Adult-FanFiction.org : Yu-Gi-OH

Emergence of the Tombkeepers	By : Aten Category: Yu-Gi-Oh > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 2374 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Disclaimer:‭ ‬I don’t own Yugioh and make no money off of this.‭ ‬I do own the OC’s‭ (‬Aten,‭ ‬Aria,‭ ‬Umi,‭ ‬Robbie,‭ ‬and anyone else not Yugioh-related.‭)

Chapter List
- 4
- 5
- 6
Trapped
Yami Marik winced in pain as he opened his eyes.A familiar warmth surrounded him as soft, clean sheets caressed his face.A sweet,spicy smell lingered in the air as he slowly moved his fingers against the velvet linens. I must be back here.....in my soulroom. Marik slowly opened his eyes to view his blurry surroundings. Damn....what happened? Marik groaned as he ran his fingers through his spiky, blond hair. His chest hurt,his hip burned, and his head throbbed with pain.
The yami slowly sat up in his bed and looked up at the canopy above. Red and gold-fringed linens dangled from the canopy above. A fireplace flickered with flames, casting dancing shadows on the ground and the oriental carpet nearby. A table with bowls of never-spoiling grapes, apples, oranges, and figs rested among lit candles and a vase of perpetually-fresh flowers.. In the corner of the room, the sandpit representing his earthly grave remained untouched. A wilted rose rested upon the sand where he was buried after he was murdered five-thousand years before. Marik cautiously shifted off the bed as the world spun around him. He held onto the gold bed post as the room steadied.
'I can tell it’s been a while since I’ve been here,’ Marik thought as he walked to the vase of flowers. 'The last thing I remember was laying on my bed and embracing Bakura. Malik must have returned me to the Millennium Rod.’ Marik placed a rose between his fingers and walked over to his grave. He kneeled before the sandpit and placed the flower on top of the sand. He closed his eyes and said a quick prayer.
When he was finished, he opened his eyes and walked over to the soulroom door. He grabbed the doorknob and tried to turn it. 'What’s this?’ The doorknob would not turn. 'What the hell?’ Marik pulled at the doorknob and banged on the door. “MALIK! MALIK!OPEN THE DOOR!”
“Marik?! Marik, where are you?”
“I’m in my soulroom! Open the door! Get me out of here!”
The doorknob to his room jiggled, but would not turn. The door shuddered as Malik banged his body against the door. “Marik, I can’t open it!It’s locked!”
Yami Marik narrowed his eyes. “Stand back,tenshi.” Marik grit his teeth and crashed his body against the door violently. “Damn!” Marik cursed as the collision made his injuries burn.
“Marik, are you alright?”
“No, that fucking hurt!”
Marik gripped the doorknob and tried to force the door open. “Stupid Ra-damned lock! Get me out of here!”
Malik gripped the lock tightly from the other side and grunted as he tried to open it. “The door is locked!”
Yami Marik scowled at the lock as he breathed heavily. “Alright. Let me try to take over your body.”
“I don’t know if you can. I’m wearing a wierd mask thing. Lumis and Umbra put it on me.”
Marik growled. “I will personally introduce them to their insides when I get out there. Alright, I’m going to take over.”
“Alright. I’ll let you.”
Yami Marik closed his eyes and crossed his arms against his chest. The Sennen Eye appeared on his forehead, then faded. “What the fuck? I can’t take over!”
“I can’t take control, either, yami.”
“What the hell is going on?” Marik asked as he looked at the door.
Yami Marik growled at the door. “I can’t take over your body and the door won’t open. You can’t take control either. Did Lumis or Umbra tell you what they wanted?”
“They said they wanted to ‘return me to my rightful place,’ whatever the hell that means.”
Yami Marik walked to the door. “Do they want you to re-organize the Rare Hunters?”
“I don’t know, but.....”
“But what?”
“......What if they go after my Winged Dragon of Ra card? That card is at home!”
Marik narrowed his eyes. “We can’t warn Bakura and Ryou while our souls are trapped in the Millennium Rod.”
“I know Ryou was a little bitch this morning, but we both know what the Rare Hunters can do!”
Marik slammed his shoulder against the door again. “Fuck. There’s nothing we can do.” Marik slammed his body against the door again and winced with pain. He slid down the door and rested his head and hand against the thick, wooden door. “Malik.......”
“Marik, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry, my Light.” Yami Marik looked at the floor. “My hand won’t be able to reach under the door to touch you. I’m trapped in here.”
Marik’s head snapped up as he heard painful shrieks. His heart leapt into this throat. He knew that scream. He’d heard it many times before.
“Ankhenaten! My boy!” Marik gasped.
“What’s wrong with Aten?” Malik asked.
[[Make it stop!]]
Yami Marik growled and rose to his feet. “I have to save my boy!” Marik slammed himself against the door repeatedly with fury. Each time his body collided with the door, his injuries filled him with more pain. Aten’s pain-filled screams fueled his fury. He was helpless, trapped in his soulroom.
[[Please!]]
Marik’s nails scratched at the door, his tight fists pounded on the door, and his boots slammed into the door. Aten continued to scream. “My boy......Aten!!!” Yami Marik’s fists pounded on the door angrily. “Let me out! My son needs me!”
“Marik, I can’t take control of my body!” Malik exclaimed as he looked around helplessly.
Yami Marik backed away from the door. “Stand aside, Malik. I’m going to bust through that door with my Shadow Magic!”
“Alright!”
Marik closed his eyes and clenched his fists tightly. Aten’s agonizing screams continued as he gathered all of his energy around him. A purple haze surrounded him as he focused the dark energy in his spirit. Hate. Pain. Betrayal. All of his emotions and memories coalesced around him as the haze grew dark. As the shadows increased, his pitch-black eyes opened. The shadows and the energy struck the door violently in a quick burst. When the energy he expended subsided, the door remained unscathed. Marik fell on his hands and knees behind the door, panting and tired.
Yami Marik and Malik listened as Aten’s pained shrieks were quickly silenced. “Aten? ATEN!” Marik held his breath as he lowered his head. Marik drew a deep breath, waiting for more screams. “What is happening to him out there? My boy....”
“Marik, what are we going to do?” Malik asked from the other side of the door.
Marik raised his head and stood up. He walked to the door and put his palms on the heavy wooden door. “I don’t know, hikari.”
****************
Bakura leaned on one hand as he perused the pictures on the Ishtars' phone. Ryou held Therion against his chest as he stood behind his yami.
“Where's Aria?" Bakura asked without turning around.
“She's upstairs in her room. I suppose we could let Kailani sleep in the crib with her brother here."
Bakura shrugged. “There won't be any harm in that." Bakura swiped through the photos, smiling at some of the photos and raising a curious eyebrow at others. Ryou stared wide-eyed at one of the pictures. “Oh my!"
“What the fucking hell is he doing with that jar???"
Ryou wrinkled his nose. “I guess I'll have to get a new bottle of peanut butter. That's disappointing. Had I known that, I wouldn't have had crackers and peanut butter with my tea this afternoon."
“Freaks, the both of them." Bakura put the Ishtars' phone on the table with a worried sigh. “I wonder what happened to them, Ry. I have to get to the bottom of this."
Ryou put a supportive hand on Bakura's shoulder. “We'll find them."
”I can‘t lose them, Ry. I was separated from Marik for five-thousand years. I cannot lose him again.” Bakura ran his fingers through his spiky, white hair.
Ryou pet his husband‘s hair. “Perhaps there is something on his phone that can help explain their disappearance.”
“They did take a picture of a strange symbol drawn in blood, but I can’t identify it.Maybe I can email Isis and see what she knows about it. There was a defaced mural in the museum. Someone had drawn the carvings on Malik's back down to the last detail in blood."
“Who would have known about the Tombkeeper's mark? Nobody knows about the Tombkeepers except the finalists in Battle City. You, Anzu, Yugi, Joey, and Seto had the knowledge about the Tombkeepers. Only the Tombkeepers would be able to replicate the carving correctly."
“Why would they have returned? Malik severed ties with his past after Battle City." Bakura turned to his husband. “Do you think the Tombkeepers took Malik?"
Ryou shrugged as he rocked the baby in his arms."It seems very likely if you found a depiction of the carving on Malik's back.”
Bakura stood up and looked at Therion. He reached up and caressed the newborn’s head. “We don’t know where they took him. They could have taken them back to Egypt. Who would be leading them? Malik was their leader, but he forsake them.”
“They wanted their leader back, obviously.”
“To what purpose, I wonder.”
“Why don’t you email Isis? Time for this little guy to go to bed. Isn’t it, Baby Bakura?”
Therion clenched his fists and looked at his father with ice-blue eyes.
“Alright. Goodnight, son.” Bakura kissed his son’s forehead before Ryou carried him up the stairs.
Bakura took the phone and walked to the computer in the living room. He entered his password to access his account, then opened his email program. He read a recently composed email to him from Isis and
Isis---Hope all is well with you and the Cairo Museum. I have attached an image in which I hope you can identify the symbol. Please respond ASAP as your brother is missing and his life may depend on it. Yami Marik is missing, hopefully trapped inside his item and not......” Bakura took a deep breath as his hands froze on the keyboard. He looked up at the pictures of the family hanging on the wall. Ryou and Bakura’s wedding photo hung slightly above Marik and Malik’s wedding photo. Ryou and Bakura stood amongst a forest canopy. A single tombstone, long forgotten and covered in moss, rested beside a nearby tree. The Ishtars’ stood on the docks beside the ocean, an orange, red, and purple sunset behind them.
Bakura turned his head and looked at Aten and Aria’s wedding pictures. Proud parents stood beside their children dressed in their formalwear. A picture hung nearby depicted Bakura and Marik sitting in the garden together, unbeknownst to them that they were being photographed. Beside their photo, Ryou and Malik were laughing at a local carnival where they held cotton candy and gave “peace signs” to the camera.
Bakura continued to type his email. “...Faded into darkness. Please tell me as soon as possible what this symbol may represent. A defaced mural in the Domino Museum had the exact carvings placed into Malik’s skin. If the Tombkeepers are responsible, it is unknown what they want. If they have taken your brother in hopes of rekindling their presence, you and Odion may be in danger. I am not aware of their location. They can be in Egypt or they can be here in Domino. Please respond with haste. In earnest, Yami Bakura Osiris Itemri.”
Bakura sent the email and walked to the front window and peered into the darkness. The Tombkeepers could be anywhere. If they did have Malik, they wouldn’t have gone too far. Osiris only knows how long Marik was bleeding on the ground. He lost so much blood. It was caked on him. As I carried him, I could feel and hear broken bones. Marik........Oh god.....What happened to you? Bakura looked up and down the street through the window.
Ouch.
Bakura turned away and climbed the stairs when he felt a stinging sensation in his abdomen. He walked into the Itemri bedroom and saw Ryou laying on the bed, curled up in a fetal position.
Bakura sat quietly in front of his husband. Ryou shifted close to him and pressed his body against him. Ryou whimpered and tensed as Bakura rubbed his back.
“Did you take your pain pills?”
Ryou nodded quietly. “They’ll take a while to kick in, unfortunately.”
Bakura continued to pet Ryou’s back. “I’ll be right here,” he said quietly as he caressed Ryou’s hair.
“I put him to bed. Did you email Isis?”
“Yeah, I did, but who knows how fast she will answer. She could be working at the museum.”
Ryou sighed as he closed his eyes. “I hope Malik is alright, wherever he is.”
“I’d like to check with my lackeys to see what they know. Maybe they’ve seen something.”
“You can go. I’ll take care of the baby.”
Bakura shook his head. “I’m not leaving you alone until I know what is going on. Malik is gone. I don’t know what happened to him yet and I don’t want to put you in danger.”
“I can take care of both of us,” Ryou yawned.
Ryou sighed as he felt Bakura’s warm palm on his cheek. Bakura’s thumb caressed Ryou’s skin as he relaxed. “My angel,” Bakura whispered as he caressed Ryou’s cheek lightly with the back of his hand.
Ryou’s body relaxed under the hand of his darker half. His breathing slowed and Bakura could see his muscles relax.
I can’t leave him alone. I should be out there looking for Malik and the Millennium Rod. But I can’t leave Ryou and the baby alone. If Marik was found in so bad a shape, I can only imagine what Malik’s condition must be. If Malik is dead.....Yami Marik would have been returned to the Millennium Rod to await his new hikari which could be next year....or in another thousand years. If Malik is dead, I must return the Millennium Rod to the Pharaoh’s stone in Shadi’s care.
The beggars, thieves, and miscreants of the streets could have seen something nearby. I know Jacks, Jewel, Shadow, or Ratt may have heard or seen something. They usually prowl that district. I can’t leave Ryou alone. He’s in no condition to follow me around the city investigating the Ishtars’ disappearance. His scar is still healing and his medicine makes him tired. Perhaps we can pay Kaiba a little visit tomorrow. KaibaCorp would be the safest place for my husband and my son. I would be free to look around and my Millennium Ring can track down the Millennium Rod. That should lead me to Malik.
Ryou’s fingers twitched as he slipped into a deep slumber. Bakura’s hand slipped under the back of Ryou’s shirt and let his fingers glide softly over every vertebra of his lover’s spine. Ryou sighed in his sleep.
Bakura cautiously rose and covered his lover with a blanket. He leaned over and kissed his lover’s forehead. “Sleep well, my angel.”
The white-haired yami crept out of the bedroom and peeked his head into Therion’s bedroom where the boy was sleeping peacefully. Bakura bit his lip in thought and returned to his bedroom. He crept around his bed and reached into the side drawer where his occult deck lay. He returned to Therion’s bedroom. “Dark Necrofear, arise.”
The alien-monster appeared in shadow flames beside him, holding its own baby with a crushed skull. “My lord.”
“Keep an eye on him. If anyone other than myself or Ryou come into the room, alert me.”
The monster bowed her head. “Yes, my lord.”
Bakura turned and walked down the stairs. He made certain the doors were locked and checked his email once more. Isis had not responded. She must be very busy. Bakura sighed and looked into the kitchen. Better make some coffee if I’m going to be standing sentinel. It’s going to be a long night.
***************
Seto clenched his fist in a tight grip as the phone beeped in his ear. "Come on,Joseph!Pick up! I know you can hear me! Perhaps he has his phone turned off. Damn it!" Seto slammed the phone down on the receiver and sighed. He leaned back in his leather chair and looked up at the ceiling. Joey had been gone since yesterday with not a word as to his whereabouts or safety.
'Rocher would not shrink back from the opportunity to use Joey as leverage to take control of KaibaCorp or blackmail me out of millions. I should have sent Donny or Kendall after him. Screw it.' Seto pressed a button on the console. "Kendall, come see me immediately."
[[[Yes, sir, Mr. Kaiba.]]] came the African-American voice on the speaker.
Seto stood up from his leather chair and walked over to the wall of mirrors overlooking the city of Domino. Kaiba looked over the city with a nervous breath.
'Joey, where are you,puppy? Where did he go?'
The speaker on his console suddenly beeped. [[[Mr.Kaiba, a courier is here to see you with a certified letter.]]]
"Send him up, Mara."
'Perhaps Joey sent me a letter....No. That's not his style.' Seto crossed his arms against his chest. 'Perhaps it's a letter from Mokuba. I know he's been trying hard to get KaibaLand established in Germany. He had promised me he would establish a KaibaLand near Munich. There is no doubt that he will be successful. He's become more involved with the company lately. Mokuba had moved to a rural cottage with his wife and kids. Ivy calls me every day with new animals that she sees in the woods. Lily has joined the softball team and Ceres enjoys his baseball league. Ceres has taken an interest in his Uncle Seto and the business. Perhaps he will join KaibaCorp someday.Until then, he's happy as a pitcher.'
Seto walked over to the fireplace mantle and perused the photos. There were few pictures of he and Mokuba as children, but more were pictures of Mokuba, Jeanie, and their children. The triplets were happy, smiling children in every picture. Towards the end of the mantle were pictures of Aten, Aria, and Robbie as infants and little children.
A knock sounded on the door as he turned. "Enter."
Tall, muscular, bald, and standing stiff in a black suit stood Kendall, one of Kaiba's "Public Relations" elite. "Mr. Kaiba, you requested my presence."
"Kendall, I want you to go out there and track down Joseph. Check his alley, the hotel, anywhere he used to frequent before he came to KaibaCorp. He left yesterday and hasn't been heard from since. Find him. Bring him back here."
Kendall bowed his head. "And if Master Joey refuses?"
"Use everything you learned from Karl to bring him back here if need be."
"Yes, Mr. Kaiba."
Kendall turned and opened the door as the military courier stood in the doorway. "No sudden moves," Kendall growled at the courier.
Seto watched the military courier enter the room with a letter. "Can I help you?"
The courier entered the room slowly and removed his hat. "Seto Roka Kaiba, I presume?"
"What is this all about?"
The courier approached the desk and held out a letter. "I'm sorry, Mr. Kaiba. I bring you news regarding your son, Jaimen Kaiba."
Seto looked at the letter and felt his heart sink. "What happened? Where's Jaimen?"
"This letter will inform you. My condolences."
Seto reached out and took the letter in hands he struggled to steady. He opened the letter with hesitation. The courier stood silently as Seto looked up from the paper, his face drained of all color. "Combat operations?"
The courier nodded. "I'm sorry, Mr. Kaiba. The United States military mourns with you in your loss. His plane was overwhelmed. His last words were..."I'm going to make my father proud to call me a Kaiba."
Seto bit his lip as he remembered Jaimen's enlistment. The boy always loved planes. When he wasn't flying, he was dreaming of flying. When he was flying, he dreamed of flying higher. Seto spared no expense with the boy's training. Donny gave the boy lessons when he first arrived at KaibaCorp.
"His remains will be flown to the States next week."
"Is there anything left of him to bury?"
The courier swallowed nervously. "Very little, Mr.Kaiba. His body was badly burned and he was identified by dental records."
Seto looked down at his desk. "I will make arrangement for his cremation. He will be buried in the Kaiba Family crypt. Update me when you know when his body will be brought to the states. Leave."
The courier bowed his head, saluted Seto, then walked out of the office. Seto looked down at the letter and placed it on his desk. Kaiba walked out of his office quietly and walked across the hall to the living room. He closed the door and locked it.
Beethoven's 'Moonlight Sonata' and "Fur Elise" resonated through the hall.
************
Bakura and Ryou looked up at the tall KaibaCorp building looming above them. Aria held Kailani against her as she stood beside her parents. Two statues of Blue Eyes White Dragons flanked the stairs leading to the large glass doors with mouths agape and wings spread over visitors. Bakura gripped the baby carrier as they walked up the steps and through the large glass doors.
Maxine filed her nails at the desk in front of the elevator which gave visitors access to the upper levels. She raised her eyes to see Bakura and Ryou. “Hello, Itemris. Hello, Aria!” Maxine leaned over to see the baby in Bakura’s carrier. Aria smiled and waved quietly. “Congratulations are in order, Bakura.”
“Hello, Maxie. Meet our new son, Therion.”
“He is cute as a button. Look at those blue eyes! He looks like a little mischief -maker, Dad. Mom, you’re looking well.”
Ryou shifted on his feet uncomfortably. “One day at a time.”
Bakura looked down at the baby looking up at her. “Thankfully he’s only a few days old, so he can’t get into two much trouble yet. We’re here to see moneybags.”
Ryou watched a military courier step out of the elevator and leave the building.
“Mr.Kaiba’s visitor just left, so he should be available. Please go right ahead, Bakura. Bye, Ryou. Bye, Aria.”
Bakura stepped into the elevator and keyed in his personal access code to the floor where Kaiba lived. The elevator began to rise through the tunnel. “I wonder if Joey returned home yet.”
“Where did he go?” Aria asked.
“I wonder if Joey and Seto had a fight. It’s not like Joey to just leave Seto and not be back all day.”
Aria looked down at the baby in her arms. I know why they fought.
“If anyone can get out of Seto what happened, it would be you, Ry.”
Ryou shrugged. “I suppose. He’s always opens up to me.”
“This is the safest place for you, Therion, and Aria while I investigate what is going on. Maxine, Donny, Karl, Jay, Kendall, and Asher will take good care of you. I’ll be back to get you as soon as you can.”
“Please be careful, Bakura.”
Bakura nodded as he handed Ryou the baby carrier. “My people know me. They wouldn’t dare lay a finger on me. Jewel might, but not in an unwelcome way.”
“Still, you be careful,” Ryou said uneasily.
“I will be.”
When the elevator arrived on the top floor, Seto’s piano music played softly from behind a door. “Seems like Seto is playing his piano,” Ryou said. “He must be worried about something.”
Aria clutched her baby close as she walked down the hall.
“I’ll check the pup’s art studio. Maybe he’s there.” Bakura walked to the end of the hall where Joey’s studio was the last door on the left. He opened the door and found canvases with completed pictures including landscapes and local attractions. “These are quite good,” Bakura said as he flipped through the canvases. “Nice. Good. Wow. Hey, I know that place. Wow. Hmm. Alright. Wow. Wait—wait, what? Oh my god.....that’s.....this is.....” Bakura’s eyes widened as the paintings became more dark and sinister. Bakura stepped away with a final gasp as all the paintings he pushed against him fell forward onto the ground. “What the fuck--?”
Bakura stared wide-eyed at a painting of Seto having sex with Aria on his office desk. ‘Betrayal’ was written in large red letters above them.
Ryou’s footsteps approached from down the hall. “Yami, is everything okay?”
“Don’t come in here, Ry!”
“Dad! You shouldn’t be in there!” Aria exclaimed.
Ryou stood in the doorway and saw Bakura turning his head towards him. “What’s wrong?”
Bakura glared at the painting. Is this what Aria didn’t want to talk about last night? This must be why Umi left her with the boys and left the baby with us. “Ry, go check on Seto. I need a moment with Aria Kanika.”
“Alright.”
Aria clutched her baby close under the scrutinizing eye of her father. Bakura stepped away from the painting, allowing Aria to get a full view of the erotic image. “Aria....did this happen?”
Aria cradled the baby against her. “Daddy, I....we were lost in memories of the past. I didn’t mean to!” she began to sob.
“Umi found out, didn’t he?”
Aria nodded as she wiped her tears away. “The paternity test came back negative. Seto was a positive match.”
“Joey must have found out and that is why he left.”
Aria began to cry. “I tried to fight it. We both did. We became lost in our memories.”
Bakura looked at the image and back at his daughter. “I can’t believe this.”
“I’m sorry, daddy.”
Bakura closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “The same thing happened to Marik and I, Chibi Yami. We were together five thousand years ago. When we met up again, it was as if no time went by at all. Still, Seto should not have taken advantage of you.”
“But he didn’t! Neither of us could fight it!”
“Why didn’t you tell me about this?” Bakura asked as he approached her.
“I was embarrassed.”
Bakura shook his head. “I can’t believe this happened! Have you felt this.....urge....again since?”
Aria shook her head. “No. Not since Kailani was conceived. However, Seto and I have limited our contact with each other since then.”
Bakura sighed. “Maybe keeping you here for safety would not be such a great idea.”
“We’ll be fine, dad.”
“We shall see about that.” Bakura walked past her and down the hall where Ryou stood. “Doesn’t he hear you?” Bakura banged on the door loudly. “HEY, MONEYBAGS! GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE THIS INSTANT!”
“’Kura, don’t do that!” Ryou chided him as he grabbed his arm.
The piano playing behind the door stopped and footsteps were heard approaching the door. Bakura stepped back as the door was unlocked and opened.
“I’m not expecting visitors,” Seto said in a tone of voice familiar to Ryou years ago.
“Kaiba, I need you to watch Ryou and Aria for me.”
Seto’s ice-blue eyes looked at Ryou and Bakura. “Go away,” he said coldly.
Ryou and Bakura stepped back as the door was slammed shut in their face.
“What the hell crawled up his ass and died? Kaiba! I’m talking to you!” Bakura exclaimed, banging on the door again.
The door burst open suddenly, making Ryou jump. “Perhaps I did not make myself clear. Get. Out.”
“I’m going to assume Joey didn’t come home last night and you’re upset that your puppy ran away,” Bakura said. “I might see him while I’m out there. I can try to convince him to come back.”
“Seto, please calm down,” Ryou said calmly trying to quell the CEO’s rage.
“I don’t need to calm down!I told you to leave! Now, leave!”
Bakura grabbed Seto’s suit jacket and pulled him against him angrily. “Listen, you little bastard, you fucked my little girl. You are the one who screwed up, not me. Joey might be in great danger and I’m trying to save his ass. So, if you don’t want me to save his ass so you can pound it later, fine. I’ll leave. But there’s shit going down and the Tombkeepers may be to blame.”
“What does that have to do with me?”
“Remember the Rare Hunters and the Tombkeepers from Battle City, Seto? That’s whom we’re talking about,” Ryou said. “Bakura, do let him go, please.”
Bakura pushed Seto back angrily. “Watch your tone with me, mortal. I’m doing you a favor by not shredding your ass into ribbons.”
“Have you talked to Joey?” Ryou asked.
“No, I haven’t heard a word from him since he left yesterday,” Seto said quietly.
Bakura crossed his arms against his chest. “Malik and Marik are missing. The Millennium Rod is missing. A mysterious symbol and a defaced mural were the only clues I found in the Domino Museum. If the Tombkeepers are involved, they must not get their hands on the Millennium Puzzle. I’ll have to go to Yugi’s Game Shop and find it. A piece of my soul still dwells within the Millennium Puzzle, so I know where Yugi hid it.” Bakura held up a Duel Monster’s card. “Does this card look familiar to you, Kaiba?”
Seto looked at the card in Bakura’s hand and gasped. “This was played in my duel with Lumis and Umbra, Malik’s Rare Hunters!”
Bakura turned and looked at Ryou and Aria, who now joined the group. “If Rare Hunter cards and Tombkeeper symbols were found in the same location, there has to be a connection.”
“What if the Rare Hunters want revenge on the Battle City finalists?” Ryou asked.
“Who are the Rare Hunters?” Aria asked.
“The Rare Hunters, honey, were duelists who worked for Malik during Battle City. They gathered the rarest cards for their master. Their goal was to obtain the three God Cards held by Yugi and Seto.”
Bakura looked up and down the hallway cautiously. “Do you still have your God Card?”
“I have it secured. Yugi returned it to me after that Dartz fiasco.”
Bakura sighed with relief. “Very well. Keep it safe. I need you to keep an eye on Ryou, Aria, and the babies. They need a safe place to stay while I find out what’s going on.”
“Impossible.”
“You’ve never turned us away before,” Ryou said. “Why the Change of Heart?”
“Don’t you see? If Joey returns to make amends and he sees you and Aria here, he’ll think I’ve slept with both of you! I can’t take that chance.”
Bakura narrowed his eyes. “That reminds me. Seto, I need a moment to speak with you.”
“Daddy, n-.”
Bakura’s quick glance to Aria quickly silenced her. “I promise not to gut him. Yet.”
“You know damn well that every room on this floor is monitored. One finger on me and Public Relations will be up here faster than you can say ‘Osiris.’”
Bakura laughed loudly. “And you know damn well that I can send their souls to the Shadow Realm, thereby causing you to shell out money to their families for their untimely demise. Severance pay. Accidental death. Vacation time. Then you will have to hire a new department. Imagine what an inconvenience that would be to you. Just saying.”
“Is that a threat?”
“Ryou and Aria stay here,” Bakura said sternly.
“Fine. Pick them up in two hours,” Seto said with a chill in his voice that Ryou remembered from Duelist Kingdom and Battle City.
Bakura’s lip curled in fury. “That won’t give me any time--.”
“You want them to stay here. I will allow them to stay here for a short time, but not overnight and not into tonight. They go. Leave. Do I make myself clear?”
Ryou swallowed nervously and took a hesitant step backwards. /Bakura, I don’t like this./ Therion began to fidget in his carrier and whimper.
//You can’t come with me, Ry. You stay here with him. You’ll be fine.//
Bakura nodded. “Fine. I’ll pick them up in a couple hours.” Bakura reached into the baby carrier and unfastened the boy. He picked up the infant from the carrier and cradled him in his arms. “Come with me, peanut.” Bakura stepped past Seto into the room. “A moment, moneybags.”
Seto turned and shut the door behind him. “You are wasting your time.”
“Did you fuck my daughter?”
Seto’s eyes went wide. “Bakura, I--.”
“If I come back and find out that you have touched her again, I don’t give a shit what your goons do to me,” Bakura growled as he rocked the baby in his arms. “I never want to hear of your hands on or in my daughter again, do you hear me?”
“I tried to stop myself, Bakura. It kills me that this had to happen.”
Bakura narrowed his eyes. “Umi left Aria last night.”
“What?”
“Umi came to visit Ryou and I. The boys played with us for a few hours, then Umi left with them. Aria’s tried to call home, but nobody answered. Umi told her he was leaving. He left Kailani with us, though.”
Seto sighed and closed his eyes. “He knew Kailani was my daughter.” Seto turned away from Bakura and sat on his piano bench. I’ve lost a son, but I still have a daughter. “I can’t believe that Umi would leave Aria because of this.”
“Well, why not? You’re old enough to be my age and I’m her father. In fact, I would have been your age if I wasn’t murdered at nineteen-years-old. You betrayed Umi. You betrayed Aria. You betrayed me. Twenty years ago, the Man Eater Bug would have devoured you, but......not today. Never touch my daughter again, Kaiba.”
Seto turned to Bakura. “Is that why you brought him in here? To keep you from summoning it?”
“No. Your shitty attitude was making him upset.”
“What did Ryou tell you about cursing in front of your kids?”
Bakura held his head up high. “What did I tell you about touching my daughter?”
“Just get out of here.”
“Fine,” Bakura snorted. “Keep your penis in your pants.” Bakura turned and opened the door. “I’ll be back soon.” Bakura kissed Therion’s forehead and Ryou’s cheek. “Love you, angel.Here you go, peanut. Go back to your mother.” Ryou carefully took the baby from Bakura.
Ryou watched Bakura walk down the hallway worriedly. /’Kura?/
Yami Bakura turned around and looked at Ryou over his shoulder. He could feel his Light’s uneasiness seeping through the mindlink. //Everything will be alright, Ry. If you need me, let me know. I love you.//
Ryou offered his Dark a smile and watched him disappear into the elevator. “Be safe, my angel.”
Bakura rode the elevator to the ground floor as he looked down upon the people walking between offices, desks, and towards each other. His vision caught Jay and Karl talking by the glass entry doors. Karl was pointing to a paper in a manila folder. Jay was looking over his shoulder, examining the document. Asher was leaning against the wall watching the doors intently. No doubt hoping someone would be foolish enough to storm the doors and who had a burning desire to be literally set aflame. Monique could be seen vacuuming the entry rugs.
When Bakura stepped out of the elevator, he pat her on the shoulder. “Keep up the good job, Monique.”
The aging lady smiled at him through creases along her mouth. “Bakura Itemri, nice to see you.”
“You always do a good job. I hope moneybags pays you well.”
Monique nodded. “Master Kaiba is very generous. I’ve been sweeping, cleaning these floors, and cleaning his clothes since he arrived here with Gozuboro. I could not have asked for a more perfect boss. Although, he seems a little moody. I knocked on the living room door to clean the room and he ordered me away as if he was angry. It’s hard to be the owner of a large company like KaibaCorp.”
Bakura nodded. “True. Well, I’m in a hurry. See you around.”
Bakura stepped out of KaibaCorp and sighed with annoyance. Where do I start?
The yami walked down the road towards Yugi’s Game Shop. If the Tombkeepers and the Rare Hunters were involved, Battle City’s champion must be warned. Bakura could feel the presence of the Millennium Puzzle whenever he entered the Game Shop. That throbbing resonance pulsed above him whenever he entered the house or the shop. A piece of his soul still resided in the pharaoh’s item and he could sense it even as he walked towards the building.
Bakura watched as the building came into view. Something felt strange. Smelled strange. Bakura looked at the door’s sign....CLOSED. “It’s noon. Maybe Yugi stepped out. Hmm...this shop is his life. He wouldn’t walk out.”
The yami turned the knob, but it would not open. “Maybe he did step out.”
Bakura continued down the road when he turned into an alley. He grinned when he saw Jewel talking to another man. He leaned against the building with his elbow as the man noticed his arrival.
“Master Bakura!” Jacks exclaimed. “What brings you down this way?”
Jewel turned around and smiled. “Well, well, Jacks, look what we have here,” Jewel said, approaching the King of Thieves with a grin and her bust exposed. She reached up and caressed his face tenderly. “You are looking as sexy as ever, Itemri.” Jewel planted a soft kiss on Bakura’s lips.
Bakura returned the kiss. “Jacks, this isn’t your district. Ratt’s supposed to be here.”
“Ratt must have escaped through a little hole because Ratt isn’t here.”
“Where’d she go?”
Jewel caressed Bakura’s arm. “Nobody has seen her since last night.”
“Don’t tell me your becoming one of Jewel’s subordinates, Jacks,” Bakura said, crossing his arms against his chest.
Jacks chuckled, his missing teeth and cratered face accentuating his unsightly features. “Now, my Lord, who would want a tooth-less man-whore?”
“Men who don’t want to think of their new friend biting off their most prized possession,” Bakura replied.
Jewel smiled. “Jacks may be a good bodyguard, but I don’t know if he would give me a lot of business. I do have some men in my employ, but the women are in higher demand.”
“In speaking of business--.”
“You didn’t come here for pleasure, my King of Thieves?” Jewel asked, pressing herself against Bakura and running her hand up his ribcage.
“N-No, I didn’t, Jewel,” he said, taking her hand. “Malik Ishtar is missing and I’m trying to find them. Have you seen any robed or masked men around here?”
“I haven’t,” Jewel replied.
Jacks shrugged. “I can ask the others.”
“I found Marik in the Domino Museum. He was badly beaten and covered in blood. The Millennium Rod was missing.”
“Maybe the Bloodhound has seen something,” Jacks said. “That’s where he operates. George is near there, too. I’ll ask him.”
Bakura growled and shook his head. “Damn. Alright. I want you to spread the word. I’m looking for Malik. You all know what he looks like. Blond hair.Tan skin.Approximately 5 foot 9 inches tall.Purple eyes. If you find anything, notify Jewel. She can call me on my cell phone.”
Jewel nodded. “I can do that.”
Bakura kissed the side of her neck. “Good girl.”
“Where have you been hiding for the past few days, Bakura? We haven’t seen you.”
“Therion was born a few days ago. I’ve been home taking care of him and Ry.”
“How is Ryou coming along?”
Bakura shrugged. “He’s still heavily medicated with pain pills, but he’ll get better. In a couple months when he gets all healed, we’ll get a babysitter and his sweet little ass is mine all night.” Bakura licked his lips. He could see it now....Ryou would emerge from the bath, beads of water clinging and caressing against his glistening skin. His wet hair clinging to his pale, English skin, would drape over his shoulders. Bakura’s eyes would examine every inch of Ryou’s skin. Every part of him would be perfect...even with his swollen scars. Ryou would appear in the doorway and slip into bed beside him.I’d wrap my arms around him and bring him close to me. Hold him. Feel him. His warmth. His sweet scent. All I want to do is protect him. Keep him safe. Secure. For eternity.
“I wish you both the best with the new addition,” Jewel said.
“My thanks to you both. Jacks, you talk to Bloodhound and see what you can dig up. Malik is gone and I want to know why. My Millennium Ring hasn’t picked up anything since last night. It’s as if they vanished into thin air. If they were in the area, my ring would have picked them up.”
Jewel kissed a trail from Bakura’s neck to his left ear. “I will let you know what we find, my king.”
Bakura pat her ass lightly. “That’s my girl. Oh, if you see Umi Tsunami, my daughter’s husband, I want him brought to me alive.”
Bakura walked down the alley again and saw the Game Shop looming ahead of him. The ‘Closed’ sign was still clearly posted in the window. His cell phone began to ring in his pocket. He reached into the phone and flipped it open.
“Bakura.”
[Bakura, have you seen Aten, Heaven, or Robbie?]
“Miranda? No, I haven’t. Why?”
A moment of silence was held on the other end of the line. [Oh, I see.]
“What’s wrong, Miranda? What happened?”
[Robbie went to tuck Heaven into bed last night and she wasn’t in her crib. Her window was open, but no trace of her was found in the house. Robbie and Aten left to find her, but that was very late last night. They haven’t returned. Bakura, I’m worried. If Heaven was kidnapped....and the boys left to find her....]
“Malik is missing, too, Miranda.”
[Oh my god, what’s going on? How is Marik dealing with it?]
Bakura tightened his grip on the flip phone. “Marik disappeared, Miranda. I don’t know if he was pulled back into the Millennium Rod because of his injuries or if he just.......faded.” The final word was like poison on his lips. Deadly and bitter.
[Injuries? He was hurt?]
“Aria and I found him beaten and bloody in the Domino Museum.”
[It’s all over the news this morning! They said the security guard was murdered and there was vandalism in the Egyptian wing.]
“I don’t know what happened. We brought him home, he opened his eyes, and he disappeared. My Millennium Ring hasn’t detected any items except...” The Millennium Ring’s golden spikes pointed into Yugi’s Game Shop. “It’s pointing into Yugi’s shop, but I know there’s an Item in there already. Miranda, I need you to be careful. I don’t know what’s going on, but Malik is gone, Joey has disappeared, and now the boys are gone.”
[Bakura, we have to bring them home! I don’t want anything to happen to them.]
“If you see any robed figures at your door, Miranda, do not open the door. You call me on my phone and you let me know. I will come and take care of them.”
[What about Aten and Robbie? And Heaven?]
“I’ll tell Seto to post a security detail at your house. He’s in a shitty mood, so I don’t know if he will be compliant. We’ll find them, Miranda. In the meantime, be vigilant and let me know if they come back. Hopefully they decided to leave, got drunk, and passed out somewhere.”
[If they were looking for Heaven, they wouldn’t do such a thing.]
“Right now, Miranda, that’s the last shred of hope I have left for their safety. Hopefully they are with Malik and Marik....wherever they are. And hopefully they are safe.”
[If they come home, Bakura, I’ll call you.]
“Thanks, kitten. Talk to you later.”
[Only Marik can call me kitten.] Miranda said half-heartedly, remembering Marik’s pet name for her.
“Alright, Miranda. I hoped that would lighten the mood a bit. I’ll let you know if anything changes.”
[Thank you, Bakura.]
Bakura walked around to the side door where Yugi’s kitchen was hidden behind a curtain. Breaking into a place in the bright light of day is not my forte. I don’t wish to spend the night in jail. One bail paid per month. Bakura looked down at the glowing Millennium Ring. “Unlock.”
The door’s lock snapped open and the door opened slightly. “Hikari Motou...holy shit...” Bakura covered his nose and mouth as he entered the home. He stepped through the kitchen. Something smells like.... Bakura’s eyes rose and widened. Death.
Glenn’s body dangled from the second floor staircase. His eyes were opened wide at Bakura, staring at him in fear. His tongue was forced out of his mouth and dangled through his blue lips. Glenn’s neck was twisted at an unnatural angle. Bakura‘s heart stopped for a moment as he looked upon the dead man, hoping his friend did not meet the same fate.
“Hikari Motou! Yugi! Hikari Motou!” Bakura called desperately.
The yami ran up the steps and opened every door. Yugi was missing. “Yugi! Yugi!”
Bakura watched the golden spikes point upward into the attic. Bakura pulled on the string to go upstairs. He pulled down the attic steps and climbed up into the hidden space. It’s a good thing I don’t have Ishtar’s appetite. I’d never fit in here. Bakura sneezed among the dust and boxes filled with Motou family heirlooms. He tugged on the string to turn on the light. The darkness sprung to life with a light offered by the LED bulb. Christmas decorations, Halloween decorations, and spare boxes of Duel Monsters’ cards were piled and stacked neatly in some piles and haphazardly in others.
His Millennium Ring pointed towards the back of the attic. As he walked towards the back of the attic, the golden ring pointed downward at the empty space between his feet. Bakura kneeled and ran his hand over the wood. The end of a plank tilted upward. “A hidden compartment!” Bakura reached into the hidden space and removed a golden box with the Sennen Eye. The Millennium Ring pointed at it and glowed brightly.
Bakura opened the small golden box and picked up a piece of the Puzzle that Yugi had solved twenty years before. “I hate you, pharaoh. Even trapped in the Shadow Realm, you are causing my family pain.” Within the box, Bakura saw Slyfer the Sky Dragon buried underneath the pieces. “This is what the Rare Hunters were after so long ago.” Bakura closed the box. “I hope Marik still has the Winged Dragon of Ra at home.”
Bakura heard a whistling wind outside the attic walls. He didn’t recall the weatherman reporting a storm. The wooden walls of the attic began to lightly tremble under the force of the outside wind. The floorboards began to shake. Bakura watched as the attic door quickly snapped shut. “What the hell?”He ran to the door and pushed down on the stairs. The stairs didn’t move. “Hey! Let me out!”
The wooden walls of the attic began to tremble and creak. I’m trapped! Bakura grabbed Yugi’s old schoolbag and ran for the golden box with the puzzle pieces. The whipping wind quickly turned into a howling gale. Bakura heard wood above him snap under the force of the wind. Wood from the attic began to snap and break, splintering in the air. Bakura stuffed the golden box into Yugi’s bag. Large boards from the attic snapped and began to fly through the air.
A loud snap was quickly followed by a scream as a roof support beam fell onto Bakura’s back. The yami screamed as he struggled to push the heavy beam off him. Broken wood and splinters flew around him as the attic was ripped apart around him. A wooden plank fractured and cracked against the back of his skull. The world went black.
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Emergence of the Tombkeepers