Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Gorgeous Carat (YGO version) ❯ The Dragon of Maghreb Part 7 ( Chapter 14 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Lsama-no-miko 
Anime/Manga: Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Mystery / Romance / Suspense / Drama | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 04.04.2008 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.2K | Visits: 157 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Mystery / Romance / Suspense / Drama | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 04.04.2008 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.2K | Visits: 157 | Status: Work In Progress
Gorgeous Carat (YGO Version)
By Sakura (aka L-sama no Miko)
Chapter 14: The Dragon of Maghreb Part 7
He ran. He didn’t know why that man looked like him or why he even scared him so. He seemed like a nice man, but somewhere deep down, he remembered someone telling him to never talk to strangers – that if anyone he didn’t know try to get him to go with them he was to run, run as fast as he can and get help. So that’s what he did. When he felt that he had gotten far enough away and saw that he had lost him, he stopped to catch his breath.
Behind him, a man with chestnut brown hair and a single ice blue eye stood smiling a smile that would have the devil himself running for dear life.
“Amazing,” the tall man said, eyeing the boy, “You still live.” The boy shook in fear, looking around desperately for an escape. The man turned to one of his men, giving him an accusatory glare.
“I-I was s-sure I… that is…” he stammered.
“You didn’t give him a wound fatal enough,” his master said icily. He then whipped out a pistol and shot the bumbling assassin, killing him instantly. The boy cried out at the noise, but still stood there, unable to run due to the withdrawal symptoms still running through his opium deprived body. “Incompetent fools can die,” he said putting the gun away, ignoring the corpse. Ezhdar grabbed the boy harshly. “Come along, Yugi,” he said, starting to pull him along.
“N-No!” the boy cried, “No…” ‘I don’t like you! You’re… you’re scary!’
“That’s enough Ezhdar!” a short old man with grey spiky hair called running up to them. “That boy is my guest! I will not tolerate such violence! Leave at once!”
The brunet sneered. “It’s been a while hasn’t it, Sugoroku-jiisan,” he said with mock politeness, “You’re as ornery as ever I see.” He made to grab Yugi again, but the old man now stood in between them. “Don’t get in my way old man,” he warned, his one visible eye narrowing in annoyance.
“Those look like serious wounds,” he said, noticing the bandages covering various parts of the brunet’s body. “But if I do get in your way, what then? Are you going to kill me, boy? Are you going to kill the man who raised you as his own son?!” Ezhdar said nothing, just continued to glare at him. “Why?” Sugoroku asked sadly, “Why did you turn out like this? Ever since you came back from America, you’ve been a completely different person! Where is the lad I once though of as my son?!”
Ezhdar pulled out his pistol and aimed it at his foster father. “Move or die old man,” he said, an unreadable expression on his face.
“You little brat!” Sugoroku spat defiantly.
“Last warning,” he said, cocking the gun.
The old man refused to budge, he didn’t know what the brunet had wanted with the boy, but there was no way he’d let him get his hands on him, especially after all those rumors he’d heard regarding his former foster son.
“So be it,” Ezhdar said calmly. There was a loud crack as the gun went off.
Meanwhile, elsewhere…
“Say that again, Atem!” the white haired man shouted.
“I only saw him for a second so I’m not that sure but…” the shorter man replied.
The thief grabbed onto the chair’s arm to steady himself. “Yugi’s… alive?” he said, not daring to hope that was true.
“So what do we do now?” Malik asked, “Aaah!!” he cried when he noticed his master stumbling as he shot straight up from the chair. “You’re not supposed to move around like that!” he chided, helping the thief to steady himself.
“I’m not going to stay here and do nothing!” he retorted, “I’ve got to –“
“Not so fast,” Atem said stepping into his way. “We don’t even know for sure it’s Yugi. The kid I saw acted like he didn’t know me.”
“He’s right for once,” agreed the blond Egyptian, “Why not let me go check it out ok? Besides, you still need rest!”
Noir yanked his arm away from Atem’s grasp. “Let me go, Khemet! I have to see with my own eyes that it was him! Where is he?! Tell me!”
“Fine,” groused the detective, “It’s obvious you’re not going to listen to anything I have to say anyway.”
About twenty minutes later, Atem was leading the white haired thief and blond along the streets to where he had last seen the boy.
“You ok?” he asked turning to Noir, concerned at the heavy panting he was doing, “You’re really sweating there; I think we’d better head back. It’s too…”
His taller companion gave out a short barking laugh. “This is nothing,” he bragged, though he wasn’t really feeling that great. And the desert heat wasn’t helping much either. “It’s like my garden out here!”
A man with bronze skin and platinum blond hair like Malik’s came passing by. He glanced at the white haired man briefly as he went by, but quickly did a double take. “Bakura?!” he called, “It’s you isn’t it?!” Upon further inspection, he saw it was indeed his old friend from before. “I knew it was you!” he cried, pulling the thief into a bear hug, “It’s me! Marik!”
Noir flinched slightly for the man’s arms had brushed against one of the still healing wounds. “That little shrimp?! No way!” he said, seeing that his old friend had indeed grown up, and pretty fast at that.
“Ah, this brings back memories,” the taller blond said smiling warmly, “Last I heard some rich guy came and took you to France. If I remember right, he had this really snooty servant with him too.” Bakura was about to ask about Yugi when the man’s lilac eyes widened then narrowed as he remembered why he was out on the street to begin with. “Oh yeah!” he said, “Old Sugoroku was shot!”
“Sugoroku-jiisan?!” Noir said in shock. That man had been like a father to him during his childhood in Morocco.
“Yeah,” the blond said grimly, “What’s even worse is that they’re saying it was Ezhdar that did it!”
The thief grabbed onto the man’s shirt, “What did you just say?! Why would he…”
“I don’t know,” Marik groaned, “Just saying what I heard, something about trouble with a foreigner at the old man’s place.”
Atem and Malik stared at the man. ‘Yugi…’ ran through both their minds at the same time. Neither of them had the chance to inquire further for Noir had dashed off light a bat out of hell and made a beeline for the old man’s home. Marik stood perplexed as he watched the foreigner and his look alike run after his old friend.
“What the heck was that about?!” he wondered before shaking his head and went back to his original business.
“Who’s there?!” the strawberry blonde asked, grasping a pan in one hand and holding it in front of her defensively. She gasped when a white haired man appeared in the now open doorway.
“It’s alright, miss,” he said, “I’m one of your grandpa’s kids that he used to look after.”
“Oi!” called a boy about eleven, “Lookit!” he said to his friend pointing at the foreigner.
“It’s Bakura!” the slightly older boy shouted in joy.
“Bakura’s back!” cried another street urchin and soon there was a crowd of children outside old Sugoroku’s place.
“Heh,” Noir said coming in, ignoring the fearful looks the girl was giving him, “I always though that stubborn old goat would go on living for hundreds of years. I can’t believe he’d meet such a lousy death.” He yelped in pain as he was suddenly hit upside the head.
“Darned brat!” Sugoroku said, coming from the sleeping area, limping slightly. “Don’t bury me just yet! First Ezhdar does it now you. You’re all nothing but a bunch of worthless brats!”
“Jiisan!” the thief cried in joy, “You’re alive! Thank goodness! You’ve no idea how worried I was!” He then scooped the shorter man into a fierce hug.
“Don’t be so innocent with me, young man!” he spat indignantly.
Noir released his ‘father’ and told him of why he had come, after letting the old man have a seat of course.
“The foreigner I was looking after?” he asked, “You must mean Amethyst.”
“Amethyst, huh?” the thief asked, getting an uneasy feeling. “So this amethyst…”
The old man frowned, causing Noir’s uneasy feeling to increase. “He was taken. By Ezhdar. Poor boy looked pretty scared. It was obvious he didn’t want to go with him, so I tried to stop that ungrateful brat! I took him in, looked after him and this is how he repays, me?!” he said, scowling at the bandage where the gunshot wound was. “He left me a message for you,” he said, his violet eyes scowling at the thief, “He knew you’d come running here, ‘cause you’d hear rumors and pay attention to them. He told me that if you want that boy back, safe and unharmed, then to go to the ruins of his mansion – alone. If you don’t obey his demands, then, he won’t guarantee that poor boy’s safety.”
Noir’s eyes flared in sheer anger and hate, frightening the girl who had been listening in. He then growled in frustration and shot up from his seat, causing the table to shake on its wobbly legs and the tea cups to rattle precariously.
“Ahh!!” cried Malik, startled. The blond Egyptian immediately ran after his master, “Wait!” he called, grabbing onto the slightly taller man’s arm, “You’re not well enough! It’s dangerous for you to move around like that!”
The thief whirled around, his eyes those of a cornered animal, ready to strike at the first thing that approached. The poor blond gave out a yelp as Noir jerked his arm away.
“Let him do what he wants, Malik,” Atem said sighing, “He’s too far gone to listen to anyone right now. Bakura,” he called. The thief stopped in mid run and turned to the detective, daring him silently to stop him from fetching his precious amethyst. “Here,” the spiky haired man said throwing him his pistol. “It’s not the best, but then again I only use it for self-defense.”
The thief caught it. He looked at it briefly before pocketing the weapon. “Merci,” he said, nodding in thanks, grateful for the other man’s understanding.
Malik stared after his master, unable to move until the taller man was out of sight.
“You needn’t worry so much Malik,” Atem said, placing a sympathetic hand on the blond’s shoulder. “I’m sure he’ll be fine. That little black cat’s got the devil’s own luck.
“So it’s come to this has it?” the old man said, forlornly, “Those two were so close, now Ezhdar has gone and made an enemy of Bakura.”
“Say, jii-san,” Malik said, trying his best to hide the tears and sniffles, “You know No… Bakura pretty well don’t you?”
“I’ve known that boy since he was very small. He lived not to far from here with that sickly French mother of his. I heard that he was born in another part of the Arab world and that something happened with the father. They had to leave the country and eventually wound up in Fez. That’s when he met Ezhdar.” Sugoroku sighed as images of a white haired child running with a smiling older brunet boy with piercing blue eyes ran through his mind, “Ezhdar was such a sweet kid, all his friends loved him. In spite of his odd looks, Ezhdar was able to draw people to him and earn their respect, especially Bakura. He was persecuted you see, for being half French. Bakura took to that boy immediately. You see, they were both seen as foreign for their looks. It wasn’t long before they became extremely close.” The old man paused, sighing sadly, “I just can’t believe it would end up like this. Time is just too cruel sometimes.”
At Ezhdar’s still burning mansion, Noir ran through the burnt out shell of the building, looking for his stolen jewel. “Ezhdar you bastard!” he shouted, “Here I am! Show yourself!!! EZHDAR!!! GET OUT HERE!!!!!!!”
“No need to be so hot-blooded,” the brunet said getting up from his bed, chuckling lowly, “as amusing as that is.”
“You. Are. A. Bastard,” the thief spat venomously as he watched the taller man pull on a robe. On the other side of the bed sat his precious Yugi, half clothed and glassy-eyed. The boy was curled up on himself, shaking terribly.
“You always were so much fun to tease,” the brunet said, chuckling. He motioned to the boy for him to come and the petite boy whimpered as he weakly rose to his feet and stumbled over to them. He then knelt beside the much taller man. Ezhdar smirked smugly as he ruffled the boy’s hair.
“I’LL KILL YOU!!!!!” screamed Noir, pulling out Atem’s pistol.
“You’ve gotten sloppy,” tsked the brunet pulling out his own gun, “I would have used that thing already. Now put that gun down,” he commanded, pointing the gun at the boy.
Noir growled, but hastily obeyed. He meant what he had said back at the hotel. There was no way he was going to let anyone he cared for get killed because of him. Ezhdar grinned triumphantly and lowered the gun, but did not put it away. He strode over to the fireplace where a roaring fire had been blazing.
“I’m sure you know what this is,” he said, reaching into the flames and pulling out an iron poker. The thief’s eyes widened in fear and shock. “So you do know. It’s just as what it looks like, a brand.” Noir’s eyes narrowed dangerously, never leaving the disgusting red hot metal. “Hmm…” the brunet mused going over to the still kneeling Yugi, “Should I mark him as mine? Leave an indelible, ugly scar on this creamy white skin?” he then ran the muzzle of the pistol along one of the boy’s cheek in a mock caress, making the boy whimper and tremble. “Maybe I’ll put the mark on both his arms. Or perhaps the chest. No. I think the face will do, that way there’d be no mistake as to who his owner is.”
“W-Why do this?!” Noir asked brokenly, then he suddenly felt something deep inside snap. That boy was his property! it said. “He’s MINE Ezhdar!!” he growled furiously, “How dare you try doing stuff without my permission!”
“You always did value beauty,” the brunet said coolly, “It’s in your nature after all. You never did like seeing something pretty get destroyed. Now, now, don’t make such a face, you wouldn’t want this lovely one to get a heart attack do you? All I want for him is…” He then put the brand back in the fire as to make sure it didn’t cool down just yet. He next strode back over the thief until their faces were a mere scant inches away. “You, Bakura,” he purred, “If you come peacefully, I’ll let Yugi go.” Noir’s heart was racing a mile a minute. “It is your all fault,” he said, “You broke your promise so I’m afraid I had to be a bit rough.”
“I never forgot that promise Ezhdar,” the thief said defeatedly, hanging his head, “Do what you want,” he whispered.
The taller brunet smirked evilly, silently gloating now that he had won, “See that wasn’t so hard. I knew you could be reasonable.”
‘Yugi… I’m sorry… so sorry...’ he said going over to the boy, giving him one last hug. “See you around, runt,” he said ruffling the boy’s hair lovingly. “You’ll send him back to Malik?” he asked as Ezhdar eyed him suspiciously, the pistol aimed at his head, “Promise me you will.”
The brunet said nothing instead went back to the fire. “Bakura, come here,” he ordered.
“I’m not a dog, don’t go calling me like one,” the thief grumbled, but obeyed. The brunet let out a wry chuckle. “What do you want now?”
Ezhdar grinned maliciously, obviously enjoying himself. “I rather liked that idea,” he said, picking the brand back up, “That had to be one of my best. Yes, I believe I’ll leave my mark, oh but it won’t be on your dear Yugi. No. Instead, it’ll be you who bears my mark of ownership. Just like the Egyptians of ancient times used to.”
“W-W-WHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTT?!” Noir stammered in complete fear and shock at the glowing red of the evil thing being brandished before him.
~TBC~
Sakura: Oops I did it again! ^_^
Yami: Serves the tomb robber right. I should have done that myself long ago.
Sakura: One word for you pharaoh. SIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!
Yami: (Falls flat on face)
Inuyasha: So it works on humans too?
Kagome: Don’t you go getting any ideas!
Sango: That would be useful regarding a certain ecchi monk.
Sakura: Who’d you think my guinea pig was?
Miroku: Don’t remind me. My poor handsome face will never be the same.
Sakura: Oh hush up! Anyhoo, I’m bushed minna. I hope you don’t hate me toooo much for this chappie. But I promise I’ll try my best to get our beloved thief outta there ASAP!!! That is if you send me looooooooooooads of reviews! Jya ne!
By Sakura (aka L-sama no Miko)
Chapter 14: The Dragon of Maghreb Part 7
He ran. He didn’t know why that man looked like him or why he even scared him so. He seemed like a nice man, but somewhere deep down, he remembered someone telling him to never talk to strangers – that if anyone he didn’t know try to get him to go with them he was to run, run as fast as he can and get help. So that’s what he did. When he felt that he had gotten far enough away and saw that he had lost him, he stopped to catch his breath.
Behind him, a man with chestnut brown hair and a single ice blue eye stood smiling a smile that would have the devil himself running for dear life.
“Amazing,” the tall man said, eyeing the boy, “You still live.” The boy shook in fear, looking around desperately for an escape. The man turned to one of his men, giving him an accusatory glare.
“I-I was s-sure I… that is…” he stammered.
“You didn’t give him a wound fatal enough,” his master said icily. He then whipped out a pistol and shot the bumbling assassin, killing him instantly. The boy cried out at the noise, but still stood there, unable to run due to the withdrawal symptoms still running through his opium deprived body. “Incompetent fools can die,” he said putting the gun away, ignoring the corpse. Ezhdar grabbed the boy harshly. “Come along, Yugi,” he said, starting to pull him along.
“N-No!” the boy cried, “No…” ‘I don’t like you! You’re… you’re scary!’
“That’s enough Ezhdar!” a short old man with grey spiky hair called running up to them. “That boy is my guest! I will not tolerate such violence! Leave at once!”
The brunet sneered. “It’s been a while hasn’t it, Sugoroku-jiisan,” he said with mock politeness, “You’re as ornery as ever I see.” He made to grab Yugi again, but the old man now stood in between them. “Don’t get in my way old man,” he warned, his one visible eye narrowing in annoyance.
“Those look like serious wounds,” he said, noticing the bandages covering various parts of the brunet’s body. “But if I do get in your way, what then? Are you going to kill me, boy? Are you going to kill the man who raised you as his own son?!” Ezhdar said nothing, just continued to glare at him. “Why?” Sugoroku asked sadly, “Why did you turn out like this? Ever since you came back from America, you’ve been a completely different person! Where is the lad I once though of as my son?!”
Ezhdar pulled out his pistol and aimed it at his foster father. “Move or die old man,” he said, an unreadable expression on his face.
“You little brat!” Sugoroku spat defiantly.
“Last warning,” he said, cocking the gun.
The old man refused to budge, he didn’t know what the brunet had wanted with the boy, but there was no way he’d let him get his hands on him, especially after all those rumors he’d heard regarding his former foster son.
“So be it,” Ezhdar said calmly. There was a loud crack as the gun went off.
Meanwhile, elsewhere…
“Say that again, Atem!” the white haired man shouted.
“I only saw him for a second so I’m not that sure but…” the shorter man replied.
The thief grabbed onto the chair’s arm to steady himself. “Yugi’s… alive?” he said, not daring to hope that was true.
“So what do we do now?” Malik asked, “Aaah!!” he cried when he noticed his master stumbling as he shot straight up from the chair. “You’re not supposed to move around like that!” he chided, helping the thief to steady himself.
“I’m not going to stay here and do nothing!” he retorted, “I’ve got to –“
“Not so fast,” Atem said stepping into his way. “We don’t even know for sure it’s Yugi. The kid I saw acted like he didn’t know me.”
“He’s right for once,” agreed the blond Egyptian, “Why not let me go check it out ok? Besides, you still need rest!”
Noir yanked his arm away from Atem’s grasp. “Let me go, Khemet! I have to see with my own eyes that it was him! Where is he?! Tell me!”
“Fine,” groused the detective, “It’s obvious you’re not going to listen to anything I have to say anyway.”
About twenty minutes later, Atem was leading the white haired thief and blond along the streets to where he had last seen the boy.
“You ok?” he asked turning to Noir, concerned at the heavy panting he was doing, “You’re really sweating there; I think we’d better head back. It’s too…”
His taller companion gave out a short barking laugh. “This is nothing,” he bragged, though he wasn’t really feeling that great. And the desert heat wasn’t helping much either. “It’s like my garden out here!”
A man with bronze skin and platinum blond hair like Malik’s came passing by. He glanced at the white haired man briefly as he went by, but quickly did a double take. “Bakura?!” he called, “It’s you isn’t it?!” Upon further inspection, he saw it was indeed his old friend from before. “I knew it was you!” he cried, pulling the thief into a bear hug, “It’s me! Marik!”
Noir flinched slightly for the man’s arms had brushed against one of the still healing wounds. “That little shrimp?! No way!” he said, seeing that his old friend had indeed grown up, and pretty fast at that.
“Ah, this brings back memories,” the taller blond said smiling warmly, “Last I heard some rich guy came and took you to France. If I remember right, he had this really snooty servant with him too.” Bakura was about to ask about Yugi when the man’s lilac eyes widened then narrowed as he remembered why he was out on the street to begin with. “Oh yeah!” he said, “Old Sugoroku was shot!”
“Sugoroku-jiisan?!” Noir said in shock. That man had been like a father to him during his childhood in Morocco.
“Yeah,” the blond said grimly, “What’s even worse is that they’re saying it was Ezhdar that did it!”
The thief grabbed onto the man’s shirt, “What did you just say?! Why would he…”
“I don’t know,” Marik groaned, “Just saying what I heard, something about trouble with a foreigner at the old man’s place.”
Atem and Malik stared at the man. ‘Yugi…’ ran through both their minds at the same time. Neither of them had the chance to inquire further for Noir had dashed off light a bat out of hell and made a beeline for the old man’s home. Marik stood perplexed as he watched the foreigner and his look alike run after his old friend.
“What the heck was that about?!” he wondered before shaking his head and went back to his original business.
“Who’s there?!” the strawberry blonde asked, grasping a pan in one hand and holding it in front of her defensively. She gasped when a white haired man appeared in the now open doorway.
“It’s alright, miss,” he said, “I’m one of your grandpa’s kids that he used to look after.”
“Oi!” called a boy about eleven, “Lookit!” he said to his friend pointing at the foreigner.
“It’s Bakura!” the slightly older boy shouted in joy.
“Bakura’s back!” cried another street urchin and soon there was a crowd of children outside old Sugoroku’s place.
“Heh,” Noir said coming in, ignoring the fearful looks the girl was giving him, “I always though that stubborn old goat would go on living for hundreds of years. I can’t believe he’d meet such a lousy death.” He yelped in pain as he was suddenly hit upside the head.
“Darned brat!” Sugoroku said, coming from the sleeping area, limping slightly. “Don’t bury me just yet! First Ezhdar does it now you. You’re all nothing but a bunch of worthless brats!”
“Jiisan!” the thief cried in joy, “You’re alive! Thank goodness! You’ve no idea how worried I was!” He then scooped the shorter man into a fierce hug.
“Don’t be so innocent with me, young man!” he spat indignantly.
Noir released his ‘father’ and told him of why he had come, after letting the old man have a seat of course.
“The foreigner I was looking after?” he asked, “You must mean Amethyst.”
“Amethyst, huh?” the thief asked, getting an uneasy feeling. “So this amethyst…”
The old man frowned, causing Noir’s uneasy feeling to increase. “He was taken. By Ezhdar. Poor boy looked pretty scared. It was obvious he didn’t want to go with him, so I tried to stop that ungrateful brat! I took him in, looked after him and this is how he repays, me?!” he said, scowling at the bandage where the gunshot wound was. “He left me a message for you,” he said, his violet eyes scowling at the thief, “He knew you’d come running here, ‘cause you’d hear rumors and pay attention to them. He told me that if you want that boy back, safe and unharmed, then to go to the ruins of his mansion – alone. If you don’t obey his demands, then, he won’t guarantee that poor boy’s safety.”
Noir’s eyes flared in sheer anger and hate, frightening the girl who had been listening in. He then growled in frustration and shot up from his seat, causing the table to shake on its wobbly legs and the tea cups to rattle precariously.
“Ahh!!” cried Malik, startled. The blond Egyptian immediately ran after his master, “Wait!” he called, grabbing onto the slightly taller man’s arm, “You’re not well enough! It’s dangerous for you to move around like that!”
The thief whirled around, his eyes those of a cornered animal, ready to strike at the first thing that approached. The poor blond gave out a yelp as Noir jerked his arm away.
“Let him do what he wants, Malik,” Atem said sighing, “He’s too far gone to listen to anyone right now. Bakura,” he called. The thief stopped in mid run and turned to the detective, daring him silently to stop him from fetching his precious amethyst. “Here,” the spiky haired man said throwing him his pistol. “It’s not the best, but then again I only use it for self-defense.”
The thief caught it. He looked at it briefly before pocketing the weapon. “Merci,” he said, nodding in thanks, grateful for the other man’s understanding.
Malik stared after his master, unable to move until the taller man was out of sight.
“You needn’t worry so much Malik,” Atem said, placing a sympathetic hand on the blond’s shoulder. “I’m sure he’ll be fine. That little black cat’s got the devil’s own luck.
“So it’s come to this has it?” the old man said, forlornly, “Those two were so close, now Ezhdar has gone and made an enemy of Bakura.”
“Say, jii-san,” Malik said, trying his best to hide the tears and sniffles, “You know No… Bakura pretty well don’t you?”
“I’ve known that boy since he was very small. He lived not to far from here with that sickly French mother of his. I heard that he was born in another part of the Arab world and that something happened with the father. They had to leave the country and eventually wound up in Fez. That’s when he met Ezhdar.” Sugoroku sighed as images of a white haired child running with a smiling older brunet boy with piercing blue eyes ran through his mind, “Ezhdar was such a sweet kid, all his friends loved him. In spite of his odd looks, Ezhdar was able to draw people to him and earn their respect, especially Bakura. He was persecuted you see, for being half French. Bakura took to that boy immediately. You see, they were both seen as foreign for their looks. It wasn’t long before they became extremely close.” The old man paused, sighing sadly, “I just can’t believe it would end up like this. Time is just too cruel sometimes.”
At Ezhdar’s still burning mansion, Noir ran through the burnt out shell of the building, looking for his stolen jewel. “Ezhdar you bastard!” he shouted, “Here I am! Show yourself!!! EZHDAR!!! GET OUT HERE!!!!!!!”
“No need to be so hot-blooded,” the brunet said getting up from his bed, chuckling lowly, “as amusing as that is.”
“You. Are. A. Bastard,” the thief spat venomously as he watched the taller man pull on a robe. On the other side of the bed sat his precious Yugi, half clothed and glassy-eyed. The boy was curled up on himself, shaking terribly.
“You always were so much fun to tease,” the brunet said, chuckling. He motioned to the boy for him to come and the petite boy whimpered as he weakly rose to his feet and stumbled over to them. He then knelt beside the much taller man. Ezhdar smirked smugly as he ruffled the boy’s hair.
“I’LL KILL YOU!!!!!” screamed Noir, pulling out Atem’s pistol.
“You’ve gotten sloppy,” tsked the brunet pulling out his own gun, “I would have used that thing already. Now put that gun down,” he commanded, pointing the gun at the boy.
Noir growled, but hastily obeyed. He meant what he had said back at the hotel. There was no way he was going to let anyone he cared for get killed because of him. Ezhdar grinned triumphantly and lowered the gun, but did not put it away. He strode over to the fireplace where a roaring fire had been blazing.
“I’m sure you know what this is,” he said, reaching into the flames and pulling out an iron poker. The thief’s eyes widened in fear and shock. “So you do know. It’s just as what it looks like, a brand.” Noir’s eyes narrowed dangerously, never leaving the disgusting red hot metal. “Hmm…” the brunet mused going over to the still kneeling Yugi, “Should I mark him as mine? Leave an indelible, ugly scar on this creamy white skin?” he then ran the muzzle of the pistol along one of the boy’s cheek in a mock caress, making the boy whimper and tremble. “Maybe I’ll put the mark on both his arms. Or perhaps the chest. No. I think the face will do, that way there’d be no mistake as to who his owner is.”
“W-Why do this?!” Noir asked brokenly, then he suddenly felt something deep inside snap. That boy was his property! it said. “He’s MINE Ezhdar!!” he growled furiously, “How dare you try doing stuff without my permission!”
“You always did value beauty,” the brunet said coolly, “It’s in your nature after all. You never did like seeing something pretty get destroyed. Now, now, don’t make such a face, you wouldn’t want this lovely one to get a heart attack do you? All I want for him is…” He then put the brand back in the fire as to make sure it didn’t cool down just yet. He next strode back over the thief until their faces were a mere scant inches away. “You, Bakura,” he purred, “If you come peacefully, I’ll let Yugi go.” Noir’s heart was racing a mile a minute. “It is your all fault,” he said, “You broke your promise so I’m afraid I had to be a bit rough.”
“I never forgot that promise Ezhdar,” the thief said defeatedly, hanging his head, “Do what you want,” he whispered.
The taller brunet smirked evilly, silently gloating now that he had won, “See that wasn’t so hard. I knew you could be reasonable.”
‘Yugi… I’m sorry… so sorry...’ he said going over to the boy, giving him one last hug. “See you around, runt,” he said ruffling the boy’s hair lovingly. “You’ll send him back to Malik?” he asked as Ezhdar eyed him suspiciously, the pistol aimed at his head, “Promise me you will.”
The brunet said nothing instead went back to the fire. “Bakura, come here,” he ordered.
“I’m not a dog, don’t go calling me like one,” the thief grumbled, but obeyed. The brunet let out a wry chuckle. “What do you want now?”
Ezhdar grinned maliciously, obviously enjoying himself. “I rather liked that idea,” he said, picking the brand back up, “That had to be one of my best. Yes, I believe I’ll leave my mark, oh but it won’t be on your dear Yugi. No. Instead, it’ll be you who bears my mark of ownership. Just like the Egyptians of ancient times used to.”
“W-W-WHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTT?!” Noir stammered in complete fear and shock at the glowing red of the evil thing being brandished before him.
~TBC~
Sakura: Oops I did it again! ^_^
Yami: Serves the tomb robber right. I should have done that myself long ago.
Sakura: One word for you pharaoh. SIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!
Yami: (Falls flat on face)
Inuyasha: So it works on humans too?
Kagome: Don’t you go getting any ideas!
Sango: That would be useful regarding a certain ecchi monk.
Sakura: Who’d you think my guinea pig was?
Miroku: Don’t remind me. My poor handsome face will never be the same.
Sakura: Oh hush up! Anyhoo, I’m bushed minna. I hope you don’t hate me toooo much for this chappie. But I promise I’ll try my best to get our beloved thief outta there ASAP!!! That is if you send me looooooooooooads of reviews! Jya ne!