Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Hostile Takeover ❯ Fight ( Chapter 14 )

*HANDS OUT ATEN PLUSHIES TO ALL REVIEWERS!*

Valea: I don't know why kids are the way they are. They were like that to me, so I know what Aten is going through.

MarikIshtar77: Yeah, you can cuddle Aten. Cuddle your Aten plushie.

Lady Elfskye: If Callisto does try anything, Marik AND Bakura will rip more than her hand off.

Pharaoh Yamis Princess: Hmm..I'm not saying anything about Callisto yet because it will ruin a surprise. *evil grin* BTW, you can say 'NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!' in your review! *evil grin*

Shadow of Light: Why yes, you do detect 2trouble….evil trouble. MWAHAHAHA!

Ryou's Mistress: Kids can be mean *represses memories*. You know, you are right about the 'good touch, bad touch' speech, but that has to happen later. It can't happen yet.

Iyyashi: *sweatdrop and shifty eyes* Well, I can't say anything about Callisto yet. Surprises await. But Hayden is going to Domino Academy..a private school.

Dragondreamer: *Aten cuddles back* Yeah, you can have Seto for Show and Tell. But, can I have a naked Bakura covered in chocolate sauce??And can he be horny??? mmmm…..naked horny Bakura covered in chocolate…

Bwuebewwy sugar Princess: Happy B-day! I didn't know! I'm not saying anything about Callisto…*evil grin* I don't like to ruin surprises….especially for my readers.

Malik Lover and Anzu Basher: It was beautiful! Eric was scared! *snicker*

Fight

Robbie sat by the gate waiting for Aten. When Aten appeared, Aten walked to the gate slowly. Robbie looked sadly at the boy.

"Are peetle till waffing at me, Wobbie?"

Robbie shook his head. "No, Aten."

Bakura opened the gate and Aria squealed running into the yard.

"Are you feeling better today, Aten? You were really upset yesterday."

Aten's head sunk into his chest. "You till wanna be fends wif an idot? Betaws dat's wat I am."

Robbie wrapped his arms around Aten. "No, Aten, don't think of yourself that way! You have been getting much better at reading!"

"But onee betaws you help me."

"Yeah, I help you because you're my friend."

Aten looked up at Robbie. "Really?"

Robbie nodded. "Yeah….really."

Aten smiled. "Tankoo, Wobbie."

The schoolbell rang and their parents kissed them. Wobbie and Aten went to their class and was shocked when they saw another man in the room.

Mr. Cullen was gone.

Aten remained outside in the hall, afraid to enter.

"Aten?" Robbie asked as Aten froze.

"Ere Misser Tuwwen?"

The man turned to Aten. "He's not going to return until further notice. Come in and sit down."

"Misser Tuwwen no tum back?" Aten's eyes filled with tears.

His grief was cut short by Eric pushing him.

"Move away, shrimp!"

Jason came up behind Aten and stepped on Aten's foot "accidentally."

Aten shrieked and moved away from the door.

Rhonda stopped as she passed him. "Quit blocking the door, elephant-boy!"

The teacher didn't stop the bullies. Umi walked in and turned to Aten.

"Those kids have no honor! If only I could tie them to my daddy's anchor! That would teach them!"

Aten slowly walked to his seat as the teacher began talking.

"I'm Mr. Williams. I'm your substitute teacher." Willians was tall with large hands. He looked about forty years old and was clean-shaven.

Gabby looked up at the substitute. "Where's Mr. C2ullen?"

"I get to ask the questions, little girl. When you become a teacher, then you can ask questions to your heart's content."

Gabby and Aten exchanged worried glances.

"I don't know how your other teacher did things, but in my classroom, you do not screw around! You earn your playtime."

Aten turned around to face Robbie, his face pale and his hands wringing nervously together. Aten top lip was quivering and he shifted uncomfortably.

"Now. Monday is Grandparents Day. Each of you will bring in your grandparents."

Umi sighed audibly. Williams approached Umi and looked down at him with stern eyes.

"What is your problem…" Williams looked at the seating chart. "Umi?"

"Alas, my grandfather is still missing somewhere in the seven seas."

"Oh. Them's the breaks, huh, kid?"

Umi lowered his head and turned an eye to Aria, whose hair gave an irritated little twitch.

"Well, today we are going to do the letter "F."

Bruce gave a little excited jump in his chair. "Today we're going to sing the "Farmer in the Dell!"

Williams shot a glance over to Bruce and approached with his arms crossed in front of him. "We do not call out in the middle of class…..Bruce."

Bruce cowered down in his seat. "Sorry…sir."

"In the military, you are speak when you are spoken to. Do I make myself clear?"

Bruce nodded quietly as Aria clenched her teeth.

Williams returned to his desk and sat down. "Today I was told to cover the letter "F." Fun is for fun, so today, play."

The kids exchanged confused glances.

"I said today you can have fun. So, play."

Bruce looked up at Justine. "Do you wanna play 'Farmer in the Dell?"

Justine smiled and nodded. "I've played that before! Aten! Do you wanna play with us?"

Aten turned to Justine as Rhonda and Jason walked over to Eric. "What you pay?"

"'Farmer In the Dell! It's fun!"

Aten nodded happily. "Tum pay wif us, Wobbie!"

Aria looked at Gabby. "Let's go play, Gabby!"

Eric, Jason, and Rhonda watched as the other kids stood in the play area.

"Umi, you be the farmer!" Bruce exclaimed.

"Why me?"

"Umm...you're the tallest," Justine said

Umi scratched his head. "What's that got to do with anything?"

Aria put her hands on her hips. "Will you just be the farmer so we can play?"

Umi lowered his head and blushed. "Yes, Aria."

Umi stood in the middle of the circle.

The kids sang.

"The farmer takes a wife! The farmer takes a wife! Hi-Ho-the Darry-o! The farmer takes a wife!"

Umi looked around at all of4 the girls and blushed. Which girl would he pick? Umi took Aria by the hand gently and pulled her close to him smiling. Aria smiled and threw her arms around Umi's shoulders. His whole body trembled as he was suddenly wrapped in her embrace.

"The wife takes a child! The wife takes a child! Hi-Ho The Darry-o! The wife takes a child."

Aria grabbed Gabby by both hands and pulled her beside Umi.

"The child takes a freak!" Rhonda screeched grabbing Aten by the back of the shirt and pulling. Robbie grabbed Rhonda's wrist. "Let go of him!"

"Wobbie! Wet doe of me!"

Aria grabbed Aten's left wrist and pulled on him. "Let go of my brudder, Rhonda!"

Eric grabbed Aria's wrist and pushed her on the ground, making her release her brother.

Eric pinned Aria to the ground by her wrists and grinned. "He's our freak now!"

Gabby grabbed Eric's shirt and pulled on it. "Eric, let go of Aria! Get off of her!"

Aria kicked her legs and let out a scream. Umi grabbed Eric's wrists and Eric growled at him.

"Let her go!" Umi screamed moving his hands to Eric's shirt and pulling him off of Aria.

Justine helped Aria off of the floor. Aria looked down at her knee. Struggling with Eric gave her a rug-burn on the side of her knee. Eric punched Umi in the face and kicked Umi's leg. Bruce and Aria knocked Eric to the ground. Aria gave Eric a bite on the hand and made it bleed.

"You no touch me!" Aria seethed as she put a h2and on Eric's chest and pressed down, her fingers becoming rigid and digging into Eric's chest. Her hair became spiky and twitched angrily.

Umi and Bruce stood shocked as Aria shook with intense anger. Rhonda grabbed Aria's hair and yanked back making her shriek.

Meanwhile, Jason grabbed Aten, pulling him back to the other side of the room. Robbie gripped Jason's hand trying to pry Aten from him. Jason, trying to remove Robbie's grip, clawed at Robbie's arm. Robbie removed his grip as Jason pulled roughly. Aten was slammed into the bookcase and he let out a wail. Aten's right hand gripped his chest.

"Wobbie!"

"Who's our frightened little freak?" Jason taunted.

Robbie wrapped his arm around Jason's neck. Jason backed away from Aten and slammed Robbie's back into a desk. Robbie and the desk flew to the ground. His legs were stuck in the air and his head hit a chair.

"Why do you hang around this freak-show, Robbie? Oh wait!" Jason lifted Robbie's right leg. "You're a freak, too!"

Aten pushed Jason over and covered the top half of Robbie with his body. "Wobbie! Wobbie! You otay?"

Tears pooled in Robbie's eyes. His bottom lip quivered. "My head…..hurts."

Aten gripped his chest and his eyes squinted. "Wobbie….my heart hurts…."

Mallary ran to Williams. "Mr. Williams! Aren't you gonna stop this?"

Mr. Williams looked up at the fighting kids and back down at his folder. "Yes, "F" is for fight."

Arthur watched the fight in front of him. Eric had Aria pinned to the floor again. Eric leaned over and bit Aria's cheek. Aria let out a pitiful cry. Umi clawed at Eric and tugged at him viciously. Bruce was trying to separate Eric to stop him from biting Aria's face and neck. Aria let out a whimper of pain and a growl as Eric dug deeply into her.

Aria clawed at her assailant, tears coming down her eyes. Rhonda was pulling Umi's hair.

Gabby was at Eric's arms pinching him trying to get him to release Aria. Jason had left Aten and Robbie and joined in the fight. Jason was pulling on Gabby's dress trying to stop her from helping Aria.

Mallary ran to Aten and Robbie. Robbie was on his side rubbing his head painfully.

"Robbie? You ok?"

"My head really, really hurts!" Robbie cried, giving into his tears and letting them flow.

Mallary looked at Aten as another one of Aria's whimpers of pain was heard. Aten was cuddled up to Robbie hyperventilating and grabbing his chest. "My heart hurts…….Nee mecashion…."

"Where is it?"

"Deasher dess…."

Mallary ran to Williams. "Mr. Williams! Aten's heart is hurting! He needs help!"

Williams rolled his eyes and stood up. He walked over to the pile of fighting, biting, clawing kids.

"Ok, kids. That's enough play. Back to your seats."

The kids didn't hear him.

"I SAID GET TO YOUR DESKS THIS INSTANT ALL OF YOU!"

Aten's eyes shot wide open and he arched his back in fear at the tone of the voice. Umi helped Aria off the ground. When she got to her feet, she winced. Williams returned to his desk.

Mallary helped Aten to his feet and Aria saw him. Aten looked pale and he gripped his chest tightly. She automatically knew Aten's problem: Aten's heart.

She tried to walk, but she limped to the teacher's desk. "Mr. Williams. My budder needs his mecication."

Mr. Williams growled and shoved a magazine into the lower drawer of his desk. Aria looked at the picture of a pretty, scantily-clad woman on it. "Where is his medication?"

"It's in Misser Cullen's desk."

Williams opened the top drawer and found a medicine bottle with five white pills inside. On the bottle read: Aten Bakari Ishtar…take as needed.

Williams gave Aria the pill and she ran to her brother. "Aten, take this!"

Mallary helped Aten to his desk and he took his medication. Robbie held his head and sniffled.

"Now all of you put your heads down on your desks and keep quiet!"

Aria put her head on the desk and growled. Aten put his head on his folded arms and looked up at Robbie.

"Wobbie? You otay?" he whispered quietly.

Robbie blinked and more tears fell from his eyes. "My head really, really hurts."

"Robert Allen Morgan! Stop talking this instant!"

Robbie hid his eyes from the teacher. The class sat as Aten yawned quietly.

The teacher walked around the room and saw Aten's eyes starting to close.

"Mr. Ishtar, this is not a daycare! We don't have naptime here!"

"But, tir, I--."

"Don't argue with me, boy!"

Aten tensed up and he reached over and put his hand on Aria's lap, squeezing it. Aria brought a hand under her desk and let Aten take her hand. Aten squeezed Aria's hand desperately.

"No wet doe uff me, Awia," Aten sniffled.

Mako was the first to arrive. Umi looked and reached up for his daddy.

"Daddy!!"

"Little minnow! What happened to your face? And your leg??"

Umi wrapped his arms around his father. "Eric punched and kicked me and I was just trying to protect Aria!"

Mrs. Barnes came into the room and Eric started to cry. She took her son into her arms.

"What's wrong, my little boy?" she asked him kissing his face.

"The class beat me up today! Look! My arms hurt!"

Mrs. Barnes cradled Eric against her chest.

"How would my little boy like it if mommy took him to the toy store on the way home and bought him something nice?"

Eric whimpered. "These kids were so mean to me today!"

"Come on, baby, I'll take my boy to the toy store."

Mrs. Barnes and Eric left.

Bakura and Ryou walked in and gasped when they saw Aria's face and neck red and bruised.

Bakura picked up Aria and cradled her to his chest. "Tell me who did it, Aria." Bakura's hair twitched and became spikier.

"Eric. He touched me."

Bakura growled and looked at the empty desk. Bakura brought her head down to his chest.

"Daddy will take care of it, baby girl," he growled into her hair.

Ryou took Aten into his arms and the baby wailed. "Aten?"

"My side hurts mommy."

Ryou lifted up Aten's shirt. His side was swollen and bruised. "Who did this to you?"

Ryou turned to the teacher wanting to ask him what happened when Aten wrapped his arms around Ryou and whimpered. "I wan doe home."

Ryou carried Aten out of the classroom.

Mako followed Ryou and Bakura. "I wonder what happened to Cullen," Mako said carrying Umi.

"I'm not sure," Ryou said cuddling Aten.

Umi looked up at Mako. "We just played today, father. I miss Mr. Cullen."

Umi leaned up to his father's ear, not knowing that Bakura could hear him. "We played "Farmer in the Dell" today, daddy. Aria was my wife!"

"Oh really?" Mako said raising an eyebrow.

"Do you think Aria is pretty, daddy?"

Mako saw Bakura turn his head slightly, knowing he was listening to their conversation.

"Yes, I think Aria is very pretty."

Umi leaned closer to Mako's ear. "I think she's really, really pretty!"

Bakura stopped and turned around to face Mako with narrowed eyes. "You better have a talk with your son, Tsunami. If I catch your son trying to spawn with my daughter, there's going to be trouble!"

"They're too young to spawn, Bakura."

Aria looked at Umi and smiled. "Thank you for helping me today."

Umi blushed and chuckled. "No problem, Aria."

Umi and Aria locked eyes for a second before Bakura let out a tiny growl. "Let's go, chibi yami."

Outside the gate, Tristan and Otogi stood leaning against the fence. Ryou and Bakura walked up to them.

Aten lifted his head slightly. "Unkie Togi? Iss your bum till dere?"

Tristan looked behind Otogi and moaned. "Yes, it's still there, Aten."

Otogi tapped Tristan with his fist. "Knock it off, man!"

Tristan smiled. "Too late for that, bud."

Bakura rolled his eyes. "Can we NOT do this now…again?"

Tristan turned red and sighed. "I better get the brat…I mean, kid."

Otogi buried his face in his hands to hide the blush. "I'm sorry, guys. You know how he can be."

Aria lifted her face up to Otogi and Otogi's face flooded with concern.

"Baby girl….."

Aria reached out for Otogi, sniffling. Otogi brought her into his arms and she nuzzled into his chest. She looked up at him with her large, brown eyes filling with tears.

He gently ran his thumb over her cheek and the side of her neck. Her skin felt hot as he touched her face. Otogi looked down and noticed part of her dress was torn and ripped across her stomach.

Otogi planted a kiss on her hair. "Sweetheart, what happened to you?"

Aria sniffled. "There was a class fight and some boy held me down, hit me, and bit me."

"Which boy?"

"Eric."

"Awww…poor baby."

Tristan emerged pulling Rhonda by the wrist.

"But I don't wanna go to the motorcycle shop! I want to go get ice cream! I was a good girl today!"

Tristan stopped to pull out his car keys. Otogi looked down at Rhonda.

"You started this fight, didn't you?"

"No, pretty boy! Mind your own business!"

Tristan rolled his eyes and threw Rhonda in the car. He clicked the alarm, making the doors lock.

"Umm..Tristan, it's a little warm for her to be in there with the windows shut, don't you think?"

Tristan put his arm around Otogi's waist. "Good. Maybe she'll suffocate and put her out of my misery."

"Umm….Tristan, shouldn't it be, 'put her out of her misery?" Ryou asked rocking Aten slowly until the chibi fell asleep.

Tristan sighed and looked over at Rhonda banging on the car door throwing a temper tantrum. "Nope. Definitely 'my misery.'"

Aria lifted her head and Tristan saw her bruises and bite marks. He ran his finger over the injuries delicately.

"Oh my god, baby girl! What happened to you?"

"Somebody bit me!" Aria snarled and Tristan retracted his hand quickly.

"Geeze…talk about chibi Bakura! How can you hold her, man?"

Otogi stroked Aria's hair and she began to purr. "What? She doesn't mind me holding her."

Tristan sighed. "Ok. Fine. Look, I have to get the little fiend over to her mom's and go back to the shop. Let's go, bud."

Otogi gave Aria to Bakura and she purred against Bakura's chest.

Bakura buried his face in her neck and kissed the marks. "My little girl…love you."

"Love you, daddy," Aria said smiling.

Bakura caught a glimpse of red on her teeth. "Who's got daddy's blood lust?"

Aria smiled. "I do! I do! Me! Me! Me!"

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

Malik was sitting on the couch with a bag of barbequed potato chips and a two liter of Pepsi beside him. (I don't own Pepsi, people.)

Ryou carried a drowsy Aten into the house. "Malik, can you come upstairs and help us with the kids?"

Malik let out a long belch and scratched his belly lazily. "Why?"

"Ewww, Mommy Malik! Disgusting!" Aria chuckled.

"The kids got into a fight today and we have to clean them up."

Malik rolled his eyes and changed the channel. "They can't take a few bumps and bruises?"

Bakura growled. "NOW, HIKARI ISHTAR!"
Malik groaned and sulked. "Fine. You know I hate missing "Days of our Lives.""

"This more important than your daytime soap operas, Malik," Ryou said.

Malik threw the remote down and climbed the steps grumbling.

//Well, Malik. I think I'll let you take control for a while.//

Malik shook his head and saw Aten in Ryou's arms.

"You stay with Aten."

"What happened to Aria?"

Ryou turned to Malik. "We told you it was a fight."

Bakura took Aria into the bathroom. He ran his fingers lightly over the bruises and she sniffed.

"Now, now, baby girl. We'll get you cleaned up and you can have a treat."

Aria looked up at Bakura with large, brown, chibi eyes. "Is this going to hurt, daddy?"

Bakura couldn't believe his daughter was afraid of pain. But, Bakura realized, she was still technically an infant.

"It's ok, baby girl. We'll clean you up and you can have M&M's. Ok?"

Aria nodded silently. Ryou entered the bathroom and opened up the bottle of peroxide.

"How is Aten?"

"Malik is with him now. Aten's asleep."

Bakura put Aria on his lap and wrapped his arms around her little waist.

"This may sting a little, but it will kill any germs that creep gave to you. Hold onto daddy if you want."

Ryou put some peroxide on a cotton ball. Aria gripped Bakura's sleeve tightly, squeezing the material until her knuckles turned white.

Ryou placed one ball of peroxide on Aria's cheek and the chibi let out a loud sob.

"I know, honey, but there's no other way to clean this."

Ryou fought back the tears as he cleaned the bites on her cheek and neck. "I know, baby girl. Come here."

Ryou picked up his daughter and cuddled her against his chest. The child let out a shriek.

"Bakura, can you check on Aten?"

Bakura walked into the kids' room and Malik was undressing Aten. Aten was laying on his back fast asleep.

"What in the name of Ra happened?"

Bakura raised an eyebrow. "Malik, are you…ok?"

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"

Bakura removed Aten's shoes. "You have been acting strangely."

"Me?"

"Yes."

Malik looked at the bruise along Aten's right ribcage. Aten's left wrist had a bruise. Ryou entered the room when Aria's cries died down to sniffles.

Ryou handed Malik some cream. "Rub that on Aten's bruises."

Malik covered his hands with the cream and placed his hand on the hot skin. The baby let out a little moan, but remained asleep.

"Aria, what happened today?"

"We were playing a game and Rhonda called Aten a freak. She pulled him and I tried to grab him and Robbie grabbed Rhonda and Eric pushed me to the ground and it really hurt."

"Where was the teacher during all this?"

Aria rubbed her uninjured cheek on Ryou's shoulder. "He was reading a book. It must have been a good book because he was sweaty and his face was red like a cherry."

Malik rubbed the cream into the skin and put the cap back on the lotion.

"I'm going to have to go to the school on Monday and have a talk with that teacher!" Ryou said growling, much to Bakura and Malik's surprise. "Nobody sits around while my daughter is beaten and gets away with it!"

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

Marik arranged his cameras and the lighting for the new day of taking pictures. As long as it put food on the table and medicine into Ryou and Aten, it was worth the hassle and annoyance. Marik looked at the schedule of photos today. This was going to be a busy day. Two wedding parties, a new baby, a christening, and at the end of the day, the Oldfields were coming to have their pictures taken again for the holidays.

Marik let out a sigh as his manager approached him. "Marik Ishtar, I have been receiving some complaints about your temper during photo sessions. You know that I do not appreciate you threatening to send people to some place called the Shadow Realm. You are to be kind and understanding to our patrons, am I making myself clear as crystal?"

Marik nodded. "Yes, sir. Crystal clear."

"Good. Get to work, Ishtar!"

Marik snarled as he opened the door. One wedding picture went smoothly. The other wedding picture took about one hour to do.

"I don't want to stand next to HER!" screamed one bridesmaid.

"Wait! My hair's not right!" cried another.

"I don't know why you are getting married to HER!" an angry Best Man sneered.

Marik rolled his eyes and brushed the hair out of his face. "People, please, let me do this picture so we can all get on with our afterlives….I mean, our lives."

The groom waved a hand in front of his face. "Did you show up for my wedding picture drunk? What kind of a bastard are you?"

"No! I would never *hiccup* do that!"

Marik sighed. He could count the minutes this marriage would last on one hand. This was not going to work. After finally getting people calmed down, he took the picture.

When they left, Marik felt as tired as when he and Bakura fled Anubis' army for the first time back in ancient Egypt. He sat down and took a breath before the new baby came into the shop. The child's loud piercing scream echoed in his ear. Marik took out a stuffed bear and said angrily, trying not to lose his patience.

"Look at the pretty rabbit, kid! Come on, baby! Look at the rabbit!" The baby spit up and cried some more.

Marik rubbed his forehead. The baby cried like Aten did when he was first brought home from the hospital a couple of weeks ago. Ryou and Marik took shifts carrying Aten up and down the hallway so he could get to sleep. Malik would cover his ears and pull the sheets over his head. Bakura would growl and curse low in his throat. Ryou tried to sleep, despite his instincts to stay up with his crying son. Everytime Ryou tried to get up, Marik put Ryou back to bed right away. Ryou needed sleep.

Marik took that photo and had to develop the film for both clients. Marik went into the dark room to process the film. He spilled toxic chemicals and had to clean it up quickly. He pinned the photos to a clothesline for them to dry and he looked at the picture of the baby. He needed to get a picture of Aten and Aria. He still had not done that yet. Maybe for the holidays.

He could see it: Aria in a frilly red dress with red bows in her hair. She could hold a teddy bear in her arms. Aten could sit next to her dressed in his blue jeans and a purple sweater. He could hold a candy cane or one of his favorite toys during the photo. It would be so adorable to see both chibis smiling for the camera, little innocent smiles.

He wanted a picture of Aten for his own. A picture of Aten holding the Millenium Rod would look very cute.

Marik ate the lunch Ryou made him. Ryou always placed a note in his lunch or a drawing Aten did for him. today's message was from Ryou. The message read, "LOVE YOU, RYOU BAKURA-ITEMRI!" Marik smiled as he ate his ham sandwich.

The christening job was not a problem. But, he dreaded the time the Oldfields coming in.

They finally arrived and entered talking loudly, the kids running around the equipment, and the adults talking amongst themselves ignoring the kids.

The mother and father sat down smiling pompously. "So, Ishtar, are you going to hurry up and take our picture? We have a ball to attend tonight and we have no time to waste on you today."

Marik's fists clenched behind his back. "I have everything set up, miss," he said clenching his teeth.

"Kids, can you please not touch that?" Marik asked, trying to sound polite.

The kids stuck their tongues out at him and pushed a camera over, shattering it into tiny pieces. Glass from a fallen camera shattered and spread over a short distance. The woman and the man laughed. "Kids….they can be so…curious!"

"Your kids just knocked over a very expensive camera!" Marik said trying to control his emotions. "That was very expensive."

The children began to cry and run to their parents. Marik's boss ran into the room. "What's going on here, Ishtar?"

The children cried as they clung to their parents. "HE YELLED AT US!!!"

"I'm very sorry, Mrs. Oldfield." The man pulled Marik aside. "You will finish taking this picture and I want to see you in my office, Mr. Ishtar."

Marik nodded. He returned to the family.

"Hmph…such insolence! A monkey could take this picture more quickly! Hurry up, monkey boy!"

"I'd rather be a monkey than an elephant like yourself!!" Marik sneered unable to contain his rage.

"Excuse me?!"

"I thought you would have heard me the first time! 'I'd rather be a monkey than an elephant like yourself!!' Who would have thought you would not have been able to hear me over those big, fat ears of yours!"

"I want to speak to your boss, young man!"

Marik grabbed his Millennium Rod and it glowed. "I am older than you think, mortal! My life ended before your blood line tainted this world!"

The boss entered the room. "Marik Ishtar! What is going on here?"

"Your man just called my wife an elephant!"

"Ishtar! That is it! YOU ARE FIRED!"

Marik growled and his hair twitched and became spikier. His eyes grew dark. His hands clenched the Rod. He grabbed a camera and hurled it at his boss. The boss dropped it.

"THAT WAS A $3,000 CAMERA, ISHTAR!"

"I'll be back for my last paycheck next week!"

"FIRED, ISHTAR! LEAVE! NOW!"

Marik grabbed his coat and growled as he left. He walked towards home and stopped at the corner.

Aten.

Ryou.

How was he going to provide for them? Medicine? Food? Clothing? It was only 3:30 in the afternoon. He wasn't due home for another ninety minutes. He couldn't let Ryou know he lost his job. He had to go somewhere and think.

He looked up and saw the sign for the Red Dragon Inn. He went there when he lost his job before…..now he had no other option but to drown his sorrows. That place was as good as any. After all….one or two drinks wouldn't hurt.

Updates: Monday

NEXT CHAPPIE HAS A SLIGHT MALIK X MARIK.