A very sensitive topic for me is going to be brought up in this chapter, and I am going to have a soap box moment in the post-chapter notes to explain it. Feel free to to skip it if you don't want to read the long rant. I promise I won't be offended by it.

Final pre-chapter note: I just want to thank everyone that is still here reading this! Even without the reviews, I can see the increased numbers in my views chart. I was extremely shocked to see TWO people binged all 30 chapters in one day! Massive hugs to everyone! Thank you :D

Marik had been surprised when the Ishtari led him to a rounded elevator. He hesitated upon entering, not being fond of enclosed spaces for any period of time after spending a good portion of his life trapped in the caves below Egypt, but reluctantly stepped inside. There was a moment of panic when the doors closed, but recalling whose presence he was in, he quickly calmed himself so as to not appear weak.

"You don't have to pretend. I know you don't like spaces like this. Honestly, I'm not fond of them either," Malik said in reassurance.

"You don't? But isn't that what your element pretty much is?" Marik questioned, looking mildly surprised towards the larger Ishtar.

"Personal Ishtari aren't meant to outlive their Pharaohs. Those that do are locked inside a tomb alive so that the Gods will come to claim them, allowing them to continue to serve their Pharaohs in Aaru. The tomb I was forced into was shoddy and collapsed. I didn't die immediately, instead I was trapped beneath the rubble for days. I died alone in the dark, buried alive. Let's just say I have a love-hate relationship with my element."

The shocked expression on Marik's face was an understatement of how he felt at the elemental's confession. He tried to imagine what it must have been like. Sealed away to die, then being forced to suffer alone. He pictured Malik lying there in the dark, most likely calling out for help, knowing no one would come. Marik felt empathetic tears welling up behind his eyes, but suppressed them for fear they might have appeared to be in pity.

"That's...horrible…" Marik choked out.

"It was. You have nothing to worry about here though. Everything that is of the earth in this place, I have created. Not a single crack escapes my notice without it being re-solidified. I have vowed to never allow something like that to happen again."

"What about the chamber where the Pharaoh's body resided? It collapsed."

"As it was meant to. But tell me, did a single grain of sand land on any of you?"

Marik thought back. Now that it had been mentioned, he had to admit that while the ceiling had begun to fall, none of it had fallen directly on anyone inside. Even walking the caves in his youth had left particles of dirt in Marik's hair (which he loathed as it left his head itchy), but feeling his head now he couldn't detect any of that.

Seeing the dawning expression on the Tomb Keeper's face was enough of an answer for Malik, and it caused him to smirk proudly.

The elevator stopped at its destination and the doors parted. Malik extended his palm outwards, indicating for Marik to depart ahead of him. The room was much larger than Marik had anticipated (though honestly he wasn't certain what he had actually expected). The floors and exceptionally high ceilings were a glossy black, with the walls (that appeared to extend forever in any given direction) a bright white that Marik could swear were made even whiter from the room's hidden light source.

"This place is huge!" Marik shouted in awe, startling at the sound of his own voice echoing throughout.

"And this is just a portion of my collection," Malik stated proudly, amused by the smaller Ishtar's reaction. He pointed towards an area behind Marik, and waited to see his next reaction.

Marik turned around and his eyes got even wider. "What is that!? How did you even get it in here!?"

Malik grinned, enjoying look on the smaller Ishtar's face. "That is a T30. It was used for a short period before the end of World War Two. How did it get in here you ask? How else? You drive it in," he stated casually, as though the answer should have been obvious.

"I can't believe you guys are keeping a fucking tank in the basement!"

"This is nothing. The Runt still has the Huey that you saw in the photo earlier. And ka-ib, she has a whole arsenal of military grade weaponry."

Marik stared at the larger Ishtar in disbelief. "What are you preparing for?! World War Three?"

"Not really preparing, just holding onto objects that help us remember." Malik replied with a shrug. "Plus, if our past has taught us anything, then yes, it's best to be semi-prepared," he added. He walked up to the large tank, casually trailing his fingers across its surface, obviously remembering something from those days. As he walked around the back, he stopped and stared at something that had been placed behind it. "When did…?" he puzzled quietly to himself, then walked towards the object that had piqued his interest.

Marik followed to where the Ishtari had disappeared behind the large war machine. Malik was crouched next to an older model motorcycle, and was examining it closely with an extremely confused expression on his face.

"This doesn't make sense? I was down here just a few days ago, just before the Runt was restored, and this was still...it still had holes…" Malik continued talking to himself, trying to figure out how the bike had been repaired.

"That must be the WLA Kat mentioned she fixed for you," Marik stated.

"Ka-ib fixed this? But why? After the problems I've created for her..." Malik rose, sighing and scratching at the back of his head in minor disbelief. "I'll admit, I struggle to understand her some days. She can go from fury incarnate to warm and caring in a single blink. I attribute that part to her element, but when she does something like this...I can't wrap my head around it. Like with the Pharaoh. They have done nothing but fight since his return, yet she is up there taking care of him like she always has. It makes no sense."

"Was she like that in ancient times?"

Malik looked towards the smaller Ishtar, his shoulders relaxing as he sighed again. "Yes, actually. No matter what anyone did to anger ka-ib, she still stood by them and tried to comfort them. She can be quite the mother-hen when she wants to be. She is also very giving. She enjoys gifting things to others, wanting nothing in return but to see their smiling faces. I doubt you have seen much of that side of her though in the short time you've known her."

Marik chuckled. "I kind of have, but I'm certain I'll see more of it in the days to come. She sounded pretty excited when she told me she was taking me shopping in Europe."

Malik smirked knowingly. "Yes, that does sound like ka-ib. I never accepted such lavish gifts. Perhaps that is why she felt the need to surprise me. I would have refused to allow her to fix the bike if she had asked."

"Maybe you could repay her by fixing the car she wrecked?" Marik suggested with just enough of a hint of accusation.

Malik shrunk back in embarrassment. "Ah, yes...the Judge. I would...but no one is permitted to touch it except for her. She would hit me with it again as a punishment."

"That sounds very counterproductive on her part."

Malik chuckled. "She enjoys fixing things that require a great deal of focus. It calms her and keeps her thoughts from wandering somewhere dark. Ka-ib is very skilled with her hands."

Marik looked at the Ishtari in mild shock. "She said the same about you earlier...but it was in a very different context."

Malik's eyes widened. "I did not mean it in that way! And earlier...it's not...it's a bit complicated."

The Tomb Keeper's gaze didn't waver from the Ishtari as he waited for an explanation.

"If you think I am a threat, say so," Malik stated bitterly.

"Are you? At first I thought the only person I had to worry about was the Pharaoh. Now I find that I have to worry about...someone that I bear a very striking resemblance to."

"Ka-ib does not see us that way. She sees us by our aura. What she feels towards you is genuine. So if you are suggesting that what was between she and I may be of any possible influence to how she feels towards you, I can say with certainty that you are wrong."

"You sure are quick to defend. And what do you mean by 'our aura'?"

"I will do my best to explain it to someone who has no magae. Think of it as that feeling you get in your gut when it warns you to run, or compels you to do something that you would normally avoid doing. It's like that, only it's distinct among each individual. You can sense that person based on how you feel in general towards them. If the person is unknown, you sense enough to determine the kind of person they are. Ka-ib did not drag you along the other day because of your appearance. She did so because she could sense that you were someone that she could trust and be herself with. Both are qualities she deeply values."

Kat's words about not seeing Marik as Malik suddenly made sense. She honestly didn't see her childhood friend when she looked at the Tomb Keeper. She quite literally saw someone different, regardless of their shared appearance. Marik felt a bit relieved, but there was still something bothering him.

"As much as I don't want to know the details about...what you two did...I am curious to how serious of a relationship you had? I know you were betrothed for a period of time, but it seems like you were never anything serious, even after the Pharaoh was out of the picture."

"Because we weren't." Malik looked away, as though embarrassed. "Ka-ib was simply helping me through a...difficult...period. It was something that benefited the both of us at the time, nothing more."

"Benefited the both of you? What's that supposed to mean? That you were both horny with no prospective partner so you went to town with each other?" Marik hadn't meant for his words to sound so accusatory, but that's exactly how they came out. Why did something that obviously happened millennia ago bother him?

"Ummm...kind of?" the larger Ishtar replied sheepishly.

Marik was slightly irritated hearing this. 'Gods, am I seriously jealous of Malik? Am I really that insecure?'

"I see that this bothers you," Malik stated, taking note of the Tomb Keeper's expression. "Would it help to know that I while I deeply care for Katrina...I know that I cannot satisfy her needs in the ways she desires?" A blush formed across the Ishtari's cheeks as he said the latter half out loud.

Marik's brow furled in confusion. "What?"

Malik shifted uneasily, obviously hoping he wouldn't have had to explain. "I, uh...how to explain?" He fidgeted with a section of hair as he tried to find the words. "I...don't...feel certain things...like most. Not that I can't, mind you...it's just...difficult...and when I do...it's...well...sometimes I still find myself not wanting to…"

Marik stared blankly. "Can you make that any more confusing?"

The large Ishtari sighed in defeat, straddled a leg over his bike, rested his arms lazily across the handlebars, then leaned his head forward to rest between them. "My mind is not the only thing that appears to be broken. How I feel towards others appears to be a well, which is strange since there are certain people that when I become close to them I swear I can feel what they feel. Take ka-ib for example: When she is sad, my heart feels as though it is breaking. When she is furious, I can feel the reason why. And when she is happy, I am overwhelmed with a feeling I cannot describe. But this has only happened with very few people. I have cared for a great many people throughout the millennia, but there are few who I can feel their emotions. And of those few, there have been less than a handful that I have wanted to pursue in what ka-ib refers to as 'romance'. I personally don't understand the concept. She says it's feeling like you can trust someone, and that you think of them often. That you want them to be near at all times. That you aren't repulsed by the idea of physical contact with them, that you actually wish for the opposite. But to me, that is no different from how I feel towards her." He released another sigh before continuing on. "Of those few, I was more than content with just holding them in my arms. There were times when I became...aroused…" Malik blushed in embarrassment at the word. "...but I had no interest in pursuing a relationship of a more...sexual nature. I don't feel comfortable with that kind of intimacy. I don't mind things like hugging and kissing, and on rare occasion I do find myself wanting a bit more...but sex itself is something I have virtually no interest in."

The mane of pale-gold hair hid the elemental's face, but Marik could tell this was something that Malik felt deeply ashamed of. The Ishtari had been led to believe that how he felt was wrong, that he was broken somehow. Marik could relate. It's how he had felt with his prior relationships. Many people had openly stated how wrong it was for him to be romantic and intimate with people of the same sex.

"There's nothing wrong with you," Marik stated sharply, scowling. He wasn't angry with Malik, he was angry that others had led him to believe a lie.

"Yes there is. Everything about me is wrong. My mind, how I feel, it's all broken. No wonder Ra is ashamed of me," The Ishtari's head fell lower.

Marik marched over so that he stood in front of the bike, then leaned forward, placing his hands on the grips of the handlebars. He brought his face down close to Malik, still scowling. "Listen to me: There is nothing wrong with not feeling romantic attachment to others. There's nothing wrong with not being interested in sex. Do not believe what you have been told."

"Marik, you do not understand. It is not like with you. It has been okay on and off throughout history to like the same sex. It has never been okay to not want sex at all...unless of course I was to become some sort of monk or eunuch. To be physically capable and not choose to be chaste in the name of a god, it has always meant I was broken. To not show even the slightest interest...people assumed that perhaps it meant that my mind was slow...that I was perhaps a small child in a man's body. I am no small child." Malik spat the last sentence out bitterly, recalling all the times it had been insinuated that he was mentally challenged.

"No, you are not. But in this era people have begun to realize and accept that not only are there people who like the same sex, and in some cases both sexes, but that there are those who prefer to not have sex also. They aren't choosing to not have sex for moral or religious reasons, they just aren't interested in it. They are referred to as Asexual, or Ace for short. It's a fairly broad term, with its own subcategories, but it is a thing. But if you want to continue to believe that you are broken, that what you feel is wrong, then that means you think the same thing about others like you."

Malik slowly raised his head, but kept his gaze downward. "I would never tell another that. I wouldn't want them to feel what I have felt."

"Which is why I am telling you this. You claim to know what I tried to keep hidden, so that must mean you know how I felt at the time."

Malik's eyes widened, realization forming across his face. He dared to look Marik in the eye for a brief moment, then quickly cast his gaze off to the side. "How is it that I have lived for millennia, yet someone who has only spent a few years in the modern era knows more than I do?"

Marik released the handlebars and stood up straight. "Let's just say that the cultural shock I experienced when I first came to the surface forced me to learn things quickly. I had a goal in mind, and I wasn't going to let modernity stand in the way," he stated earnestly.

Malik sat up straight, closing his eyes as he folded his arms across his chest, smirking at the recollection. "No, you were not," he chuckled. "You were able to absorb a ton of new information, just like a-" His eyes popped open and his smirk vanished, appearing worried.

"Just like a...what?" Marik questioned.

Malik looked curiously towards the smaller Ishtar and said something in the now familiar (but still unknown) tongue that the immortals often spoke when in the presence of one another, then waited for a moment.

Marik looked at the Ishtari quizzically, wishing he could understand what had been said. "Arabic please? Or some other language I can understand?"

The Ishtari lowered his arms and shoulders slowly, his gaze relaxing slightly towards the Tomb Keeper. "Nothing, forget I said anything."

Marik puzzled the larger Ishtar's strange behavior for a minute before speaking. "It has to do with what you implied earlier, doesn't it?"

Malik lifted himself off the motorcycle and began walking away, ignoring the conversation topic.

Marik became annoyed. "You can't pretend I don't exist forever!"

"You are here. You exist. That is all. The how and why doesn't matter," Malik growled bitterly.

"The how is easy: You obviously cared as much for my mother as you do Kat, if not more."

Malik froze, his body tensed. He glared an amber-veined lavender eye towards the Tomb Keeper. "I will warn you this once: Do not bring up Safiya to me again," he cautioned in a low, flat tone.

Marik's eyes widened at the mentioning of the Ishtar matriarch's name, and the reaction the Ishtari had about even bringing her up. "But-"

"But nothing. This matter is closed. We will speak of it no further." The Ishtari resumed walking towards wherever it was that he had originally set off to.

"That's bullshit!" Marik shouted. "You knew the kind of person my fath-...the kind of person that bastard was! And you left me with him! Do you really think that's what she would have wanted!?"

Marik had barely finished speaking when he found himself up in the air by his neck, a black clawed hand wrapped tightly around it. The being in front of him was no longer human. It was, as Kat had referred to it earlier, Godaeshan. The bipedal black lion growled low in his chest, warning the Tomb Keeper. Malik's golden mane was even more intimidating in this form, making his doubled size appear larger.

"That. Topic. Is. Closed."

"No it's not," stated an irritated female voice from behind the lion.

Malik quickly released the Tomb Keeper, his amber eyes wide with fear as he spun around to face the flame elemental. "Ka-ib! Why are you here? I thought you were with the Pharaoh?"

"I was." Something moved beneath the hem of her dress from behind. "Mind telling me why my boyfriend was being held by his neck?"

Kat was extremely tiny compared to the massive lion, but that didn't stop the large beast from cowering. "My apologies ka-ib, I-...he-…" Malik began to fumble as he tried to not only explain what had prompted the action, but hide it as well.

Kat folded her arms in irritation, her eyes narrowing and glaring harshly upwards towards Malik.

"Please ka-ib, I didn't-...it's not-…"

Kat closed her eyes, then spoke as if she were reciting something. "Óen..."

Malik shrank and reverted back to his human form, slowly backing away. Kat began walking towards the retreating elemental, her eyes still closed.

"... dáu…"

Malik continued to retreat, passing where he had dropped Marik (who had quickly caught his breath but still held a hand near where the elemental's had been).

"...trí…"

Marik rose, watching the curious sight. As his girlfriend approached by him, he heard her say something quietly, as though her words were meant for his ears only.

"Forgive me for what I am about to do…"

He felt a sharp pain in his chest as Kat dug a set of her claws in deeply, causing him to cry out and fall to one knee.

Malik halted his retreat, his eyes veining again. Kat released her grip, holding the blood covered claws up before her as she slowly continued her advance towards the other elemental.

Malik growled. "You dare to harm him!?"

Kat opened her eyes, revealing her blackened sclera. She grinned darkly, taunting the other elemental. "So stop me…" Her voice wasn't the deep demonic one from earlier. It was overly sweet, with just enough of a hint of darkness to make it sound like she had gone mad.

Malik bared his claws and lunged towards her. Kat stood firm, her grin widening. Malik realized a second too late that she had wanted him to react this way as she buried her blood coated claws deep into the same location on his chest as she had the Tomb Keeper. She recited an incantation that sounded fairly similar to the one she had used to bring back Atem. Marik cried out again, panting heavily as portion of his own life energy was drained from him. Malik cried out as well, but for an entirely different reason. Kat released her grip, a few droplets of blood spilling forth from the newly created marks in the Ishtari's chest. She stepped back, placing a hand to her head as she collapsed to her knees.

Malik was the first to recover, growling towards the one he felt had betrayed him. "What the hell have you done!?"

Marik shook his head, trying to get rid of the feeling of intense exhaustion from it. He managed to glance towards the other Ishtar, a puzzled expression forming across his face. "I thought you said you didn't have blood?"

"Huh?" Malik looked down, shocked to see crimson flowing from the quickly healing punctures in his chest. He extended a claw, raking it deep into his arm to test a theory, expressing more shock at the result. "But my body was destroyed? How…?"

Kat was panting heavily, and she was exhausted, but she managed to lift her head up to look towards the other elemental. Her eyes had returned to normal, and the madness that appeared to be there a few moments ago was gone. She smiled in her exhaustion, then raised a shaky limb and reached out towards Marik again, reciting a short spell that healed the wound she had created. The spell drained what little energy she still held, causing her to fall over.

Marik hesitated for a few seconds, but then made his way over to Kat, placing her head on his lap. She was still breathing heavily as she failed in her attempt to open her eyes and look up towards him. "Sorry about that...but maybe now...he'll accept...he can't deny...when it's his blood….that restored him…"

A few moments passed in silence, but for those present it felt like several minutes.

"Ka-ib...why does it matter? Why must you make me face that failure?" Malik questioned, breaking the silence.

"You were told to fix...all that you had destroyed...I'm simply...helping..." she strained, barely able to stay conscious.

Malik lowered his head, hiding his eyes behind the pale-gold mane on his head. "I can't fix it all. I failed to protect Safiya. I promised her that...that…" A few salted drops of liquid fell to the floor.

Kat managed to turn her head to face the other elemental, barely able to open her eyes towards him. "You can't protect...from something that happened naturally..."

"I should have made her come with me…."

"And what? Forced her into a larger prison with a view of the sky? Ask Imhotep...that's what this place has been to him."

"It would have been better…"

"Would it?"

"Yes. No one would have been hurt."

"And Ra?"

Silence.

"What do I do? I cannot undo the decisions I have already made. I cannot bring Safiya back like you did with Atem. I cannot go back and take her from that monster."

"You can start...with what's in front of you."

"I can't. It hurts."

"It doesn't have to be immediate. It will take time. You've already begun by talking. That's a start. What's more…" Kat managed a smile. "...you tried to protect Marik...from me. You've never stood up to me before."

Malik lifted his head to look towards his friend. The friend he had vowed to serve and follow at all costs. The friend that he had used in an attempt to gain enough power to take on Ra so that he could keep someone he cared for safe. The friend he had instinctively attacked because she had dared to injure that same someone in front of him. A small half-smile formed as he chuckled lightly. "You are such a conniving bitch."

"And don't you forget it," Kat chuckled lightly in return.

Marik was a bit confused as he looked down towards his girlfriend. "Mind filling me in on what the actual fuck is going on? You intentionally injured me to prove a point? Me. Your boyfriend...or so I thought."

Kat had recovered enough of her energy that she was able to shakily raise herself back into a sitting position. "I'll admit, I acted in haste. I'm sorry."

"Sorry? I could feel you siphoning my energy!"

"Mal has been using a good portion of his just to maintain his physical form. He barely has any magae reserves. I was planning on asking you at a later date if you would help in restoring him...but seeing him holding you like that...my Isfet kind of took the steering wheel."

Marik hung his head and sighed irritably. "Is this going to be a reoccurring issue? Does your chaotic half take control that easily?"

Kat's eyes widened at the bitter tone Marik had used towards her. She looked away, embarrassed at the answer to the question.

"Yes, it does." Malik answered for her. "It's why many Godaeshan's fear her. She is unpredictable. One moment she is in complete control, but anything can trigger the switch and she will act without mercy, enjoying every moment. You saw how she was with Anubis, she delighted in taunting her prey."

"I hate it…I hate that I like it..." Kat said quietly.

Marik lifted his head, realizing how he had come across. "I'm sorry. I guess I'm just a bit hurt that...well...you were willing to physically hurt me."

Kat shrunk away like a scolded child. "It's still not too late to change your mind…"

He reached out and pulled her in close, embracing her. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm upset, but I'm not leaving."

Kat looked up at Marik, puzzled. "Why?"

Marik placed his forehead on hers. "I knew being with you was going to be one hell of a roller-coaster ride. Some of the hills are a bit bigger than I expected, and I'm definitely going to freak out the first time around, but I know that when things slow down, I'll be begging to go again. I'll be more prepared the second and third time around for those big hills, but I need to get around the track that first time."

"You are so confusing. I love it." she grinned happily.

"I'm confusing? Must be something that runs in the family," Marik chuckled.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Malik questioned, interrupting the moment.

Marik lifted his head and looked towards the other Ishtar. "Have you listened to yourself when you try to avoid something? You can't even form a coherent sentence."

Malik scowled. "I have issues, okay?"

"Mal, your issues have issues." Kat stated boredly.

"No, my issues have a tiny terror named Katrina."

"Awww...love you too Mal."

Malik rolled his eyes. "We should probably head back topside."

Kat paled a bit, her eyes widening. "Umm...so about...up top…"

Malik narrowed his eyes and glared at the tiny elemental suspiciously. "What did you do…"

"I didn't do anything! I swear! It's just….Atem is very drunk….and so is...Kura…"

Malik stared blankly at her. "Please tell me you are joking…"

"Yeaahhh...sure….and we'll hear the punchline when Kura wakes up…."

Malik sighed in exasperation. "I am not repeating the past five-thousand years."

"I'm not stupid enough to make that mistake twice."

"Hold up! The Pharaoh...and Bakura?" Marik stated in extreme confusion, not believing what he had just heard.

"Trust me, if I hadn't seen it for myself…" Kat replied.

"The Pharaoh….and Bakura…" Marik repeated, still not believing it.

"They hate each other…but apparently only when sober…."

"You sure you didn't imagine it?"

"Why would I imagine something like that? I'll have you know, my sexual imaginings are far more creative."

"Oh? You mean like comparing me to a Sheikh's prized stallion?"

"She compared you to a what?" Malik questioned in disbelief.

"He reminded me of Nebu," Kat said earnestly.

"The Akhal-teke?"

"Yeah."

"I can't even with you. You let the Pharaoh and the Runt do...I don't even think the gods want to know...and now I find you compared Marik to a shiny stallion. Where is your head?"

"Do you want an honest answer?"

Malik rolled his head back in defeat. "I give up. I'm going back to my chambers...and thickening the walls. I am not listening to the Pharaoh's moaning...or the Runt's."

Soap Box rant time!

Why did I make Malik an Ace? Many reasons. Why Malik? Known in canon simply as Yami Marik/Yami Malik (depending on if you watch sub or dub), he is pretty much just a throw-away character. In cannon he is nothing more than a created personality that is cast away into the Shadows, never to be seen or heard from again. AU writers love having fun with such moldable material! So why choose to make him and Ace instead of 'Evil personality non-con with Creampuff Ryou' like most people? Simple: This AU was originally created YEARS ago in my head as a form of a coping mechanism. Somehow Malik ended up being the one that took the brunt of my struggles with 'feeling wrong'. Why is this a matter I even care about to bring up with my readers? Because I was recently accused IRL of 'romanticizing' gayness and others of the LGBTQIA+ community...by a trans person no less. Apparently I am not allowed to be Ace because I am a woman married to a man with 2 children? I have spent years feeling 'broken' and 'wrong', finally begun to accept that I am not broken and that there is nothing wrong...only to be judged by someone who themselves would not want to be judged based on appearance. I will not lie: I didn't speak up. I went home and had a massive anxiety attack and balled. I have only told a few people about me being Ace because I don't think it's one of those things I should flaunt in everyone's face. But I now feel the need to justify WHY I have an Ace character, and I apologize about my rant. Just know, that if you are EVER feeling 'broken' or 'wrong', you are not, regardless of where you fall in the Rainbow. But also remember, there are others in the Rainbow too, many still in hiding, so don't assume/accuse towards another based on appearances alone.

/End rant