AN: Ivory: You don't know how relieved I am to hear Bakura's IC or at least so far… (knocks on wood)

Question: Should the rest follow Battle City cannon or should Bakura beat Yami in the first duel? :3

Chapter Four

Akeno's heart pounded and shook her body as she tried to steady her breathing. Did he really rip part of my soul out? And if he did, how?! Bakura stood and she looked up at him. He towered over her with a triumphant smirk. She glanced away, unable to keep eye contact. When she looked at him again, he was a few paces away, standing with his arms crossed and not looking at her. With some difficulty, she sat up.

What now?

She was startled when he threw his blue shirt at her. She stared at him in confusion.

"Put it on. Your blood is seeping through your clothing. I don't want any alarms raised when we're in public," he said still turned away from her.

Examining herself, she realized he was right. She was bleeding not too badly but enough to stain through her dress. She hesitated taking his shirt but when he glared over his shoulder, she pulled it on. Akeno buttoned it enough so that the stain was hidden and hoped the blood didn't soak through it too. Feeling the chill in the air instead of in her bones, she rolled down the shirt sleeves. Bakura frowned slightly for her not asking permission. If she had been in better condition, he may have taught her a lesson but decided to save it for a more suited time. He did have to get to the Battle City Finals; he couldn't have fun all night, could he?

"Stand up," he told her.

She knew there was no point in arguing, he could easily force her and quite honestly, she was glad standing was the most he was asking of her. She shivered at the thought of the three boys then again when she remembered what became of them. One hand on her stomach, she managed to get to her feet but only to fall forward at the rush of pain, not from her soul but from her wounds. Bakura caught her by the shoulders and she involuntarily collapsed into him. He felt her body tense and immediately grew annoyed.

"So pathetic…" he muttered, letting her slide to the ground.

He removed the six cards from his pocket and placed them on his duel disk. It started to glow and projected something in front of them. A voice rang out and directed them from their location to Kaiba Corp. Stadium accompanied by a holographic map. It retreated back into the duel disk after it was done. Bakura grunted and pocketed the cards again.

Akeno suddenly realized they were no longer in the Shadow Realm. The change had been so subtle, had it not been for the stars, she wouldn't have noticed. Bakura's eyes were briefly focused on the moon before they settled back on Akeno.

"The hour is almost spent, if we don't hurry, we may miss the finals," he said coming towards her. "And since you're not competent enough to walk…" He knelt in front of her and looked at her expectantly. He isn't serious is he? The look in his eyes clearly said 'yes'.

"Now!" he snapped.

She jumped and tentatively put her arms around his neck. Having little patience, he grabbed her legs and hoisted her up into a reluctant piggy back ride. She couldn't help but blush- this wasn't an every day thing for her. I wonder if I'm heavy... He didn't complain so she put the question out of her mind. After a few minutes of walking, she gradually relaxed and leaned into him as weariness set in. There was a bandage on his upper arm, a bit of blood was on it; it looked half dried. How did that happen? She reached out to touch it.

"Don't," he said not even looking back at her.

Akeno drew her hand back, embarrassed. She sighed after a moment and let her mind drift. Her eyelids were falling shut but she fought to keep them open. She didn't want to fall asleep. He was too dangerous and could take advantage of her defenseless state. Though, she reasoned, it isn't much of a difference from how I am now. She pushed the thought from her mind as she noticed his hair brushing her cheek. It only bothered her when she realized how not bothered she had been by it. He was a psycho that ripped her soul in half and wouldn't think twice about killing her!

She frowned. Her legs were beginning to go numb. She was about to say something when he stopped. Carefully he let her off his back. She faltered and, to Bakura's annoyance, had to cling to him for support. Nevertheless, he allowed her to.

"Listen," he said firmly. "You are to behave and do as I tell you. Should you alert anyone to our… situation, you will be punished severely. I take it you don't have to be reminded about the consequences if you attempt to run from me?"

She gulped and shook her head.

He smirked and grabbed her arm leading her through a dark overpass. At the end, there was a bright light and she vaguely thought of an afterlife. She squinted her eyes as they stepped into a large stadium with a small group situated in the middle.

"Hey that's Bakura!" one boy yelled.

"What's he doin' here?" asked another as the group rushed over.

"Bakura!"

"You should get back to the hospital!"

"Bakura, you should really be resting."

"Grandpa told me you were in really bad condition, they let you out?"

The group didn't seem to notice Akeno's presence but she didn't mind. If she could act invisible maybe she really wouldn't be there…

"I'm fine," Bakura said gaining Akeno's attention. How'd he change his voice like that?

"Look, Bakura, I don't know how you found us here but you'd better get back to that hospital," said one tall boy with his hair angled up to a point.

"Wait," said a small boy with multi-colored spiky hair. "What are you doing wearing a duel disk?"

"How else could I win six locator cards and enter the finals?" Bakura replied.

The group each wore shocked expressions as he held up six clear cards. He let out a small laugh. Akeno stared at him in confusion. What caused this personality switch?

"Hey, look it's the seventh finalist," Bakura said, changing the subject.

They all turned in time to watch a man in long dark robes come into the stadium. One boy in a long white coat stepped forward. Akeno recognized him right away as Seto Kaiba; she had seen his mug all over Domino the past few months.

"State your name right now," Kaiba ordered.

"I am Marik," the newcomer replied in a deep voice.

He was now close enough that Akeno could see the tattoos on the side of his face. Kaiba and a blond boy threatened him but did nothing otherwise. Marik isn't that popular it seems. He left in a huff and the blond whispered to another boy, "I think I scared him, Yug."

Yug? As in Yugi… something? She had heard of him before, he was almost as famous as Kaiba. He was supposed to be really good at Duel Monsters. No wonder he's in this tournament.

"Who's this, Bakura?" a girl with short brown hair asked.

Akeno blinked. Just his prisoner…

"Oh, how silly of me," Bakura said in his fake voice. "This is an old friend of mine. I happened to run into her on the way here."

He squeezed her arm when she didn't say anything.

She realized he didn't know her name. "I'm Akeno. Its nice to meet you."

The gang introduced themselves and she barely paid attention. She was about to collapse from exhaustion.

"So how long have you known Bakura?" asked Yugi, curiously.

She was caught off guard. "Hmm? Oh well um…"

Akeno was spared an answer when a giant shadow passed over them. They all turned to the sky to see a large blimp hovering over them.

"Stand back. We'll all be boarding shortly," one of Kaiba's suits said.

The blimp landed and stairs unfolded. Everyone began boarding the vessel when one of the suits spoke, "Hold it! I can't let you five on board without tournament ID's."

The others protested. Maybe if I'm left behind I'll- wait… If I'm left behind my soul will explode or something! I doubt Bakura would forfeit his spot over me… She bit her lip.

"C'mon Roland, give it a rest," said a small boy by Kaiba. "We can bend the rules for them, even I don't have an ID card."

When Kaiba confirmed it the rest were allowed aboard. The finalists were each assigned rooms and shown there. Bakura quickly separated himself and Akeno from the rest of the group with the excuse that they were tired. He slid the key card through a slot and the door slid open.

Akeno wandered over to the bed while Bakura gazed out the window. He turned towards her and narrowed his eyes.

"Get off," he said icily.

Is he serious? I'm here dealing with stab wounds that HE inflicted, had my soul torn in two, got kidnapped and am damned tired! And he has the nerve to tell me I can't sit on the bed?!

"Are you kidding me? Up until now, I'd have to say I've been a pretty good sport about all this! But now you're just being a jerk!" she yelled then realized it was the wrong thing to do.

Bakura was on her in a flash. He stormed over and yanked her off the bed by her hair. She tried to scream but he clamped his free hand over her mouth and he pressed her against the wall.

"I will not tolerate this insolence," he growled. "If you disobey me or ever speak to me in that tone again, you will regret it." He slammed her head against the wall for good measure. "Understand?"

She nodded frantically, blinking away tears.

"Good," he said, releasing her.

Akeno fell to the floor, shaking. I really am damned. I can't run away because of my soul and staying with him is just as dangerous! There's nothing I can do…

"I've never let a whore share the same bed with me," Bakura growled, glaring at her. "Even the pharaoh had a bed separate from his queen."

He smirked at her. "And you happen to be lower than both of them. I'd like to think of you as a new toy or perhaps a pet…"

Fear and misery gripped at her chest, it was almost as bad as her soul being torn apart. Is this my fate? To be his dog?!

"A-and then y-you'll get bored of me and you'll k-kill me, wont you?" she asked, sobbing terribly.

"Why of course not," he said in a mock comforting voice. "I wasn't lying when I said you were valuable. You house part of my soul now, killing you would mean destroying part of myself… Once I grow tired of you, I'll just send you to the Shadow Realm with the rest of my souls."

Akeno wished she wasn't so scared and, even more so, that he didn't know how scared she was of him. She felt pathetic crying in front of him again. Why couldn't she just stand up to him and screw the consequences? Face her fate and go out with some dignity instead of like a pitiful dog…?

Because I want to live.