Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Welcome Raine ❯ Conversations Kill ( Chapter 8 )

Welcomed Raine

By Dark_Wolf

Disclaimer: Raine and Eric walk into the room, Raine had just been released from the Shadow Realm. Eric was reading from a piece of paper, and Raine was staring at Dark_Wolf and shaking her fist. "Dark_Wolf is not a multi-millionaire, she doesn't own anything related to Yu-Gi-Oh, she doesn't own the rights to any movie, and she's not too sure about the owning Megadon comics, as far as she knows, she does, but she doesn't lay claim to it. All other characters items used in this story are the sole property of the author." Eric said in a monotone. Raine sighed, "am I the only one who has a problem with being made up?" Eric grinned at his 'sister', "Yep. But of course, I always new you were too strange to be real." Eric took off running and Raine wasn't much far behind him, the author just shook her head.

Chapter Eight: Conversations kill

Summary: A day after Raine's rampage on Marus, the yami's talk about the newest Millenium Item holder, Bakura confesses something about Ryou, and Seto is tested.

<Yugi to Yami>

<<Yami to Yugi>>

/Ryou to Bakura/

// Bakura to Ryou//

{Malik to Merrik}

{{Merrik to Malik}}

\Raine to any yami or hikari\

|yami to yami|

~hikari to hikari~

"is regular speech"

this signifies thoughts or Lyrics, depending on my mood.

A/N: Thank you so much for the lovely reviews left on FF.N. I'm pleased that people are enjoying the story. Keep those review coming. If anyone could possibly email me a list of common Japanese terms that I see most used in the fanfictions, I'd greatly appreciate it. Also, I'm new at writing yaoi pairings, and lemons, so if the suck, let me know what I could do to improve on them, and I apologize beforehand. And yes, there will be Lemons, just working up to them at the moment. And for those of you who have voiced concern about the extent of injuries Marus received in chapter seven, and mentioned that too little time passed for those injuries to be received, well, Raine was very pissed off, she's a trained fighter, and sometimes, adrenaline can make anything possible.

Merrik woke up from another nightmare, he hadn't had one in a while, probably because Malik had been there to keep them away. At the moment, since according to the digital clock sitting on the nightstand betweent he two beds it was noon, Malik was with the other hikari's, Serenity, Joey, Mokuba, and Rashid showing Eric and Raine around town. They were house hunting and the yami's had stayed behind to talk to Shadi and Isis about Raine.

Just thinking about Raine brought a smile to his face, he had been told what she did to Marus and personally thought that she should have killed him. Raine was fiercely protective of her 'family' and he now realized just what it meant to be part of it. Serenity, who had told him and Malik what Raine had said after the fact was pleased that Raine had taken the whole group under her wing. It made the yami's more comfortable about letting their partners go with them without protection. Merrik rolled out of bed with a groan, and gathered his clothes together: a pair of tannish colored jeans, a shell-sleeved green vest and his boots, and proceeded to the bathroom attached to the bedroom. He jumped in the shower and started singing a song he had heard on the radio yesterday

If I go crazy will you still call me superman? If I'm alive and well, will you be there holding my hand I'll keep you by my side with my superhuman might Kryptonite

{Having fun, Merrk?}

Malik's amused voice coming through their mind link caused Merrik to drop the soap and yelp out loud in suprise. {{Don't do that!}}

{Sorry. I felt your fear earlier, did you have another nightmare?} Merrik could tell that his young hikari was worried about him and it felt nice. No one had worried about him in a long time, first Raine had, then Malik.

{{Yes, I did. I'm all right now. Thank you for caring.}}

{ That's what I'm supposed to do. But you're welcome anyways. Merrik. I have a favor to ask. I know how you feel for me, and I know Yami is in love with Yugi and vice-versa. But, can you help Bakura realize his feelings for Ryou. Ry's confessed that Bakura has quit beating him, but he still acts so cold towards him.}

{{I didn't even know that Bakura had beaten him in the past. I just thought that he treated his hikari about the same way I treated you before Yami stopped the Rod from corrupting my mind. Yes, koi, I'll talk to Bakura for you. And Malik.}}

{Yes?}

{{Tell Raine thank you for opening my heart to what a beauty you are.}} Merrik smiled as he felt Malik's blush through the mind-link all yami's shared with their hikari's.

{I'll let her know} Merrik felt the connection fade and concentrated on his shower.

* Flashback: The night of Raine's arrival*

Resident Evil ended and everyone prepared for bed, Raine and Eric had been shown to the room right across the hall from Joey's, which Tristan had used when he took a nap. Tristan would be staying in Joey's room but everyone knew that Raine, Eric, Tristan, Joey, and Serenity would be together most of the night. Isis and Rashid had decided to go back to their pent-house to pack up some clothes for the four Ishtars. Shadi had gone with them.

Merrik and Malik had retired to their room, eventhough Raine had invited them to stay. Malik had wanted to, not wanting to be separated from Raine for a moment, but Merrik had gently pulled him along and the two were now sitting on their bed, Malik had his back turned towards Merrik and was pouting.

"Malik, you'll see Raine in the morning. Give her tonight to reunite with her family." Merrik tried to explain.

"We are part of her family. They just told us that!" Malik snarled.

"By Ra! You know what I mean, damn it! Joey and Serenity haven't seen her for a real long time, they've only met Eric for the first time. Give them twelve fucking hours to adjust to their entire lives changing. I don't care how fucking cute you are when you pout! Raine loves us, and she's not going anywhere! You'll have plenty of time to be with your presious Raine. Just give her time to make sure her baby brother is okay!" Merrik stormed out of the room, not even realizing that he had said his hikari was cute.

Malik stared at the door that Merrik had just left through, tears falling from his eyes. It had been forever since Merrik had yelled at him. The last time was just two months after the Battle City tournament last year Wait a minute. Did he just say I'm cute when I pout? Ra, please don't say I'm mistaken. I've loved Merrik for a long time now. I think I fell in love with him shortly after Battle City. I wish my feelings were returned.

Merrik had made his way to the stairs, intending to go downstairs and sit on the back porch to cool off, he was stopped by Raine who had just exited Joey's room. "Merrikai? What's wrong?"

Merrik stopped and growled, "Nothing, Raine. Abso-fucking-lutely nothing. Why?"

"Well, for nothing, it sure seems like something. Want to talk about it?" Raine smiled as she looped her arm in his and started pulling him down the stairs.

"Not really, no. Why aren't you with your family?" Merrik started to pull away.

"I thought I was." Raine chuckled when Merrik snorted.

"You know what I mean. What are you doing dragging me downstairs. You should be with Joey and them." Merrik finally realized they were heading towards Seto's massive kitchen.

"I needed a drink. I'm taking something up to the others after I cool off. I'm tempted to go out and hunt Marus and Alicia down and kill them tonight. Did you know that they had Serenity and Joey believing that none of the family in the states gave a damn about them? It makes me so mad." Raine did a fair imitation of a growl.

"I'll help you. I still feel guilty for letting Saigon torture Malik. I know that I was basically locked inside the Rod until that time, but I wish I could go back and stop Saigon from doing that. It's tainted the way Malik considers everyone now. He's not as innocent as he once was."

Raine pushed him down into a chair at the table, and after getting her soda, sat down right next to him, "Gramps always told me that what doesn't kill us makes us stronger. I'm not real sure where he first heard that, but I agree. We've all had to suffer through things that could have really damaged us, but we're all still here, and I think that crisises only make the ties of friendship and family stronger. I know that if one of us was in trouble, the others would come running, just look at this place. Everyone that my brother cares for is here, and more are arriving in a month."

"So you got a hold of Kurt?" Merrik smiled, he had liked Raine's goofy cousin the moment he first met him. Kurt may have had a funny side to him, but he knew that Kurt could be very serious when he needed to be.

"Yep, woke him up, but he let me know that Bruce had started helping him pack things up and that he, Gram, and Gramps would be here in a month, and that we had that long to find a place for Eric, Wren and I as well as an apartment for him and a house for Gram and Gramps because they were moving as well. Jo-Jo and Wren couldn't believe it."

"I always liked your family." Merrik smiled.

"They've always been fond of you Ishtars. Even you at your most psychotic. I think you reminded them of me before I learned to control my anger. Which reminds me, why were you in the hallway?"

"I yelled at Malik."

"Why?" Raine was concerned, according to Isis, who she had talked to regularly on chat, Merrik hadn't yelled at Malik in about a year.

"He was pouting because I wanted to give you time to talk to Joey and Serenity. I tried to tell him that you'd see him tomorrow, but he wouldn't listen. Do you know how frustrating it is to be in love with someone who loves someone else?"

Raine was not surprised at the change in conversation, she knew Merrik was trying to work through his feelings rationally, "Yes, I do. It's not pleasant, but what makes you say that?"

"Because I've been in love with Malik for a long time now and he's in love with you." Merrik bluntly stated standing up to start pacing, "And the thing is that I want to hate you, but I love and respect you too much to do so."

Raine was out of her seat and had her arms wrapped around Merrik's waist in a flash, "No, no. Merrikai, it's not like that at all." She kissed his cheek, Merrik wrapped his arms around her as well and quited down to listen to Raine, "Malik loves me like he loves Isis, but because Isis hasn't been through the things we have, and sometimes she can be a bit of a stick in the mud, Malik feels like he can confess anything to me. He feels like my feelings are important to him, how I think of him is very important to him because he has no confidence in himself. He's scared that you, Rashid, and Isis will abandon him. And he knows that its not in my nature to do so. He's attached himself to me because I'll always be there. Which isn't saying that you three would intentionally leave him, but Isis wasn't there to stop Saigon, Rashid didn't come into the picture until afterwards, and you didn't make an appearance until after the fact also. I'm his advisor, another big sister if you will, someone closer to his own age, not that Isis and Rashid are too old, but well, he feels like they are. And you, well to him you are the stars and the moon and the sun all rolled into one. He wants so much to impress you. He wants to be just like you, strong, not needing anyone, but it isn't his nature to be so independent. He'll always need you Merrikai. He does love you."

Merrik shook his head in denial and Raine reached up with both hands and forced him to look straight into her eyes, "Yes he does. He always has, and probably will die still loving you. He's scared to admit it, feeling like you'll reject him, so he keeps it hidden. I think, from what I've been told so far about the relationship between Ryou and Bakura it's much the same thing. Merrikai, Malikai is a beautiful person, and he loves you more than life itself. I suggest you march right back up to your room and tell him how you feel."

"I can't." Merrik shrugged out of the embrace and started pacing again.

"Merrik Ishtar! You have never been a coward! Don't start acting like one now. March!" Raine pushed him to the door, and he knew she was right so he slowly made his way up to his room not noticing Seto walking into the kitchen just then.

Merrik stopped oustide his door and with a deep breath he opened it and entered. Isis and Rashid still hadn't gotten back and Malik was laying down on their bed, reading the new Harry Potter book.

"Malik, I'm sorry for yelling at you. You did nothing wrong, and I was just frustrated with something that has been bugging me for the last few days."

Malik put the book down and looked at his yami, "Can I help you in anyway? I know you didn't mean to yell. I forgive you."

Merrik nodded and layed down beside Malik, "Thank you, and yes, I do think you can help. Will you listen to what I have to say and not interrupt until I'm done?"

Malik nodded and braced himself for anything, he hadn't anticipated what happened next. "I'm in love with you." There, Merrik had said it, five little words that had the power to turn his world upside down.

"What?" Malik did a good impression of a fish out of water.

"I said that I'm in love with you. I have been for quite some time. I was just worried about telling you." Merrik found his arms full of a sobbing Malik, "Malik, baby, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. Nothing is wrong. Everything is great! You love me? You really love me? You swear?"

"Yes to all three questions. Now why are you crying?" Merrik wrapped his arms around Malik's waist.

"I'm so fucking happy I'm crying. I've loved you for so long, and I never thought I'd hear you say those words." Malik giggled through his tears.

Merrik gently raised Malik's face and brushed his lips over his hikari's, "I'm glad you love me, and I'll never, ever give you cause to doubt my love for you." The two settled down and soon fell asleep.

A banging on the bedroom door brought Merrik back to reality, "Hey Psycho! It's 12:30! We have a meeting to get to!" Bakura's voice rang through the wood. Merrik turned off the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist and went to open the door admitting a grinning Bakura and a serene Yami.

"Sorry, I was lost in thought. If you guys will wait for one minute, I'll get dressed and we can go." Malik motioned to the bed and the two took a seat.

"What was so interesting that you forgot about the meeting, Merrik?" Yami asked.

"I was thinking about how wonderful it is to be in love." Merrik laughed.

"Love! Who in the hell are you in love with, you baka!" Bakura yelled out in the midst of his laughing.

"If you must know. I'm in love with Malik, and he's in love with me." Merrik shouted from the bathroom.

Yami chuckled, "So you two finally hooked up? When?"

"The first night Raine was here. She helped me realize something. How long have you and your hikari been together?" Merrik peaked out of the bathroom.

Merrik had been hoping Yami woud blush, so he could laugh at him, but he was disappointed. Yami just grinned and said, "We haven't said anything to anyone yet, except for Solomon, but it's been about five months now. Our six month anniversary is on the thirtieth of this month."

Bakura whistled, "That's a long time to keep a secret. I think we knew something had been going on, you two were closer than usual, just didn't expect that."

Merrik grinned as he walked out of the bathroom, fully clothed, "Congradulations, Yami. You two belong together. I think all yami and hikari's are meant for eachother."

Bakura snorted, "I wish. Ryou will never love me, I'm too mean to him."

Merrik sat down and wrapped an arm around Bakura's shoulders, "I doubt that. Let's just say that a little birdy told me that if you were to say you loved your hikari, he'd not be adverse to hearing it. So, you are in love with him, aren't you?"

Bakura shrugged off the arm and nodded, "Yea. I am. Have been since Battle City. Since the battle with you Pharoh, actually."

"You mean the one where you were going to let him feel the power of Slyfer!" Yami was shocked.

"Yes. He was disoriented and hurt, but the second he started to realize what was going on and that I had gotten him into some sort of mess again, he was fully prepared to take that blast, if only it meant protecting us all. I think I realized just how strong he was at that time. I told Merrik that I had to go back into his body because I still needed him to see my plans through, I think I was convincing myself of that fact instead of Merrik."

"Even with all the other shit you pulled after that? I'm impressed. At least I waited until after I tortured and messed with Malik's head to fall in love with him." Merrik laughed and the other two yami's joined in as they started towards the library.

"Yea. I would apologize for what I did to him, I just don't think he'd accept that. And if I were to tell him I was in love with him, I'm afraid that he'll reject me." Bakura shrugged, "Oh well, at least, if I keep quiet, I can still be part of his life."

Yami shook his head, "I tend to agree with Merrik, Tomb Robber, I think you need to tell him. You might be surprised. Or are you just scared?"

"I fear nothing." Bakura snarled.

"Then prove it. When they get back, pull Ryou aside before someone else does and tell him." Merrik dared the other spirit.

"I will. I'll do it as soon as they get back." They entered the library just at that moment.

"What are you going to do, Bakura?" Isis asked as the three spirits sat down on the couch.

"I'm going to tell Ryou how I feel about him."

Isis, Rashid and Shadi all smiled and nodded. Then Shadi started the meeting.

"Bakura and Yami have requested we tell them all we know about Raine, I've asked Solomon to be hear because I told him I'd explain a conversation we had on the plane after I had everyone's permission. So since Raine has said that it was okay to discuss her past and everyone else is present. I chose today to tell you all everything. As soon as Seto arrives we'll begin."

Seto walked in at that moment, "Sorry about being late. There was a problem at the office. Apparently one of the shipments is going to be late. I really need to get better help. Why couldn't my secretary just call the business and let them know." Seto flopped down on the only available space next to Yami on the couch.

"Since everyone is here, let us begin. Isis, would you like to do first?"

Isis nodded and started the story, "Rashid and I first met Raine and Eric their Freshman year in college at UCLA. We were giving a lecture at a Anthropology class and they were part of that class. Raine and Eric had stayed behind to ask us if we could decypher the heiroghlyphs on a piece of jewelry that Raine had found at a garage sale two years before. I said I'd love to take a look and asked her to meet us that evening at our hotel. Malik and Merrik had just flown in and the moment Raine walked into the room with the Millenium Pendent in her possession, something happened."

"What?" Seto asked.

"I'm not sure. It felt like coming home. Raine reminded me of someone I knew quite well in the past. Merrik and Malik had the oddest reaction. It was like the three connected instantly. Like they could see into one anothers' souls."

Merrik interuppted, "It was. Raine connected to us and we had a conversation in our heads. She saw the darkness that was poisoning us and drug Malik out of it. I was too mired in it to completely let it go, but she tried to heal me and she did heal Malik. I will be forever grateful to her for that."

Shadi silently agreed, for one reason or another, everyone here and the others who were with the woman in question would always be grateful to have met her. "As you all know, every person here today has ties with ancient Egypt, either having been there, or are reincarnations of someone from there. All of our group is like that. Cadenza Raine Wheeler and Eric Lynn Cameron are no exception.

Raine was your High Priestess as well as your healer, Yami, Eric, much like Merrik here was one of your generals. As you by now know, all Pharoh's had a High Priest and a High Priestess to appease the gods. Both of them were to be the highest in mage school, and were to have a strong connection to the Shadow Realm and all of the monsters. Seto, the only other person to ever defeat Seth in a duel before he turned to the dark arts was Anakzana, Pharoh Amukep's High Priestess. Cadenza is Anakzana reincarnated. She, with the power of the Millenium Pendent which has, like I stated the power to coutner-act all of the other Items, was the healer of everyone important to the Pharoh, be them slaves, generals, councilors, or even monsters. If a monster was severly injured in a battle, which was quite common back then, she would travel into the Shadow Realm to care for them. The act was draining, and when the games turned dark, and Seth became darker because of this, the act was draining her life away. Seth was her anchor when she was in the Shadow Realm. They had been lovers and were great friends, I think they would have married if the laws hadn't forbidden it. She didn't realize that she was also Seth's anchor. If she had, I don't think the final duel between Seth and Amukep, which sealed the Shadow Realm for what was thought to be eternity, would have ever happened."

Seto sat up and stared at Shadi, "What do you mean by that?"

"A year before that final battle, Anakzana was attacked by a bandit on her way from the tomb of her parents. She was left for dead, and surprisingly it was Bakura who found her."

"I remember now! Are you telling me that woman was Raine!" Bakura shouted, excited to get the chance to get to know an old friend all over again.

"Yes; Bakura tried to heal her as best he could, and when he saw that she wasn't getting better, he did the only thing he could. He took her back to the castle. Amukep gave him leniency in his sentence because he brought Anakzana back. Bakura, to pay restitution for his crimes became Anakzana's assistant, he followed her wherever she went, really he was more of a body guard. Well, to continue on with the story. She never fully recovered her strenght from that day, she could still heal others, but she couldn't travel into the Shadow Realm as easily as she used to be able to. She hated that fact. The visiting King of Persia had requested a duel between his highes advisor and Seth, just as a demonstration of the power of their duel monsters, I'm not real sure of the reason. Anyways, Seth won, but not without a great cost. Kunla, Seth's only female Blue-Eyes White Dragon old enough to battle was severly injured. She would not have survived the night in the Shadow Realm without help. And the other healing cards, The Lady of Faith and such, could only do so much. They cried out to Anakzana to help them, and against the wishes of all gathered she prepared to enter the Shadow Realm, but Seth refused to anchor her. He was angry at Kunla for pulling the stunt that got her hurt in the first place, and felt that she deserved to die."

"How could he!" Seto was angry at his past self. He loved his Blue-Eyes dragons.

"It was the darkness infecting him. Without her anchor, Anakzana knew that she would probably not make it in the Shadow Realm, but she wasn't going to let a monster die because of the foolishness of humans, so she opened the portal and entered. She was gone for a long time, when she finally came back to the castle, she looked as if she had aged forty years. Kula was healed, but Anakzana's strenght was gone. She died a week later, there wasn't even a body to bury, Bakura walked into her room and all he found was her choker. Her body had turned to sand, and her spirit was up in the heavens. Seth went mad with grief, and shortly after that, the end of the world was upon us and Amukep dueled his High Priest, without his High Priestess by his side and using the souls of Merrik and Bakura and himself, sealed the Shadow Realm."

"But our soul-mates discovered the items and we were released. Seto has accepted his past life, so has everyone else. It would seem that the Items have found their way back to their rightful owner." Merrik concluded.

"Not quite. Bakura is the only one who knows the location of the Millenium Eye, and Raine is the only one who knows who the true holder of that item is. Until the Eye has found its master, there will always be someone who wants power, and he'll try to take it by using the Shadow Realm and all the creatures that inhabit it. I worry that the reincarnation of the only man that Seth, Amukep and Anakzana ever feared will someday awaken and cause havok with the world once again." Shadi didn't elobrate, and the arrival of Noel into the room ended the meeting.

"Hi, I'm sorry to interrupt your meeting." Noel stood by the door.

"No, that is quite all right, we were finished." Seto stood and walked to her, "Is there anything wrong?"

"No. I just thought I should let you know that the group will be late. Apparently, they found the perfect house for Gram and Gramps, and they also found Kurt's apartment, they are just trying to fill out paper work right now and then, according to Joey who called a few minutes ago, they are going to check out a few furniture stores and start getting deliveries set up."

"That is good news. Have Raine and Eric found something that they liked?" Shadi asked.

Noel laughed, "Well, Raine's found a few places she's liked, but Eric's hated them, Eric's found some he likes, but Raine hates them. Then there are the one's that are too small to fit four people, since Serenity will be living with them, and Joey has decided that it is too soon to move in with Tristan officially. So, they're still looking."

Everyone laughed and they exited the library to head to the kitchen, it was two in the afternoon and most of them hadn't eaten since last night. They would wait for the rest of the explainations that they wished. There was always tomorrow.

A/N: Well, there you have it! Chapter Eight is done!!!! Yay!!!!! Just to let you all know....the song is "Kryptonite" by 3 Doors Down.....an awesome group! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and please review. I will apologize right now if I got anything with Egyptian beliefs wrong, that's not my area of expertise, I'm more of a Greek and Roman mythology person. Again, please review and let me know if you like it or hate it. All flames will be sacrificed to the fire god so I may cook.