Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters and all associated items/characters and settings belong to Kazuki Takahashi.
The only thing I actually own is Kiyo.
Bakura could sense Kiyo's unease and cleared his throat in an attempt to loosen the atmosphere which had settled over the three of them,
"So um… Kiyo, why on Earth were you so determined to find me? Other than the obvious,"
"I can give you your body back," Bakura almost sent tea flying across and straight at Marik in surprise, "I was a magician remember Touzoku?" his nerves tingled as the familiar word left her lips,
"Y-yes, but how will you even achieve that?" she smiled and Marik listened in eagerly,
"Well, now that our souls are no longer tethered to those of Zorc we're practically free, if I go back to the last place your true body was then using a spell thingo I can put you back into it and you won't need Ryou anymore," he felt a little queasy at the thought of not having Ryou around, he'd grown accustomed to having to share a consciousness with another person over all this time and he'd grown closer to Ryou than to his other hosts. Some could consider the pair 'friends' in a way.
"So where would we have to go?" Bakura's stare was transferred to Marik as he spoke up stronger than he had before,
"Egypt, Kul Elna to be exact," rage and despair flared inside the white haired individual, he hadn't been to Kul Elna in so many years; the memories it held far too catastrophic for him to withstand any longer. "Trust me 'Kura, I would rather not go back there either, but if it'll help you go back to how you were once were, appearance wise, then I'm prepared to do it. I hope you are as well," he watched with hollow eyes as she stood from the table and took her plate to the sink, proceeding to rinse it and place it in the drying rack.
"Bakura," Marik grabbed his attention in the first syllable, "What's… what's so bad about Kul Elna?" he looked down at his hands to see his fingertips rattling against the crockery edge of the cup,
Stop it, snap out of it. You're never this weak; you're being pathetic,
"It's where I lived back during my time," huh, my time, it seemed so strange to refer to it as that, Marik seemed to notice and gave him a small smile,
"So you haven't been there for years I'm guessing?" Bakura nodded at his presumption,
"Yeah, when I followed Yugi and the Pharaoh to Egypt I didn't go near Kul Elna, I simply followed all of you to where the tablet was," He took a sip of his drink and looked over to see Marik glancing at him with hollow eyes,
"You… You were there… you saw me… b-but… you… you didn't even say hello at all," a hit of guilt and regret shot straight to the paler one's heart, he probably should have gone to see him, but deep down Bakura knew it would only make it worse when he left. Marik had gotten all that time to grieve and get over him, seeing him once more would have only made it worse if Kiyo had never found him.
What if she never did…? He ground his teeth together, no, he wouldn't think of 'what if's that needn't be thought of.
"It was… for the best I suppose, if Kiyo never found Ryou then I still wouldn't be here, I would have only made any loss worse by coming back."
Marik felt sick in the stomach, Bakura could have seen him, but he didn't, he thought it was 'for the best' it wasn't,
"I had to see Ryou though, how did you think I felt having to see your host all that time? He reminded me of you, constantly, but I had to pretend, put on a smile and do my duty. I knew that if I did I'd rid the world of the Pharaoh, that was my goal and I accomplished it, pushing aside my pain. I couldn't lead on that I missed you as much as I did, you were my only friend other than Odion who I pretty much classed as my brother, but if Ishizu or Odion noticed me missing you they'd think I was still an evil bitch, which I believe I partly am, think about it Bakura, you can never truly destroy darkness. You've said so yourself." He watched as Bakura just sat there, running his finger around the rim of the cup which held his beverage,
"That should have made you realise I wasn't gone Marik, if you remember me saying that you should have known I wasn't gone, at least not forever," Marik tried to stutter out a reply to what he had said yet not a single word could escape his mouth, "But as they say the past is the past, we cannot change that now. Just remember I won't ever be entirely gone, that's pretty much impossible until I have my body back and Kiyo releases the spell upon us both," Bakura spoke as he left the table, taking his cup with him. Marik peered down at his shaking hands,
Curses Bakura, why does he always get me so wound up at times? How had we even managed to work together?
"Kiyo," there was a soft knock at her closed door accompanied by the British tone, "Kiyo open the door,"
"Open it yourself Touzoku," she heard him release a heavy sigh at her use of the old name she had called him in the past,
"There, happy?" he snapped, closing the door behind him. She rolled over on the bed so that she could face him, plastering the goofiest smile she possibly could onto her face,
"So, what is it you want of me Bakura-sama? You may sit if you wish," she gestured to edge of the bed for him to sit,
"What exactly is your plan for getting me my body back?" her grin switched to that of a sly smile, "I know it involves Kul Elna, but what is it you're planning on doing once we actually get there?"
"Well, you remember I was a magician right? Meaning I have access to powerful Heka and spells which people these days would regard as idiotic tales, yet you and I know different. Believe it or not, I can still tap into to it even today, if you try hard enough when you get your body back you can probably call upon Diabound. Anyway, that's mildly pointless, but as I was saying," she saw him starting to chuckle due to her rambling nature,
"You still ramble, even after all these years, rarely able to get to the point, prove it. Bring forth Necrofear, show me it's still possible," his sudden demand and interjection startled her; alas she would obey him as she always did. 'Find me again if we ever part,' and she did, 'Avenge my death,' and she did, 'Help me break into the palace,' oh she sure as hell did. Concentrating hard the air around her grew cold and shadows began to encase the room, eventually a weakened Necrofear materialised from the darkness,
"Sorry it's so weak…" she muttered, a comforting hand placed upon her shoulder,
"It's understandable for it to be damaged, how bad was it after I left?" she struggled to smile as she shrugged her shoulders in response,
"As in my living conditions or as in Necrofear's wellbeing?" her voice regaining a little confidence,
"Necrofear was my main thought, but tell me all if you so wish," he got himself a bit more comfortable and close to her,
"I should probably start from somewhere appropriate," she sighed and began the story.
She huddled behind the tall pillar inside the now empty tomb of Kul Elna, hunching over the body of her now deceased friend, tears slowly falling down her face, "I could have helped you, you do know that, but no. I was foolish; I obeyed you as always, you told me to not get involved. I know you're inside that ring but it's not the same 'Kura, NOT THE SAME!" sobs wracked her body, suddenly silencing as footsteps could be heard, she rose to her feet and stood in front of Bakura's dormant body, "Who goes there?" she called to the darkness, using the sleeve of her red robe to wipe some of the smudged kohl from beneath her eyes. It matched that of Bakura's the two stole them at the same time as a way to signify themselves, he was renowned wide as the Thief King and she was sometimes referred to as nothing but the Thief Princess yet in 'Kura's eyes she was viewed more as the Queen. "WHO GOES THERE?" she shouted out again, slowly retrieving a small dagger from the back of her skirt,
"Kiyo, drop the dagger," she knew the voice,
Namu, she fell to her feet, the dagger clanging loudly against the rocks,
"Kiyo don't harm me, I came to see if you were okay," Namu walked forth from the shadows into the small patch of light, his purple robes contrasting with the gold that adorned his arms, his appearance radiating palace material,
"Why should you care for me? I am nothing but scum; I am as good as dead as Bakura is. You on the other hand are made for the palace; look at you compared to me Namu, you stand there in clean clothes and gold whilst I wallow in the shadows with nothing but one dress and a stolen red robe to match that of my now gone counterpart." The eyes which gazed upon her were surprisingly filled with similar grief as hers, she had entirely forgotten that Bakura was Namu's friend as well, "I-I'm so sorry Namu, I didn't mean to—"
"It's perfectly fine, trust me, it would have been expected. You've just lost the one friend you've ever had from the start and I could have stopped them from killing as could have you. Feel free to blame me all you want, even more so due to what I have been offered."
Offered, what in Ra's name could he have been offered? "What, what have you been offered?" her sobs had finally stilled, she looked at the edges of her sleeves, the red now a strange deep maroon due to the kohl,
"You know that Bakura succeeded in part of his plan, Pharaoh Atem is dead," a sickening smile graced her complexion as the words left Namu's mouth, that wretched Pharaoh had died, finally, "And now Priest Seto is the new Pharaoh," she couldn't hold it that time, she laughed out loud remembering the run ins her and Priest Seto had over the past year, he was highly gullible and could easily turn into wet sand in her palm, "You find that funny Kiyo?"
"He's like putty, a gullible human, did you not hear how he almost succumbed to the mighty power of Zorc?" she gazed up from under her fringe, Namu smirking at her statement,
"But Kiyo-san, if that makes him gullible then aren't you and 'Kura gullible as well for having already joined forces with Zorc Necrophades?"
"Baka," she spat at him, a low chuckle shot her way,
"As I was saying Kiyo, Priest Seto was the holder of the Millennium Rod as you would know, and now they require someone else to guard it as part of the Pharaoh's court,"
"You've been offered the role haven't you?" Namu nodded at her assumption, "Naturally you will accept will you not? Otherwise they will treat you the same way they treated Bakura-kun," he nodded once more and she sighed, "Presumably that would cause us to both become enemies now would it not?"
"Not necessarily, just because I will be part of the Pharaoh's guard will not cause anything between us to change. Consider me your get out of jail card, if you ever land yourself in the palace dungeon I can easily set you free without anyone noticing your absence," he stated matter-of-factly,
"Seto-sama will not let me go so easily, I am known by some as the Thief Princess, give me due time and I shall become that of a Queen to the Palace Town," Namu groaned at her words,
"Kiyo, I don't see that too be much of a wise thing to do, not to shun your talents but 'Kura was able to rob the tomb of Ahknemkhanen, you however bear a scar from trying to rob a house surrounding the Palace Court,"
"Give me time Namu. Time will prevail, I will avenge Bakura and claim the ring, I will reunite with him, for he is my Aibou and I shall not let his death be in vain."
"So tell me then Kiyo, did you live up to your word?" she tilted to lock her eyes with his, a few solemn tears had left as she retold the harsh night of his death,
"I did. I got captured once you know?" he chuckled and put an arm around her shoulder, bending close to whisper into her ear,
"I remember, for that was the night you reclaimed the ring silly, how on Earth could I forget?" She smiled and stood off the bed,
"Well, I have some work to do 'Kura, I must arrange transport for us to Kul Elna that is presuming you're still up for the plan?'
Bakura swallowed hard and nodded, he wanted to get his body back; he really did. But the whole idea of returning to Kul Elna was what terrified him, he feared the memories would resurface once again; he'd gone so many years without them.
"Of course Kiyo, I just feel a little uneasy about having to return, how are you even going to go about this anyway?" he was met with a sly grin from his younger companion,
"Remember how easily one Seto turned into my puppet? Well, word has it there's Seto's descendant living here; surely he has some sort of private jet we could use?" She was right, he did, the Blue Eyes White Jet, but there would be no way he would let him, Kiyo and Marik borrow it to travel all the way to Egypt,
"He won't let you borrow it," he said bitterly, it didn't faze her at all as she shrugged smiling,
"'Kura, putty, I will make him let us. Even if it requires me resorting to the way I once got a Seto to obey my word,"
Oh Ra no… she wouldn't seriously do that again would she? "Kiyo…" a shrill sound filled the room as she laughed, "Kiyo don't,"
"Fine, but I'm allowed to have some fun." He couldn't argue with her there, it was always fun to rustle up Seto Kaiba, yet Bakura had learned where Kaiba's lines were drawn, Kiyo had no idea at all.
Marik had agreed with Kiyo at the idea of getting the jet, but due to having been around Kaiba during the whole Battle City Tournament he sided with Bakura on letting her ask. Letting Kiyo, if she was still the way she once was, try and obtain access to Seto Kaiba's highly expensive Blue Eyes White Jet, could end badly, very badly. The trio sauntered up towards the door of KaibaCorp, Mokuba greeting them shortly after knocking;
"Bakura? I thought you had died?" he shook his head, Kiyo trying to get past him, he pushed her backwards with a shift of his shoulder and could practically feel the dagger glares she was directing at him, "Oh and Marik's here… so what is it you two want? My brother has a lot of work to do but I'm sure he'd take some time out to talk to old fr—" He stopped himself short of saying 'friends', an ashamed look passing over his face. At that moment Bakura had let his guard down, Kiyo pushing past him to stand before the young boy,
"Friends is a highly incorrect term, if Seto knows anything about his past life he should regard 'Kura and I as mere enemies and Marik as nothing but a rotten traitor," Bakura's brow creased,
Traitor? What on Earth did Namu do to him? "But that aside, Mokuba I believe, we must see him, promptly, like, now," Shock went over him as Mokuba led the three of them through the doors,
"Top floor," were the last words spoken to them before they headed into the lift.
"I think it's gone well so far," Marik looked at Kiyo as she spoke,
If by well she means scaring Mokuba and pretty much forcing her way into KaibaCorp then sure, it had gone wonderfully, it was one of these few times Marik wished that his Yami still existed, not so he could cause pain to almost everyone in sight, just because he could hide in the back of his mind and block out the entire world around him. The elevator dinged, the lift flashing on the dial for the top floor,
"Kiyo, let us—" Marik had begun, only for her to run off before he had the chance to finish, he watched in horror as she kicked the door open,
"SETO KAIBA," she shouted at the top of her lungs, oh Marik definitely wished he could hide away at that moment, only to avoid dying from sheer embarrassment.
A/N Sup everyone? Wait... like no one reads this. Gah. ANYWAY, my understanding of the term is a little sketchy but if Kiyo is a 'Mary Sue' it's unintentional, but I give her more emotions later don't stress. There will be character development! Did I do the flashback okay? Sorry if I didn't. I apologise if Marik, Bakura, Kaiba/Seto or Mokuba were OOC at any point. That applies for all YGODM characters I use. I don't intentionally make them OOC (like the whole Akefia thing. Sorry but if you use that name I will stab you... just saying) Anyhoo, as always R&R~ (wow I make a lot of apologies...)