Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Apocalypse ❯ Showdown ( Chapter 67 )

/………/--Malik to Marik through mindlink

//……..//--Marik to Malik through mindlink

 

Showdown

 

 

Malik yawned and stretched as he walked down the hallway towards the Itemri bedroom. He quietly knocked on the door and peeked his head in.

“Bakura? Ryou?”

Malik saw both of them asleep. Ryou had his head resting on Bakura's chest. The Light's eyes fluttered as he slept cuddled against his lover.

Bakura held Ryou against him, his head resting on the soft, cottony white hair of his husband.

Malik pulled back slowly and closed the door. “They sure went to bed early! Maybe I'll go find my yami and be up to no good for a while.”

The blond Light giggled and walked to his bedroom. Marik wasn't there.

“Hmm….that's odd. Usually he's lying naked in a very provocative position, pretending to be asleep, and waiting for me to take advantage of him. But he's not here. Maybe he's downstairs.”

Malik went downstairs and didn't find him in the Living Room or Kitchen.

/Yami, where in the gods name are you?/

//Outside in the front yard.//

Marik's voice sounded edgy and on-guard. His tone was one of extreme seriousness.

Marik meant business.

Malik opened the front door and saw Marik sitting in front of the bushes in the shadows.

“Marik, why are you out here?”

“Keeping watch,” he said, gripping the Millennium Rod tightly in his right hand.

“I see that.”

“The Pharaoh was just here. I can't let anything happen to you, Bakura, or Ryou.”

Malik sat by Marik on the grass. “Ryou and Bakura passed out cold. We could be screaming as loud as we could in the throes of passion and they still wouldn't wake up.”

The blond yami looked around, searching for threats.

“Marik, he's gone, isn't he? Let's go inside.”

“No. He's still out here. I can feel him. I can smell him.”

Malik looked up and down the dark street. The crickets chirped and the street lights lit up the night.

Dark clouds were looming overhead.

“Marik, it looks like a storm is coming our way. We should get inside before it rains,” Malik said standing up.

The blond yami sighed. “I guess you're right.”

Marik stood up and let out a scream of pain. He dropped the Millennium Rod to the ground and cradled his hand against his chest.

“Marik! Are you okay?”

Upstairs they heard a loud cry of pain from the white-haired yami.

“Marik! What happened?”

“My Rod! It's hot! It burned my fucking hand!”

Malik stepped in front of his yami. “Let me see.”

“No!” he protested, pulling away quickly. “It hurts!”

“Course it hurts! But I gotta look at it to see how bad it is!”

Marik reluctantly held his hand out to his hikari and opened his palm. His skin was beet red and a few parts had been singed black.

“That…..really…..hurts.”

“Come inside and I'll take care of that.”

“Okay…I'll be in. Let me see something with the Rod first.”

Malik nodded. “Okay. Don't be too long out here.”

Marik approached his shining Rod slowly as his Light ran into the house for the First Aid Kit. He stood over the glowing object and saw the light stop flashing.

He bent down and cautiously tapped it with his finger. Nothing happened.

He reached down and grabbed it with his uninjured hand and it wasn't hot at all.

The door opened and Bakura ran up to him. “Are you okay?”

“I heard you scream, too.”

“Yeah, I was sleeping and I saw my Ring starting to glow. I reached over and it burned my hand.”

“Yeah, my Millennium Rod was glowing, too.”

Bakura growled. “Think it's that pharaoh?”

“I wouldn't doubt it.”

“Ryou is getting me some bandages now, but I heard you scream and had to come check on you.”

Marik examined Bakura's hand. “It's a lot like mine. I wonder what the hell caused that?”

“I'm putting money on the pharaoh. I bet you he did it.”

Marik nodded in agreement. “It wouldn't surprise me.”

Ryou ran out to the two yamis. “Bakura, the Ring is acting funny. It's pointing towards a Millennium Item.”

“Ryou! Put that down before it burns your hand!” Bakura demanded.

Ryou stopped quickly. “It's not hot at all.”

“What?”

Marik clutched the Millennium Rod tightly to him again. “The Rod stopped getting hot when it stopped glowing.”

Bakura took the Ring from Ryou cautiously and raised an eyebrow. “That was odd.” Bakura put the Millennium Ring around his neck again.

Bakura held the Ring and watched the pointers aim at Domino Park down the street.

“The pharaoh must still be hanging around.”

“I don't like that one bit. I'm going after him,” Marik snarled.

Bakura jumped in front of Marik. “Shouldn't we take care of our hands first?”

“No. I'm going before we lose him again.”

“Marik, you should get your hand taken care of,” Ryou protested.

“Ryou, I appreciate your concern, but right now I have to do this. Coming, Itemri?”

Bakura looked between Ryou and Marik. His husband looked worried.

“Ryou, we won't be long.”

Ryou gasped. “Wait! I'm….I'm coming with you.”

Bakura shook his head. “Too dangerous, Angel. Stay here with Malik.”

“I want to go.”

“Ryou, you were having chest pains a bit ago. We can't have you come,” Marik stated calmly.

Bakura kissed Ryou's cheek. “We'll be right back. Yami has to unlock our soulrooms now if he doesn't want his ass kicked from here to hell and back.”

Ryou watched the two yamis jump the fence and run quickly down the block.

Malik came out of the house with gauze and surgical tape. “Marik? Where are you?......Ryou? Where's Marik?”

Ryou turned to Malik and looked down the block in the direction of the fleeing yamis.

********************************

Marik and Bakura bolted towards Domino Park. “I'm going to stop that fucker once and for all!” Marik growled angrily.

Bakura snarled. “I'll scan the perimeter. I have to make sure we are alone.”

“It's after midnight! Who's going to be out?”

“Kids up to no good….you know homeless people live in the park, too!”

Marik narrowed his eyes. “Fine. You scan the perimeter. I'll find the pharaoh.”

“Deal.”

“Where does the Ring say he is?”

“To the right.”

Marik and Bakura turned into Domino Park.

“The Ring is pointing left. Go left, Ishtar!”

Bakura split from his partner and stopped short, listening for the sound of eavesdroppers.

Marik ran left, keeping his eye out for the pharaoh. “Yami!”

He continued to run through the brush. “Ya-----WOAH!”

Marik's leg became snared in a rope and before he knew it, he was hanging upside-down. He looked up and saw the rope.

“Son of a bitch! Where'd this come from?”

“I got you, Spirit of the Millennium Rod.”

Marik let himself looked limp and he raised his head, his arms dangling helplessly above the ground. “Yami?!”

“The same.”

“Get me down!”

“I think not.”

Marik narrowed his eyes. “Don't make me kick your ass harder than it deserves!”

Yami approached Marik and cupped his chin in his hands. “I know you came out here to find me.”

“Yami, stop this game right now! Release the locks on our soulrooms!”

“I can't.”

“You are full of shit!” Marik growled as he swiped Yami's leg with his long, sharpened nails.

Yami staggered back. “You vicious creature!”

“You misguided monarch!”

Yami grinned. He leaned down and whispered in Marik's ear. “You know I am much worse than that, Ishtar.”

Marik growled and bit Yami's ear savagely. Yami tried pulling it away, succeeding only in making the yami bleed.

Yami Blood ran down his chin and his eyes glowed a crimson red.

“Come near me again and I will bite clean through!”

Yami chuckled. “You want me, Marik Jibade Ishtar? Come get me.”

Marik curled up his body and swiped at the rope holding his leg. He cut it with his nails and fell to the ground.

He jumped to his feet and his canines sharpened. He growled and seethed at Yami through the blood dripping slowly from his lips.

Yami grinned. “Hello, Yami Marik Jibade Ishtar.”

“I'm gonna fuck you up now, pharaoh! LORD POISON! COME TO ME NOW!”

Marik removed his deck from his pocket. “If you don't give me what I want, I will make you suffer!”

Yami took a step away. “I don't think you want to do that.”

“And why the fuck not?”

“Because if you do, you will not be hitting me.”

Marik growled. “SCREW THIS! LORD POISON, ATTACK YAMI!”

The large creature rushed towards Yami. It raised it's claws to attack him.

“You're making a big mistake.”

“ISHTAR!” Bakura shouted as he approached. He saw Lord Poison attacking Yami and he tried to stop, or risk getting clawed by the monster.

He continued running!

“I can't stop!” Bakura called out.

Marik saw Bakura running into the path of the monster. “ITEMRI, STOP, YOU DUMBASS!”

“I SAID I CAN'T STOP RUNNING!”

“LORD POISON! STOP YOUR----!”

Marik watched as the monster's claws dug into Bakura's arm. The yami stopped as the monster clawed his chest.

“LORD POISON, STOP YOUR ATTACK!”

The monster stopped clawing Bakura and the yami dropped to the ground a bloody, trembling mess.

Yami stepped back and chuckled. “Bakura doesn't know when to quit.”

Yami Marik put a hand on Bakura's arm as the yami trembled with Lord Poison's attack.

“Bakura….say something.”

Bakura's eyes remained wide and his body covered in sweat.

“Shit! Damn! Fuck! Ass!” Yami Marik cursed.

“That's enough poison to kill a mortal.”

/MARIK! MARIK, WHERE ARE YOU?/

//In the woods, Tenshi.//

/That's not very specific./

//Follow my aura if you can.//

“Bakura! Bakura!” Ryou's voice called into the night.

“Marik! Marik!” Malik's voice echoed.

Yami grinned. “The reinforcements have arrived, I see.”

Malik shined a flashlight ahead and Marik blinked from the brightness. “YAMI IS HERE, BE CAREFUL!”

Ryou let out a scream as he fell to the ground. He looked up with his flashlight and saw a man kneeling in the bushes.

“Who are you?” Ryou asked.

The man darted away.

He rose to his feet and continued to run towards his fallen husband.

“Bakura!!!” Ryou cried out, instantly kneeling by Bakura. He touched his arm. “He's cold!” Ryou removed his shirt and draped it over Bakura. “Hold on, baby….”

Malik narrowed his eyes at Yami. “What did you do?”

“Ask Jibade. He knows.”

Malik turned to Marik. “What happened here?”

“I couldn't stop my attack before Bakura ran in the way. Bakura couldn't stop running, which, I'm sure…had something to do with your magic, pharaoh.”

Yami chuckled. “Don't blame me for your yami's foolishness.”

Marik growled. “Unlock the doors to our soulrooms!”

Yami grinned. “Let me think about it.”

Yami's silhouette began to fade and Marik stood up furiously.

“DON'T YOU DARE!”

Yami faded into nothingness.

“Bastard,” Marik growled.

Ryou brushed back Bakura's hair. “Yami Bakura? Baby, open your eyes.”

Malik shivered. “We can't leave him here. We have to get him home.”

Ryou looked behind him. `I wonder who that man was who was watching us.'

 

************************************

 

Aten winced as the nurses removed his IVs. Dr. Zira inspected his neck and his injuries one more time. He had to go home with crutches for his broken leg, but it was expected that he would make a full recovery within weeks.

His neckbrace had to remain around his neck to support it for a little longer.

Robbie thanked the nurses and Dr. Zira before they left.

“Take good care of him, Robbie. I know you always do,” Zira said, shaking Robbie's hand.

“I sure do. If I don't, who will, right?”

“Thank you for all your help, Doctor,” Aten said slowly as he turned his head to face Zira so he could look at him.

“Good luck, Aten. Take it easy on that leg and that neck. No being bent in half like a contortionist, okay?”

Aten blushed. “Who said I do that?”

“A little birdie,” Zira chuckled.

“A little birdie dressed in blue, with blue eyes, and named Robbie, by any chance?”

“Of course not. Take care of yourselves. Both of you.”

Aten hobbled on his crutches while Robbie limped using his cane.

“We look like an interesting couple,” Robbie chuckled.

“Interesting as in…both of us being only 18 and you on a cane and me on crutches with a leg and neck brace?”

“Stranger things have happened, I'm sure,” Miranda said with a smile. “Daniel is making lunch for us when we get home.”

“Yeah, Aten! No more hospital food!”

Aten sighed in relief. “Hospital meatloaf, contrary to popular belief, contains no meat.”

Miranda smiled. “No, I promise no meatloaf. I'll make something special for your first night home, Aten.”

“That's good to hear, mom. I missed your cooking.”

“You're sweet. I think we'll keep you around longer.”

Aten chuckled. “Well, as long as the gods decide I can stay here longer. Robbie! Robbie, are you here?!”

“Yeah, I'm on your right, Aten,” Robbie answered.

“Mom?”

“I'm on your left, Aten. Don't worry. We're both here,” Miranda responded calmly.

Aten sighed in relief. “I couldn't see either of you.”

“We're here.”

Aten walked along, keeping his focus on the hallway in front of him. It was a little intimidating not being able to see from the sides of his eyes, as he had become accustomed.

This was going to take a lot of patience.

The drive home was mostly quiet. Robbie sat beside him holding his hand.

“I'm really glad you're coming home today, Aten.”

Aten yawned tiredly. “Yeah, me too. I was getting tired of the hospital. You can only spend so much time in that place before you go stir-crazy.”

Robbie nodded. “Yeah, I remember.”

Aten squeezed Robbie's hand as they passed Domino Park. “Where is the platform?”

“The cops didn't find a platform the next day. It was taken down and all evidence of the duel was cleared,” Miranda said.

“Yeah, they found some blood on the ground, but beyond that, nothing.”

Aten took a deep breath. “At least I get to be in our room tonight.”

Robbie smiled. “Yup. And I have something special planned for later.”

Aten chuckled. “Remember what Dr. Zira said, Robbie. No bending me like a pretzel. Not yet, anyway.”

Robbie laughed. “Oh, no, I know I can't do that……………yet. Trust me. It's going to be good.”

 

Updates: 8/18/06