Hellraisers

The Infliction

            Bakura and Marik arrived at the church in almost record time, beating Malik and Yugi by
almost a half hour. The two rogues got off the motorcycle and looked around the parking lot.

“Looks like we’re the first ones here.” Marik observed as his eyes shifted around the empty lot.

Bakura pulled a cigarette out of his jacket and lit it up.

“Just peachy” he mumbled as he walked up to the church and sat on the front steps. Marik sat
down next to him.

“So what’s so wrong with Ryou that you voluntarily decided to come to the meeting tonight?”
the Egyptian asked curiously.

Bakura took a drag of his cigarette, inhaling deeply.. He looked at Marik and sighed.

“Honestly, I don’t know. All I do know is that he’s experiencing excruciating pain. More pain
than even I could inflict.” Bakura tapped the ash from his cigarette onto the concrete walkway.

“How do you know?” Marik asked.

Bakura stared blankly into Marik’s eyes.

“Our souls are bonded together, Ishtar. You can’t hide anything from your other half, unless
you’re me of course.”

Marik nodded his head. “Right. So why aren’t you feeling all shitty?”

Bakura chuckled lightly. “I’ve learned how to block Ryou out of my mind. He can keep his pain
to himsR”

Marik cocked his head. “So how do you know he’s in really bad pain?”

Bakura took another drag of his cigarette and sighed. “If what Ryou feels is extremely bad or
good, it filters through to me. I can honestly say I’ve never felt him come through so strongly
though, so I know he’s suffering a great deal.”

“So why don’t you make him go to the hospital if he’s feeling so bad?” Marik asked.

Bakura grabbed the railing of the stairs and pulled himself up, keeping his eyes on Marik.
“Ryou makes his own choices.”

As the words left Bakura’s mouth, a long black limousine pulled into the parking lot.

“Looks like money-bags Kaiba is here to drop mini money-bags off.” Marik mused.

 Bakura glared at the approaching car. “Kaiba.....spoiled rich punk.”

A man dressed in an expensive black suit stepped out of the limo and walked around to the other
side of it. He opened the door and Mokjumpjumped out. “Hey guys!” the smaller Kaiba
exclaimed, waving at Bakura and Marik.

“Hey yourself, mkin-kin-nuts.” Marik chuckled.

Seto stepped out of the limo next, wearing his usual scowl on his face and flowing blue trench
coat.

“Well, well, Ishtar, we meet again.” the CEO scoffed. Seto looked around curiously. “Where’s
you’re little boyfriend?”

 Marik crossed his arms and faced off with Seto. “If it was any of your business I would have
had it faxed to you.”

Seto stood up straight, making himself look even taller, as he walked up to Marik. “Let me
guess, you and Yami had another lover’s quarrel, right? So you went running to Bakura because
you’re horny and he’s easy.”

Bakura glared sharply at the smart-mouthed CEO and pointed his finger. “Hey, fuck you! I am
not easy! I DO have standards, nitwit.”

Seto chuckled at Bakura’s outburst. “Standards, right. Face it freak, you’re as crooked as a
bedspring.”

 “I see success hasn't gone to your head - just to your big fucking mouth.” Bakura scoffed as he
turned his back.

Seto raised his eyebrows in amusement. “Cute comeback, dweeb. I’d give you a dollar for
creativity, but I don’t have anything smaller in my wallet than a fifty.” (dollar bill)

 Bakura rolled his eyes. “I’m trying to imagine you with a personality, but damn, it’s giving me a
migraine headache.”

Seto covered his mouth and yawned. “Calling you dull would be a compliment, so I guess I
won’t say anything.” Seto turned to his younger brother, “Call me when you want to be picked
up, kiddo.”

Mokuba nodded his head sharply. “Sure thing! See ya later big bro!”

Seto disappeared back into the limo and was driven off. Bakura flicked his cigarette into a
puddle of water and glared in the direction Seto had left in. A set of headlights came into view
and the resounding thud of loud music with extra bass seemed to shake the pavement.

“Oh cool! Somebody’s here!” Mokuba said excitedly.

A big truck on 38 inch tires painted camouflage pulled into a parking spot.

“That’s Jou’s truck!” Mokuba pointed out.

Bakura pretended to smile. “Oooh, goody goody. I’m thrilled to death.” he spouted sarcastically.

“Me So Horny” by 2 Live Crew shut off and Jou jumped out of the driver’s side of the truck.
(Yes, the nasty version. The one that starts out, ‘Sittin' at home with my dick on hard, So I got
the black book for a freak to call.....’)

Honda walked around from the other side.

“Dude! You new system kicks ass! It totally blocked her out!” He exclaimed. Jou just giggled as
they walked towards the building.

Suddenly Anzu staggered around the back of the truck holding her head.. She looked like she
was going to fall over.

“OoOoOohhhh......” She sighed, “My head feels like it’s going to fall off!”

Bakura glanced at Marik grinning like a devil, Marik returned the grin.

“Something smells bad.” Jou frowned as he and Honda walked into the church passed Marik and
Bakura.

“Gimp” Bakura snarled under his breath.

Marik just glared.

A couple more cars arrived, one being Yugi’s.

“Time to face the music.” Marik groaned as they watched Yami step out of the car. He was
wearing a tight black sleeveless t-shirt with a pair of grey jogging pants and high top sneakers.
He looked a complete mess. His hair was hidden under a baseball cap he was wearing
backwards. Yami seemed to be in his own little world. Yugi took Y#821#8217;s hand as the walked up
to the church. He smiled up at Bakura as he escorted Yami inside. Yami looked at Marik, but
Marik kept his face turned away.

Malik sided up to Marik. “Are you okay?” he asked quietly.

Marik didn’t answer.

Bakura grabbed both their arms and pulled them toward the door.

“Nobody cares, let’s go in and get this bullshit over with.”

            Bakura, Marik, and Malik walked into the room where the meetings were held. Aside
from Jou, Honda, Anzu and Mokuba, they didn’t recognize anybody. Yugi and Yami were
nowhere to be seen. Bakura glared at the rows of metal chairs lined up ahead of them. There
were already a handful of people sitting down talking amongst each other.

“What I wouldn’t give for a beer and a cigarette right now.” Bakura grumbled. Marik reached
into his black leather jacket and grinned.

“Is that so?” he said quietly, allowing Bakura a glimpse of a bottle of Jack Daniels stashed in his
inner pocket.

Malik elbowed Marik in the ribs and growled from the back of his throat. “You brought booze
into church? Gods Marik...I can’t even think of any words to describe you....you....freak of
nature.”

Bakura grabbed a chair in the back row and turned it around, than sat down with his legs
straddling the backrest. Marik did the same, taking a seat next to Bakura.

Marik looked back at Malik.

“You created me, so what does that tell you, eh?”

Malik sat next to Bakura and held his finger up to his lips. “Shhh....they’re about to start.”

Just as the youth pastor started speaking, Yugi and Yami walked in. Bakura glanced around the
room, noticing how the only open chairs left were one in the very front and two -right next to
Marik.

Instead of offering his seat to Marik, Bakura licked his lips and sat back watching as the scene
unfolded.

Yugi aami ami looked around and realized their situation.

Yami bit his lip and looked at Yugi.

Yugi grabbed Yami’s hand and pulled him to the seats next to Marik -as expected.

Yugi sat next to Marik -also as expected, and Yami reluctantly sat next to Yugi. Bakura covered
his mouth with his hand to try to hold back a laugh. Marik’s reaction was priceless!

Marik had been staring down at the floor and didn’t notice Yami and Yugi. After a minute he
looked up and had to take a double-take of who was next to him!

“Oh shit” Malik chuckled to Bakura.

A short burst of laughter accidently escaped from Bakura. They weren’t the only ones laughing
though.....Yugi had even started giggling at Marik.

“Should I offer my seat to him?” Malik whispered to Bakura.

Bakura shook his head. “Hell no!”

After a brief freak out moment, Marik sat up and smiled at Yami.

Yami looked away, hiding his face.

“Holy shit!” Malik said rather loudly, catching some attention by the people sitting nearby.

“Shhh!” Bakura whispered sharply, launching his elbow into Malik’s rib cage.

“Umph!” Malik gasp as Bakura’s elbow winded him. The youth pastor’s wife was standing
nearby, and decided to put a stop to the horse play. She walked behind the motley five and
leaned over.

“Excuse me? Could you please hold it down?”

Bakura burst out laughing. “Excuse me, I need to use the men’s room.”

“Me too” Marik laughed. They both got up and left, both drawing the atton oon of most
everybody in the room.

“Have they been drinking?” Bakura head the youth pastor’s wife asked Malik, Yugi and Yami as
they walked away, causing him to laugh even harder.

In the bathroom, Marik and Bakura spent a minute getting their laughter out.

Marik pulled the bottle of booze out of his jacket and handed it to Bakura.

“So what’s the deal between you and Twiggy? Did you break up or not?” Bakura asks hes he
took a sip.

“I told him I needed time away from him.” Marik answered casually as he hopped up onto the
sink.

Bakura took another drink and handed the bottle back to Marik.

“So he’s not over you, is he?” Bakura smirked.

Marik shrugged his shoulders.

“Probably not.”

“And you’re not over him” Bakura added, looking smug.

Marik took a long swallow of the whisky and wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his jacket.

“Nope.”

Bakura nodded his head slowly. “I knew it. Malik was right.”

Marik cocked his head.

“Right about what?”

Bakura snatched the bottle from Marik’s hand and took a big drink.

“He said the two of you break up at least once a month.”

Marik shook his head. “It’s not like that, Malik talks a lot of shit. Yamd I d I get along as long
as he isn’ting ing all psycho.”

“I think you’re both psycho.” Bakura mused, taking a quick swig.

“Shut up, look who’s talking.” Marik shot back.

Bakura grinned as he headed toward the door. “Takes one to know one.” He laughed as he left.

He was walking towards the meeting room when he was suddenly overwhelmed by a sharp pain
in his lower abdomen. He grabbed his stomach as he lost his balance and fell to the floor.

*~*~*~*~*~*

“Bakura? Hey, are you okay?”

Bakura slowly opened his eyes. Marik was kneeling down next to him looking slightly worried.

“What happened?” Bakura asked as he sat up, holding his stomach.

“I think you passed out.” Marik answered as he help Bakura up. “You going to be okay?”

Bakura nodded his head. “Uh....yeah, I’ll be fine.” His voice was unsure. “We’d better get back
to the meeting.”

Marik and Bakura returned to the meeting and sat in the same chairs. The youth pastor was
babbling about some upcoming outing at some roller skating ring, and not really piquing the
interest of the two.

Malik leaned over Bakura and slapped Marik’s leg to get his attention. Marik looked up, his eyes
blood shot.

“We should go.” he whispered just loud enough for Marik to hear.

“Whatever” Marik shrugged absently. Was it possible Marik had a little too much to drink? The
empty bottle buried at the bottom of the men’s room garbage could have told the story!

Malik looked at Bakura.

“You better plan on going too, I know Ryou would want to go.”

Bakura made an angry face. “NO fucking way.”

Malik looked toward the front of the room at the youth pastor and raised his hand. “Can I sign
somebody who isn’t here up?” he asked.

Pastor Gerry nodded his head. “Of course, the sign ueet eet will be out on the back table after
the meeting.”

“Excellent!” Malik grinned, loving every minute of watching the spirit next to him squirm.

Bakura kicked Malik’s shin hard. He knhat hat the blonde was up to. “You are not signing my
hikari up for this Ra-blasted event. You’ll find your reproductive organs very tightly wedged in a
vice and meeting the rusty edge of a machete if you do so!” he hissed.

Malik’s innocent smile worried the former grave robber. A spooky feeling that his threat had no
effect on the Egyptian sent shivers up his spine. What the hell was a “roller skate” anyway?
Hopefully it was small enough to shove up Malik’s skinny tomb-keeper ass!

Bakura sat through the rest of the meeting paying no attention whatsoever to what was going on
around him. He just sat there wondering what had caused him to black out earlier.

            After the meeting, Bakura headed straight out the door.

“Leaving so soon?” Marik asked as he sided up to Bakura out in the parking lot.

Bakura reached into his jacket pocket for the keys to Malik’s motorcycle and nodded sharply. He
got on the bike and started it up.

“I’m coming with you.” Marik said as he got on behind Bakura.

Before they could go anywhere, Malik came running out of the church shouting for them to wait.

Bakura growled under his breath.

“Are you going back by Ryou?” Malik asked as he caught his breath.

“Maybe. Why?” Marik answered him, looking aggravated.

“I was just asking. I’m going to have Jou drop me off there.” Malik elaborated.

“That’s just wonderful.” Marik sarcastically remarked. He swatted Bakura’s arm.

“Let’s get out of here now.”

“See you!” Malik waved as he ran to Jou’s truck.

Bakura revved up the bike and grinned over his shoulder at Marik.

“Better hang on tight.” The thief snickered as he took off quickly. He pulled a wheelie as they
sped out of the parking lot, eliciting a chorus of cheers from near by onlookers.

“Whoo Hoo!” Bakura shouted as he sped toward home.

 

 

Upon their arrival at Bakura’s apartment, Bakura opened the door and let Marik and
Malik inside. The flat was quiet and dark, except for the bathroom. The light was on and there
was music playing softly inside.

“I’ll go check on Ryou.” Bakura said as he walked through the darkness towards the hallway.
Marik found a seat for himself on the sofa, picking up a magazine laying on the coffee table.

After finding Ryou asleep in the bathtub, Bakura sat in his recliner and kicked up the foot rest.

“I’d love to kill Malik right now.”

Marik put his feet up on the coffee table and chuckled as he flipped through the magazine.

Bakura lit up a cigarette and blew three smoke rings. “Rolling around in a circle on wheels just
sounds completely foolish. I can’t believe he signed Ryou and I up. What a little fucker.” he
griped as he watched the rings of smoke float through the air.

“I’ll be sure to bring a camera Saturday.” Marik mused as he focused on a page.

Bakura scowled at Marik. “You’ll be squat-launching film out your ass if you even think of
photographing this.”

“Sounds kinky” Marik chuckled, still reading the same page.

Bakura shook his head.

“Only you would think that, freak.”

Marik got up off the sofa and grabbed the telephone off the charger. “I need to make a call.” He
said as he dialed some numbers he was reading from the magazine.

Bakura tapped the ash of his cigarette into an empty soda can sitting on the table next to his
chair. As the events of the night rolled through his mind, he couldn’t help but wonder what had
caused him to black out. Bakura settled into his cushy blue recliner and picked up the remote
control for the stereo. “Sexacutioner” by GWAR blared out of the speakers around the room.

“Damn it, hold on,” Marik said into the phone, “BAKURA! TURN THAT DOWN!”

Bakura clicked the music down a notch and hopped out of his chair. He stalked up behind Marik
and started whispering some of the words in Marik’s ear.......just to be an ass.

“So you think that you are all very smart?” Bakura purred.

Marik tried swatting the annoying thief away with his hand as he continued his phone
conversation. “I-s-h-t-a-r.” he spelled out.

“That you know many words?” Bakura continued, starting to break a grin.

Marik again tried shoving him away.

“Yes, apartment one, -gods damn you, Bakura! Fuck off! I’m sorry, Miss, what did you say?

Bakura chuckled as he snatched a bag of cheesy poofs off the top of the microwave and brought
them into the bathroom.

“Hey, rat-face, wake up.” Bakura said to Ryou as he hovered above his hikari sleeping in the
bathtub.

“Huh? Wha?” Ryou answered groggily, slowly opening his eyes. “AH!!” He shrieked as
Bakura’s beady brown eyes locked with his.

Bakura stepped back laughing. “You’re so damn twitchy, gods Ryou! It’s only me. Hungry?” he
asked, holding out the bag of cheesy poofs.

Ryou sat up slowly and pulled his knees to his chest. He looked up at Bakura and shook his head.
“No thank you. I’m not hungry.”

Bakura shrugged his shoulders as he popped a few cheesy poofs in his mouth. “Whatever.
Malik’s on his way over, so if you need anythingk hik him, not me. Got it?”

Ryou turned on the hot water and nodded. “Yes, yami, I understand. How was the meeting
tonight?”

Bakura rolled his eyes. “Malik signed us up for some stupid bullshit on Saturday, he can tell you
about it when he gets here. You won’t be too disappointed if I slit his throat, will you?”

Ryou’s jaw dropped open. He stared up at Bakura in disbelief. “You wouldn’t........” he gasp.

Bakura just laughed as he walked out of the bathroom back into the livingroom. Marik was just
hanging up the phone.

“What’s so funny?” He asked as he walked back over to the sofa and sat down.

Bakura picked up a small hand-held electronic poker game from the table next to his chair
smirked. “Oh nothing.” The tell-tale thumping of Jou’s loud rap music informed the two dark
deities that Malik had arrived. Moments later there was a knock at the door.

“It’s open!” Bakura yelled, not taking his eyes off his little poker game. “The little gimp is in the
tub.”

Malik walked in and looked around. “Where’s Ryou?”

Bakura lifted his eyes from his game and glared angrily. “I told you, moron, he’s taking a
fucking bath.”

Malik cupped his hand behind his ear and leaned closer to Bakura.

“Huh? What did you say? I can’t hear a Ra-damn thing!”

Marik got up off the sofa laughing. “I think Jou’s loud music deafened the boy. I’ll handle it,
Bakura.”

Marik returned to the living-room alone minutes later, zipping up his leather jacket.

“Malik said he’s staying over here tonight. Feel like going out?”

Bakura set his poker game down and nodded his head. “What do you have in mind?”

Marik pulled out his wallet and looked to see how much money he had, than grinned at Bakura.

“We could go back to my place, the bar below my apartment is decent. We could have a few
beers and shoot some pool.”

Bakura groaned as he got up out of his chair. “I’ll go, but only if you pay for drinks.”

Marik nodded his head. “Not a problem.”

Bakura grinned evilly as he lit up a cigarette. “Than let’s fucking go.”

Bakura handed Marik the keys to Malik’s motorcycle as they headed out.

“By the way, I’m just curious, who were you talking to on the phone before?” Bakura asked as
they walked outside.

Marik grinned as they got on Malik’s motorcycle. “I bought something, when it comes in the
mail we’ll have to try it out together.”

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

I’ll edit this chapter tonight. I know I should do it before I post, but to hell with it. I have to
practice my guitar. My Warlock needs my love too. LOL

Thank you to my reviewers!!!!!!!!! I love you all so much!

Just so you all know, Yami and Marik are not over with. The next chapter will not surprise
Malik. LOL And yes, Seto and his insults will be back soon. I’m not going to say what will
happen to Ryou though. All I can say about him is that he will suffer a few more weeks.

xoxox

        0;�