I'm really tired and bored.

Might as well update.

If you're fully curious to see what Azazel and Murzix look like, here's a link: w w w. mahersal . deviantart art/ Shadow- Realmers -346203000 (No spaces.) Enjoy and all that jazz.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, but some of the ideas and original characters are mine.


Chapter 7

Sharks Are Circling

If the inability to use Shadow Magic was problematical enough, locating two incompetent mortals was going to be impossible. Scared was not a word that was often used in Bakura's vocabulary unless he was referring to someone else, but he was feeling apprehensive and walked cautiously through the dark, barren storm of swirling shadows. The air was thick and almost claustrophobic, something he never noticed until this moment.

So this is what it is like, he though indifferently to himself. A part of him welcomed the choking feeling, slightly enjoying the difficulty of breathing. It was a small form of security in a way, this lack of breath. It was a way for him to get to know his victims better, to better understand what they feel during a Shadow Game or when they were sent here. Bakura knew this unfortunate circumstance would pass; shadows do have minds of their own and would return to their master.

"They will return, won't they," his words were stale, a statement of fact than question of what if.

A slight breeze picked up and the shadows were swept away like dust, a mirror standing idly on a mound. As Bakura neared it, he noticed the reflection was not of himself. The figure had purple skin, was at least a foot taller, and wore a black leather vest. Horns sprouted from the temples and curved around his head. A pair of dark wings stretched and retracted. A plum colored chain clipped around his belt moved in a wave pattern like it had a mind of its own, brushing around his black jeans and hovering in the air. His hair was aubergine, matching his wings. His piercing blood-red eyes surveyed Bakura as he approached.

"A human-eque form," Bakura mused, his lips turned in a smirk, "I swore you hated humans and sought their destruction."

The figure in the mirror growled dangerously. "I do. This is for convenience."

"Ah, so you do prefer a smaller form to trekking around your realm as a huge beast."

The figure glowered at Bakura. "There is nothing here that needs to be intimidated."

"Intimidation. I see."

For once, Zorc didn't have anything to say.

"Why am I unable to call the shadows?" Bakura kept his voice even, using every ounce of his willpower to control his anger.

Zorc's face was frozen with boredom, but his eyes gave away the anger, confusion—was that fear?—and ire that flashed across the red surface. "I do not know."

"You're lying." Bakura countered quickly. "Do you honestly think I can't tell when you lie, especially to me?"

"Are you challenging me?" Zorc said darkly. "You of anyone should know that is a foolish thing to do."

"I am well aware," Bakura said carefully, keeping his face guarded, "I already learned that lesson. But it seemed you would know what was going on since this is your"—our—"territory."

"I do not know," Zorc repeated. "Do not pester me with trivial things. Unless you have something of particular interest to say, I prefer you not to speak to me."

Bakura pursed his lips. "You seem awfully cranky. What has your knickers in a wad?"

The glare Zorc gave Bakura should've vaporized him on the spot. "Such crude language. So this is what the human race has come to. More of a reason for me to rid of them."

"My language doesn't appeal to his majesty?" Bakura said snidely.

"Do not test me, Akefia."

Bakura closed his mouth slowly, his lips forming a hard line.

Zorc finally spoke after a few moments of tense silence. "Your coming here has caused a stir through the Shadow Realm. Enough to get the attention of some dangerous enemies."

"You have enemies beside the pharaoh and his squad of cheerleaders?" Bakura asked, almost incredulous.

A shadow passed over the demon's face. "Unfortunately so."

"Why was I not aware of this?"

"You do not need to know everything of my business, simple human—"

"I am not so simple to be connected to you—"

"You connection to me was my choice—"

"I was the one who summoned you—"

"And I answered your call—"

"But I accepted your offer."

Bakura's chest was pressed against the glass, the shadows around him agitated and wriggling around his feet, his red-brown eyes alight with an evil power. Zorc looked down at him with disgust, a dark, unknown authority emanating off him in powerful pulses.

"You surprise me, Akefia," Zorc imparted, "I assumed your skills would enable you to slither out of this."

"In case you forgot, I can't do anything in the real world without a host," Bakura said evenly. "And I don't go by that name in this form."

"Grown fond of that little host body of yours?" The smirk on Zorc's face was derisive.

Bakura's malicious glare even made Zorc—if only the smallest amount—uneasy. "Never. It's an alias if not a way to make the boy's skin crawl. Though I have far more respect for the human race—I once being one—I still am not too doting of their tripe and primitive dramas of dull and trifling issues such as politics and war."

"Bakura then."

"Are you still Zorc in this form, or do you have a nickname as well?"

"Do not test me, Bakura."

"Zorc then."

"I cannot promise you anything," Zorc said factually.

"I am aware. We grow closer and farther daily. Why do you not always answer?" Bakura snarled.

"I do not bother myself with your problems. They are of little importance to me."

"My inability to use Shadow Magic is of little importance to you?" Bakura's sarcasm dripped of acid.

"That is not my problem."

"Have you been able to use yours?"

Zorc's booming laugh shook the mirror, the glass threatening to shatter. "Certainly. The shadows would be imprudent not to answer."

Bakura narrowed his eyes. "You aren't concerned I have no access to them?"

His red eyes bored into Bakura's for a moment. Without warning, they widened slightly with mild surprise. "Ordinarily no, but something has come to my concern. I must divert my attention elsewhere. I will help you this time, Bakura, but do not count on me. You have been alive for five thousand years. You should know by now how to handle yourself." Zorc growled low and loud and a pale, human snake-like creature phased through the mirror. "Diabound will guide you. You have not lost connection with your Ka, have you?"

"No. I haven't felt compelled enough to call him."

"If you forget your past, you will not be able to continue with the future."

"My past is what drives me, or have you forgotten?"

Diabound screeched and nudged Bakura's shoulder with his hand.

"Do not disturb me again, Akefia."

"You answered my call," Bakura said snidely.

Zorc sneered at him and the glass faded to transparency then to nothing as Zorc's image faded.

Diabound looked at his master, waiting for his word.

Bakura nodded him on and they passed through the mirror.

"Sometimes I wonder why I work with him," Bakura wondered mostly to himself.

He actually didn't.

/…\

"What time is it?" a voice said.

"This is familiar," Ryou said quietly to Malik.

"I agree," Malik replied, "like an odd case of déjà vu."

"No one knows?" The voice said. "Well, I'll have to check for myself."

One of the clocks suddenly moved, jumping off the wall and strolling in front of Ryou. "You seem like a distinguished young fellow," it said. "Could you please tell me what time it is?"

Ryou blinked at the Time Wizard before turning his head to Malik, lifting his eyebrow at the Egyptian. Malik shrugged, the same look of bemusement on his face.

"I'm sorry, sir," Ryou answer with sincerity, "have we met you before?"

The Time Wizard rubbed the middle of his face much the way a human would rub his chin. "I'm not sure. I met many different fellows down here, so I often lose track of how many I've seen." He pulled out a cartoon-sized coin. "Do you know what time it is?"

The boys shook their heads and the Time Wizard shook his finger at them.

"Now, now," he said. "That is a shame. I have fibbed to you both however. I do know the time!"

"Could you please tell us what time it is then?" Ryou's mouth worked faster than his brain and he covered it with his hands.

"Of course!" The Time Wizard said. "But I'll flip for it. Heads," he picked up the coin and waved his hand over the smooth surface. The metal rose in a pattern and the faces of Malik and Ryou engraved on the surface. "Heads and I'll tell you what time it is here and on Earth. Tails," he flipped the coin and waved his hand over it again and his face appeared. "Tails, and… well, you'll find out. Ready?"

Malik crossed his arms and shrugged indifferently and Ryou nodded eagerly, earning a glare from Malik. If one thing the two had learned about Duel Spirits, it's that you should be cautious if they make an offer. Many times it is just a trick.

"Here we go!" The Time Wizard threw the coin high in the air. It flipped and turned in slow motion as it flew up and as gravity came into play, the coin fell back to the ground with equal slowness. It landed with a hard clatter, Malik and Ryou's hearts stopping as the face of the Time Wizard stared up at them.

The Time Wizard clicked his tongue disapprovingly. "Such a shame. Rules are rules though!" He held up his staff and the hands spun at lightning speed. Malik's eyes widened and he jumped forward, attempting to grab the staff.

"Wait—!"

"Rewind!"

/…\

Diabound was a little more than excited to be reunited with his master. He refrained from growing to his full size, keeping a consistent height of six feet so he could feel closer to Bakura. The Duel Spirit kept uncharacteristically hugging him, the snake end almost purring whenever it wrapped itself around Bakura.

Bakura, however, was not taking the monster's affections kindly. He put up for it for the first five times, but after receiving a wet kiss on the cheek from the snake, he shoved the monster off.

"Diabound, please control your excitement," he said, agitated. "You are here for business."

Why have you not summoned me in duels, master? The monster questioned.

"You know why," Bakura's tone was tired now, no longer annoyed. "It would give me away. It is not the right time."

The Duel Spirit nodded sadly in understanding. I know. I just wish you would. After five thousand years… He trailed off dejectedly.

Bakura placed a hand on Diabound's shoulder. "I understand, old friend." Bakura's smirk was softer, leaning almost to a real smile.

Diabound smiled—more leered—in gratification.

The smirk on Bakura's face faded and a dark look replaced it. "You know where they are."

Yes, master, I do. Diabound cocked him head to the side. Are you not glad and relieved to be reunited with your host?

Bakura's chuckled was dry. "Those aren't the words I'd use to describe it. It's a convenience. Little yadonashi is nothing more than a tool."

Am I just a tool?

"Diabound, you are a part of me," Bakura yawped. "You could never be a tool even if I wanted you to be."

Diabound's look was cautious, but he accepted his master's answer.

"Stop with the sentimental emotions," Bakura snapped.

The Duel Spirit's jaw hardened, the normal look of menace on his face.

Bakura's smirk widened. "Now it's like old times."

We are getting closer, master.

"Lead on."

/…\

"What time is it?" a voice said.

"This seems very familiar…" Ryou stated.

"Shit." Malik hissed. "We're in a time loop."

Ryou turned his head sharply, his white eyebrows knit in concern. "We are?"

"It's the coin. The Time Wizard manipulates which side shows." Malik shook his head. "I can't believe we actually fell for this."

"How do we stop it from looping again?"

The Egyptian grimaced. "I don't know. Catch the coin I guess."

"No one knows?" The voice said. "Well, I'll have to check for myself."

The Time Wizard jumped off the wall and strolled casually in front of Ryou. "You seem like a distinguished young fellow," he said. "Could you please tell me what time it is?"

"How about we play a game?" Malik suggested slowly.

A light twinkled in the Time Wizard's eye as he turned he attention to Malik. "What kind of a game?"

"A fifty-fifty." Malik smiled slowly. "Do you have a coin?"

"I do." He pulled out the cartoon-sized coin.

"May I see it?"

The hands on the Duel Spirit's face spun in opposite directions, a motion of uncertainty, before handing over the coin.

"Heads you tell us the time." As Malik spoke, his and Ryou's faced engraved on the smooth surface. He flipped the coin. "Tails, and we will continue to play your game." The face of the Time Wizard appeared on the coin.

If he could smile, the Time Wizard was doing so. "So you have finally caught on. You two are a special pair of mortals."

"We aren't ordinary mortals." Malik smiled smugly and threw the coin in the air. Again, the slow motion affected the coin, Malik catching it with ease. His eyes widened incredulously as the face of the Time Wizard greeted him.

"This is bullshit!" He proclaimed. He flipped the coin and the Time Wizard's face was on the other side as well. He glared hard at the Time Wizard. "You rigged it."

The Time Wizard's hands spun around his face. "Rules are rules." He held up his staff and the hands spun at lightning speed.

"Don't you even fucking dare—"

"Rewind!"

/…\

"This is too good," Azazel could barely contain his enjoyment. He bit his nails and his legs were curled up as he hovered above Murzix's head as they watched the events before them from the bubbling cauldron.

"Please contain yourself, Azazel," Murzix seethed.

"Oh, but my dear Murzix," Azazel flipped so he was looking at the magician upside down, his face inches away, "you are such a genius with how you set up everything. I feel so honored to be in your presence. I could just kiss you."

"By Set's name if you do not back away from me I will mar you so torture will look like tickling." Murzix's stare was dangerous and threatening, but Azazel didn't flinch.

"So testy," Azazel quipped, but obeyed, relaxing to a reclining position. "May I add something?"

Murzix returned his gaze to the cauldron, Malik and Ryou once more struggling to figure out the Time Wizard's game and Bakura wandering aimlessly with a guide who may or may not be going the right way.

"What do you want to add?"

"More like return."

"Become bored, have we?"

Azazel pooh-poohed the accusation. "Quite the opposite. This is already good, but I wanted to make it even better."

Murzix stepped back from the cauldron and stretched out his inhumanly long fingers. "Proceed."

The shadow grinned widely and sank to the ground, his feet greeted by shadows that gladly lapped up their master. Murzix's disgust made Azazel's smile even bigger, verging on uncannily possible. He gently put his hand in his pants pocket and pulled out a dark, wriggling mass.

"That magic is almost as dark as your own," Murzix observed.

"Not really," Azazel plunged his other hand inside his own chest and pulled out an inky black figure that seemed to be a solid and liquid at once. Black smoke evaporated off it like dry ice and dark muck dripped off in thick globules, like goo. The black was even darker than space itself.

"I take that back," Murzix premised, his face twisted with repugnance. "Please put that back before I end up sick."

Azazel smirked and gently nudged the mass into his chest. He shuddered and his eyes fluttered when it phased through and he released a small moan.

The magician was too refrained to roll his eyes, but he did growl at his companion.

Azazel just smiled and dropped the squirming black mass and deck of Duel Monsters cards into the bubbling broth.

/…\

"What time is it?" The Time Wizard asked.

Ryou used every ounce of his willpower not to scream. "What the bloody hell are we going to do?" He crowed to Malik.

"I don't know," Malik's lack of patience was wearing very thin. "Khara!"

"What?"

"Shit!"

Ryou sighed and dropped roughly to the floor, a pen and some tissues flying out of his pocket. "Oh, bollocks." He picked up the objects and shoved them back into his pocket.

"No one knows?" The Time Wizard said. "Well, I'll have to check for myself."

A glimmer of light caught Malik's eye and he turned his head to a circular, bronze object lying by Ryou's feet.

"Ryou," he said slowly, "what is that?"

"This?" He picked up the object. "It's my grandfather's pocket watch. I always keep it with—" He stopped abruptly and the two teens looked slowly at each other.

"Do you think?"

"It's worth a try."

"You seem like a distinguished young fellow," the Time Wizard approached Ryou. "Could you please tell me what time it is?"

Ryou turned his head to Malik, lifting his eyebrow at the Egyptian. Malik nodded.

"I believe it is 2:37 A.M., sir." Ryou tried his best to keep his voice from quivering.

The hands on the Time Wizard's face whirled around. "We have a winner!"

The teens breathed a sigh of relief and smiled tiredly.

"Yes, that is the time, or the time you were sent here. Actually you have been here for about three and a half months."

"What?" Malik objected.

"Shadow Time," the Time Wizard lifted his finger. "You should let me finish. You spent about two weeks here in the Time Lock."

Ryou's stomach interrupted the Time Wizard and grumbled loudly. He clenched it in pain. Three and a half months with no food. It's amazing he wasn't dead. Something must be keeping him alive. He couldn't ponder on in anymore when his stomach growled again, this time with more ferocity.

"Right," the Time Wizard said, reaching behind his cape. "I knew I was saving this for someone." He pulled out a bunch of bananas, two papayas, and a loaf of bread. "These floated in one day. I thought of saving them for someone special. That must be you."

Ryou graciously took the food, bowed slightly in thanks, and tore into the bread like a wild animal. He offered an orange to Malik without taking his eyes off the banana he was peeling. Malik shook his head, but realized that Ryou wasn't paying attention, answered with a polite, "No, thank you. I'm a soul, not a body. I don't need to eat."

In record time the Brit finished and shook the surprised Time Wizard's hand. "Thank you so very much."

The Time Wizard nodded at him. "You are welcome."

"Wait," remembered Malik. "How long have we been gone from the real world?"

"The real world," the Time Wizard muttered to himself. "That's an interesting way to put it." He answered Malik, "Earth-time, you've been gone for two days, not including the night of the duel." He reached behind his cape again and procured a deck of cards. "I believe these belong to you."

"My deck!" Ryou courteously took them. "Thank you so much!"

The Time Wizard gave the impression of smiling. "You have passed." He stepped aside and a wormhole swirled where he stood. "Good luck, young Shadow Masters. You will need it."

Malik nodded to Ryou and the Brit jumped into the twirling shadows.

/…\

"If I had known any better, it seems you are leading me in circles," Bakura keened.

No, master, Diabound said, I would never do that to you.

"We have walked this area before," Bakura stated. "I recognize these shadows."

How can you recognize shadows? Diabound tilted his head.

"You question me?" Bakura's tone was clipped, edging to irritation.

N-no, master.

"Who ordered you?"

Diabound kept his back to Bakura and remained silent.

"Diabound, what are you not telling me?"

I'm sorry, master. Diabound said quietly. In a bustle of shadows and darkness, the Duel Spirit disappeared.

"Dammit!" Bakura growled. He looked where his Ka stood, a mass of black squirming and flailing in mid-air replacing Diabound. The mass dripped black and bubbled and squirmed. Bakura watched it with mild interest.

"What is this?" he asked, unconsciously reaching out to it. The little black mass darted from his touch, but slowly inched closer. It twisted about almost curiously. Bakura opened his palm and the little black form settled in his hand, melting into his skin. Instantly the wind picked up and shadows swirled around the spirit, fluttering away one by one. Bakura glowed with a dark power, his aura a physical manifestation of black and purple specters weaving its way around him. Bakura smiled darkly and flicked his hand, a portal opening at him will.

He stepped into the dark and almost tripped over two figures.

"Ow!"

"What the—"

The three males gasped sharply when they realized who each other was.

A long and awkward silence passed over and did not lift for a long time.


This chapter turned out much different then what I wanted it to be. The first part came and I just ran with it and I REALLY like what came out of it. It gave me a chance to play with Bakura and Zorc's relationship. I believe that by Memory World Zorc has over taken Akefia completely over but during the whole series there is a power struggle going on between the two of them. Thief King's revenge and anger is even great for Zorc to handle. I mean, he freaking WATCHED his town being massacred. He really had a bigger vendetta against the pharaoh than Zorc. That one bit during Memory World when Thief King suddenly says something like, "Help me!" I think is Akefia realizing he just wants to kill the pharaoh and not, you know, destroy the world.

Okay I'm done ranting.

Review?

Over and out,

Mahersal