Silver and Gold

Author’s Notes: Aiiiii, I know! I know it’s been so long since I posted a chapter, and really this one isn’t worth the wait. No yaoi
involved. I’m sooooorll yll you yaoi-deprived people. But I got this crappy ol’ job, you see. And I’ve been working on my fics every once in a while, but I’m always so tired to do anything of any real quality. I have been try tho though! I feel so bad leaving some of my other ones, but I’ve been mostly working on this and TTTB, and since this is the shorter one, it got done first. Anyway, I’ll quit my rambling and let you get onto the chapter. :D Once again, I’m sorry for the long wait!


Yugi couldn’t help but let this undying curiosity lead him through the dimly lit halls toward Bakura’s room. He had to pay him a visit. There wast tst this nagging at the back of his mind (that wasn’t his other self, after all). Bakura was one of their friends who had been badly injured before this tournament even took place; a friend of theirs who had been under the control of Malik and used toward his schemes. And Malik…no, what did he say…? He claimed himself as the yami no jinkaku[1], an even darker half than the one who had been in control previously. Yugi frowned and reached out to contact the spirit inside of himself at a thought.

Mou hitori no…boku[2]…?

Un, what is it, aibou?

Malik…iya…the Malik that’s in control right now…do you think it’s a spirit from the Sennen Rod? Just like you’re from the Sennen Puzzle and Bakura-kun has the other Bakura from the Sennen Ring…

Iya. Much though it would explain a lot, aibou…during his duel with Mai, he claimed to have been created by his omote
no jinkaku[3]. That he was created five years ago, at the haku mori no gishiki[4]. I don’t quite know what to make of it…

Sou ka[5]… Yugi frowned on the outside, and came up to Bakura’s door. At least we’ll see now, mou hitori no boku…if Bakura-kun’s dark half is back with him.

Un.

With that, Yugi reached up slowly, knocking gently against the door. He listened for a moment to the silence before he raised his voice a bit. “Bakura-kun…it’s me.” He waited quietly, before those lips pinched downward. There was no sound of shuffling, no evidence of Bakura being up and moving around. Maybe it was all just a figment of my imagination…

“Ooi, Yugi!” The effeminate voice was followed by the clicking of heels against the floor, carrying Anzu forward. She stopped beside the shorter boy, placing a hand against his shoulder. “Yugi…? Kaiba-kun’s duel is about to start…”

“U-un!” Yugi nodded in response. “I know that mou hitori no boku is looking forward to watching Kaiba-kun…”

Aibou, I do not look forward to watching him. I me wis wish to see if Kaiba advances to the next round…

Hai, hai…you both are always looking forward to dueling each other. I bet that’s why you want to see if he advances!

Aibou… The voice was a bit exhausted by his omote’s teasing.

Yugi released a light-hearted giggle, though lifted the magenta eyes to meet Anzu’s confused expression, “G-gomen, Anzu! I’ll be heading up to that duel now!” With that, Yugi rushed off in order to save himself from anymore strange looks his way.

Though, that left the girl behind, arching a slender brow in confusion, Mou hitori no Yugi…who are you really…? The Pharaoh of an ancient past…neglected to have been recorded…according to Isis-san. Who he is…what his life was like…he doesn’t even recall his name. Anzu frowned deeply, going into a thought as she watched her friend disappear around torneorner. But, before she knew what was happening, there was a jingling sound of sorts. Those eyes widened, and immediately following, her features became blank…expressionless.

The body twisted itself toward Bakura’s door, and the voice rose up slowly. “All right, Bakura…he’s gone now…”

A mechanical sound rose up with the sliding open of the room, and the tomb robber stepped out into the hall, narrowing his eyes. “About damn time. Like I was gonna sit around and make nice with the Pharaoh. I’d much rather be killing him…”

“You’re not the only one…” Sighed out words slipped past the girl’s lips. “Are you ready to watch this duel…?”

“I don’t see why the hell I should care…it’s not like I’m priest’s biggest fan…” The tomb robber felto sto step beside Malik. “He was one of the ones to seal me into the Sennen Ring, after all.”

There was only silence from Anzu’s body as they made it toward the elevator, and after a long moment of lingering quietude, she turned toward him again. “Because…my yami no jinkaku is up there watching…”

Bakura froze, and gazed over at the other quietly. So soon…? He wanted him to see his darker half so soon…? He had barely survived in their last meeting, and this one probably wouldn’t be any different when Yami Malik had his way. The tomb robber hadn’t had any time whatsoever to scheme about what would be the best method of going about this! How could Malik expect to just throw him right up there to try and get his body back…? And that thought was almost amusing when you looked at it. The king of thieves…who never really plotted out things before he went through with them, needed to come up with a plot to get rid of the darker half.

Malik used Anzu’s eyes to narrow on h“You“You’re scared, aren’t you…?”

“Nani?! Scared?! Me?!” Bakura smirked somewhat. “You really don’t know me at all…nothing scares the darkness…”

“He’s darker than you, you know. Darker than whatever darkness you claim to be. He’s hurt so many people…killed more…”

“Urusai! You don’t know a thing about what I did in my life before! Nothing he can do on the battle ship can compare! I happen to have a goal, Malik…as fun as it would be to sit around and torture everyone aboard. Anyone who doesn’t have a Sennen
Item or something I want isn’t worth my damn time…”

“So, I was nothing but a means of getting the Sennen Rod…?”

Bakura could have sworn that there was a notch of hurt in the tone, but he couldn’t quite be sure. It Anz Anzu’s voice after all, not Malik’s own, “What the hell else did you think you were good for…? I guess you were a good enough fuck…” He smirked slowly, knowing just what words would hurt the other’s pride. Malik had been a virgin, after all, and if he really did care…then this would be a painful blow.

And indeed it was. The empty blue eyes just stared at him in surprised pain, before without another word, they closed and head turned aside, “Fine. If that’s how you think of me…I don’t need your help! You won’t get the Sennen Rod…or find out the secrets on my back. And I hope he kills you for all I care…”

“Malik…” The tomb robber uttered, staring at him quietly. He almost felt…a twinge of guilt on the inside. Like he had said something wrong that he shouldn’t have said. But…it was true, wasn’t it? Malik was just a good lay, because the King of Thieves did not care for anyone. I haven’t in the past…so I won’t now. And now that you’re not in the way, Malik…I’ll be able to kill you and -steal- the Sennen Rod.

“B-Bakura-kun…?” A voice rup qup quietly from the female, her hand clutching to her forehead and a confused expression on her face. “What’s going on…?”

He raised his brows, turning toward Anzu and then plastered on his sweetest smile, “Ah, Anzu-chan…anou…I just came out of my room and noticed you standing there. You looked kind of out of it…daijoubu…?” Tch, I could kill that bastard for just leaving
me alone with her!

“I don’t seem to remember…” Her gaze focused on the spot where she had been standing, and then to the area they were at. But, shoulders lifted absently, and she released a laugh. “I guess it doesn’t matter. We should get up there and see the duel for ourselves.”

“Kaiba-kun, ne? I hope no one minds if I join you in watching…”

“You’re feeling better then, hm?”

“U-un! Much better now…arigatou.” His eyes closed happily, and then he made his way toward the elevator to quicken the time that they would part from each other. He’d much rather get up there facing certain death than deal with this.

“That’s good to…” Anzu trailed off, watching Bakura rush away…though she merely followed him so that they could both go up to the deck. Bakura-kun must be eager to see the duel after he’s been cooped up in the room for so long. I don’t blame him.

* * *

The winds that swished about were always the most magnificently demonstrated on the tails of Kaiba Seto’s trench coat. Beautifully washed white fluttered behind the thin frame who’s arms were folded casually across his chest. He never maintained anything but utter confidence, even when facing an unknown opponent. To all that had made it to the knock-out tournament, the last duelist…the eighth…had remained a complete mystery. Everyone who watched wished to find out who this person was. Evenlik,lik,lik, to a certain extent, wanted to know. After all, it would be much better if this person was someone of importance to torture. Then again, all people did scream…

The dark half of Malik stood silently at the side, holding his own similar stance to Kaiba’s own. Across from him, Yugi, no rather…mou hitori no Yugi waited in silence, staring at Seto with an utterly serious expression while Jounouchi, Honda, Otougi, and Shizuka talked amongst themselves. Everyone’s attention had drifted toward the doors of the elevator when a ping was let out…though what they saw could not be the eighth duelist. Anzu moved outward and was soon followed by Bakura. The tomb robber drew in a breath of the night air, before he shifted his attention toward Yami Malik, locking eyes with him again.

The darker soul only smirked, Bakura…you wished for an even earlier death, I see…

He narrowed his eyes, Malik…

“Minna!” Anzu immediately joined up with the group of friends.

Honda glanced toward the girl in an instant, “Anzu, how could you let Bakura leave the room…?”

“Is Bakura-san feeling better…?” Shizuka asked hopfully.

“He seems to be…” Anzu replied to Shizuka’s question first, and then gazed over at the boy who had addressed her beforehand. “And Bakura-kun had already left his room…I just ran into him in the hall…”

“Sou ka…” Yugi no Yami stated absently, shifting the intense magenta eyes toward the silver-haired boy. “That isn’t our friend Bakura.”

“O-ooi, Yugi…ya …it’…it’s…the other Bakura…?” Jounouchi had to flinch at the memory of the previous duel. Not only had the spirit from the Sennen Ring trapped their souls inside their favorite cards, he had drawn up the creepiest monsters in his duel against Yugi.

“Un…” The Pharaoh narrowed his lids. “That’s exactly what I mean…”

“Demo…” Honda interjected, raising his hands to draw attention to himself. “Otougi and I went looking for the Sennen Ring that one night, and it wasn’t anywhere to be found. So, how can he be back…?”

“It wasn’t like we did it very successfully, Honda-kun…” Otougi rolled the green spheres upward. “If I recall correctly, you tripped and nearly took us both over the side of the ship…”

Shizuka gasped in surprise, and immediately turned toward the Dungeon Dice creator, “Otougi-san, daijoubu desu ka[6]?”

“Un! Daijoubu…it was a close call…but thankfully I was there to keep Honda-kun together…” Ryuji wore his best noble expression under the younger Jounouchi sibling’s appraising eyes.

“Nan datou[7]?!” How DARE Otougi try to turn this situation into something of his advantage. Honda wouldn’t stand by quietly and take it, after all.

Jounouchi raised his brows as the o two two commenced arguing, but he shook his head and turned his attention to Yugi.
“Demo…how? If no one found the Sennen Ring…then, who…?”

“The answer is simple…” An unfamiliar voiced joined the conversation just as soon as the elevator doors opened again.

Seto was the first to impatiently glance up, even if a hushed silence fell over the group. He had wanted to get this duel done and over with so that he could go on to the finals. And this eighth duelist certainly had a lot of nerve in keeping him waiting. Whoever it may have been, it wasn’t anyone of true importance. Just a stepping stone on his path to victory, and one he was sure that he could easily crush. A confident smirk appeared on his lips as the woman approached her end of the arena, and his eyes
closed for a moment.

“Hm. You certainly have a lot of nerve keeping me waiting. Or perhaps it’s the fact that you’re afraid to face me. Either way…you had every right to do so…and perhaps you would like to forfeit now…” Kaiba’s spoke with his normal arrogance, as was often found in his tone.

“Iie. You are wrong, Seto…” The veiled Egyptian woman stopped in her tracks, staring at him with fiercely blue eyes before her gaze drifted to her side…toward the darkest being that stood there.

“Heh! That’s right, Kaiba! No one fears going up against you! You just wait until we hit the finals and I can kick your ass!” Jounouchi perked up at the opportunity to throw an insult at the corporate CEO.

“Urusai, bonkotsu[8]. No one asked for your commentary…” Naturally, he knew this would get Katsuya even more riled up and that was pretty much why he had even bothered to acknowledge his words, smirking a bit as he heard a barrage of insults fly from the blonde’s lips.

Yugi cut into the conversation, watching the woman quietly, “You said that you knew the answers as to why Bakura is present now. Tell us, why is that…?”

The tomb robber made a face, “Tch…I’m standing right here, you know…the least you could do is ask me for yourself.”

“Perhaps they’re best looking for a way to destroy you…” The words were a whisper of breath into Bakura’s ear as sometime between the span of a few seconds, Yami Malik had closed the distance. “But they won’t get the chance, because I’ll do so first…”

Bakura closed his eyes confidently, “Keep dreaming, Malik. Demo, I don’t quite care to hear about your dreams and aspirations…so do me a favor and shut up.”

“The answer is simple. The one standing behind him…iya…the Malik you met earlier is my otouto. He was the one to bring Bakura back…what I work toward, is bringing that Malik back…and getting rid of the one that’s present.” She closed her eyes and then reached upward, withdrawing the veil from her face and gazing over at the brunette before her.

“Y-you’re…” Kaiba’s eyes widened with surprise.

“Sou desu. Watakushi wa Isis Ishtar.[9]”

“Isis-san…?” Anzu regarded her and then glanced toward Yugi. “She’s the one we met that day at the exhibit, ne?”

“Un.” Yugi responded, furrowing his brows in confusion. Why would this woman be attending the duel…?

For the first time, not that anyone had been paying attention other than Isis and perhaps Bakura, Yami Malik’s features flickered. Something of an internal conflict had been stirred up and only briefly shown on his face. The dark character growled a bit, clenching a fist angrily at his side. Just the sight of his sister, apparently made Malik all the more willing to fight for control, but the one who held it would not relinquish such a thing easily. Bakura spared a curious glance to the Egyptian male, watching his reactions with a fairly amused expression.

“Ora, ora…it seems like Malik’s having a bit of trouble…” He taunted.

“Urusai,” Yami Malik shot back.

“Heh, why? You need all your concentration for holding him in…? Maybe you’re not as powerful as you’d like to believe…”

“Urusai!” The blond shot back angrily, bringing most everyone’s attention to him for a moment.

That was when Kaiba closed his eyes with a smirk, “Hm. I don’t know what you’re up to, Isis. But quite frankly, I don’t care. This duel is only a small obstacle for me to pass. Whatever your story is, I will win…regardless of the fact that you gave to me…the Kami no card…”

“Confidence such as that will be your downfall, Seto. I have forseen this duel…every step until the end…” Blue eyes drifted to the two at the side. Malik…I will win…for your sake.

“Che…how boring,” The dark half of Malik spoke up. “Whether or not onee-sama wins…I will be the one in control…” He
chuckled, and turned away with a flourish of his cape, beginning to the exit.

“Hm…” Kaiba responded with an arrogant grin. “I will be the one to win this duel…because your kami no card…will be mine in the end, Malik.”

“Omoshiroi[10]…I’d like to see you try to obtain it…”

Bakura narrowed his eyes, watching Malik make escaescape…and at the announcement of the beginning of their duel, he too, slipped away, following the path Malik’s yami no jinkaku had taken. The thief remained silent in his stalking; even in sneakers and the heavy modern clothing, he was still able to keep close to soundless. His thin frame pressed against the side when he noticed spikspike-haired male rounding the corner at the end of that particular hall. And after a moment or so, he too had gone
along after him, furrowing his brows. For a moment, the tomb robber rather off-handedly wondered why it was he was pursuing him. It wasn’t as though he still had a promise to Malik himself. As a matter of fact, he swore he would just take the Sennen Rod from
him. And perhaps that was what this was about.

But Bakura would be lying, if hed hed he didn’t feel a pressing worry mounting in his chest for the annoying, whiny brat he had first met in the alley. Lie though he would rather do than to admit the truth of it, he was bothered by what occurred moments earlier. And it made him wonder if Malik would give up completely to the darkness on the outside…such a darkness who so wonderfully tormented Kujaku Mai and left her in a coma. Yami Malik did have his good points as well…since fondness for torment was something that Bakura had shared. But, obviously something that the omote did not like, and all the silver-haired one could
seem to think of now…was the way those lavender eyes shimmered with distinct pain. How he wanted to fuck that sorrow all away…

It was perhaps that Bakura had been thinking too much on this that he didn’t notice as he rounded the corner…Yami Malik hadn’t gone as far as he believed him to. As a matter of fact, the ancient spirit was greeted by a hand against his throat, suddenly slamming him against the wall. His body went rigid on instinct, and brown eyes narrowed fiercely upon the one who held him with a twisted smirk. Well, this most certainly was familiar. But, the tomb robber wouldn’t be kept in that situation for long, shifting his form and grasping a hold of the nicely tanned arm, twisting it around in his grasp.

“What the hell are you doing, temee?”

“I should ask you that question first. Why are you following me?” Then his lips twitched upward. “Perhaps you’re just eager to walk into your death, Bakura.”

“Urusai! You should know by now…if three thousand years couldn’t kill me, nothing can…”

“Hoh? Then…” Malik’s voice became one rich with sadistic enjoyment. “I could torture you all I wish…destroy your body…make you wish that death was upon you. Bring you so near to that line, you wish you could cross it to escape. No one would come to save you…and eventually…even spirits can be sacrifices to the darkness…” He drew his head back for a laugh, snapping his arm way from Bakura’s grasp which caused his cloak to sway a bit.

Bakura growled lowly at the other’s laughter and angrily lunged himself forward, slamming his forearm across Malik’s neck while the free one pressed him against the opposite wall. “The only one worthy of tormenting anyone…is me…”

The blond merely grinned, a purely evil and indifferent grin, “Kimochi[11]…the pain and anger. Torture me all you wish, I won’t care. I like pain…and I like darkness even more. All those things which frighten my omote are things I love…”

“Sick fuck…”

He merely canted his head with an interested expression, “Is that what you think, Bakura…? I’d say...you’re attracted to this ‘sick fuck’ and that’s the reason why you’re so insistent upon following me. All the things I love are things you love as well. The pain…” Behind his back, Yami Malik twisted the Sennen Rod’s covering…revealing the blade in a quick moment and driving that into Bakura’s side, delighting in the pained expression that overtook his features. “You’re so beautiful when you wince for me like that…”

Bakura’s eyes opened wide, and flickered downward to his side to see it had indeed been pierced by the Sennen Rod. Much though he didn’t care about the pain, and much though he could live through anything…Ryou’s body couldn’t. And thhe rhe reached forward to rip the tanned arm away with its weapon, staggering back to clutch a hold of the wound that graced his skin, already staining his clothes with all the more blood. It flowed easily over his fingertips, coating pallid skin with deep vermilion. And after a moment of being fascinated by the way he bled, he looked over at Malik to watch the other drag his tongue very seductively along the blade of the Sennen Rod. Bakura could only growl in anger and because of that anger, the Sennen Ring sparked to life, charms
jingling before they flared outward.

Yami Malik halted his teasing for the moment to regard the other with interest. That was until the magical energy came to surround him, golden light encircling his form. His brow flickered downward a bit, and a vein protruded beneath tanned skin in annoyance. He felt it tightening, drawing his shoulders together and crushing against his chest. And Bakura only wore a cocky smirk after that.

“The ring will only get smaller and ser uer until it slices you in two. I hope you can find a way out of it, Malik…” The pale thief took a step back and made his retreat, annoyed at himself for doing so… But it’s just not time to deal with him yet. I have to make sure yadonushi’s body remains in tact…

The darker one glared after where the tomb robber had disappeared, and in a matter of seconds, it was an easy task for the Sennen Rod to remove the spell. He rolled his eyes somewhat. “Hn! I’ll taste your blood for that—” His voice trailed off as he felt something fighting within him, something that caused his head to begin to pound and breath to accelerate. Yami no Malik brought a hand up against his forehead, clutching it beneath the golden locks, before he headed the opposite way in order to get control. He needed to secure Malik in his place as ever since Isis had appeared, his ‘lighter’ half had done nothing but try to break free.

“But you have to remember that I’m the main character now, shujinkou-sama…”

* * *

Bakura sought refuge within his room, peeling his hand away from the stickiness at his side. His head rested back against the closed door and heavy pants slipped past his lips. He had to stop the bleeding…how much blood could he really lose before it made him pass out…? He was already weak and light-headed from the reopening of the wound at his arm that needed to be re-stitched. Now this on top of everything, and Malik…Malik was still far gone from him. His fist closed and slammed angrily into the wall, forcing each of the knuckles to pop.

“Chikushou!” The thief cursed, before he dragged himself weakly over to the bed, and allowed his knees to give out.

Opening the dark door was a task that was far too difficult, and defeating the Pharaoh himself was also one much the same. He had already lost his chance at gaining the God cards by fair means, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t attempt to steal them away. Though, even if he did that, it still wouldn’t ensure victory. He needed to know the secret of the patterns that were held on Malik’s back. Malik…why couldn’t he stop thinking of him? No matter how angry his words had left him…he couldn’t stop thinking…wondering…worrying. Damn it, what was wrong with him?!

Bakura simply rested his head against the mattress, and wed wed his consciousness to fade a bit against his will…back into the Sennen Ring. That left behind a doe-eyed, innocent half…who cried out at the pain he resurfaced to. The chocolate hue’s widened as they caught sight of the blood, and he quickly reached forward to press the edge of the blanket against it in order to stop it. Any normal person might have panicked…might not have even been able to think as far as Ryou had. But, despite being frailer than his tomb robbing counterpart…the boy was a lot stronger than what met the eye.

“Itai…”

But that didn’t exactly mean he enjoyed the pain. Eyes welled up with unshed tears, and he pressed the blanket in deeper. He didn’t know what to do…or where to go. As a matter of fact, he didn’t even recognize where he was. There was a lot of space of time that he didn’t recall…and the last time he even remembered being on the surface was when he was faced by the giant red dragon…opposite side of Yugi. His hand pressed against his forehead, and he winced, trying desperately to remember anything more.

“Ryou-kun…?”

The boy blinked, and twisted his form to catch sight of a slightly translucent one. It was a blond Egyptian, who…if Ryou could tell right seemed to wear a slightly regretful expression. “Dare[12]…?”

“Gomen ne, Ryou-kun…for all the pain you had to suffer…” The ‘ghost’ eased his way forward, kneeling easily beside him. “Before, everything was all a part of my plan to get revenge on the Pharaoh. I didn’t think anything of controlling your mind and using you as my puppet…until…the situation turned itself around on me…and I’m the one who has no control over his own body…”

Ryou watched him in confusion, shaking his head gently. “Who…are you?” He once again asked.

“Ah, gomen. I forgot that I never even introduced myself to you. I suppose there’s a lot to fill you in on. But I’ll start with the simple things first. Boku wa Malik…Malik Ishtar…”



[1] Yami no Jinkaku translates into ‘character of dark’. It’s what they use to refer to Malik’s other character in the series.


[2] Mou hitori no Boku is what Yugi refers to Yami Yugi as. I suppose it’d be the same as saying ‘the other
me’ or something like that.


[3] Omote no jinkaku would be the opposite of yami no jinkaku.


[4] Lol, I actually don’t really know the literal translation for this. Haku mori no Gishiki is what I broke it down to through searching, but Haku Mori…I’m going to assume is somethalonalong the lines of grave watchers…and gishiki means ritual. So the Grave Watcher’s ritual? Whatever it is, it refers to the time when Malik received the carvings from his father just to clear that up.


[5] Sou ka basically means ‘I see.’


[6] Daijoubu desu ka is basically the polite way of asking if he’s all right.


[7] Nan datou would be something along the lines of ‘what did you say?!’


[8] Urusai supposedly means ‘noisy’ or ‘annoying’ according to the Japanese dictionary I looked in, but a lot of anime’s subtitle it as ‘shut up.’ And as for bonkotsu, well that means something along the lines of ‘common’. Kaiba often calls Jounouchi ‘bonkotsu no duelist’ or something like that. The best subtitle definition I have seen of it would be mediocrity.


[9] Sou desu is ‘that’s right’. And watakushi is the way Isis refers to herself. It’s the very polite form of watashi. And that’s basically introducing herself which I’m sure you could figure out ^^.


[10] Omoshiroi…ahhhh, can I say right now that I LOVE the way Yami Malik always says this. It means ‘amusing’ or ‘interesting’. But he’s always saying it fairly sarcastically. Skjsfd I love Yami Malik.


[11] Kimochi means ‘it feels good’ or ‘it feels nice’. Yami Malik is such a freak.


[12] And dare means ‘who’.