victory_road | ANOMALY DETECTED

[Chenzira holds on to Marik's shirt as he's yanked upwards, and the tomb keeper himself grabs Bakura's wrists, his own grip tight.]

I just told you...! I saw him! I saw everything! Your family, the village, the massacre, the way the Items were created...

[He's trembling slightly, less from fear and more from adrenaline though, and he hisses through his teeth as he speaks.]

How they prattled on to you about how their actions were just...! That you were... You were the last sacrifice...

[Zoroark might order some popcorn if this keeps continuing.

Bakura grows even more pale than he already is with every word that spills forth. All those things... They really happened. But Ishtar shouldn't be able to talk about those things like he was there to witness them.

When he mentions the sacrifice, Bakura's head jerks around and he forcefully pushes the other back onto the floor.]

I was no victim!!

[It's the most victim thing he has ever said.]

[Marik grunts when he's pushed back down but he doesn't back down, glaring intensely into Bakura's eyes. Chen continues to hold on for dear life.]

H-how weren't you a victim...?! You were tricked, robbed of everything you ever cared for...! In the end you were just another pawn in their schemes - just like me!

Yes, but I never stopped acting!

[It's the one big difference in his mind. Yeah, a damn lot of bad things happened to and around him in his life. But Bakura never rolled over and stopped struggling, not even once! Doing so would have meant to just die and let everything that was him and happened to his people turn to dust right alongside his mortal shell.

At some point it just became a form of habit.

Fate dealt him a bad hand, and Bakura did his best to spit into its face by defying the odds and making the best of it.

Standing back up, he straightens his clothes as he puffs out his chest.]

If you have really seen as much as you claim, then you know that I'm far from innocent. And that the battle hasn't ended yet.

[As long as the fight doesn't end, Bakura won't be defeated. He can still surpass both Atem and Zorc and win this war.]

[The blonde props himself up on his elbows once Bakura's let go of him.]

No but... if those things hadn't of happened, you'd...

[He wouldn't be here right now. Neither of them would. He'd have never gotten the chance to meet Bakura, his one ally in all of this.

Marik slowly gets up, dusting himself off, and shifting Chen to rest on his shoulder.]

... Why did they keep all of that from us tomb keepers? Why couldn't we know exactly what we were guarding?

...have lived a happy life, yeah, sure. Spare me the diatr- [He trails off, staring at Marik and wondering if that's a rhetoric question or if somebody could really be that dense.]

Are you seriously asking me that? We both know why.

[The tomb keepers were the pharaoh's men. They needed them to be loyal, to pass on the baton and not to ask any uncomfortable questions. Which idiot would feed them the truth under such circumstances?]

Or at least you wouldn't have been sacrificed to a dark God.

[He knows why, understands why as much as he hates it. Marik was just hoping for some snide remark on Bakura's part to make him feel a bit better about everything but instead he just gives him that response.

He also knows he shouldn't be betraying the Pharaoh yet again but it's so engraved into him at this point. Atem has been nothing but cordial with him. That shouldn't warrant a kneejerk reaction from him but Marik finds himself wanting to stir up drama. Bakura always gets his scheming gears going anyways and it's been far too long.

Chen frowns as he looks at his trainer, Marik's expression having darkened and his lips twisted into a smirk.]

... He's here, you know. The Pharaoh. He's back at Kaiba and my place, relaxing, completely unaware of what's going on.

[He steps closer to the Spirit.]

He knows his name but still hasn't gone to the Afterlife. His powers have probably been reactivated but so have yours. I can feel it again... That darkness.

[He shudders. No matter how much he heals, how much he tries to distance himself, that power is intoxicating and he finds himself wanting to crawl back for more.]

I could turn a blind eye, if you wanted. Conveniently leave the door unlocked. Make sure no one else is there.

His friends aren't here to save him either.

[Joey's here but... he's busy with other things. He's not even sure the other knows Atem is in the world with them.]

Consider it... payment for everything you've done for me, since I've failed in my mission.

[He merely shrugs his shoulders in response. That part had never been too important to him, ironically. One didn't become a tomb robber expecting to find a good end, in this life or the next. Especially not if one's as notorious and prolific as Bakura was.

Bakura stands still and watches Marik as something seems to shift in the tomb keeper, like an old flame awakening again. 'Ah. Seems like the welp still has some of his teeth after all.' His expression betrays nothing as he listens to Marik go on. The blond had already mentioned the Pharaoh being here, so that's no surprise. Neither are Marik's ....brutal tendencies.]

So you want me to go there - and do what? Kill him?

[The Yamask pulls back slightly at Bakura's words, understanding what the two are discussing. He mutters at Marik, pleading to him to stop but the teen just hisses a quiet and gentle "shhh" at him, not taking his eyes off of the thief.]

Entirely up to you, now isn't it? I'm just giving you information for you to use at your leisure.

And since I don't have the Rod anymore the next best thing I can give you is the Pharaoh himself, right?

Ha! HaHAHAHAhahahaaa!

[Straightening his back, Bakura keeps barking his nasty laughter for a little longer before he relaxes and gives Marik an amused look.]

Do you seriously think that if I'd wanted the Pharaoh merely dead, I couldn't have done that already several times before, Ishtar? You're trying to use me to do your dirty work, now that you've lost your Rod!

[Marik immediately bristles and Chenzira slinks further back behind his trainer's shoulder.

Guilty as charged but he'll still try to play it to Bakura's interests.]

You could challenge him to a Shadow Game then! He has his deck and the Puzzle! Little Yugi isn't here to offer him advice or save his physical form if you were to win...!

And what would I do with that, pray tell?! I need all seven of the Items, not just two of them! Getting the Puzzle before I have the rest will just put a target on my back while I get the rest!

[Besides, he wants Atem to be the last one. He wants him to see what's going to happen once he's lost, be aware of just how bad he's failed, know who it is that's once again coming for him after he's torn through all of his precious allies before-! Vengeance is a dish best served cold, and Bakura is going to enjoy every last bit of it. It's something he owes as much to Atem as he does to his precious royal uncle and father.

Bakura's Zoroark is watching their exchange with renewed interest, although it's obvious that it considers its topic a lot less offensive than Chen does.]

[... He is getting rusty and desperate at this. Wanting to stay in Bakura's good graces. This strange sense of loyalty to him. Marik purses his lips and looks away.

He doesn't know how death works in the pokémon world. The blonde is just assuming it's like everywhere else. The items would still be with Yugi back in their world but if the Ring Spirit took care of Atem here, the Puzzle would be powerless, making Yugi just that much easier to take the items from, wouldn't it?]

It would just be you, Yugi, and Shadi with the items then. You already took care of the latter so what could he actually do to you? Little Yugi's weak without Atem's influence on him. Wouldn't that make things easier on you in the long run? Perhaps not as... grandiose as you'd like but it's a decent enough backup plan.

[A pause for dramatic effect because it's Marik.]

I suppose if you've already waited this long though, waiting a few more won't kill you.

[Bakura's eyes narrow at being called out like that.]

A backup, maybe! But it's not material for the main one!

[and oh, now he's angry

He crowds in on Marik, daring him to do or say anything more that Bakura doesn't like.]

You are right, a little more won't kill me. But I'll do something else, something that I should have done a long time ago already! I'll tell you something!

[The tomb keeper puffs up, hands on his hips, and looks down his nose at Bakura. Seems he's set off the thief. About time he took him a bit more seriously! (His curiosity and pride are getting the better of him though.)

Chen yelps and hides beneath Marik's hair.]

Oh? The "stage" is all yours. Please, enlighten me, Thief King.

Then listen well, Tomb Keeper~

[Pushing his hand against his hips, Bakura puffs up to the most imposing that Ryou's body is capable of.

He takes a deep breath, and- ]

Do your own dirty work, Marik Ishtar!!

...

[Marik stares absolutely stunned because the idiot was expecting a compliment or something. Surely his little scheme merits some praise!]

Edited 2022-12-07 23:43 (UTC)

[And then his right mind catches up to his deflating ego and posture, enough to make Chen peek out.

... THAT'S IT? THAT'S WHAT HE WANTED TO SAY?]

I... But you...

[And his face turns red from embarrassment because he's never been so called out before. Or not recently at least.]

I was j-just trying to help you! T-that's all! If you don't want my advice then fine! I'll...

[Hfff! Marik crosses his arms and looks off to the side.]

Edited 2022-12-07 23:55 (UTC)

I'll...

[He'll... what? He has no idea. But he can't just let Bakura get away with insulting him!]

... Nnhhggahhh! Just forget it! Don't say I didn't try though!

[The look on Marik's face is almost comical enough to make him laugh out loud. Bakura watches the blond struggle through what he's just heard, arms already crossed again challengingly and head held high.]

You'll what?! For somebody so adamant about it, you're ridiculously bad at being evil, Marik. Can you really get so little done without the Rod?!

Hhgkk...

[Marik grinds his teeth. Bakura's right again. He really can't get anything done without the Rod. He abused its power and learned to dependant on it too much. Having Odion and the Rare Hunters do everything for him didn't help either.

Not like he can ridicule Bakura about not being capable without the Ring. He got plenty done before he ever got any of the items.]

... I can't.

[He turns away slightly. Chenzira purposely moves to be the farthest away from Bakura as possible while hanging off of Marik.]

I can't do anything in this world we've been brought to. Weapons are useless, the law is incredibly active, and... I wouldn't be surprised if the Gods here know what I've done.

It would be obvious if something happened to Atem that it was me. Joey and Kaiba would know instantly. I'd... have no where to run or hide.

So that's it!? You know that there's a very easy solution to that, don't you?

[He suspects that the tomb keeper doesn't, dumb as he can be, but luckily for Marik there's a cure to being a fatalistic idiot. His eyes catch those of that ridiculous little pokemon and he wonders again why Marik bothers with it. It doesn't matter, though, because this little runt will give Bakura all the leverage he needs to sway the tomb keeper into the way he wants him to go.]

[The fatalistic idiot doesn't know what he could be referring to, at least not until he follows Bakura's gaze to his slightly shivering Yamask. Marik immediately puffs himself up again, keeping Chenzira away from the Spirit.

For as terrible of a person as he may be, Chen has been with him through this new journey, heard all of his dark secrets, and has never once left his side. His conscience, a shoulder angel. The tomb keeper is extremely protective of him.

Still, he decides to ask:]

And what is that?

Change your circumstances, you idiot! There is absolutely nothing holding you back from changing the playing field if the stakes are all stacked against you!

Like, that thing on your shoulder? How many would call it weak or useless against the monster that jumped us just earlier?

[Oh, look how he cares about that little thing! So much attachment, so many new levers to exploit! All Bakura needs to do is to make Marik think that he wants what actually the spirit does.

Love and pride are wonderful tools for that.]

[He's right about changing up his team but... it's the same problem as in Duel Monsters. Atem, Kaiba, Joey, even Ryou are all better players than him. He's been the slowest (discounting Atem) out of them to get the hang of pokémon battles and even then... Marik's confidence isn't great. He believes in his team, absolutely. Himself, not so much.]

Normally Chenzira wouldn't have had a problem with it. He might be unevolved but he's max level and has plenty of battle experience. I don't know why that particular Runerigus was so resilient...

[Marik clicks his tongue and looks away again.]

... And I wouldn't be where I am today if it hadn't been for Kaiba. I... can't bring myself to betray him. He's all I had here for the longest time.

As for Joey. Joey's... He's bigger. Older. He'd forgo the pokémon fight and kick my ass himself if I did anything foolish. He's made that very clear without even saying anything.

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