Even though Bakura felt displeased about seeing Marik and Akia gallivanting together, everything else in his life was finally peaceful. He kept in touch with Shizuka, who'd been a lot more present in his life. The young man never thought he'd be so fond of Jounouchi's younger sister. It was also the end of the school semester and he knew all his exams had gone well. Another good thing in his life is that the Spirit of the Millennium Ring hadn't showed up since the Battle City Finals. For the first time in a while, Bakura felt at peace, without the looming presence of the Evil Spirit surrounding him.
That day, after school, Shizuka and him planned to hang out for a bit, eating some ramen and walking around in a neighbourhood that was closer to Shizuka's mother's place. One of the reasons why they decided to go all the way there was because they didn't want to run into Jounouchi or Mai. They weren't ready just yet to get grilled about it before anything was actually official between them. Bakura didn't even think anything would ever really happen in the near future. He was not over Akia at all and the last thing on his mind was to find another romantic interest. He did, however, really enjoy Shizuka's company.
"Ah! Bakura-san!" Shizuka called our and waved as the young man hopped off the subway.
"Shizuka-chan," he called back with a smile.
She ran up to him as he walked to her. "How did your exams go?" Bakura asked her.
"I think I did alright. What about you?"
"It wasn't too bad. Pretty sure I'm making it to the next semester," Bakura joked.
Shizuka giggled and they continued their small talk until they got to the restaurant. There, they ate, enjoying the good food and each other's company.
When the sun started to set, Bakura walked Shizuka home.
"I had a really nice time with you today, Bakura-san," the girl said with a bashful smile.
"I'm glad I didn't bore you. We should hang out more often."
"You could never bore me, Bakura-san! I…" Shizuka whispered the last part and looked down, feeling her cheeks get warmer.
Seeing this, Bakura had a feeling he knew what she wanted to say, and he didn't want her to say it. Not yet, anyway. "Shizuka-chan, it's getting late. I think I should start heading home."
"Oh…! Yeah, you're right. Goodnight, Bakura-san…" There was a tinge of disappointment in her voice, but she headed on inside without insisting on saying anything more.
When she was safely in her home, Bakura let out a small sigh. He didn't know what he was doing anymore at this point. He didn't feel right pursuing anything with Shizuka when Akia was still on his mind. He couldn't help feeling that he was leading the former on, though.
The young man started heading back to the station. On his way, he felt a familiar and terrifying presence.
"…No…!" His eyes widened in realization. He started running, trying desperately to escape. He ran to a nearby alley and tripped.
"Where are you going?" An ominous voice resounded.
Bakura kept running and running, seeking refuge in a nearby church. When he got in, there was nobody in sight. As he made his way towards the altar, the candles in the church all lit up on their own.
The young man stopped in his tracks, terrified. "Stay away from me!" He yelled out.
"Running won't help. You must fulfill your mission."
"Mission?"
"You, the Pharaoh, Shadi, and Akia possess the Millennium Items. Shadi and Akia will give their items to the Pharaoh. So all the Millennium Items will be in the Pharaoh's and your possession. The time is ripe. But the Seven Millennium Items alone cannot open the door to the afterlife. You must find the eighth key that unlocks the seven Millennium Items."
"But I…!"
"The eighth key to open the door to the afterlife is hidden in the Pharaoh's memories."
"This has nothing to do with me!" Bakura yelled out in a choked up voice.
When he did, the organ played a deafeningly loud note, and the church's stained windows all shattered.
"Nameless Pharaoh…" While the voice kept talking, Bakura screamed as he felt his body being taken over by the evil presence. "When the door to your memories is opened, the ultimate Shadow Game three thousand years in the making, will begin." The Evil spirit laughed maniacally as he resumed his control of his vessel.
Unaware of what was transpiring, Akia and Yugi were both sitting in the living room with their grandfather, listening to his retelling of how he came upon the Millennium Puzzle. In fact, the return of the Evil Spirit of the Millennium Ring was the last thing on their mind, considering they had the object of its origin within their possession.
The twins' grandfather told them that he had been a master in all the games of his time, be it poker, chess, or any other, he would always come up on top, and he was in search of more. When he had heard of rumours of the ultimate game in a Pharaoh's tomb, he jumped on the opportunity and headed out to Egypt. Mutou Sugoroku recounted how he had enlisted the help of two local bandits who were after the treasures in the Pharaoh's tomb, located in the Valley of the Kings. In the tomb, he had bested the traps, and figured out the mechanisms behind them, losing one of the bandits' lives in the process, but finding his way to the inner chamber with the other remaining man. There, Sugoroku was betrayed by the man, who shot him in the back, causing him to lose his footing, falling off the side of the stone bridge, but holding onto the ledge at the last moment.
The man, having no remorse, walks over the bridge, not even glancing down Sugoroku's way. As he got closer to the end, one of the tiles that made up the bridge lit up, and a monster materialized, swallowing the man whole, before disappearing.
Just when the twins' grandfather felt his hand give out, the Pharaoh appeared, and helped him up, "I've been waiting for you, Shimon."
"And that was how I acquired the Millennium Puzzle," Sugoroku concluded.
"Wow, grandpa, you were pretty cool back in the day," Yugi exclaimed.
"Oh please, I might've exaggerated some details," the old man laughed lightheartedly. "But why the interest in these old stories? Because you're going to Egypt?"
"Yeah, the stone tablet in the museum was sent back to Egypt," Yugi responded.
"Marik said everything is in place for the ritual, too. He confirmed it with his siblings," Akia added.
"Speaking of Marik, you're not hanging out with him tonight? That's rare," Yugi asked his twin sister.
"Well, we all have to pack to leave tomorrow, so not much time to hang out," the young woman reasoned. "Speaking of packing, I'll go check if I'm not missing anything. Goodnight grandpa, goodnight Yugi!"
"Goodnight, Akia," both replied.
They all knew that pretty soon, there will be difficult challenges awaiting them in the pursuit of unlocking the Pharaoh's memories. Akia also knew this was where she would unlock her and Marik's own pasts, figuring out what and why they were brought together so fiercely.