Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Children of the Night II: Beacons of Light ❯ Darkened Memories ( Chapter 3 )

Children of the Night II:
Beacons of Light 3
Author's Notes: This is going to be a very depressing sequel to Children of the Night. It takes place one year after they have graduated. Over Christmas break Yami breaks up with Arora; sending her into a depression and into Marik's arms; but when the depression gets too big for Bakura and Marik to handle on their own they call in the Children of the Night. This will also be a love triangle between Yami/Arora/Marik.
Author's Warnings: Alcohol Abuse, Drug abuse, sex, violence, suicidal tendencies, and a female drug dealer obsessed with Arora.
I suggest reading the first story to this in order to understand some stuff in this story.

Seto was leaning against the patio railing watching Pernia walk through the gardens keeping an eye on the Gravedigger Princess, who was currently weeding it. The former second in command Slypher was surprised the ever present shadow of Marik wasn't near the female. Then again for some reason no one could understand he seemed to trust Pernia to watch after her and Seto wondered if it was because Pernia had been in a similar situation.

Seto turned his attention to his female and sighed; she wasn't one to hide her scars from others. In her opinion she had made a mistake and she wasn't ashamed to admit it. A smile tugged at his lips the female was wearing a loose pair of jeans and a tank top; her stomach was starting to swell again with new life. He sighed a look of sadness flickering across his features wondering how long they would keep this child.

"How is she?" asked Marik coming outside to stand beside the brunette, his platinum blonde hair dripping wet.

"Pernia?"

"Who else?" snorted Marik.

"She is pregnant again," said Seto.

"So I gathered. Are you doubting she will carry this one to full term?"

"I am surprised she keeps getting pregnant," said Seto. "I expected that with what her jack ass of a father did to her that she never would be able to bare children period."

Marik said nothing and instead trained his eyes on Arora, his eyes narrowing taking in her body language, she seemed more relaxed now than she had ever been. He hoped it was because she was around someone that at one time had gone through the same problems has her.

"I was wondering if you could ask your woman to do a favor for me," said Marik slowly. Kaiba stiffened but remained silent a clear sign for the male to go on. "I know she used to slice her wrists open," said Marik bluntly.

"How?" hissed Seto, turning his icy blue eyes to stare at the Egyptian male.

"I could smell the fresh blood," said Marik simply. "Don't worry I didn't tell anyone because I see no sport in gossiping or anything like that. I pitied her actually, having that be her only escape."

"And what was your escape?" asked Seto flatly.

"The same has yours. Look, for once I didn't come here to fight with you; I came to ask you to ask your woman to talk to her."

"Why?"

"Because I have talked to her about it myself and she still does it," growled Marik. "She is the only one I trust to talk to her about it. Why I trust her when she fucks you all the time is beyond me."

Seto growled but decided to drop it, they weren't here to get into fights with each other; they were here to stop the Gravedigger Princess from killing herself and Yami, Marik, and Bakura from killing each other. "Tell me something."

"Hhhmm?" asked Marik not turning to look at the young CEO.

"How did you find her when you came here after Yami broke up with her?"

Marik sighed, and while it was a particularly well liked memory he found himself telling the taller male everything about the night he found Arora bleeding to death.

Flashback************************************************** ***

Marik opened the door to the mansion and at once became aware of the feeling of unrest in the air. It was so thick he wondered briefly if he would choke on the damn thing. With a sigh he tossed his bag on the floor and journeyed deeper into the house. There was something else on the air that Marik couldn't seem to place. It made him feel edgy and off balance like a candle providing the only light in a dark room had been blown out.

Walking up the set of stairs that lead to the bedrooms he found the feeling growing stronger and it was mixed with the familiar scent of blood. Marik frowned and picked up speed following the scent to Arora's bedroom. Near Panic set in and tried the doorknob only to find it locked. Taking a deep breath Marik slammed his shoulder into the door twice before knocking it open.

He stepped into the room and looked down hearing soft crunching noises and realized her jewelry box that had been a gift from the Slypher King was broken. His mind raced and he took several more steps into the room not knowing whether or not it was a good sign to smell blood and have the room be in order aside from the shattered glass. He moved on instinct to the bathroom wondering if he could find her in there.

And he did.

Arora was laying naked in a bathtub full of water; both her wrists slashed open and bleeding freely. Marik acted upon instinct and yanked the girl out of the cold water and placed her on the floor grabbing two towels he quickly wrapped them tightly around her wrists and then checked her pulse for a faint heartbeat before rushing to her bedroom for the phone.

The ambulance had arrived within minutes and had managed to get the bleeding under control and her heartbeat back to normal. They told Marik and an ever grateful Bakura and Ryu that had Marik arrived a little later then he did Arora would have been beyond saving.

When Arora woke up she told them everything that had happened and it was all the females could do to keep the males from rushing off and killing Yami. They managed to reason with them that what Arora really needed now was them and not revenge. It was Arora's broken look and suicidal tendencies that had kept them around; then it was her alcohol abuse, which was quickly followed by drug abuse.

End of Flashback**********************************************

They had been lucky that time and all the times ever since then. But the gravediggers feared their luck would one day run out.

"The fear of loss is the greatest fear any man can ever know," said Seto softly, almost has if he could read Marik's thoughts.

But he was really thinking about his own fear of loosing Pernia. For it was only a matter of time before he lost her has well. Even though she no longer cut herself since the first pregnancy he feared she would start up again and finally decide to seriously end her life.

Then what? What do you do when the woman you love took her life away? Could you move on? Should you? What of the future? Her family? Your family? How could so many lives be changed for the worst if something so small, and yet so dangerous, has a single decision was carried out?

One thing was certain Marik and Seto did not really want to find out what lay behind that barren land of darkness.