A/N: I love the fan response I'm getting from this, especially from TDH. So much, I updated rather quickly. A note to people who don't read my LiveJournal, there will be a total of 20 chapters in this. Hope you enjoy!

Warnings: What can I say? Definitely not intended for a younger audience.

"For either way you choose, you cannot win."
-The Phantom from Phantom of the Opera.

Marik looked at Téa, the one he was holding captive against the wall. She was trembling and, despite the position she was in, she shied away from him. From his touch, from his voice, from him in general. He felt a pent-up frustration. Why was she acting this way? When he was Namu, she had held no barriers against him. She didn't have the expression that hinted she'd rather fall off a cliff than be here, with him. Nothing had changed. The only thing that was different was the name she knew him as. So why the reluctance?

She had her eyes closed, as if by some chance wishing all this was just a nightmare gone awry. And that simple comparison of being a nightmare infuriated Marik.

"Look at me," he growled, impulsively twitching his fingers. They tightened around her neck in response. With that small action, her eyelids flew open abruptly revealing the wide and practically too-innocent orbs they were. When she had obeyed him, the fingers on her neck relaxed, touching the skin just barely. However, the hand on her arm he kept constricting- showing her his superiority, in a way. He ignored the small gasps of pain she gave in reaction to the bruise he was forming on her arm.

Quietly, he surveyed her with a contemplative expression and calm eyes. Eyes the color of lavender. Eyes that simmered with anticipation. He lowered his face down next to hers. With his hand resting on her neck, he drew away a section of her hair, clearing the obstruction between his lips and her ear. She shivered when he brushed his lips lightly against her earlobe before speaking.

"Say my name," he whispered, keeping his voice remarkably cool and level. "Say my name, Téa."

Her breathing was ragged but she remained silent. As if to… prompt her to speak, he tightened his grip around her arm, causing her to give an audible yelp of her suffering. After the noise, she hastily tried to satisfy him.

"Ma-Marik," she panted out. He gave a smile, though she would have been unable to see it.

"Yes, you'd do well to learn it. Though, I do wonder, was there another name you had for me? A name you thought you trusted?" She answered him before he had a chance to give the slightest flex of his hand.

"Namu," she whispered out in a small voice, as if the word itself gave her pure agony. He moved the hand that wasn't wrapped around her arm to the back of her head and began petting her hair with small, careful motions.

"Though, I wonder," he mused aloud. "Why, as Marik, you treat me so differently than me, as Namu. I am the same person. Surely you remember that from our previous encounter, do you not, Téa? I did give you the memories back."

Her only response was a single sob that choked her throat momentarily.

"Well, what is it then? You were so apt to be underneath my hands then. What's so different now? I just changed names, is all."

Again, she said nothing, only her body shaking with her silent sobs. Her lack of response was annoying him, boring him. And so, in an angry flash, he flung her away, casting her to the floor. She collapsed and, slowly, regained balance- lifting herself up on her hands and knees when free of his grasp. He allowed her a moment to right herself, letting her turn around to face him.

"Well?!" he thundered. She methodically massaged her left arm, where his hand had been, and to his surprise and enjoyment, he saw that she was glaring at him. Eyebrows arched precariously over her shiny, sapphire eyes.

"You lied to me- to us!" she defended in a hard voice, a voice that slightly shook. A sign that Marik had long since learned that it meant a girl was close to tears, if not already crying.

But no, Téa wouldn't cry. At least, not where he could see it. She was strong like that, strong and proud. Two traits that impressed him.

"People lie everyday," he countered. "The only thing I lied about was my name." Her jaw clenched, squaring her face and showing that she was quite upset.

"That's not what I meant!" she snapped. "You led me to believe that you were some innocent duelist in the Battle City tournament-"

"I am a duelist in the Battle City tournament," he said matching her emotional voice with an even one.

"You weren't innocent!" she said sharply. "You brainwashed unwilling victims to do your bidding. And you got your goons to hurt Yugi and Joey." Marik cracked a mischievous grin.

"Brainwash?" he questioned. "Would you care to go into elaboration on that? Like how I'm able to do this brainwashing notion you're prattling on about?"

She sat, seething, and said nothing more, simply resolving to glare at him with hate-filled eyes. He took a step toward her, which made her scoot away from him. The action, however, only made his smirk widen as he lowered himself to the ground, squatting just three feet away from her.

"Tell me, Téa, what do you think of this brainwashing? If you are correct in your assumptions and I can indeed control people's minds, don't you think I would be able to control yours? That this power of hypnotism could, at my very whim, control your every action- whether it would be willingly or unwillingly?"

Her eyes lost their glare as they grew in size, signaling her uncertainty and fear. It only made his eyes flash with a hint of eagernessrevealing white teeth with a smirk, amazingly vivid against his tanned skin. Marik reached behind him, and pulled out a scepter that had been previously tucked away in one of the belt loops on his cargo pants. He took out this item that matched his golden jewelry in color and tone. Téa's eyes fell upon the artifact with apprehension and confusion. Marik had to stifle a chuckle.

"I'm glad you understand- even if minutely- my capabilities," he noted casually, as if the object he was holding was of no importance.

She didn't know what he was holding, at least, not a first glance. The way he held it made the distinguishable Millennium eye symbol invisible to her. So, she wouldn't recognize it, yet. Idly, he twirled it around slowly with his fingers, letting the light from outside the room to dance on the metal, streaks of white flashes passing over it. Téa's eyes followed the movements of the item cautiously.

Marik stopped the slow twirling and held it vertically. He paused for a moment before he spoke again.

"Tell me Téa, how do you think I'm able to achieve this brainwashing technique? Do you believe it's a complicated science or do you think it's merely a work of magic? I'm anxious to hear your theories, considering you background suggests the latter."

"I... how do…what?" she merely spluttered out. Marik smoothed his facial features out, smirk gone. To provide for a wordless explanation, he twisted his rod around so she would be able to see the Egyptian insignia. Her blue eyes fell on it immediately and her mouth hung open, agape slightly with bewilderment.

"You... You have a Millennium item!" she gasped out. He smirked back, confirming her statement.

"I see that you are not ignorant of the existence of Millennium items," he said, slightly mocking her. "But, do you really know of their true power?" He transferred from his squat to a crouch and slowly began advancing toward her, cornering her to the opposite wall. Like a predator would do to its prey. And, right now, he was the predator and Téa was his prey.

"You've seen Pegasus read people's minds with his eye, you've seen the spirit of Bakura's ring take over his mind, you've seen Ishizu predict the future with her necklace, and you've seen the pharaoh force his own mind over Yugi, during their duels, and controlling his body with the puzzle. But that's just a fraction of their power and you've never seen my Millennium rod in action."

Suddenly, Marik pounced. He landed on top of Téa, hands on either side of her face, legs straddling her waist. She was trapped, within his grasp. Not that she wasn't already. He took the rod, and ran its tip across her jaw as she turned her face away from him. A tremor ran through her body and Marik chuckled menacingly.

"That's right, Téa, be afraid. My rod does have the power to control people, brainwash them as you put it." He placed his free hand over her cheek and felt a warm blush beneath his fingertips. The feeling pleased him, aroused something within him. "So, no matter what you do, you're trapped, forced to fulfill my whims. Either with your consent or without it. Though, I'd rather not brainwash you. The choice is yours."

He leaned down, face even with hers, lavender eyes locked on sapphire ones. The predator's lips just inches away from his prey's.

"So, what will it be, Téa?" he purred. "Are you willing to trust me? Or are you going to make me use the rod?" He gave a slight jab with his Millennium item for emphasis. "Either way, I win…" He leaned further…

The door flew open and a silhouetted figure appeared in the door frame. Instantly, Marik lifted his face to the cloaked visitor, infuriated. He hated being interrupted.

"Master Marik," came Odion's voice.

"I thought I said not to-"

"There has been a problem, with your latest plan." Marik's face cleared of its anger as he slowly rose to his feet.

"Oh," he said. "I see." With a movement of his hand, he had secured the rod back into his belt loop and quickly left the room, without a word to the cowering girl he'd left shaking.

So, there is chapter three. No one said it wouldn't be disturbing. But, oddly enough, that's what I love about it. Now, that fact that I'm perfectly sane has left to be undecided.

Review, please!

-Nuit Songeur