Ha! It's finally out...took damn long enough. Anyway, once more, I'm very sorry for the long wait and even sorrier for this sad product that is the result of your waiting. I don't think it's ever been harder to actually finish a chapter for me...hmm. Well, anyway, I hope you enjoy.
Disclaimer: I have no rights to YGO. I can't quite recall their name at the moment, but whoever it is owns it since I'm not even Japanese.
Warnings: I don't believe this is necessary as I suck at writing gore and such, but still. There will contain scenes and references to rape, abuse, killing, drugs, homosexuality, just pure psychoness, some OOC-ness on their part as I'm guessing to what their reactions would be like in these kinds of situations, and lessee...desecrated bodies, etc.This chapter will also be a bit AU as I'm creating past situations for them that aren't really canon.
"None of us have ever had pasts that we were proud of. None of us at all, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. But some of them were and they were so shaken when they realized that other people knew." Seto snorted softly, shaking his head before leaning back and staring up at the high arched ceiling. "Can you imagine how pissed off they were when they figured out that now, all the rest of us knew?"
"Oh god, that was funny. None of us even imagined what that 'golden group' had done." Only the hint of an underlying high pitched giggle showed exactly how tense Malik's nerves were. "They changed everything and cornered me and Marik, didn't they Marik? Me and you…" Marik gripped Malik's forearm tightly, his fingers making little indents into the bronzed flesh though it wasn't meant to cause pain.
"Mmm…it's over. Don't worry about it so much." Uncharacteristic of the normally half crazed yami, but things were different now and it was obvious in the very way they acted, the way they spoke, the way they clung to some things and rejected others with a vengeance. No one said anything about it though, for fear of provoking even worse nightmares and terrors that could not be driven away, would not leave on their own. "We aren't the only ones they targeted after all." He cast Bakura a sideways glance through heavily kohl lined eyes before concentrating his dark, sober eyes upon his slighter counterpart.
Bakura raised a contemptuous eyebrow and exhaled slowly, as if exhaling a breath of smoke, once more facing the ground. "Are you by any chance talking about me?" His accusation was drawled out, almost spat out, lazy. "How kind of you to remember. They targeted me too, I remember. I'm betting I remember even better than you. Thief! Murderer! Soulless! Bastards…"
"Bakura." Serenity's words were soft spoken, pleading in nature and Bakura lifted his face again, his eyes glossed over as he looked at her, looked through her, seeing something else entirely before things snapped back into focus...and he relaxed again. His muscles unknotted and with another slow exhalation, all the anger and frustration seemed to drain out of him, leaving behind a shadow again.
So you did come, every single one of you. Thanks so very much for making my life so much easier. At the voice, everyone started violently, Yugi, Serenity, Tea, and Ryou freezing in what was obviously surprise and almost fear while all the others jumped to their feet and looked around, some of them already in a fighting stance. These would include Joey, Tristan, and Malik, though Bakura and Marik stood in a way that hinted that at any kind of false movement, any unnecessary presence that they wouldn't hesitate to attack. Likewise, Mai held her purse close to her, ready to throw it out if the need for it arose. Her nails looked pretty menacing too. The strange voice sounded entertained as it spoke again. No need to be so surprised, what did you expect when you came in here? Some sort of celebration? And no need to look so tense, relax, take a seat. I'm not going to hurt you. Right now anyway. So relax. No? Suit yourself.
Yami's voice rang out like it always did, deep, strong, and powerful as it resonated throughout the room. "Show yourself!" He demanded, bringing himself up to his full height which everyone had to admit wasn't really that much. Everyone politely pretended not to notice this flaw in the otherwise impressive show.
What, too afraid to face an enemy you can't see? Aww, poor wittle pharaoh. Guess he has to grow up and face the real world, won't he? After all, it's not as if you can order me around like a lowly serf. A low, mocking laugh chased the echoes of Yami's voice around the room until they completely drowned him out and the only voice ringing in their rooms was laughter. Not cliched, evil laughter. Oh no, in fact, this voice actually sounded quite pleasant. Almost soothing despite the fact that it obviously carried some menacing intent.
As for the current target of the voice's attention, the look on Yami's face would have been priceless if the situation hadn't been so precarious. As it was, his face flushed slightly and his voice rose in pitch just a hair as he yelled right back. "Face the real world? Hah! You don't know me at all then. I-"
You've won Battle City, beat the maker of Duel Monsters at his own game, played numerous shadow games and won, beat the Orichalcos, won several other tournaments, saved the world from impending doom, blah blah blah. Honestly, can't you think of anything more interesting? It has got to be annoying saying the same things over and over again. Oh, if the look on Yami's face had been priceless before, there were no words to describe the humiliated, furious face of the three thousand year old pharaoh now. If he hadn't had the good grace to keep his mouth shut, it was probable that he would have been blathering like an idiot.
That honestly doesn't matter to me though, you see. I don't care about all those things you've won, I care about the other kind of things you've done. Like, hmm…I don't know. Maybe ritual sacrifices of actual people? Serve your own purpose so sacrifice a few innocent souls that could've been saved? Or maybe that's not enough, maybe completely damning some souls that could've been redeemed? Driving a few too many people to the loony bin? I don't know, those were just at the top of my head. I'm so terribly sorry if I forgot any…please don't hesitate to remind me of any I missed.
Gaping like an oversized fish, Yami was speechless and furious while his mouth flopped open as he tried to speak but thankfully Yugi intervened, violet eyes flashing and his lips set in an uncharacteristically hard line, giving Yami time to recover. "How can you blame him for something he completely forgot? With all your bountiful knowledge, I'd think you'd know that he had amnesia! You can't judge him for things he's done in the past, he's not the same person anymore, he's changed."
Oh? Does he still have amnesia little one? I don't think so. After all, he committed most of those crimes when he was with you. And thank you for drawing my attention little one. Let's see, what have you done? Oh my, I'd wondered how your grandfather's miserly little shop managed to be so successful in such a large industrial town. I'd wondered how it stayed the only business of its kind where it was. The implications of what the recorded voice was saying was all too obvious and thoroughly shut the star headed puzzle bearer up, leaving him in a state that mimicked Yami. Of course, this proved to be not enough as the Voice simply pressed forward. Why, I hear that the others who tried to set up a business like that found themselves frightened for their life and family. I hear their place was a target for vandalism, harassment over the phone, threats posted and ransacking? Who would've thought such a small, innocent looking star headed runt could do such things? But I guess you would know, being bullied all your life. Maybe you saw a way you could strike back?
No way. Was all that went through anyone's mind. This voice, this person or whatever it was, it was merciless in the cold efficiency it went about uncovering the truths. The first thoughts that came up had been, It has got to be a lie, but the reactions it received was dispelling doubt quite rapidly. It didn't care that it would hurt them and that it was bringing up old scars, it was determined to uncover every dirty little secret that they thought that they'd hidden, never to see the light of day again. Obviously they'd been sorely mistaken and each were hoping that they wouldn't be next. Well…most of them anyway. There were always the few, amazingly brave, amazingly stupid that spoke up.
"Alright, tell me. What the hell did I do to get my ass landed in this hell hole, huh?" Bakura stepped up to the figurative plate, his arms crossed lazily, an equally lazy and challenging grin quirking his lips. The voice was undaunted though, and it continued on.
What am I supposed to tell you Bakura? That you killed hundreds of people and stole from thousands more? No, you know all this already, you've accepted this. You're proud of this. You remember though, I hope, the burning of Kuru Eruna though I'm sure you can't forget and you remember that you're pathetic. Do you remember seeing everyone die without helping a single one. Your mother raped, killed. Your father tortured, massacred. Your friends raped, tortured, humiliated, murdered. The shells of their bodies desecrated. All I can make you remember is what you've seen, not what you've done. Oh, yes I can. What did you do? You ran. Like a coward. Completely shatters your fearsome reputation, doesn't it?"
Only the slight tightening of Bakura's jaw indicated that he was bothered by anything that had been said. He refused to stay silent though, his expression hard. "I ran to survive." His gaze was still challenging and he refused to be overwhelmed. "You go into my situation and you…you tell me that you wouldn't have done anything to survive." But the voice had already moved on, no longer interested in anything Bakura had to say, which of course, infuriated Bakura even more.
Remember the day it rained little white haired one? Remember the screeching of tires on slick asphalt and blood? Oh, there was so much blood, so many screams and tears that time, of course you remember. Sweet Amane clinging to your little hand with all the dying strength she had, begging you not to let her die and you promised, didn't you? Oh you promised her, promised her that you wouldn't. But where is she now little Ryou? Why is she not here or waiting for you at home? Why is she, instead, waiting for you to join her in a cold, dank grave?Why did you give her the killing stroke? You let her bleed to death and you were holding her hand. She was dying…and you were silent. You could have saved her if you just called out...but she died. She was suffering and she looked like that rabbit you had, didn't she? So you did what you remembered...the crack of her neck was so quiet...
Ryou fairly collapsed, clinging to the banister of the stairs almost desperately, holding onto it for what seemed to be dear life, his knuckles turning a ghostly white. "Please…" His whisper was light and thin, high pitched while he was shaking his head as what blood that was in his face drained out. "Please don't…" But by then, the voice had already moved on, it's target no longer him. The voice's new target inhaled sharply, violet eyes dilated, pupils becoming small dots and threatening to become nothing more in a vast sea of purple when he heard it.
You killed your father Malik.
Marik shook his head with a definitive sigh, placing his relatively large hand on Malik's comparatively small shoulder. "Malik killed no one. I killed his father and if you know him as well as you claim to know us, you know that perfectly well. Soft, familiar laughter echoed throughout the walls again, still that grating sound that pierced through all attempts to block it out.
But still, despite that, he killed his father. You created Marik out of anger, Malik, out of the wish to kill your father. You brought about the one that killed your father, so you killed your father. And besides that, how about all of those peoples, whose lives you destroyed because of your little group. But you destroyed lives, caused such trouble…
Then again, it's all your yami's fault too, isn't it? Almost destroying the world, only hurting the one whom you were required to protect. Of course, then again, it's not like your yami had the leisure to do anything else. Trapped as it was back you know. But then again, you have no right at all to blame Marik. After all Malik…you are your yami.
Marik's bronze skin blotched. It was as if he wasn't sure whether to go white, or whether he should simply turn an embarrassed scarlet and also the memory of something dangerously pleasant that was playing in his mind. And then anger and shame rose up, drowning everything else out. "Nothing happened." He hissed, pain emphasized in every word as he settled for merely flushing a deep, unflattering red that made his skin look mottled with bruises.
She was the first you ever saw, wasn't it? And possibly even the last…what a shame. But still, what a glorious sight to see. She was beautiful when she was crying, screaming for help. No one should have heard but you did, didn't you? And you watched, fascinated by the way she moved? The way the candlelight gleamed on her perfect skin? You never told Malik did you? At least you have some sort of shame…
But so terribly sorry Marik, this is a time of no secrets. It was just a one time thing after all, wasn't it? Oh wait, no it wasn't. Your ears learned to hear for the footsteps that meant things would happen again, didn't you? And after it was all, finally, over, you dared to go in one night…she screamed…and you comforted her, just to know what it felt like. Selfish even when noble…do you remember how it felt? Oh Marik…you never told Malik that you saw Isis raped.
Hell broke loose then, Malik's eyes rolling back and he passed out, unable to take in what he'd just heard.
"What?" Isis paled, and her eyes flicked over to Marik in disbelief. Her cheeks looked fairly similar to what Marik had looked like when confronted with this, embarrassed and frightened. Her cheeks were flushed a deep scarlet, though she looked somehow drained of confidence and life, everything that made her seem like Isis. "When? It-"
"It's true Isis." Marik was determinedly not looking at Isis, looking anywhere but at her. At the moment, he was admiring the lovely eaves on the ceiling and was planning to gaze at the fine woodwork on the frame of the mirror behind Bakura's head in a moment. "I saw everything. It was before Malik even knew I existed."
"So it is true…" The teen sounded like a young boy who just lost something precious, hollow and defeated and his eyes died just a little bit more if that could be possible and his shoulders slumped into his lap. He looked down at his hands and Marik made no effort to comfort him, to explain. It would be useless after all. They all knew that it was impossible to ask for any kind of forgiveness at this point in time.
But Isis didn't give up. "Malik, I-"
"Why didn't you trust me? Why couldn't you at least tell me?" But Isis was responding to Malik's frustration, gaining strength by feeding off of Malik fighting back and when she spoke, it was with an underlying heat of despairing anger.
"What was I supposed to say Malik?" She never gave him a chance to answer, plunging in recklessly. She never even realized that the tears were beginning to form in her eyes, or that she was diving into waters that she'd never tread before. "Tell me, what would you have done? Should I have said, By the way Malik, did you know that dad took my virginity. Whoops. Forgot that you didn't know what those words mean yet. Maybe, he's been rap-oh dear. You don't know those words either." She shook her head, blinking furiously. "Forgive me if I was trying to protect you. Try to keep you innocent for just a second longer…"
Marik remained silent for a moment longer but when he felt Isis's eyes had wandered enough and were probably safely in her lap again, he glanced at her, looking apologetic but also just a little bit longing. And then when he saw green eyes blazing back at him, his cheeks burned and he tried to look away…but couldn't. He was still looking at her when Seto picked up.
"You've cheated. You've done everything to get your way, haven't even stopped short at murder."
"Was I supposed to do something else? No, don't answer, stop right there, I'll save you the trouble and tell you everything myself. I've killed, I admit it. I've manipulated, I've used people more times than I care to remember, I've ruined people, destroyed people's lives, and wow, I've done so much to people that I'm probably subhuman. Everyone hates me. But I don't care. I'm respected, I'm not dirt poor, Mokuba's alive and he hasn't been hurt by anyone else other than me." Seto shrugged. "Move on, I'm already wasting time like this."
"Very good Seto…but who was Kisara?" And with that, the voice moved on as Seto tensed. "Strong hands Joey. They are strong aren't they? Only strong hands could have taken so many lives, spilt so much blood. How many people are missing a parent, a sibling, a brother, sister? Better yet…how many people are missing completely? I'm afraid that you yourself. you're not worth nearly enough to pay for all those lives. What a pity, we'll just have to be more brutal later. Of course, that's you as well, isn't it Tristan? Always the little lapdog, best friend of Joey. Oh, what's this? A small chuckle crackled over the intercom, obviously the only one amused by anything that was happening. "Serenity doesn't know? Oh, how could you keep such a thing from her?"
As it was, Serenity was staring at her brother and Tristan with something akin to horror. "...Joey, what? It's not true. It's not, it can't be right?"
"It's not true 'Ren. A'ight? Don't believe some stupid voice thing, listen to me. I'm always lookin' out for you, Ren. Ya know that, right?" Serenity didn't look convinced, although she was desperately trying to convince herself that her brother was telling the truth. Her brother wouldn't do something like this. Tristan wasn't like this. They were brave, they'd never hurt anyone weaker than them, they were honorable. But still...
"Oh...the truth hurts so much. You just can't handle it, can you? But very well, I'm done with you. You're not worth my time anymore. That I have to waste my time on such trash." There was a clicking noise from the intercom."But...Serenity. How are you?" Obviously, it didn't wait for an answer. That would just be anticlimatic and somewhat stupid...supposedly everything the voice was turning out not to be. "I suppose this might not be entirely your fault, but it sort of is. Drug dealing, wasn't it Serenity dear? I mean, it's not even as if you did it willingly. Blackmail after all, after having sex with that, er, Damien was it? But of course, you were drunk then, weren't you? And then he blackmailed you with it into dealing it for him. You got so deep, it's a miracle you got out. Of course, the only way to do it was by eliminating the problem. And the problem was Damien. It would never have occured to you if he hadn't tried to fuck you in your home, would it? The shotgun was right there, the temptation so strong...it won out in the end. You claimed self defense, and maybe it was. But you knew he wouldn't have screwed you if you'd just said no. But I suppose killer instinct runs in the family." Serenity shook her head desperately, looking horrified. For her, it seemed that she actually didn't believe any of it. As if the Voice really was lying.
"You suppressed your memories then Serenity? You'll remember soon enough. What a pity, you were so young too, what a Shame. Or in your case, Duke Devlin...what a powerful lack of shame you have. You were just one of many that competed for Pegasus' attentions. You drove the others away, didn't you?"
Duke shrugged. "And if I did? It's the business world as I'm sure Kaiba can tell you."
"Ah, but it was h ow you drove them away. You've always had a reputation as a player and you slept with all the other's wives, didn't you? And then you destroyed all those poor, innocent women-though they really should have been smarter- so that they would distract their husbands. And the female competitors? ...you sicken me Devlin. You had them raped, beaten, half murdered. You've no dignity, no pride at all. You utter, incompetent, pathetic fool! And your own girlfriend, the one you claimed to love, the one who'd do anything for you...you threw that precious girl away. Drove her half mad. "
Tea said nothing, just looked away. She refused to say anything, afraid that she would say the wrong thing...again. She just wanted to become invisible right now. didn't want anyone to notice her ever again. She looked around briefly at the others, a strange flush coming over her suddenly pale face, and looked away. When she spoke, she said it in her own defeated sort of way. "That's enough. I got it."
"It wasn't enough at the moment back then though, was it? It was just supposed to be payback, right? Nothing serious..." There was no response from Tea. Only more tears. More silver streaks making their way down her pale, drawn face, eyes cast down, ashamed to look anyone in the eye. She seemed to be one of the only ones that accepted what she'd been told, that wasn't protesting. It was a posture of utter defeat.
"Mai. Beautiful, beautiful Mai. Seductive Mai...Murderous Mai. You were a hostess of sorts, weren't you? A modern day geisha I suppose. Just follow the rich men around and do what they tell you to, and you make big money. But you would never lower your self to prostitution. Oh no, not strong, virtuous Mai. But what happened when a guy tried to cop a little bit more than a feel? When he actually kissed you? A kick would have been enough I think, or you could have screamed. But oh no. No, you opted to stab him instead. Not just once as would be self defense, but repeatedly. Even when he stopped moving...of course, trauma. But you still had the state of mind to take the money from his wallet, didn't you?" Mai's violet eyes widened as her cheeks took on a determinedly pink hue.
"Enough of that." Was all she said, fairly calm compared to other more violent reactions. Of course, it was obvious she was anything but calm, as her chest was heaving as if she'd just run a marathon, struggling to breathe. "I think you've done enough damage for now. No more tonight." Then as an afterthought, "Please." It would have been almost funny if the situation wasn't so grave.
The voice was amused though. That made one of them. "Please? Why not. I'll give you a break for tonight...a boon of sorts for your suffering, so relax. Nothing'll happen to you tonight. No guarantees on tomorrow though. Toodles, all of you." With a final crackling of static, the voice simply faded out, leaving a stunned room in its wake.
"Of course, how the hell were we supposed to relax after that? I mean, we were all freaking out after that. We couldn't comprehend how any of this could have happened to us. But we adjusted. We tried to go on, survive. But of course, as you see now...we couldn't. Not all of us could live."
"Hey, Isis?" Ishizu looked at Bakura, thankful for any opportunity to avoid Marik's intense gaze. "Ne, Isis. Isn't there something that says, if it doesn't kill you, it'll just make you stronger?"
"Yes, there is something like that." What was Bakura blathering on about now? At least he seemed to be sane right now. Tired, but sane.
"Then why haven't I healed? Why haven't I grown stronger? Why is this tearing us all apart? Even now?" If Isis had thought Marik's gaze was intense, she had no words for Bakura's hard, concentrated ruby stare. She just shrugged helplessly, unable to give a proper answer.
Marik's gaze broke then and he looked almost shamed as he answered quietly, with no hint that he had ever been insane in his voice. "Because Bakura, isn't it obvious? It did kill us. We're living corpses, that's all."