'Oh god what happened last night? My head… uurrrghhhhh.' Marik clutched his forehead and reached for the pitcher of ice water only a few inches out of his reach. 'Bakaura? Bakura, a little help here' Marik called. Bakura, who was sat next to him in a dark blue suit he 'borrowed' from Kaiba's ensuite wardrobe, his hair neatly combed and black leather shoes immaculately polished. Marik meanwhile was still in a dressing gown, his intricate tattoos just poking out behind the collar. 'Sodding hell Marik get dressed already' Bakura snapped. 'We'll be arriving at Domino City any moment the pilot said.' Marik rolled his eyes the same way Bakura did, which made Bakura scowl even harder. 'Calm down Bakura' Marik patronised. 'I have a headache okay? Don't make many noises or I'll flip out.' Bakura's scowl deepened as he grabbed the pitcher and threw it's contents all over Marik. A moment of silence flitted by like the brief pause one suffers after accidentally walking into the wrong bathroom. 'I probably deserved that' Marik said sheepishly after a while.

'Yes. Yes you did.' Bakura huffed, looking out of the window. In the distance, the tell-tale faint shadow of Domino City could be seen striding forward like a leviathan on the horizon. 'Well, I'll go and change' Marik shuddered as the cold water began to reach his bones. He stood up and stumbled away, a hand clutching his sandy hair as he disappeared back to his room. Bakura sighed. It seems Marik didn't remember anything from the night before. 'Perhaps for the best' Bakura muttered to himself softly as he straightened his tie and smoothed down the from of his blazer. 'Oh Marik, you're so innocent in the ways of evil' Bakura sighed. He had gotten used to monologging his thoughts aloud in the hundreds of years he had wandered the earth. "Thou, Nature, art my goddess" appears to be an apt description for my circumstances. Unfortunately I have failed in my goal. What is a being to live for when I have no purpose, no driving goal? As long as the Necklace is whole I am bound to this earth by the will of the Dark One. He was defeated, not destroyed. I still feel s shred of his corrupted essence swirling inside of me as some sort of mythical anchor. I am naught but the Persephone in this game and my dread master is Hades himself. So what ought I do? Listen to the darkness within me as I always have done in the centuries I have walked as an immortal or listen to… Marik.' Bakura smirked a little at that. 'To ask for that Tombkeeper to sustain me, it is asking too much of him. His soul is fractured. He lost it the day the dark spirit Malik was incepted in his mind. So it is decided then.' Bakura stood up, a steely determination in those corpse-eyes. 'Yugi Moto, I will have my revenge. You will rot in the shadows forever more. Thus is the solemn promise of the King of Thieves.'

'Rousing speech' Kaiba said in that bored tone of his. Bakura turned in hate, a black fire building up in him that had not been lit since the days he hounded the Millennium Items. However not even magic conjured from the darkest pits could face three bodyguards each holding a fully loaded gun. Bakura laughed at the disappointing circumstances. 'So I suppose this is the end for me.' Bakura smirked, the fire beginning to die once again. Now it was Kaiba's turn to flash a wolfish grin, the pearly white teeth of someone who could afford million-dollar dentists. 'As much as I would like to wipe you from the face of the earth like the disgusting parasite you are, I have other plans in mind for you Bakura.' Kaiba said, the omnipotence that comes with being the richest man alive shinning clear in his eyes. 'Oh?' Bakura quizzed, sitting back down and grasping a small tumbler of some expensive spirit and daring a short sip. 'What could this order possibly be?'

'Yugi's friends.' Kaiba ordained as he sat in the seat opposite, his guards holstering their weapons and standing either side of the previous duel champion. 'Tristan, Tae, Mai and Joey. They all need to be taken out so the way is clear for me to take back my title.'

'You want me to send them to the Shadow Realm? My my Seto I knew you were cold but not cruel.'

'You are not to kill any of them. That would mean Yugi would close down the tournament. No, simply either beat them in a duel yourself or take them out in more with more… eccentric actions.' Bakura thought for a moment and gave Kaiba a brief raise of the eyebrow. 'What makes you think I want his friends? Yugi Moto is the only one I want.' Kaiba was silent for a while, great gears turning over in his mind. 'After I defeat Yugi in a fair duel in the finals' Kaiba proclaimed 'you can do with him as you wish under the condition that you do exactly as I say. If I tell you to jump, you jump. If I tell you red is blue, it's blue. Got that, Bakura?'

"How many fingers, Winston?" Bakura quoted sarcastically.

'Do you understand?' Kaiba insisted, leaning forward out of his seat and staring threateningly into the dark spirit's eyes. A second went by. Then another. A third. A fourth. Finally Bakura relented and gave a slight bow of his head. 'Very well' the white-haired villain said 'I agree to your terms Seto.' Kaiba nodded and leaned back into the chair, his fingers crisscrossing like a human pyramid from his own design. 'We will be arriving in Domino City within the hour' Kaiba confided 'I had the pilot delay our flight to give you time to prepare your deck.'

'What makes you think I'm duelling Kaiba? I already told you, I quit.' Kaiba got up to go, walking towards the door. Bakura sat, staring out the plane window with a clam expression. "A Prince who tries conquers a dictatorship would find the battle hard but the rule easy, whereas if he conquers a free land he will find the battles easy and the ruling hard." Am I wrong?'

'You always had a machiavellian twist to you Seto' Bakura smiled as Kaiba walked away. A few moments of watching the drifting clouds roll by and Marik returned. He was dressed in the kind of open collar sand yellow suit that managed to suit only him as well as a sharp purple aviator glasses. 'Well?' Marik stated as he posed, cocking his hips to the side and running a soft hand through combed blonde hair. 'How do I look?' Bakura sighed and gave his eyes an almost comical roll. 'You look like a well dressed baboon Marik' Bakura snarked 'same as always.' Marik laughed at that and sat down in the chair Kaiba had just left vacant. 'So' Marik asked 'the tournament eh? Do you think I have a chance at getting to the semi's Bakura? Do ya?' Bakura smiled a little.

'No unfortunately not.' Marik's smile faltered a little at that and a confused mist could be seen through the glaring purple of his glasses. 'Why's that?' Marik asked.

'Because I shall be duelling too' Bakura said confidently, looking Marik in the eyes. The duo stared at each other for a while, Marik's set mouth broadening further and further in a cheshire cat smile. 'BAKURA!'

The arrival party was certainly prepared. A light blue carpet had been rolled out in response and the way was lined with agents and servants all wearing the black and blue uniform of the Kaiba Corporation. At the very end of the procession was a black limo, the driver and footman already prepared to open the door to their boss and his esteemed guests. There was one anomaly with the procession. Just as Kaiba began to depart the plane, something blonde and obnoxious vaulted over the velvet rope and planted two feet squarely in the billionaires path. 'Hey there Kwaiba' Joey Wheeler beamed, his blue jacket flapping gently in the breeze. Kaiba looked mildly disgusted as if he had just watched a dog pee on his carpet. 'Get out of my way dweeb.' Kaiba grunted, trying to move around the annoying American. 'Awh don't act like that Kwaiba' Joey smiled, stepping in front of his way. 'Besides, you'll have a lot of time to think it over after you lose to me in the tournament.' Now Kaiba did laugh. A harsh, grating laugh that wiped the smile of Joey's face in an instant. 'You don't have a chance Wheeler' Kaiba brutalised. 'You're a buffoon. There's more of a chance that those idiots would win than you, and thats if I wasn't duelling.' Kaiba said as he pointed to the entrance of the plane. Marik was out in front pretending to wave to adoring fans with Bakura few steps behind with his hands in his pockets and a slight scowl on his lips. To say that Joey was stunned was an understatement. The plucky blonde's legs nearly gave out under him as he stumbled backwards. 'Marik? Bakura? What are you guys doing here?'

'Hey there, long time no see Joey!' Marik called as he skipped down the last couple of stairs before doing a dramatic pirouette at the bottom. Bakura's scowl hardened into concrete and trudged regretfully down the last few stairs. 'Buh, wha?' Joey asked, confused. 'Why are you guys hanging out with a creep like Kwaiba?' Suddenly, a thought occurred to Joey with terrible realisation.

'Wait. Is that the real Bakura or the evil Bakura?' Bakura rolled his eyes as he started walking towards the American, eyes glowing a malevolent blue. 'I've already had to answer this bloody question, don't make me do it again.' Bakura threatened as Joey began to regain his resolve. 'Why Kwaiba?' Joey cried, anguished. 'Why would you even look at these guys? They're evil Kwaiba. Pure evil!'

'Hey now' Marik said gingerly 'I'm not evil anymore Joey, right? And Bakura.' Marik shot a sidelong glance at his British companion who was steadily growing more vindictive. 'Bakura's fine now, I promise. He won't cause you any trouble at all. Scouts honour.' This made Joey hesitate, although the loyal growl of concern still scrunched his features. Bakura's scowl seemed to relent a moment and twisted into a smirk. 'No, I'm still very much evil.' Bakura chimed. A bead of sweat dribbled from Marik's brow as he turned to scold Bakura. 'Why would you-'

'See! Evil Kwaiba! I told you!' Joey accused, readying his duel disk for an all out battle with the forces of darkness. 'Put it away Wheeler.' Kaiba cut off, faltering Joey once more.

'Yes, be a good simpleton and do as you're told before you get hurt' Bakura jabbed. Joey's face went a comical tomato red in rage. 'Why you-' Joey was about to cry before Kaiba walked over and got into his limo. Marik and Bakura following suit, Marik giving the angered Joey an apologetic nod and a friendly grin; whereas Bakura flashed him a malevolent look and carried on, hands still tucked away in his pocket. The limo pulled away and the honorary procession was quickly whipped away, leaving a stunned and bemused Joey Wheeler all alone on the airfield grounds. Marik peeked out from the back window of the limousine to see Wheeler turn and shake and angry fist at the black car cussing some unrepeatable and thankfully screened words. 'Jeeze guys I kinda feel bad for him. Maybe we should have offered him a lift back?' Marik suggested innocently as he turned and sat back down on the satin seats. Kaiba shot the Egyptian a glare that suggested he thought Marik a baskets short of a picnic; whereas Bakura smiled. A genuine, happy smile. 'Oh Marik' he said 'you won't ever change will you?' Kaiba huffed and opened up his laptop and began tapping away furiously at the keyboard. Marik smiled back, confused but happy. 'I try not to.' He beamed as the midnight limo teared away into Domino City.