Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Redemption ❯ The Punishment ( Chapter 2 )

Okay lets get all the usual stuff out of the way

 

Warnings:

This is my first fanfic - I told myself I was just happy reading it but that was until I was handed a plot bunny I couldn't pass up so bear with - quality is likely to be… sketchy at best.

Rated for later chapters there will be citrus I swear

This is Yaoi and ShounenAi - you have been warned, flames because of the aforementioned will be ignored!

Some OOC ness but necessary and only in early timeline which you will only see in flashback

 

Plot summary:

AU For refusing to fight in the Battle of the Heavens, he had been banished to live on earth, a mortal life, but cursed with immortality and mortal emotions, until the day he found redemption. But Millennia have passed since then, and the angel is no longer angelic. Can he ever find redemption?

 

Pairings:

Wait and see (I know I am a meanie)

 

Disclaimer:

I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!, the characters are merely borrowed for the purpose of entertaining myself, I make no money from this yadda yadda yadda etc etc.

 

I shall be explaining character roles later as we go, but it would spoil the fic to do so right this second. Enjoy!

 

 

Bakura woke with a start. He sat up sharply breathing hard aware that he was sweating. Fuck! Not again. You would think after a few millennia that the dreams would stop but no. Just another part of his punishment he supposed. He gritted his teeth as he looked through the open curtains to see that it was still dark outside. A quick glance at the clock revealed the dreaded hour of 3am. He growled in frustration knowing perfectly well that sleep would escape him for the rest of the night. It wasn't so much that the dreams disturbed him, far from it after all that he had seen in this world, but that they were more than dreams. Memories.

 

He pushed the cover off his bare stomach swinging his legs out of the bed. He stood quickly grabbing the pack of cigarettes and lighter before heading to open the window. Not caring that he was stood in only his boxer shorts he opened it wide, before slighting up and leaning against the windowsill. He puffed out the smoke in annoyance. Damnit! Why did he have to be plagued with these sleep depriving dreams. Its not like he could forget what had happened now was it? He gritted his teeth as he bit back the blasphemy that threatened to escape his lips. Annoyed as he was, he still found that small rebellion against God against his nature.

 

“Shit!” He spat as he breathed out smoke once more. “I can fucking curse all I want but damnit if I can speak his name in vain!” he took a long drag and decided on a new tack. “Damn you Marik, why the fuck did you have to screw up my life! You and the rest of the fucking Fallen.” Wait, that wasn't entirely true. While Marik was at the centre of the mess that he now called life, it hadn't been him that had damned him to this life, it had been his love for Akeifa and the choices that they had made. There wasn't a day that went by that he didn't feel that pang of loss, but then again, that was all part of his punishment now wasn't it he thought bitterly?

 

He stubbed out the now finished cigarette and flicked the butt out into the street belligerently. He quickly decided to get dressed and take a walk. It sure as hell beat sitting here and doing nothing. He opened the wardrobe door, the moonlight hitting it from behind him and bathing him in its light. His reflection stared back at him almost mockingly. No matter how long he had been on this earth he never quite got used to the sight of his own body. His skin remained pale as the moonlight that shone on it, showing taught toned muscles which were not obvious given his slender shape. He shook his head, white unruly hair ghosting over his shoulders and down his back. He kept it long, a relic of his past, a last tie to what had once been. He snarled as he caught sight of his eyes, a rich blood red. Not that they had always been that way.

 

He dressed quickly, determined to keep his eyes off the mirror. Tight black pants were teamed with a tight white vest. He pulled on the heavy black boots before swinging his favourite black leather coat from its hook and put it on. He stomped out of the building, not caring if the slam of his apartment door woke the neighbours. He wasn't getting any sleep so why the hell should anyone else? As he pounded his way down the street he lit up another cigarette, his mind plagued by his past.

 

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“Come with me.” Akeifa pleaded. “We both know Marik is right. It isn't right that God holds back mankind. They are a glorious race, his most divine creation and yet he holds them back. Think of their souls, their immortal souls!”

 

Bakura had stood impassive throughout the speech. Now he looked up almost sadly, his chocolate eyes meeting steely grey. “You know I feel for them, how can I not, and yet…”

 

Akeifa cupped Bakura's cheek in his hand. “You don't want to fight. I know that, just as I know you. But war is coming whether you like it or not.” He turned away, Bakura reaching out gently to feel the soft feathers of his love's wings brush over his fingers. “Please come with me. I couldn't bear to fight you.”

 

Bakura sighed. As much as he loved the other, he just couldn't do it. Marik's cause was not his. “You know I can't.” He replied simply. “And you know why.”

 

Akeifa nodded in resignation. “So you choose God over me?” He asked quietly.

 

The question startled him and drew him to his love's side quickly. He took Akeifa's face in his hands and looked him in the eye. “It is not a question of choosing one over the other. I cannot stand by Marik, and I will not fight against you.” He replied.

 

Akeifa's eyes widened. “So that's it, you plan not to fight at all.”

 

Bakura nodded, turning to look out across the expanse of Heaven. “I cannot in all conscience side with either of them. It is not my cause. I understand why you have chosen to side with Marik, and I will not stand in your way. You will do what you must.”

 

Akeifa smiled sadly. That was one of the reasons he loved the other, he understood him. All angels had their own character, much the same as humans. They did not have human passions or needs, but never-the-less they could love. It was always pure, always chaste. They were not creatures of natural flesh after all. They were supernatural and beyond such needs. He approached his love, standing side by side, their wings brushing against each others. A gentle intimacy, but one they loved dearly. He placed his hand on Bakura's shoulder.

 

“I don't think it will be that easy for you. God will try to press you into this battle.”

 

“And I shall refuse.” Bakura replied simply, looking at the other, a fierce determination in his eyes.

 

Akeifa felt the love well up inside him and focus. His hand on Bakura's cheek he pressed his lips to Bakura's in a chaste but loving kiss.

 

“I must go.” He murmured sadly. “Marik will be waiting for me.”

 

As he looked his love in the eye he could see the sadness appear suddenly in the brown orbs, and felt his own sadness tear at his heart. He swallowed hard as Bakura reached up to wipe away the single perfect crystalline tear that Akeifa had unconsciously shed. Unable to bear it anymore Akeifa walked away, Bakura watching as he unfurled his wings and took to the sky. Both felt the sadness tear at them, unaware that they had shared their last moments together.

 

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The Battle of the Heavens was over. True to his word Bakura had refused to fight. Now in the aftermath, as God and Heaven stood victorious, he knew he was to be judged. He had been brought from his confinement by Gabriel himself. As he was brought before the Lord he saw Marik and his followers, Akeifa among them, stood awaiting their own judgement. All of Heaven now stood in silence, awaiting their Lord's decision.

 

“Marik.” The Lord's deep voice intoned.

 

Bravely the aforementioned angel stepped forward, approaching the Seat of Judgement, and kneeling before God, his head bowed.

 

“So my adversary, you would fight for humanity.”

 

Marik looked up through flaxen bangs. “Their souls wander after death, they have a touch of the immortal, they are like us, after all you created them so. It is unthinkable that their souls should be trapped between Heaven and earth, sad and full of fear.”

 

“Perhaps, but is it not true that all souls are not equal. Humans are not a pure race as the angels are. They are capable of great evils. Would you have the evil amongst them gain access to Heaven?”

 

“No.” Marik admitted, turning his head, but would not be brought from his beliefs. “But what of those pure souls, wandering forever without peace, those that believe in you, trust in you. Are they to be condemned?” He asked passionately.

 

God brought his hand to his face, deep in thought. What Marik said had some merit, and yet so did his own point. It was then that he made his decision.

 

“Since the welfare of these souls concerns you so much, perhaps you should be their caretaker. Those that are worthy shall be permitted to Heaven, but the others I will put into your care.”

 

Marik looked up at the Lord, triumph in his lavender eyes.

 

“I created this universe in halves as there must be balance. As there is Heaven, there is its opposite. Right now it is empty, but the other domain shall be yours to purify these souls, so that they may perhaps achieve redemption. You and your followers shall run this realm of darkness, yes Hell shall be your domain.”

 

Marik actually smiled. He had won in a way, this was what he had wanted, for any human's immortal soul to have the right to enter Heaven, though some would have to be purified first, any would have the chance of admittance. But God had not finished in his judgement just yet.

 

“It would not be fitting that such creatures as angels would run such a place. In standing against me, you have all lost the right to that name. Fallen from my grace you have become, so Fallen, Damned I name you. You do not deserve the ethereal forms you are now graced with.” He stood now and approached the kneeling form of Marik. “Creatures of darkness you now shall be.”

 

With that he placed his hand on Marik's head, the latter being encased in light radiating from the Lord's hand. At the touch, Marik's snow white wings spread, the feathers turning pitch black. Marik moaned as his form changed, his legs turning from their familiar human like form to that of a goat's, coated in black fur, his feet becoming hooves. Now his skin changed, losing the ethereal pale quality, darkening, becoming the tanned colour of the humans that lived under the sun. As God stepped away, the light faded, Marik pitching forward panting, his spiked hair swaying with the movement.

 

“This is how those humans you so love will see you, but you may have your own legs in your domain.” He lifted Marik's face so the former angel looked up at him. “But you keep your wings. I expect you to come to report to me regularly.” He released Marik's chin and returned to the Seat of Judgement. He watched as his adversary pulled himself to his feet, his human legs returning, but the darker skin tone and black wings remained. Now he was standing tall you could see that his eyes were now outlined with black scars. Determined the former angel stood proud. He had got what he had wanted, true it was at some cost, but he could accept that.

 

“And now, for your companions.” Marik nodded sadly at the Lord's words. He could expect no less than they be punished with him. He moved to one side as the others stepped forward and knelt in the presence of God. No one was surprised when the Lord turned to his left and motioned for an angel to come forward. The tall slender angel stepped forward elegantly and all knelt before him shuddered. If they feared the wrath of God then they feared his Avenger more. He looked upon those to be judged with icy blue eyes.

 

“Seto.” The Lord called softly.

 

Without a word Seto drew the sword that hung at his waist, the blade shimmering with blue flame. Bakura swallowed hard as he saw Seto approach the kneeling angels, his beloved Akeifa amongst them. With a fluid movement Seto swept the sword through the air, engulfing the kneeling ones in that blue flame. Within the flame the angels began to change just as Marik had, their skin darkening. They however were spared the goat legs, but in their place their beautiful wings shed their feathers, turned as black as Marik's had, becoming wings of leathery stretched skin. Bakura almost cried out as he saw his love lose his glorious white feathers, pooling round his feet. Still it seemed Seto was not finished, the Fallen were to suffer one last transformation. The group all gasped as they grew tails, black as their wings, covered with barbs down their length.

 

Bakura felt tears welling up inside him to see such beauty destroyed so. Not only his love, but all of them changed in such a horrific way. The blue flame subsided, Seto sheathing his sword and returning to the left hand of the Lord, having never said a word. The Fallen now rose to their feet, and Bakura felt a twinge of pride as he saw Akeifa was the first to stand and stand tall. Now on their feet, resigned to their fate they joined Marik once more. No more was heaven to be their home, but the gates were not barred to them.

 

“Bakura.”

 

He almost jumped when he heard the Lord call his name, but he did not hesitate to take his place before the Lord on one knee, head bowed in reverence.

 

“And as for you. You have transgressed as well, though your sin is perhaps worse than those who opposed me.” Bakura bit back a reply, knowing it was futile. “I know your reasons child of mine, but there is no excuse for your apathy, and as your reasons include the one you love, perhaps so should your punishment.”

 

Bakura looked up shocked. But Akeifa had already been punished, had he now condemned his love to further hurt by his actions? Again without a word Seto stepped forward. Akeifa stepped away from the rest of the Fallen, standing tall and proud, ready to face whatever was to come. God chuckled, his deep bass laughter rumbling gently.

 

“You see Bakura, he is willing to suffer anything for you, but you would not do the same. You could learn a lesson from him.”

 

Bakura looked desperately to his love, their eyes meeting briefly, just giving Bakura time to notice how the new tanned skin contrasted the creamy white hair. Seto drew a dagger that matched the sword, the same blue flame encasing the blade. He grabbed a fistful of that hair Bakura so loved, before drawing the blade across his cheek three times. Bakura had to stifle a cry, but his love never made a sound, merely gritting his teeth and clenching his hands into fists. He bore it with a strength that made Bakura proud. As Seto stepped away, the wound became clear, disfiguring his cheek, and one that would never heal, such was the magic of the Avenger's weaponry. Akeifa suddenly pitched forward in pain.

 

“To punish the one you love, you unlike your fellows will be bound to Hell, unable to leave it once you enter. Therefore you will have no more use for your wings.”

 

“No!” Bakura breathed in shock. He went to rise, but found a hand stopping him, Gabriel now standing at his side.

 

Akeifa cried out, falling to his knees as his large leathery wings spread wide against his will. They smoked and shrivelled, slowly drawing into themselves, burning up. Bakura could only look on, tears running down his face as those wings were ruined, listening to his love stifle cries of pain until his wings were reduced to blackened malformed stumps. Eventually Akeifa managed to struggle to his feet, Marik coming to his aid, glaring at the Lord. He felt that there was no need for such cruelty. Despite the evidence before him Bakura was no longer afraid for himself, he knew he would accept whatever was to come. After seeing his love go through pain like that for him he had to. Slowly the weeping angel turned his gaze back to the Lord to await his judgement.

 

God looked sternly on the weeping angel at his feet and pondered. If he could weep for the pain of another then there was hope for his angel yet.

 

“For you, there will be a chance at redemption.” He intoned. “However that chance must be earned. Heaven's gates will be barred to you until you find something that you will fight for, you would give everything up for.”

 

Bakura's eyes widened. Not Heaven? As he looked back to his mutilated love, and knew that God meant to separate them, but then that meant…

 

“Just as Akeifa will be hellbound, you shall be earthbound. You will live your immortal life amongst the humans as a human. No longer will you have the pure emotions of an angel, but those of a mortal. You will succumb to the needs of the flesh, for food, for water, for sleep, as well as the desires of the flesh.”

 

Bakura swallowed hard. The judgement was harsh. It was beyond his comprehension as an angel, beyond all of their understanding how the human's experienced emotion. They never needed to eat or sleep, they merely existed.

 

“You can always call to me my child, pray to me.” God continued, giving Bakura hope, he was not to be completely cut off from his home, his existence. “But I may not answer. And in your time on earth you will lose your powers, and your wings.”

 

At this he heard Akeifa gasp, but did not flinch himself. He found himself looking to God's left, to where his tall avenger stood arms folded across his chest, looking back at him dispassionately.

 

“Yours is a temporary punishment Bakura. It is up to you when you redeem yourself. Your place will await you, and when you do return, then perhaps you can aid the one you love.”

 

The two looked at each other, brown eyes meeting steel grey, seeing hope flare in each other. But Akeifa was afraid. How would earth change his love? Who knew how emotions and would affect him. Were they looking on each other for the last time. Gabriel squeezed his shoulder to get him to rise as God turned to his Avenger once more.

 

“Take him to earth, then take his wings. Give him one last chance to be an angel.”

 

Seto nodded and approached the condemned angel. Bakura however held his head high. He would take his punishment and be strong, just as his love had. He would bear it, find his way back to Heaven and find a way to help his love. He found he now had Seto on his left and Gabriel on his right. Without a word the three took wing, the two guiding Bakura to where his sentence would be carried out.

 

Akeifa turned to Marik distraught. “I have to be with him!” He cried.

 

“But you cannot fly, how…”

 

“Take me to him!” Akeifa demanded. “I cannot let him go through this alone!”

 

Marik was speechless, of course he and the others could carry Akeifa, they would have to do so to get him to Hell. He turned to their Lord, unsure of what to do. God on the other hand nodded gently in assent.

 

“Let him see his love one last time before he is consigned to an eternity in Hell.”

 

Marik gritted his teeth. This punishment was particularly cruel, even unjust in his opinion, but he knew it was futile to fight God's will. He looked to the skies where the three angels were fast disappearing from sight.

 

“Yami.” He shouted, calling a Fallen angel to his side.

 

The teen blessed with tri-coloured hair came quickly to Akeifa's left, wrapping an arm around his waist, while Marik took the same stance from the right. In an instant the two were in the air with their cargo, following the three angels to earth. They were swiftly followed by the rest of the Fallen, going to witness the angel's punishment.

 

All too soon for Bakura they reached the earth below. The three landed in a clearing in a wooded area. Bakura took a moment to take in his surroundings. It was night here, the woods cloaked in shadows. He looked up at the clear sky, the blackness punctuated by points of light, the wondrous stars that God had created along with Heaven and earth. He knew that Heaven was up there, but now it was out of reach to him and would be for some time. He turned at a comforting hand on his shoulder, to see Gabriel looking at him with sad eyes. Seto on the other hand regarded him impassively with cold eyes.

 

“Come, we have to do this.”

 

One look at those sad eyes told Bakura everything. This punishment was seen as overly harsh, even by God's Right Hand himself. As for his Left, Seto never voiced his opinion of the Lord's judgements, merely carried them out with a calculating precision that alarmed all of Heaven. He had been at the forefront of the Battle of Heavens, and had been instrumental in obtaining victory for their Lord. They turned suddenly when they heard the rustle of wings, seeing Marik and Yami, landing in the clearing, carrying Akeifa between them.

 

“Bakura!” He cried, running toward his love only to find his way barred.

 

Seto stood between them, his sword drawn, blue flame lighting the clearing and reflecting in his eyes.

 

“Judgement has been passed.” He growled at Akeifa. “There is no reprieve.”

 

Akeifa glared at the Avenger, but knew it was useless. Marik drew him back as Seto turned to Bakura. Gabriel managed to tear Bakura away from gazing at his love, drawing him round until his back was to Marik, the Fallen and Seto. Seto advanced on him now, using the sword to cut his white robes from his body. He stood naked in the moonlight, standing tall as Gabriel approached him. He slid his arms under Bakura's then wrapped them round the condemned angel's shoulders, bracing his body to him tightly as Seto sheathed the flaming sword.

 

“Hold on to me.” Gabriel whispered in his ear so Seto could not hear. “This is going to hurt, but just hold on. There is a way back for you. Remember that, always remember that.”

 

Bakura nodded gently against Gabriel and took his advice, bracing himself for what was to come. He flinched as Seto took hold of his right wing in both hands, but no matter how he braced himself, he was not ready for the pain. He screamed as the Avenger began to tear the wing from his back, his back a blaze of fire. Skin, muscle and sinew tore as Seto heaved with all of his strength. The joint gave with a hideous pop, Bakura roaring in agony as Seto tore the wing from his body, the feathered mass trailing strips of, bloody sinew and flaps of skin, white bone protruding from the broken mass.

 

His knees threatened to give beneath him, but Gabriel's string hold and his determination to be strong held him upright. He could hear Akeifa sobbing, feel Gabriel's own tears against his flesh as hot thick blood ran in a torrent down his back, snaking its way down his leg and pooling around his feet. Seto discarded the ripped wing at Bakura's feet, the white feathers stained red by the blood collecting around him. It took both Marik and Yami to hold Akeifa back now as he struggled wildly against his captors.

 

“Restrain him before I do!” Seto snarled at Yami and Marik as he turned to complete his task.

 

Even though he was expecting it, the pain was no less this time. From the moment that Seto took his remaining wing firmly in both hands and pulled it almost seemed worse than the first wing, as every pull aggravated the torn deep pit of his right shoulder. He screamed without restraint as Seto tore the wing from its socket. Akeifa bit his lip, unable to look away as his love's flesh was torn, skin hanging in ragged strips over the two gaping wounds, pouring blood down his back and legs in a thick red sheet. The pain of it all was too much and Bakura's knees gave, Gabriel unable to hold him up any longer as he shook with emotion.

 

His vision clouding Bakura reached out to his love one last time only to find his view of his love blocked by Seto as he once more came between them.

 

“Akeifa.” He whispered as he succumbed to unconsciousness, falling into the pool of his blood, the tips of his long white locks turning red in the sticky fluid.

 

Seto sneered at the fallen body of Bakura, taking the bloody wings in his hands. He turned to Akeifa and thrust them at him.

 

“Since you have none of your own, you might as well take his.” He sneered.

 

Marik and Yami quickly grabbed Akeifa, afraid of what he might attempt but he shrugged them off. To their surprise he took the soft wings, tattered flesh hanging from the stumps and drew them into his chest holding them tightly. One day Bakura would have new wings, he believed in his love.

 

Gabriel sucked in a breath suddenly, all eyes on him.

 

“Humans!” He whispered. “We must leave.”

 

Without hesitation he and Seto took to the sky and were out of sight. Akeifa took the chance to make a move to his fallen love only to be pulled back by Marik.

 

“There's no time.” He hissed.

 

Akeifa struggled, but was soon dragged away and down into the depths of Hell, the only place he was to know for all of eternity. As he was released into what effectively was to be his prison he clutched Bakura's wings to him, tears rolling down his cheeks. It broke his heart to think of his love, helpless, broken, and so alone.

 

 

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AN

Okay for the record I cast Marik as Satan/the Devil/Lucifer whatever you want to call him. The key thing is that he is not truly evil, but God's adversary, but I think he is perfect casting for later.

 

The Cold CEO Seto Kaiba seemed perfect for God's avenging angel, though I plan for him to go through some kind of character development later on though this is not decided. For now the ice king suits the role perfectly.

 

Yes I know I used Akeifa here, but it is not a big pairing, after all theirs was a chaste angelic love. The juicy stuff comes later.

 

Yami (Atem/Atemu/Yami Yugi) is amongst the fallen, but remember, not evil, just… well I hope you get it.

As for Bakura, okay he was way OOC in the flashback, but that is meant to be. Trying to show he was not always a badass. It is important for his character development trust me.

 

More characters to come in present day, I promise.

 

Okay, some of it was a bit graphic but hey that is how I operate. I think I have covered most of the important stuff here. We will get to present day Bakura next chapter, but that I think should do you for now. Especially as I need some sleep before I can write the next chapter. Enjoy!