Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Return To Paradise ❯ Beyond Fury ( Chapter 40 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Beyond Fury

Ryou and Malik walked down the hospital hallway quickly.  Bakura had called to tell him that the time had arrived. Umi, who had been called on his cellphone, rushed ahead of them carrying Rhett. Kai ran behind his father. Robbie limped behind Ryou and Malik as fast as his cane could assist him.  
“I wonder if Aten will come,” Ryou said as he walked beside Malik.
“He should be here, it’s his own sister’s baby!”
Ryou sighed. “Robbie says he doesn’t know where he is.”
Robbie heaved a frustrated sigh. “I hope Aten is here for this. Aria is his sister. Who knows, though.”
“Can’t you call him?” Malik asked.
“He doesn’t have a phone. He was at home, but mom said he left.”
Ryou looked over at Malik with concern. “I hope he’s okay.”
“I’m sure he’ll be fine.”
“You’re right. My daughter needs me now.”
Umi ran to the desk. “My wife, Aria Tsunami, is here. I was told she’s in labor.”
The nurse looked up at him. “Oh, yes, she is! Are you the father?”
Umi nodded. “Yes! I’m her husband.”
“Well, come this way, Mr. Tsunami. The rest of you can wait out here.”
“How is she?” Ryou asked quickly.
“Everything seems to be progressing normally. Come through the door, sir.”
Umi turned to Ryou. “I’ll keep you updated.”
Robbie panted as he caught up to the group. “Good…luck…Umi.”
“Thanks, Rob,” Umi said as he disappeared through double doors. Robbie sat on a chair and propped the cane next to his leg.
Ryou and Malik looked up at the television as they took their seats on either side of Robbie.
[Police have a breakthrough in the case of a man beaten on the corner of Ashland and Washington Street.  The man claims that four masked men approached him and beat him severely. A police-issue firearm was found at the scene of the crime where the victim, 22-year-old Danny Scythe, was beaten severely. The victim is currently at Domino Community Hospital and is in serious condition. The Crusaders have claimed responsibility. Domino’s Chief of Police, Sgt. Barnes, vows to end the reign of terror that the Crusaders have brought upon this city.]
Malik narrowed his eyes. “What a hypocrite!”
Ryou shook his head. “I don’t know why they are not holding him as suspect number one.”
“It’s all a cover-up, Ry,” Robbie said. “That’s obvious.”
“I have to agree,” Ryou said.
“I’m surprised nobody has investigated Sgt. Barnes at all.”
Robbie chuckled. “They would end up dead before they had a chance to bring the information to the public’s eyes.”
“Who would have the balls to actually accuse Sgt. Barnes of a hate crime?  The investigators would laugh at you and throw you into the street so you land on your ass,” Malik added.
Ryou looked at the double doors. “I wish I could be there for Aria.”
“Umi has it covered, Ry,” Malik said. “If they need you, they’ll call you.”
Bakura walked out of the double doors calmly. Ryou stood up quickly and walked to his husband.
“How is she? Is the baby okay?”
Bakura chuckled. “Aria is fine. We’re still waiting for the little one, though.  Where’s Uncle Moneybags?”
“Seto is here? We haven’t seen him.”
Bakura shrugged. “Probably went to get some nausea medication.”
“I have to take a walk.  I’m too nervous to sit down, anyway,” Malik said, standing up. “I wish Marik would answer my mindlink.”
“It’s not like Marik to be gone for this long. Even I’m starting to get a little concerned.”
Ryou turned to Bakura. “Maybe he’s looking for a way to turn Aten mortal again.”
“I’m surprised at his absence, too. What the hell is going on with those two?” Bakura sighed with frustration. “I’ll look for both when we’re done here. I’m not leaving my little girl.”
“Is mommy okay?” Rhett asked.
“Mommy’s not gonna die like Uncle Aten, is she?” Kai asked.
Robbie looked down at the boys. “Mommy is having your little sister.”
Kai’s eyes widened in amazement. “Will she throw up the baby?” Kai asked.
“What?” Ryou asked.
“Daddy said that mommy swallowed the baby!”
Bakura closed his eyes. “Oh, sweet Isis.”
Ryou giggled. “Oh, really?”
“I don’t know how he got the baby down to her tummy, though.”
“I’m out of here,” Bakura said, walking towards the door.
Malik followed Bakura out of the room. “What’s the matter, Bakura?”
“I don’t need to hear how my daughter swallowed Umi seed, okay? I’m going to look for Mr. Moneybags. You try to get in touch with Marik. See where that bastard went.”
“Bakura, do you really think there is a spell to turn the dead mortal?”
Bakura sighed as his eyes cast down to the ground. “Ancient Magic is a mystery, Hikari Ishtar. The nobles designed their magic to serve their needs. Eternal, immortal servants could carry out the desires of their masters through their lives and in death, protect their tombs, their final resting places.  Something must exist to counteract Living Undeath.”
“I want to see Aten rest again.”
“That is not our Aten, Malik. If you saw what I have seen, you would sense it, too.”
Malik leaned closer to Bakura. “But what about Robbie saying that part of Aten still lives?”
“Aten is unstable.  Remember when Marik and I first met you and Ry? What assholes we were?”
“How can I forget? We were running out of excuses for our broken bones and lacerations.”
“Aten is missing parts of himself. Marik and I died complete. We never went through mummification and we were never preserved. Our bodies were eaten by dogs and thrown into the sand as if we were nothing but garbage.
Malik scratched his head. “If dogs ate you, weren’t you missing organs, too?”
Bakura shrugged. “I had already crossed into the Great Hall of Osiris after Yami threw our corpses to the animals. There has to be an answer, Malik. We will find a way to bring Aten peace.”
“Okay, Bakura. I’ll see you around. No stealing from the hospital.”
Bakura laughed. “This place has nothing I want.”
Malik watched Bakura walk down the hallway, his long, spiky white hair swaying.  Malik turned and walked the opposite way down the hallway. People were laying on stretchers in the hallway. People on crutches were hobbling like Robbie. He could hear some noises behind closed oak doors, some crying, some laughing.  Doctors were walking down the hallway. He stepped aside to let one pair pass by him.
“Do you think he’ll live?” one doctor asked the other.
“The Crusaders did a good number on him.”
Malik’s eyes opened as he approached the doctors. “Excuse me. I’m Danny Scythe’s brother and I need to see him.”
The two doctors exchanged suspicious glances.
“I’m his half-brother,” Malik quickly chimed in.
“Room 205D to the left, three doors down.”
“Thank you!” Malik said as he walked down three doors. In the room to the left, he saw a young man laying on a bed with a heart monitor connected to his chest and oxygen. IV tubes lined the back of his hands.  
Malik knocked on the door and slowly entered. “Hello? Danny?”
The victim in the bed nodded slowly.
“I heard about what happened on the news.  I just wanted to say I’m sorry and….well…can you tell me what happened?”
The victim gasped for breath and began to shake. “I…was waiting for the bus…when….Sgt. Barnes….came with girl. She hit on me….I said no. He called me…queer…beat me up.”
“A girl? How old was the girl, do you know?”
“Teen. Young. Pregnant girl,” the man whispered. “Rona….”
“Rona? You mean Rhonda?”
The victim nodded slowly.
“Barnes is using his son’s pregnant wife as a decoy to lure out gay men?”
The victim nodded. “She young. I not…want to…go to jail. I’m not…that way.”
Malik shook his head. “That is so sad. He has to be stopped.”
Danny slipped into unconsciousness again as Malik sighed. If the Crusaders began to target anyone, they would become a menace.
Malik returned to the waiting room where Seto and Bakura were standing in the corner talking. Ryou was playing with Rhett and Kai in the corner. Robbie was reading a magazine by himself.  Malik went to Robbie and sat beside him.
“I found that guy who the Crusaders beat up. He said Barnes is responsible.”
“We all knew that, though, Malik.”
“What you probably didn’t know is the Barnes is using Rhonda as bait!”
Robbie’s eyes widened and he looked at Malik. “What?!”
“Danny told me Rhonda hit on her and he refused. Barnes beat him up.”
“I wonder if Eric knows.”
Malik shook his head. “That is just wrong, though! Using your son’s girlfriend as bait!”
“It doesn’t surprise me at all. Eric probably won’t care, either way. Maybe it was Eric’s idea in the first place! You never know!”
“It’s wrong on every level, though! You don’t use your son’s pregnant girlfriend and have strange guys hitting on her!”
Robbie nodded. “Yes, that is messed up.”
Malik narrowed his eyes. “He can’t keep doing this. He’s gotta be stopped before more innocent people die.”
“Malik, you can’t do anything about it. He’s the Chief of Police! He heads the entire police department here in Domino!  He’d take all of you out. Ryou and you wouldn’t have a chance. He’d kill you both before you even realized what was happening,” Robbie protested. “He could slaughter both of you!”
‘Something has to be done, though, Rob!’ Malik thought. ‘And I’ll be the one to do it.’
Umi stepped out of the double doors and all eyes went on him. “Ryou, Bakura, come back with me.”
Ryou and Bakura followed Umi into the recovery room. Aria was sitting up in her bed with a tiny bundle in her arms. Aria smiled brightly when she saw her mother and father.
“Mom, Dad, I want you to meet Kailani Ryou Tsunami.”
“You gave her your mother’s name?” Bakura asked, raising an eyebrow.
Aria smiled. “I’ll never forget my baby, daddy.  Maybe this is my way of getting her back.”
Ryou approached Aria with a smile as Aria cradled the baby in her arms. “She’s beautiful, sweetheart. Congratulations.”
Bakura stood on the other side of the bed and saw the tiny baby girl in her mother’s arms. “You must have had a hard time swallowing that.”
“What, dad?”
Ryou giggled. “The boys told us that you swallowed a baby and they were trying to figure out how you were going to get the baby out of your tummy if you swallowed it.”
Aria laughed as her father shook his head.
“Disturbing imagery,” Bakura sighed.
“Try swallowing twins,” Ryou snickered. Ryou smiled at Aria and pet her hair gently. “She is beautiful, Aria. I’m very happy for you.”
Aria looked up at her mother. “Mom, is Aten here?”
“No, sweetheart.”
Aria sighed with disappointment. “I need to speak to him.”
“Can’t you talk to him through your mindlink?” Bakura asked.
Aria shook her head. “He won’t answer.”
“We’ll find him, baby girl,” Bakura reassured her.
“Mommy!” Kai and Rhett ran into the room, followed by Seto.
“They couldn’t wait anymore,” the CEO said with a shrug.
Bakura gave Aria a kiss on the forehead. “Daddy has some business to attend to, Aria. I will see you later.”
Bakura and Seto shared a momentary glance and Bakura left the room. Ryou picked up Kai and held him. “Here’s your little sister, Kailani.”
Umi picked up Rhett. “Here’s your little sister. Pretty, isn’t she?”
“Mommy, did it hurt throwing her up?”
Aria chuckled. “Mommy’s throat will be back to normal soon.”
Seto stood beside Ryou and looked at the little baby girl. “She’s beautiful, Aria.”
Aria smiled at the CEO. “Thank you, Seto.”
Seto smiled. “She is a beautiful baby.”
Umi smiled proudly at Aria. “A beautiful wife and a beautiful children! What more could I wish for?” Umi leaned down and kissed Aria on the lips. “I love you, Aria.”
“I love you, too, Umi.”
Seto smiled. “I’m glad I had a chance to see your new baby. Congratulations, Umi.”
“Thank you, Seto!”
“I must get Joey and take him back home. I’m sure he’ll want to stop by when he feels up to it.”
“I look forward to it,” Aria said with a smile. “Goodbye, Uncle Seto.”
Seto left as Robbie limped inside. The teen greeted Aria with a big smile. “Hey! Heaven has a new playmate!”
“And they can both play tea party with Bakura!” Ryou added.
Malik entered the room and ran beside Ryou. He looked at the newborn baby girl and smiled. “Isn’t she adorable?”
“She is really cute, Aria,” Robbie said.
‘All I found was a little whore cheating on her faithful husband,’ Aria heard in her head, Aten’s scathing criticism made her eyes want to fill with tears.  She wanted to see her brother, to explain to him, to talk to him about her flashbacks. Now, she doubted that he would even want to acknowledge her existence.
“Robbie, if you see my brother, can you ask him to come see me? I want to see him.”
“I can if I see him. I don’t know where he is.”
Aria sighed. “Okay. Thank you.”
//Aten…can you hear me?//
/……………/
“He’s not answering me. I don’t know if he won’t or can’t.”
Aria looked down at Kailani and held her closer to her chest. “I love you, anyway, Kailani.”
********************
Bakura shivered as he stepped into the cold darkness of the Shadow Realm. Dark Necrofear stood beside her master, holding her doll-like child.  Bakura saw Duel Monsters roaring and screaming in fury.
“Preparing for battle,” Dark Necrofear said calmly.
“For a duel?” Bakura asked.
“No, Master Bakura. We are preparing for a war on the mortal world.”
Bakura narrowed his eyes. “Who is your captain?”
Dark Necrofear bowed her head. “The Noble Son, Yami Aten Bakari Ishtar.”
“You cannot enter the mortal world unless summoned! You can be dismissed just as quickly.”
“Not if we are not un-summoned. If we were brought into the mortal world by some other means, we will be permanent, able to remain in the mortal world.”
The Black Skull Dragon roared as it landed in front of Bakura.  The yami looked up at the snarling beast.
“Be gone! I have no quarrel with you!”
The black dragon snarled and snapped at Bakura. Bakura jumped to the side and removed his dagger. “You want to fight me?!”
“The duel monsters will fight anyone, yami or mortal, except the ones they are sworn to protect.”
Bakura turned to Dark Necrofear. “Is that why you do not attack me?”
“That is correct, my lord.”
“Why are you planning this revolt?”
“The monsters have become unsettled, ready to wage war for revenge’s sake.”
Bakura’s eyes scanned the sea of snarling beasts. “Revenge for what?”
“We suffer for man’s entertainment.  We are killed for their amusement, only to return to the Shadow Realm.”
Bakura crossed his arms. “Why not attack the pharaoh? He is the one responsible for your state of undeath? He murdered you all trapped you in this realm. He is the one who must pay the price!”
“The monsters bear ill-will to all mankind now.  Their hatred is forever. Yami Aten will lead us to a glorious rebellion, or so he claims.”
“Where is he?”
Bakura heard the Winged Dragon of Ra’s roar coming from the west.  “Ishtar?”
The yami burst into a sprint in the direction of the dragon’s roar. Where Marik was, his dragon was not far behind.  The Winged Dragon of Ra would have welcomed his master into the Shadow Realm.
Bakura’s eyes floated into the sky as the Castle of Dark Illusions hovered above Yami’s castle. The Shadow Realm Badlands could be dangerous territory, but if Ishtar was in trouble, he would be willing to risk himself.
It certainly would not be the first time he would have done so.
Bakura stopped short as the Summoned Skull blocked his path near Yami’s castle. “Shit.”
The monster glowed with an electrical charge and Bakura reached for his deck. “Dark Master Zorc!”
A tall, dark monster appeared in front of Bakura and turned to face him. The two monsters growled at Bakura.
Bakura stopped. “I thought you said the monsters will fight anyone except the ones they are sworn to protect!”
Dark Necrofear stepped in front of Bakura. “There are exceptions.”
“That’s all you can fucking say?!” Bakura gasped as an electrical charge shot towards Bakura.  “Fucking hell!”
Dark Necrofear was hit by the charge and shattered.
“Just great! Dammit!”
Dark Master Zorc walked to Bakura and picked him up by the back of his shirt.  “I slice you in half.”
Bakura swallowed hard. “I am Bakura Osiris Itemri! You will obey me! Let me down! I am your master!”
A laugh appeared out of nowhere. “There are exceptions.”
“Aten?! Aten, call his attack off!”
“Why should I?”
Bakura watched Yami Aten step from behind the Summoned Skull.  “Because I was always there for you when you needed me! I protected you and loved you like my own son!”
“I should let him cut you into equal pieces for what you have done to my mother!”
“I changed, Aten. Your mother sees that. He has forgiven me, though I do not deserve his forgiveness.”
Yami Aten gripped the Scepter of Ra in his hands tightly. He pointed the crimson jewel at Bakura. “You know damn well forgiveness does not happen to anyone no matter what they have done!”
“You are wrong. Your mother loves me…and I love him.”
Yami Aten sneered at Bakura. “You deserve death, Father Bakura! But the pain of an eternal life is a better punishment than even I could give to you! It is the punishment of the Pharaohs of Egypt, one that you rightly deserve!”
“If I deserve death, Aten, give it to me! Kill me!” the yami seethed with fury. “Go ahead, you little bastard, kill me!”
Yami Aten’s eyes glowed a bloody crimson. “What did you call me?”
“I called you a little bastard! That is what you are! Your father was just a horny bastard who needed to get his fuck on with MY husband! That is all that brought you into this world! A horny fuck on a kitchen table!”
Bakura struggled to keep his emotions hidden from the other yami, who looked beyond the realms of fury. It hurt him to speak to Aten with such contempt. Aten was not his child, but he loved him all the same. Bakura and Marik never made distinctions with the children. Yami Bakura was never one to back down from a fight, verbal or physical.  
Yami Aten growled as he approached Bakura. “If you ever find a way to die, Father Bakura, I hope it is slow….and very, very painful. If I could kill you, believe me, I would deliver you to your death, personally.”
“When have I ever treated you with malice? When have I ever pushed you aside in favor of my own daughter? You know she had her child, correct?”
Yami Aten chuckled. “You know she is a whore, right?”
“Don’t you dare talk about Aria like that!”
Yami Aten chuckled again. “You know that baby is not Tsunami blood?”
“What are you talking about?”
Yami Aten laughed. “So you don’t know about her little escapades! Well, far be it from me to completely dash the saintly image you have of your ‘perfect’ daughter! I will let you find out on your own. It’s more fun that way.”
“What are you saying?”
Yami Aten grinned. “What brings you to the Badlands?”
“I came to find your father.”
Yami Aten smiled. “He’s here.”
“Shall I break him in half, Lord Aten?”
Yami Aten smiled. “Where’s the fun in that?  Let him find my father. I paid him handsomely for resurrecting me.”
Zorc dropped Bakura from the air. Bakura’s leg snapped as he dropped from the height. The yami held his leg and gave a loud scream of pain.
“Oh, Zorc broke your leg? Too bad. Guess you’ll have to crawl to find him. Farewell. I must continue to gather my masses and destroy all which you have sworn to protect.”
Yami Aten stopped beside Bakura. “One more thing.” Yami Aten took the Scepter of Ra and slammed it against Bakura’s spine. The yami crumbled to the ground, holding his back. “That’s for calling me a little bastard.”
Bakura panted heavily as pain radiated through his back. “Fucking hell.”
“Goodbye.”
Bakura opened his eyes and his vision was blurry. “That would have hurt worse if I was mortal.”
“Probably would have killed you,” said a small voice nearby.
Bakura looked beside him and saw The Helpless Child standing beside him. “Most likely, yes.”
The child in rags looked down at Bakura with pity.  He stepped up to Bakura, his bare feet patted against the ground. The child reached down and pet Bakura’s hair gently.
“Don’t cry.”
Bakura shook his head. “I won’t cry. I need to find Jibade. Do you know where he is?”
The child nodded. “Yami Aten hurt his father.”
“Marik is no poor fighter! He can handle himself well in battle.”
“Yami Aten mind-controlled Ra.”
Bakura’s eyes widened. “Nobody can mind-control a God!”
“Yami Aten has done the impossible, then.”
Bakura struggled to his knees to stand up. He stood on his feet, unbalanced. “I have to find Jibade. Show me where he is.” Bakura staggered forward, wincing on his broken leg.
The Helpless Child looked up at Bakura. “Are you angry with Marik?”
Bakura looked down at the child. “How can I stay mad at someone I love? Marik pissed me off, yes….but I can’t abandon him, not even after what he has done.”
The child smiled up at Bakura. “How can you hate him and love him?”
“I know why he brought Aten back, but now we must find a way to help Aten rest.”
The child scratched his head. “Look at Yami’s temple.”
“Go to the pharaoh? Kid, you’ve been hit in the head too many times.”
“The Royal Magical Library may have the answer you’re looking for.”
Bakura sighed. “I doubt the pharaoh has a checkout policy on his reading materials. I wonder….who has that in their deck?”
Hamadi smiled. “That may hold the key.”
“Help me find Ishtar.” Bakura took a step and fell to his knee. “Damn.”
The Helpless Child turned towards the group of monsters. A loud whinny came from the crowd. Bakura saw a black horse with a ghostly aura approaching him at full gallop.  The beast stopped before Bakura, fire coming from his nostrils. The fire smelled of death and rot, its body gaunt.  
“Nightmare Horse will carry us.”
The beast kneeled to allow the child and Bakura to mount. The horse galloped into the Badlands. The Winged Dragon of Ra continued to roar. Bakura glared at the direction of the furious dragon.
How could he fight a God? Nothing in his deck would be powerful enough. That is, if they arrived at all to help him. Zorc was off his list, for certain. If he had to fight a God for Marik, he gripped his dagger in his hand. It would be of little defense, but if he was going to be obliterated, he would go down fighting!
Bakura saw a large yellow object in the distance. He gripped the hilt of his dagger tightly. This was it. He was going to fight Ra himself for a chance to save Marik.  When he saw a blue and red object ahead, his heart leaped into his chest.
He had to fight all three Gods?! Armed with nothing but a dagger and a few weak servants?
‘Marik, you better appreciate this.’
As the Nightmare Horse approached, it caught the attention of Slyfer, Obelisk, and the Winged Dragon of Ra. They roared and hissed at the approaching monster.
Slyfer zigzagged towards Bakura and the horse. It’s long tongue struck forward as Bakura made the horse turn right to avoid it.  The sky dragon whipped its tail towards Bakura and the horse jumped to avoid it.
“There’s Yami Marik!” Hamadi yelled as they saw the yami laying on the ground.
“Marik…”
“Be careful!”
The horse dodged a flying fist of Obelisk. Slyfer opened its mouth to eat the horse, but bit into Obelisk’s arm instead. Both Gods roared as Slyfer’s tail whipped randomly.
Bakura chuckled. “Finally, a little luck.”
“Yami Marik!”
Bakura saw the Winged Dragon of Ra pick up the unconscious Yami Marik and smash him on the ground with a force that made the ground shake. The Nightmare Horse lost its balance and fell. Bakura tumbled to prevent being crushed under the force of the horse’s fall.
Bakura focused on Marik and ran to his side.  “Marik! Marik!”  
Yami Marik groaned and grabbed Bakura’s shirt with a weak grip. “Sorry. I’m so sorry, Itemri.”
Bakura turned his head and saw the three Gods lunging for him. His Millennium Ring glowed and a portal opened. “Roll over!”
Bakura rolled over Marik and pulled him through the portal.  Bakura fell against the bed while Marik rolled onto the carpet. The portal quickly closed.
The white-haired yami panted beside his friend on the floor. Ryou ran into the room, hearing two loud noises coming from the bedroom. “Marik! Bakura!”
Ryou went to Bakura and put his hand on his shoulder. “Baby, are you okay?”
Bakura nodded. “Just a little sore back.”
Ryou looked down at Marik and kneeled beside him. “Marik?”
Yami Marik opened his eyes. He looked weakly up at Ryou. “I’m sorry, Ryou. I never….”
Ryou shook his head. “No, don’t speak. I know you wanted him back.”
“I never meant for any of this to happen,” Marik panted.
Bakura gripped onto the bed and pulled himself to his feet with Ryou’s help. “Well, it did and now we have to find a way to reverse it.”
“’Kura…I need…Ryou.”
“For what?”
“I want to talk to him, Itemri.”
Bakura winced. “Fine. Where is Malik?”
“He went out. Said he was going to look for Marik.”
Bakura sighed. “I’ll find him. I’ll be back soon.”
Bakura kissed Ryou’s cheek and left the room. Ryou grabbed Marik’s hand.
“Let me help you.”
Marik pulled himself up with a painful groan. Ryou helped him onto the bed. When Marik’s back touched the bed, he arched his back and screamed in agony. Ryou jumped back as Marik rolled onto his side and held his back.
“Let me see your back,” Ryou said, reaching for Marik’s shirt. Ryou lifted the shirt and saw deep claw-marks, raked through the tattoos on Marik’s back. The flesh had been sliced and the wounds were fresh.
“Bloody hell! Let me get the antiseptic!”
Marik closed his eyes tightly as his body shivered in pain. He drew sharp breaths as Ryou returned with the wound cleaner. “Ry, you don’t have to do this.”
“Who did this to you?”
Marik gripped the sheets tightly. “Our son.”
“Aten did this?!”
Marik nodded.
“This will sting.” Ryou applied the antiseptic, making Marik growl.  “I know it hurts, but you don’t want these to become infected.”
“The ancient markings on my back are ruined.”
Ryou finished cleaning the wounds and sat beside Marik. He sat in front of Marik and ran his fingers through Marik’s spiky, blond hair. “Why immortality?”
“I didn’t know he would change, Ry. I thought I’d be getting my son back.  But, that is not my son.”
Ryou sighed. “Yes, he is, Marik. He is Yami Aten now. I want our son to rest, Marik.  That is all that I wish.”
“Are you angry with me?”
Ryou caressed Marik’s cheek. “I wanted him back, too. How could I be angry with you when it was something I wanted myself?”
“Has he seen you?”
Ryou shook his head. “Only once in his Studio.”
“Where is Malik?”
**********************
Malik sat on the park bench, looking around him, hoping to be successful bait. Sergeant Barnes could not continue to harass the people of Domino. The cover-ups had to stop. The people could not be lied to anymore. This could not be allowed to continue.
A young girl approached him. “Hey, what are you doing here? This is my place tonight.”
“’Your place?’ Yes, I’m Jewel and I usually work this place in the park.”
“Oh, I didn’t know.”
The woman smiled. “Unless you are looking for the same type I am.”
“Type?”
“Big men with a whole lot of money to spend on the pleasures of life.”
Malik swallowed hard. The young woman was beautiful.  Her cleavage shown from the top of her shirt. Her lips were rosy red, and her dress barely covered her shapely buttocks.
“You find me desirable, don’t you?”
Malik nodded. “You are very pretty, yes.”
Jewel smiled. “Well, would you like to go behind the bushes back there and get to know each other a little better?”
Malik bit his lip nervously. “Actually, I’m waiting for someone.”
Jewel giggled. “A girl, perhaps?”
“How did you know?”
Jewel smiled. “I’m pretty perceptive.”
“Well, what have we here?” asked a deep voice.
Malik turned and saw Barnes approaching with Rhonda. “Nothing happening, sir.”
Barnes chuckled. “I doubt that highly.”
Rhonda approached Malik and ran her finger across his chest. “You’re cute.”
Barnes walked up to Jewel and smiled down at her. “How much?”
“I’ll pay anything as long as I get to fuck you hard.”
Jewel smiled. “Five hundred bucks.”
“What about you, pretty boy?” Rhonda asked Malik.
Malik knew of the prostitute murders and knew if he left this woman alone, she would be found dead with her throat slit and raped. He couldn’t leave her. “Umm…sure.”
Barnes grabbed Jewel by the wrist. “Let’s get where it’s nice and dark.”
Jewel was whipped around, almost losing her balance. Rhonda grabbed Malik by the front of the pants and pulled him into the shadows.
Rhonda pressed her lips against Malik and reached into his pants. Marik could feel the baby moving inside Rhonda’s stomach. She slipped her tongue into her kiss with Malik and moaned.
Malik could barely see Jewel nearby. He could hear Jewel whimpering with slight protest.
“I like them when they fight back,” Barnes said with pleasure.
“Hey, buddy, not so rough.”
Malik gasped as he heard a slap come from Jewel’s direction. “Hey, what are you doing?”
“What does it sound like? Giving this bitch a good fuck before I kill her.”
Malik gasped. “What?!”
Rhonda grinned as she pointed a pocket knife at Malik’s throat. “Scream and the whore dies immediately!”
“Stroke me!” Barnes growled at Jewel.
“Please….”
Barnes slapped her across the face. “Next time I’ll just slice your throat!”
Malik could hear the woman crying and Barnes moaning in pleasure. “Let her go!”
“You might not be queer, but we’ll kill you anyway!” Rhonda grinned.
Malik heard Jewel let out a scream.
“Stop your crying, you filthy whore, or I’ll cut your throat and then fuck you!”
Malik pushed against Rhonda and lunged for Barnes. Barnes’ hand slipped from between Jewel’s legs. He punched Malik, knocking the Egyptian on the ground in the shadows.
Jewel let out a scream, but Barnes grabbed her hair. “Somebody help us!”
Barnes slammed her against the tree and tore off her skirt. “I’ll just fuck you and slit your throat at the same time.”
Malik heard Jewel scream as Rhonda jumped on top of him. He saw Rhonda remove a pocket knife from her belt. “You’ll watch her die and then it’s your turn!”
Malik saw a blade shimmer in the light as Jewel continued to scream in pain. He looked up and saw another shimmering steel in the trees. “What the--?”
Barnes’ knife was knocked from his hand as another dagger fell from the shadows in the trees. A pair of red, glowing eyes sparkled in the limbs of the tree.
“Marik?”
“Oh god…stop, please!” Jewel pleaded.
Another dagger fell from the tree and struck Rhonda in the back.  Rhonda screamed and fell off of Malik.
Malik looked at the familiar golden, jeweled dagger he would recognize anywhere. That wasn’t Marik.
Barnes stopped and turned to see Rhonda on the ground, dead.  “What the hell is going on?”
Barnes removed his pistol and pointed it up at the trees.  “Show yourself!”
Bakura jumped down from the tree, his eyes glowing a furious red. “So you are the one killing the prostitutes and the gays in Domino!”
“You!  How dare you interrupt me!”
“Thief King?! Bakura!” Jewel cried as she turned her head. “He’s going to shoot us!”
Bakura growled. “Your reign of terror ends here and now!”
“Not before I take one more victim!” Barnes pressed the gun to Jewel’s head. Bakura lunged and grabbed Barnes’ arm. The cop shot the tree beside Jewel’s head.  Jewel grabbed the tree trunk and pushed against it, pushing Barnes backward. Malik stood up and punched Barnes in the stomach.
Bakura grabbed the hand holding the gun and pulled it to prevent Barnes shooting Malik. Barnes tossed Malik aside and threw a punch at Bakura. The policeman let out a cry of pain as Bakura stabbed Barnes in the shoulder. Barnes released his gun and held the wounded shoulder.
“How dare you hurt my girls!” Bakura removed his dagger and stabbed Barnes in the arm. The man let out a yelp of pain. “You hurt my family!” Bakura stabbed Barnes in the chest. “Say hello to Osiris for me, asshole!” Bakura stabbed Barnes in the belly and sliced up, pouring the man’s intestines on the ground. Barnes gurgled and fell over dead.
Bakura panted as the smell of blood wafted into his sinuses. He sighed with relief at the bitter smell of blood. He turned and heard Jewel crying beside the tree.
“Utta..”
Bakura walked over to Jewel and wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her on the forehead and snuggled her against him. “He’s dead, kitten.”
Jewel clung to him, sobbing and shaking. “He was going to kill me.”
Bakura pet her hair gently. “It’s over now.”
Jewel looked up at Bakura, her eyes sparkling with tears. “Bakura….I…..thank you.”
Bakura smiled and caressed her cheek lovingly. “There is no need.”
“Bakura, who is she?”
Bakura smiled as he looked at the tan-skinned woman. “She…is one of the most delightful women with whom I have ever had the pleasure of being associated.”
“Bakura, we can’t stay here!”
Bakura slowly pulled from the kiss. “Hikari Ishtar, what are you doing here with Jewel?”
“I came….I came to lure Barnes into a trap.”
“That was foolish. You could have been killed!”
“But, Bakura! Someone had to expose him for the fraud he is!”
“Was.” Bakura looked down at the bodies of Rhonda and Barnes. “So he was the one killing the prostitutes. I knew it!”
Jewel nodded. “I also wanted to catch him at his own game.”
“Lucky for you two, I’m armed with multiple daggers.”
“Did you find Marik?”
Bakura nodded. “He’s home. He looks like shit. I think he needs his Hikari.”
Malik gasped. “He’s home?”
“Go home, Malik. Do not stop. I will be right there once I see Jewel home.”
Malik nodded. “Thank you, Bakura!”
Malik dashed away as Bakura turned to Jewel.
“You were almost killed, kitten.”
Jewel sniffled. “Bakura, I couldn’t let Eagle Eye die for nothing.”
“Eagle Eye?!”
Jewel nodded. “Yes, my king.”
Bakura lowered his head. “No wonder that woman looked familiar.”
Jewel reached up and stroked Bakura’s hair. “But you have come and rescued me, my king.”
“A good king protects his subjects,” Bakura said, rubbing her stomach.
Jewel smiled as Bakura’s hand traveled lower. “Yes, my Thief-King.”
Bakura kissed Jewel on the cheek. “It’s dangerous to walk home with these beasts lurking in the dark. I’ll take you home.”
“Well, aren’t you sweet, Lord Bakura.”
“I can’t have my girls walking home alone. Especially not after being man-handled by scum like these.”
*******************
Malik sat beside Marik and ran his fingers through Marik’s hair.  The fireplace flickered with the flames, which cast shadows on the lavish interior of Marik’s soulroom. Rows of scrolls and books liked the walls of the room, while expensive tile lined the floors.  The sheer linen of Marik’s bed swayed from a non-existent gentle wind.
Marik emitted a slight groan of pain as he held onto Malik’s hand.
“Yami, I was worried about you.”
“…………….”
R 20;I’m not mad at you, either is Ry.  I wish you would have told us what you were planning.”
Marik continued to sleep beside his hikari. Marik’s sweat-covered face glistened in the light of the fire.  Ryou had told him about Marik’s back. While Marik was sleeping, Malik examined the wound, running his hand across the torn flesh. “How could Aten do this to you?”
“……………..”
Mal ik remembered the scroll he first read when he heard of the Yami of Vengeance. Aten would be gentle towards his kin, but vengeance and revenge would be his sustenance. Slicing his father’s back was far from a genial act.  Could the ancient scrolls be wrong?
Malik shook his head. The ancient scrolls could not be wrong.
So why was Aten violent, even towards his own flesh and blood? Because Joey had taken part of Aten that skewed the prophecy?
Malik slowly stood and walked towards a shelf of scrolls.  Marik was particular about the scrolls and was protective of several. Marik had warned him not to touch the scrolls in the black chest he kept hidden. When asked, Marik simply said they were not to be seen by mortal eyes.
Malik opened one scroll and began to read.  The language was familiar to him; it was written in the Noble Tongue. His father had taught him how to read the texts of the Royal and Noble classes.  Marik had kept several scrolls written in the Common Tongue which were all but illegible due to their age.
“Malik…”
Malik turned towards the bed where Marik had rolled onto his back.
“Why are you looking through the scrolls?”
“I was hoping to find answers.”
Marik sighed. “I had no idea this would happen, hikari.”
Malik walked to the bed and sat beside Marik. “The important thing is we get Aten back to where he belongs. He’s causing havoc everywhere. He killed Robbie’s aunt and grandmother!”
Marik rolled his eyes. “No loss there, hikari, I hate to tell you.”
“He is out of control!”
Marik sighed. “Isis did warn me of Aten’s violent nature. I just…never believed it was possible.”
“Well, it is! Marik, we have to get Aten back into the Underworld. We have to return him to Death!”
Marik sat up slowly in the bed. He stared into the blazing fire.  “I know.”
“Bakura, Isis, and Odion have been looking for the spell to turn a yami mortal.”
Marik turned to Malik. “A mortal yami? Such a thing is impossible.”
“Go on.”
“Yamis were made to power special items. We were made to be servants to the pharaoh. The pharaoh would not want his eternal servitude to end, so the yamis were made mortal. Such a spell would have to return life to a yami, but the life would end quickly. A mortal yami would not be able to live long.”
Malik sat at the edge of the bed. “Like the Yami Virus? It kills quickly.”
Marik nodded. “If we were to turn Aten mortal, the short life he would live would be beyond excruciating.”
“How long would he live as a mortal?”
Marik shrugged. “Considering Aten’s heart was extremely weak in life and his body was not much better off, I would say a few days, possibly.”
“Would he die naturally?”
Marik nodded. “Yes. His body would just break down. Immortals were not meant to be mortal, just as mortals are not meant to be immortal. Living humans must die to become immortal. Immortals must suffer to become mortal and the body cannot adapt. The body dies as it did in life. If Aten dies as a Yami, he dies….his mortal body dies.”
“Like when Bakura died with the Yami Virus? His body pretty much was broken when he died the previous life.”
“The pain he would suffer would be doubled if he were to die a permanent death after becoming mortal.”
Malik looked down. “Marik, do you ever regret…not being able to rest?”
Marik shrugged. “I regret not being able to kick Yami’s ass for throwing me in a sand pit for me to rot, then digging me up and having dogs chew on my bones. I do not regret my immortality.”
“Do you want to die?”
Marik sighed. “I know Bakura wants to die. I want to be beside him. I would like to see my Amunet.  I miss her, Malik. I loved her beyond measure.”
“If we do find a way to turn you mortal, do you want me to cast the spell on you?”
The yami looked at the floor in deep thought. The yami took a deep breath. Marik looked up at Malik. “That spell will not work on me. I renounced my faith long ago. When I saw the gods not interfering when Yami was torturing Bakura in the Afterlife, I was condemned never to enter the Land of the Dead.”
Malik took Marik’s hand reassuringly. “So that’s why you were upset at losing Aten. You’d never see him again because you are not able to cross the line between the two worlds. Maybe I can talk to them.”
“I can cross into the Afterlife, but I cannot remain there indefinitely.”
The hikari nodded. “Where do you think the spell could be?”
“That, my dear Malik, is a mystery even to me.”
*********************
Bakura walked through the dark streets, he pulled the veil over, leaving only his chocolate brown eyes visible and a little tuft of white hair.  Even the oldest members of Cairo’s Underworld knew nothing about the scroll for which Bakura had searched. The Secret Order of Thoth, a secret society operating in hidden vaults informed Bakura that the Common Magic scrolls were confiscated by High Priest Seth’s great-great-grandson and placed in the Hidden Royal library.  His intention was to preserve the magic of the common folk, the magicks which were being suppressed by the Egyptian Nobility.
They said there had been a Magic War after the death of Pharaoh Yami.  The Nobility, whose magic was stronger and built on attack and large-scale destruction, had declared war on the magic of the Common Folk. Common Magic had fought to counteract the Dominating magic of the Nobility and Royal classes.
Bakura had heard only vaguely of this war. He knew of Common Magic, but it was not as developed during his lifetime.  His only quip about the discovery of Common Magic was it should have been able to break locks and summon food out of thin air during times of starvation. The Order had told Bakura that the scrolls were moved to the Cairo Museum. The scroll he was searching for was obscure and was little more than only a legend.
“I will find that legend,” he told the Order of Thoth.
Bakura made his way through the streets towards the Cairo Museum. People were singing loudly and cheering could be heard as he slipped towards the back of the museum. He reached into a pouch tied to his belt and removed his lock pick.  The Millennium Ring glowed with a dim light, enough to illuminate the keyhole. He picked the lock and removed the chain. He pressed Isis’ passcode into the door and it snapped open. Bakura slipped inside cautiously.  His eyes quickly scanned for the security guards. When he felt confident he was alone, he ran towards the Archives.  Bakura picked the lock quickly and descended the stairs to the basement where the Archives were kept. Shelves of boxes, bones, documents, scrolls, and jars cluttered the room.
“Isis needs to do a little Spring Cleaning…starting with getting my bones buried.” Bakura quickly looked in a box. Inside he saw fragments of a spine and a skull with broken pieces of the cranium. “I look like shit,” Bakura said as he reached into the box and touched a vertebra that had been broken.  “My bones have seen better days.”
The yami replaced the lid on the box and replaced it on the shelf. “Where the hell is that scroll?”
Bakura opened a box of scrolls and brought them over to a table. He removed the first one and unfurled it. He squinted to read the tiny hieroglyphs. His fingers traced the line of writing.  He looked closer at the writing and shook his head. “This is in the Noble Tongue. Shit. I can’t read it. Where’s a fucking Noble when you need them?” Bakura sighed. “I’m looking for a scroll in the Common Tongue.”
Bakura removed another scroll and growled. “This is a medical text. This won’t help.”
Bakura grabbed another box of scrolls and unfurled all of them looking for one written in the Common Tongue.  One of the scrolls were written in his language. The words were fading from extreme age.
As he looked through the scroll, he noticed the name ‘Dakarai.’  Bakura’s eyes widened. “Father? It says here that he bequeathed all of his possessions to his wife and his son Snefru and daughter. So that is what he named my brother, hmm? I also have a sister. That’s even more surprising. I didn’t know I had a sister.” Bakura skimmed the text quickly. “I’m not even mentioned as one of his children.”
Bakura rolled up the scroll and returned it to the box. He replaced the box on a shelf and walked to a corner where a large jar was sitting.  “I wonder if they put any in here.”
Bakura lifted the lid and found more scrolls inside. He examined them and couldn’t comprehend the language.  
The yami groaned as he reached for another box. He opened a scroll and found another parchment wrapped within. Bakura raised an eyebrow. “What the hell is this?”
Bakura unwrapped the scroll and found another scroll within the wrapping. He examined the words and his eyes widened. “Remove Immortality from the Living Dead” was written above the magical writing.  He tried to read the incantation, but some of the words were unfamiliar. The words were written in a language unfamiliar to him.
Bakura took the scroll and wrapped it. He replaced the other scroll in the box and the box on the shelf.  Bakura grinned as he tucked the parchment under his arm. The Millennium Ring glowed brightly as he opened a portal to the Shadow Realm. From there he was able to open a portal to his home.
When he arrived in his bedroom, he removed the drawer from Ryou’s dresser. He opened his hidden compartment and placed the parchment there.
/Yami, Robbie is here to see you. He says it’s urgent./
//Alright, Ry. I’ll be right down.//
Bakura looked at the scroll hidden in the dresser. He hoped this was the right scroll to use. He would need to examine it further. Bakura replaced the drawer in the dresser and walked down the stairs.
“Did you find what you are looking for?” Ryou asked.
Bakura shrugged. “I honestly don’t know.”
Robbie was sitting beside Ryou. The teen stood up and walked to Bakura. “Bakura, I have a favor to ask.”
“Why so formal, Robert?”
“I need to speak to Aten. Have you seen him?”
“He’s not here. I have seen him in the Shadow Realm, though.”
Robbie lowered his eyes. “I see. I need to talk to him, Bakura. He’s changed and I don’t know what he’s planning, but it can’t be good.”
“No, it’s not good, Robbie. I won’t lie to you.”
“Bakura, I love Aten. I want to help him. There is still a piece of our Aten left inside him. Please take me to the Shadow Realm to talk to him.”
Bakura sighed and looked at Ryou. He looked back at Robbie. “Robbie, Aten is very dangerous now. He is very unstable and highly unpredictable. You could get hurt. He has whole battalions of duel monsters ready to wage an attack on the mortal world.”
Robbie looked Bakura in the eyes. “I’m not afraid. To help Aten, I would fight them all single-handed.”
Bakura sighed. “Well, I will take you to the Shadow Realm. Hopefully you will be able to stop him. If his army attacks this world, it could face complete annihilation.”






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