I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! Only Tyce and the nameless victims are mine.
Chapter One- The Relationship
The Millennium Ring gleamed but didn't glow, although the pointers were aimed at the man before him. Mahad nodded. "Good job, men. Take him away." Mahad frowned worriedly as he continued his patrol. His Ring wasn't performing like it used to. It was still detecting evil, but not glowing like before. It had been acting differently for weeks and he dwelled on why that was before coming to a very likely conclusion: His relationship with a criminal.
It had been an unexpected surprise that he would be attracted to a criminal and even more so that that criminal would be Bakura. He had spent a good deal of time meditating; first to rid himself of his interest in Bakura and then to accept his interest and why that was so. He concluded that Bakura's ease of avoiding capture was envious and that he had a dark glamour that was attractive. The capture part could have easily been negated as Mahad had met with Bakura in secret in various places many times and yet Mahad had let Bakura leave each time.
I'm in love with him. That's why I let him leave every time. Movement beneath him drew his attention. He looked down to see all the pointers of his Ring aimed in one direction. He followed them and they led him to a small isolated area that he would meet Bakura in from time to time. The pointers then aimed in different directions before falling silent. He smiled at this. "I know you're here."
"Of course you do," came a slightly mocking voice before the owner emerged from the darkness. He flashed a smirk as he came up to Mahad who enfolded him in a warm hug. Bakura sighed with content at being in Mahad's arms. He had never thought he would fall for a priest, especially the one charged with the security of the tombs and the city. Bakura had thought he was crazy to pursue Mahad, considering that Mahad is a magician and could cast any kind of spell on him. However, Mahad did not use a spell to trap him or even apprehend him. This first encounter emboldened him to seek out Mahad whenever he could and each time the Ring indicated his presence to Mahad.
In recent weeks, however, the Ring ceased glowing and merely aimed its pointers in his direction. Both of them were at a loss as to why thought Bakura did like Mahad's theory of their love being the reason. I'm still a thief and a damn good one. There's nothing I can't steal when I put my mind to it. My greatest steal to date is Mahad's heart. Hmm…I've heard that the pharaoh is demanding my capture. No doubt my punishment would be severe.
"Mahad, suppose I am caught one day," he began.
"I do not see that happening."
"I'm being realistic, Mahad. It is likely that I will be captured one day. So, I've' heard that the pharaoh is demanding I be caught. I suspect my punishment will be severe. The question is how severe."
"The worst punishment is death, but that is rare. The most common punishment is being sentenced to a lifetime of hard labor. That may be your fate or life in the dungeons as you are good as escaping; that is, if you're caught. Bakura, you are so good at escape and avoiding capture, you're impossible to apprehend."
"That may be, however, I show myself to you and you could have apprehended me and brought me to the palace to be judged. My capture would have been the highlight of your duty to city security."
"I could have, but I won't. I love you Bakura. I won't let you be caught if I can help it."
"Wouldn't that go against your promise to protect the city from criminals?"
"Bakura, please don't make this harder for me! Yes, it violates my oath to keep the kingdom safe, but I love you too much to see you caught, judged, and sentenced."
Bakura sighed softly and a bit sadly. "How did things between us get this far? We are from two different worlds. You live a life of privilege, peace, and safety while I live a life of crime, chaos, and survival. There is no reason that two people like us would fall for one another."
"In an ideal world, yes there is no reason. But reality has a habit of shaking up our ideals every now and then. This is one of those times. I will never forget the first time we met face-to-face. It was in this very spot and I was surprised that you were brave enough to approach me."
"Yes and I thought I was crazy to pursue you. I had observed you from afar for a time and wanted to see you up close. I wanted nothing from you but your name and some of your background.
"And in return you gave your name and a little of your background. It fascinated me to learn some of your history and your selective reveals kept me from arresting you. I wanted to know more so I allowed you to depart every time."
"Yes, telling my past in parts was a clever way to stay free. It was clear after part two of my story that you are an inquisitive man. You crave knowledge and I likely have provided you with an understanding into the criminal mindset."
"You certainly have. I have an idea what drives someone to crime as well as the reasons why someone would lie, cheat, steal, and kill. But even with this knowledge, I still don't understand how someone could be a criminal."
"I also don't know how to atone for my thefts when I've been running and escaping capture all this time. I can't imagine what it would be like to not have to run to survive and be free."
"And it seems you will have keep trying to imagine it. There is no way you'll be forgiven simply because I love you and you love me."
"That is true, however, you understand the criminal mindset. You could understand how one becomes a criminal by you being one."
Mahad laughed. "Bakura, that is out of the question. I took an oath to uphold the law and lead a righteous life. To be a criminal would violate that oath and I like my life right now."
Bakura also laughed. "You're right. It is out of the question. I just thought that with the Ring not working the way it used to and you not arresting me that maybe your heart or soul was changing…or it could just be our relationship." He pulled Mahad down to give the priest a loving kiss before leaving the area, leaving Mahad to a contemplative silence.
Is it possible? Mahad wondered as he emerged into the sunlight. Is my heart or soul changing? A person's morals can change and one can be unaware of it. I have noticed in recent weeks that everyone else's Items are working the same as always. Only my Item is not performing as it should, but no one has mentioned it to me.
It is known that the Items were created to bring about peace, but I have sensed a kind of darkness within all seven of them. The purity of our hearts keeps the darkness locked away. If my relationship with Bakura and my love for him is changing my heart, then my Item's performance would change as a result. But how much has my heart changed, if that is what's happening? Mahad shook his head. He shouldn't let Bakura's idea take root in his head. His heart may be altering a little because of love but love was a pure emotion and therefore shouldn't have affected his Ring's performance. But who I love could affect it and since Bakura's a criminal, this kind of love could be an impure emotion. He sighed and put a hand to his temple. This circular argument was making his head hurt. He needed to do some meditation and perhaps a little magic practice to relax and put his mind on the right track.
He headed back to the palace and went to the Training Hall. He sought out a far corner and was soon in a meditative pose, his confusion melting way. As he sank deeper into his calming state, he coaxed his monster to come forth. He sensed it rise behind him and he meditated on what spells to practice. He had a couple of curses he planned to place in a couple of tombs that needed work in terms of pronouncement. There is a particularly nasty curse I could cast…what? No! Not that one! What was I thinking!?
Mahad came out of his meditation, rose to his feet, turned to his monster, and gaped in shock. It was his Illusion Magician but it had gotten taller and a dark aura outlined its body! "Illusion Magician?" he asked cautiously. The monster looked down at him and its white eyes were red and seemed menacing. It then flew toward Mahad and into the magician. He gasped as he felt his monsters wrapping itself around his heart and soul and his Ring flared wildly with a dark aura of its own and leaping into its owner.