doubt aiming for an attack.

"Do you really think that's wise?" said a voice.
Yami blinked as Bakura walked out from behind Ryou and stood in between Yugi and Joey. Out of the corner of his eye, Yami saw Joey breathe a sigh of relief.

"Nice timing…" Joey said.

"Shut up," Bakura said without looking at him. His gaze was focused on Yugi and Kalcifer. Despite the fact that Bakura stood in the way of Yugi's attack, Kalcifer looked quite pleased.

"Oh? Why wouldn't that be wise, Bakura?"

"Because you're not smart enough to mind control someone," Bakura sneered. "The only person here who is capable of that, is me."

Yami saw Ryou shift uncomfortably out of the corner of his eye.

"Oh, you think so?" Kalcifer said. He chuckled and looked at Bakura excitedly. "Well then why don't we test that out my little plundering pillager?"

"Um…what?" Bakura said with a raised eyebrow. Kalcifer ignored him.

"Yugi, attack Bakura!"

The attack now ready, Yugi aimed directly at Bakura. But the ex-thief had different plans.

"Not so fast!" Bakura swiped his arm to the side and the Millennium Ring glowed. Suddenly Yugi froze seemingly unable to move. He seemed to be trying to move but was unable to do so. Kalcifer no longer looked amused.

"What did you do?" he demanded in a low voice. Bakura chuckled.

"A little-known fact about the Millennium Ring is that it can control minds. Though it's a little different than the power of the Rod, it's still quite effective."

Yami looked on in awe. He had no idea that the Ring itself had this ability. While it was true that the Ring had allowed Bakura to control Ryou for years, Yami always assumed that it was Bakura's own power that allowed this to happen, and not necessarily the Ring itself.

Yugi looked as though he was struggling between what Kalcifer wanted him to do and what Bakura wanted him to do. The flame in his hands grew larger and smaller each second and Yugi's eyes continuously changed from menacing looking to apathetic. This couldn't be good for him…

"Bakura!" Yami yelled. "Can you take him out of his control?"

Bakura didn't look at him but answered, "This isn't as easy as it looks Pharaoh, so I would appreciate some patience."

Yami was sure he would need extra hands to count all of the times that Bakura lost his patience with him but let the matter slide.

"I'll admit, you have skill you sly Ring bearer," Kalcifer's smirk was back. "But can you control more than one person at a time?"

In a quick movement, Kalcifer conjured another flame and shot it towards Marik. The flame disappeared in Marik's chest the same way it had with Yugi.

"No…!" Ishizu moaned.

In the dim lighting that surrounded him, the orange glow that came from his eyes was easily seen. Marik's eyes changed and it was very similar to how he looked at the beginning of Battle City. Kalcifer snapped his fingers and Marik's bindings came loose. Marik fell to the ground, but then stood looking menacing.

"Doesn't this bring back memories…" Joey muttered looking frightened now. "I sure hope that this doesn't bring back his dark half."

"No his dark half is gone," Yami reassured him. "However, that doesn't mean that another can't be born."

"That won't happen," Ishizu said almost angrily. "Marik will be able to break free of this. You shall see."

"I sure hope so or else we're in some trouble here," Ryou said. He looked at Bakura. "So what's your plan exactly?"

"I'm working on it," Bakura said. The fact that Bakura sounded worried wasn't a big morale booster.

Kalcifer started laughing manically. "Oh this is so much fun! I wish I had thought of doing this ages ago!"

Yami tried once more to free his arms and legs but was unable to do so. He didn't like how things were looking and he never felt so helpless. The Millennium Puzzle couldn't control minds and he didn't know how it was going to help them here.

"Oh, I have an idea!" Kalcifer snapped his fingers in excitement. "Why don't we see who truly is better at mind control, eh Bakura?"

Bakura didn't answer so Kalcifer continued.

"We can have Marik and Yugi battle it out right here! The person who has the best control over will win of course."

"What?! No!" Yami yelled. "Do not force them to fight!"

Kalcifer rolled his eyes and looked at him. "And what are you going to do to stop me?"

"Bakura!" Yami turned his head to him. "Whatever you do, don't make them fight!"

"I might not have any choice in the matter," Bakura said still not looking at them. "You see, Kalcifer still has a hold on Yugi."

"Right you are!" Kalcifer said almost cheerily. "Either they will tear each other to shreds, or your control over Yugi will be the demise of either one of them!"

"No!" Ishizu yelled. "Marik, you must listen to your heart! Don't fight Yugi!"

"Yeah that goes for you too Yuge!" Joey said looking angry. "You've never let anyone make you fight before. Don't let that end now! Hey, can you hear me?"

"I don't think either of them can," Ryou said sadly. "We're going to be forced to watch them tear each other apart…."

"Yes, you're quite right," Kalcifer said. He looked at Bakura. "Let's see how well you can control Yugi when I'm controlling part of his mind as well. Marik, go attack Yugi!"

Flames suddenly appeared in Marik's hands and easily became the brightest thing in the building.

"No, don't!" Yam yelled.

But it was too late. Marik shot two large fireballs from his hands directly at Yugi.

"Defend!" Bakura yelled. Yugi's hand came up and the Millennium Ring glowed. A spectral wall appeared between him and the attack just in time. The fireballs hit the forcefield and dissipated within seconds. Kalcifer smirked.

"Oh, I don't think so," he said raising a hand.

Yugi's eyes suddenly changed and the color turned from amethyst to bright orange. The wall that Bakura had Yugi create suddenly went up in flames and disappeared as if it never existed.

"Now how will you defend against my attacks now?" Kalcifer sneered. "Oh, I suppose you can't. Marik, attack again!"

Marik obliged and the fireballs shot towards Yugi like they did before.

"Let's try this then!" Bakura yelled, his Ring glowing. Suddenly, Yugi created two fireballs in his hands as well and shot them towards Marik. The two attacks collided in midair and swirled around each other. The heat was intense but Yami was intent on watching. He needed to find any loophole any weakness in Kalcifer's plan to get them to escape.

The fire died down and Yami noticed that Kalcifer seemed amused.

"So," he said looking at Bakura. "You decided to use the energy I put into Yugi to your own advantage I see?"

"That's right," Bakura said. "You're not the only one with tricks."

"While that may be so, you are still using my power…which is something you don't know how to use in its entirety."

Marik's right arm suddenly started to glow orange as fire extended past his fingertips. Yami then saw that the fire energy that Marik was exuding was taking the shape of a sword. The sword seemed to made entirely out of the fire energy that Kalcifer used. Marik tested it by swinging it through the air. As he did so, the light made an arc through the darkened room for a split second, lighting up everything within a twenty foot radius. The sword kept its shape and yet still was made of pure flame, which made Yami very nervous.

"I however, know how to use it perfectly. I've had a long time to perfect it you see."

"I don't care." Bakura said. "I'll still defeat you."

"Bakura stop!" Yami said feeling frustrated. "This isn't some duel, you're gambling with their lives! Please find a way to stop this without anyone getting hurt!"

"Will you shut up and let me think?" Bakura finally turned towards them looking livid. "I swear, how anyone gets anything done with you back seat driving is beyond me!"

Yami stared at him at a loss for words. Did Bakura just yell at him?

"Um…behind you…!" Ryou said. Bakura quickly looked to see Marik starting to charge at Yugi with the flame sword.

Almost in an instinctual reaction, Bakura used the Ring and Yugi lifted his hand. The Ring's energy pulsed from his palm, sending Marik flying back. Marik landed a few feet away looking dazed but with a flick of Kalcifer's wrist, he was back up.

"Please be careful!" Ishizu said worriedly.

"Not you too!" Bakura said sounding more annoyed. "You all don't learn from your mistakes, do you?"

"Hey, they're just trying to be helpful!" Joey said. "It's not like they're not our friends or anything!"

"Whatever," Bakura turned back to Kalcifer who looked on to their conversation with amusement. "I'm going to go on the offensive now so make sure you don't ruin my concentration."

Yugi suddenly mimicked Marik and was now holding a flame sword that was identical. Kalcifer still looked amused.

"My, you catch on don't you?"

The Ring glowed and Yugi swung the sword around in the air, causing fire to go in all directions. Some of it narrowly missed Yami and the others but the heat was still very intense. It was almost the entire room was put into an oven.

"Hey, watch it!" he yelled. But as soon as he said that, he noticed something. The binding that was holding them in place was starting to melt. The metal that had magically come to life and was binding them was being destroyed. Was Bakura setting them free?

Kalcifer seemed to notice, however.

"Marik, we're bringing it to the next level!" he yelled.

Suddenly, fire started to coerce on Marik's back and before Yami knew what he was seeing, two large wings made of fire appeared out of thin air and attached themselves onto Marik's back. The wings reminded Yami of The Winged Dragon of Ra's wings when it was in its phoenix mode. Very large and hot, it made Marik seem more menacing than he had ever looked. Fire spewed from random points from the wings and flew towards Yugi.

"Defend!" Bakura said frantically but the defense was too late. One of the attacks circled around and hit Yugi squarely on the shoulder, knocking him down. The same attack whirled around and hit Bakura in the chest before dissipating. "Ack!"

"Oh no!" Ryou yelled, trying to break free. Kalcifer laughed again.

"You see? It looks as though I am truly superior, doesn't it? The once great thief of Egypt, now bows before me."

Despite being in pain, this sparked something in Bakura. He straightened out and the Ring glowed. Yugi stood up as well, his eyes as vacant as ever.

"I'm not through yet."

"You will be."

Bakura's Ring glowed brighter than ever and the energy surrounding him and Yugi was starting to become oppressive. Kalcifer increased his power too and the wings on Marik began to quiver. Kalcifer's energy also affected Yugi who seemed to be struggling.

"Alright Yugi," Bakura said with effort. "How about you be useful for once and do as I say!"

"Yugi, turn around and attack Bakura!" Kalcifer said. "Do it or else Marik will!"

Yami looked on in horror as the two energies seemed to be colliding within Yugi. Yugi himself seemed unable to grant either request and stood rooted to the spot. The conflicting energies started building up inside of him.

"You need to stop this!" Yami yelled. "Bakura, do something!"

"I….am…!"

Yugi was starting to reach his breaking point. He started to groan and the energies were visibly becoming agitated.

"Marik, finish this!" Kalcifer yelled, suddenly struggling himself.

Marik's flame sword appeared again and he rushed towards Yugi, intent on slicing him with it.

"Yugi, no!" Yami yelled.

Marik sliced down and suddenly the Millennium Puzzle around Yami's neck glowed. Yami barely had time to register it when there was a large energetic explosion. Everyone yelled at the sudden blast. Equipment and metal parts were flown backwards. Yami closed his eyes at the blast and felt his bindings become loose and fall off before he himself was blown away. The wall of fire went in all directions and it took a good thirty seconds after the flames died down for Yami to look up to see the destruction that was around them.

The entire building was in shambles. There were small fires spotted around the entire building but that was the only light available. However, even in the dim lighting, Yami could see the destruction. All of the machine parts, ride equipment…. everything was strewn all across the floor. Some piles of junk had fallen to the floor in a crash and others had impaled themselves into the wall.

A little bruised but otherwise ok, Yami stood up and looked around. He saw Joey only a few feet away, trying to disentangle himself from the rubble.

"Joey!" Yami said, running up to him. He lifted a rather large pipe off of his leg so that Joey could get up. "Are you alright?"

"I think so," Joey said looking himself over. "My leg seems ok thankfully. Where is everyone?"

Yami looked around. Ryou was getting up another few feet away.

"Ryou!"

Yami and Joey ran to him to help him up. Yami gasped when he saw blood on the side of his head. Joey noticed too and put a hand on him.

"Woah, you feeling alright Ryou?"

"I mean, I've been better but I think I'll live."

"If you say so…"

"Why? Does it look bad?"

"Any amount of blood is gonna look bad on you Ryou."

As Joey and Ryou were talking, Yami scanned the area. He didn't see Ishizu, Marik, Bakura, Yugi or Kalcifer. What had happened? What caused that blast?

"Ryou," Yami turned to him. "Can you sense Bakura at all?"

Ryou looked up in surprise and then looked around at the mess. Yami looked too incase he would suddenly see someone. It was then that Yami noticed a small amount of light coming from the ceiling. The blast seemed to have damaged the building itself and the ceiling.

"I…might have hit my head harder than I thought," Ryou sighed. "I can't sense him."

"Hey don't worry, we'll find everyone," Joey said. "You stay here and we'll go look."

"Ok."

As Yami and Joey spread out to try to find out where everyone was, Yami couldn't help but wonder if that was really the reason why Ryou couldn't sense Bakura's presence or if it was because Bakura was caught in that blast…

Despite Yami's ill tempered feelings towards the ex-thief, he couldn't help but feel a little put down at the thought of him dying. He may be a pain but Bakura had been really getting along with the group lately. It was probably because of Ryou but either way it was a nice change.

He and Joey neared the spot where the blast happened. Since he was closer, Yami could see the scorch marks on the ground from where the fire came in contact with it. Despite the fact that four people had been in the blast when it happened, there was no sign of any of them now. What happened to everyone?

"Yugi? Marik?" Yami called out in the hopes that he would get some sort of answer. Joey stopped moving in the hopes of hearing anything but no voice answered his call. Yami was starting to become alarmed. What would he do if Yugi died again? That thought was continuously going through his head earlier in the day but now it could be a real possibility.

No, he thought to himself. He can't think like that now. He had to cling on to the hope that Yugi, Marik and Ishizu were all still alive. Bakura too though he almost loathed himself to think it.

Then, a small groan came from next a large pile of rubble to their left. Yami rushed towards it to see Yugi, looking dazed and confused, but alive.

"Yugi!" Yami rushed to him. Yugi was leaning against the rubble half conscious. Joey was next to him in a second.

"Hey, Yugi?" Joey shook him. "Hey, are you, you? Snap out of it pal…"

Yugi groaned and looked at them tiredly.

"…Guys?" he whispered. "W-what happened?"

Joey sighed in relief. "Well…you're you so that's good."

Yami felt relieved as well. He was sure that the battle was going to get him seriously hurt but he seemed alright. He looked at Joey. "Can you take him and Ryou outside? I'm going to find the others…"

Joey looked hesitant for a couple of seconds but then nodded. "Alright. Be careful. Kalcifer might still be around…"

Yami got up as Joey took Yugi away, looking frantically for Ishizu, Marik and Bakura. He looked around rubble and close to where the battle took place but nothing. Could they be buried underneath something?

Just as he thought that, a loud screech permeated the air. Yami looked up and saw in the dim lighting that the building was swaying slightly. There was a small hole in the ceiling that made it easy to see.

Yami yelled to Joey since he couldn't see him, "Hurry Joey, I think this building is going to collapse!"

Then, Yami heard a small noise out to his right. He carefully walked towards it, the sound growing louder with each step he took. It didn't take him long to realize that someone was crying.

"Ishizu?" Yami said, recognizing the voice. He stopped right before he almost stepped on her, having not been able to see her in the dark. She was on all fours, sobbing. Yami kneeled next to her, wondering if she was hurt. "What's wrong?"

"Marik…" she sobbed even harder. Yami followed his gaze and gasped.

In front of Ishizu was a large pile of rubble, nothing more than spare parts for buildings in the park However, a lone hand could be seen poking out from underneath the rubble overtop a small pool of blood. Even though it was only a hand, Yami recognized the skin tone as Marik's and it was clear that Ishizu could as well.

It was like a lead brick settled itself in Yami's stomach. No…after all of this, Marik couldn't be…

"How could you brother?!" Ishizu sobbed. She slammed her fist down on the ground and a loud clink gave away that she was holding the Millennium Rod. "You were not supposed to die!"

Another screech from above them tore Yami's gaze from the depressing sight. The building was swaying more ominously now. They needed to get out.

"Ishizu, come on…" Yami tried to get her up but she didn't seem to want to listen.

"No…leave me…."

"Ishizu, this building is going to collapse…!"

Just then, part of the ceiling gave way on the end and Yami knew their time was limited.

"Let's go!"

Parts of the ceiling were falling around them. It was like it started to rain drywall and concrete. Though the dust, Yami caught a glimpse of a door close to them and knew it was their only hope. With renewed conviction, he pulled Ishizu up, despite her protests, and forced her to follow him, all while dodging debris.

The door swung open and they ran out just in time. Just as they found daylight, a wave of wind swooped in from behind them. A large crash, a load of dust and a force of pressure that knocked them off their feet. Yami quickly got up and saw only feet away, the building in ruins, and a heap of debris. They had gotten out just in time but what about Bakura and Kalcifer? Were they caught in the building's collapse?

"That was close," he said. But Ishizu was not paying attention. She had collapsed back down to the ground, sobbing. Yami looked at her sadly. He didn't know what to say. Did he dare make the same foolish promise to her as he did to Joey? He wanted to be optimistic on bringing back everyone who died but their odds were starting to look very bleak. Marik was one of the Millennium Item bearers. Without him, who would take his place?

Then Ishizu suddenly looked up at Yami as if she knew what he was thinking.

"We're going to bring him back," she said watery eyed. "We have to."

"But Ishizu…the Rod needs a bearer." Yami's hope started to waver even more as he said this. How would they bring back Tristan? Or everyone else?

Ishizu then brought up the Millennium Rod for them both to see. She looked suddenly determined. "Can you think of no one else who has been accepted by this Millennium Item?"

It only took Yami a few seconds to realize who she meant. The billionaire who owned the very ground they stood on, who tried to ignore his past and yet has always been confronted by it…

"Kaiba…"


So that fight went on longer in my head...I could still change it to be so, but I didn't want to drag it on. It also had a Pokemon type feel (accidentally). What do you think?

RxR

Yugisrose