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Warning this is a PG-13 fic, which means it will have a lot of bad words in it, so if you don't like fics like that then don't read this.

PROLOGUE

Ok her name is Melissa, she's a 18 year-old girl, with blonde hair and icy blue eyes. She isn't too tall nor short, and she's somewhat different. For e.g.; she mocks at the concept of Death, Melissa's obsessed with the Darkness, and she's likely to become a Goth in the future.
.Fine. The last days, Melissa has been having weird dreams connected with Ancient Egypt. She often sees a person, masked in Shadows, standing beside a column covered with hieroglyphics. The figure is holding something that looks like a knife. But Melissa ALWAYS wakes up at that part, so she knows nothing more than that. Thats why Melissa decided to go to the Egyptian exhibition, which is being held in the Museum. Melissa grabs a coat (or trench coat, whatever), her keys, and she heads to the Museum.

Melissa gets to the Museum and enters. She notices that some of the lights are already off. Melissa walks through a corridor, and, in the end, she can see stairs, but chains are blocking the entrance, and there's a notice that reads: New Kingdom under reconstruction. DO NOT TRESPASS. Of course; Melissa's not gonna waste her time waiting for somebody to let her in.

So Melissa starts going down the stairs. As she's (still) going down the stairs...Melissa remembers a part of the dream, a part that she had not remembered before...

The guy with the knife was repeating a sort of chant, spell, curse, or something like that. It was rather long, so even tough Melissa trys, she can't remember more than these 2 lines: please hear my cry, Winged Dragon of Ra!. They are obviously related to magic, but how? Magic doesn't exist does it?

(weird wait, Im getting to the point.). Anyway, as Melissa is thinking this, she gets to the end of the stairs. The exhibition is appropriately lit with torches. This makes Melissa wonder why the torches are lit nobody should be inside a museum at 1: 05 a.m.! (insane people are everywhere my friend). Suddenly; she hears somebody talking, but Melissa can't understand anything, for the sound of the voice comes from far away.PROLOGUE PROLOGUE

Chapter 1:Near Death

Melissa hears the noise of a door closing, and she realizes she's trapped inside the Museum!!! Its too late to go back, so Melissa doesn't stop moving towards the guy...and she gets to see him! Hes rather (sarcastically, meaning REALLY) creepy, and VERY frightening. His hands are carelessly bandaged, and his trousers are dark but colorless. Under his black cloak, Melissa can see a black shirt, without the sleeves (somebody tore them out ). He wears some golden bracelets on his sun-tanned arms.. Melissa doesn't manage to see his eyes. Suddenly, he sits on an ancient looking rock, and Melissa gets to listen. "d**n IT! IT CANT BE, IF I...AH, RA!!!." Melissa doesn't hear anything else. Out of the blue, she notices he's the guy of her weird, weird dream!...And whats more shocking, Melissa knows the part of the spell he's missing!
Melissa thinks carefully. She could go and tell him(*cough*suicide*cough*). OR stay there where she is (hiding) and be safe. The last time Melissa checked, she had only one life.
As Melissa stares at him, she begins to feel....err....attracted to the Egyptian guy ( yeah, It's really easy to notice he's Egyptian...) but... even from a distance Melissa can notice he's not a... sane person (hes not insane, hes just... not sane...hahaha) So, Melissa trys to forget all her feelings for this guy, and she goes back to her previous... staring position... and Melissa notices he's really needing the piece of the spell... because hes beginning to loose his calm (aka, hes becoming mad...er haha)... "BUT... FOR SETHS WRATH! WHAT IS THAT d**n SPELL FOR SUMMONIG THE RA-d**nED CARD!!! HOW COME IT BE THAT I HAVE FORGOTTEN IT, FOR RA'S SAKE!!!." This makes Melissa Unexpectedly, and without a way for her to stop it...she sneezes!
The Egyptian guy turns around, his clear lavender eyes scan the room. Melissa's back is pressed against the column (yeah, she was hiding behind a thick column), Melissa doesn't even dare to breath... she feels his deadly footsteps echoing in the room. Suddenly, Melissa can't hear any noise!
She is beginning to believe he has already left... but soon Melissa realizes he hasn't... she can feel a sharp blade pressing against her neck.

Chapter 2:Near Death's End

One... cold voice that tells Melissa "What. The. Hell. Are. you. doing. HERE!?" Melissa feels the knife pressing slightly harder against her neck... Now, the question is: how can Melissa >>defeat<< a psychotic murderer (with a knife), that she has information that might be useful to him? (remember Melissa knows a part of the spell he's missing...)

"Mmm... if you kill me... I won't be able to tell you something you will really value," Melissa says. The guy lowers his knife, and asks her, "And so, what do you know...?" Melissa, of course tells him that she heard him saying this spell, and she tells him the part he's missing, that is... "Please hear my cry, Winged Dragon of Ra!"
Then, the guy smirks ( a REALLY EVIL smirk) and he stares at Melissa. Melissa take a step backwards... the guy begins to come closer to her... and his smirk grows even more wickedly.

he comes closer... gripping his rod-like thing... as he says "You already told me what I needed to know...I cant let you live... MWAHAHAHAHA!!!"

Chapter 3:Enter Odion Ishtar

Yami Marik comes closer... gripping his rod-like thing... as he says "You already told me what I needed to know...I cant let you live... MWAHAHAHAHA!!!..."

While he's saying this, Melissa hears the noise of some steps coming from the stairs... and the Egyptian guy melts into the Shadows, as he whispers, "Fear me, I shall return." In a corner, Melissa notices a statue of a hawk; symbolizing Horus, the god of the rising sun.

Its made of a reddish metal- probably bronze- and its height is about 2 meters, without counting the >>hat<<, which is about the size of an arm. The steps echo in the room. Melissa hides behind the statue, she is not letting this man see her... who knows, he may be another psycho.

In the Shadows, Melissa still thinks she'd like to finish her conversation with this punk spell caster ( I couldnt help myself)...but Melissa can't risk herself... she can hear the determined footsteps of this new Egyptian guy, and his heavy way of breathing- as if he had been doing exercise.

So Melissa peers through a little hole between the statues wings and body... and there's the man, with a grim expression, even tough he seems worried and tired. He seems to be about 21- 23 years old, he is wearing golden ankh-like earrings, and Egyptian clothing...but something else calls Melissa's attention... half of his face is carved with hieroglyphics.

The guy hasn't seen Melissa (yet...Mwahahahaha), but she can hear him say "He cant be alone... there must be someone else here... but... where can he be?"

Immediately, Melissa notices he's talking about the Egyptian guy she met before ( sandy blonde hair, no light in his eyes, earrings, bracelets and necklaces...).

Suddenly, Melissa remembers her conversation with the Egyptian-psichotic-punk (I HAD to put this, sorry ;;... She lets her thoughts wander, and Melissa ends up thinking about the dark, deep (and oh so sexy) voice he had...abruptly, she comes back to reality, and she asks herself 'Does this guy know the other Egyptian guy?'

However, Melissa's question is answered when the man begins to call somebody. There's a hint of worry in his voice... Melissa forces herself to listen... and she manages to undestand the name of the person he's calling,"Marik!"

Unluckily, as all things that wait an eternity kept inside the basement of a museum, the statue of the solar god (HORUS, DUH!) on which Melissa was resting on, her body, had a thick layer of dust... and as Melissa discovera later.... she's allergic to dust...o.O... so she sneezes (again, hahaha). The guy hears Melissa, and comes up to her, and, surprisingly, he bows and says, "Lady, what are you doing here?" Melissa doesn't get to answer, because he says,"Its too dangerous to be here, and more at this time of the night."

Melissa, innocently asks him,"It has something to do with the...ehh.. guy with the... err... bat-winged weird rod and the shiny eye on his forehead, and the spiky hair and the psycho laugh." Unpredictably, his facial expression changes from a concerned one to a horrified one.

"Excuse me, are you O.K. ?" Melissa asks him. The man nods, still shocked, and he asks Melissa, "His eyes... were his eyes lightless...?" Melissa nods, and the man stares at her, even more scared. He tries to say something, but the only thing he manages to say is, "Yami Marik."

Chapter 4:The Darkness of Yami Bakura

"Excuse me, are you O.K. ?" Melissa asks him. The man nods, still shocked, and he asks her,"His eyes... were his eyes lightless...?" Melissa nods, and the man stares at her, even more scared. He tries to say something, but the only thing he manages to say is,"Yami Marik."

'Yami means Dark... but... its so strange...' Melissa thinks. The man (Odion) notices that Melissa's worried, and he decides to delay his search for his master (Marik, DUH!), and he tells Melissa to follow him to the exit.

Melissa is about to leave, but he grabs her arm and tells her,"You will have to be very careful, miss. Master Marik is a good person but... the Marik you talked to was... dark...evil.. Please, hear my warning, go, and do not try to find him. I will not deny you are in great danger..."

Anyway, Melissa finally came out alive of her encounter with Yami Marik. She waves goodbye to Odion, as she sets off to her house.

Its about 3:00 a.m., but the time does not matter much since Melissa's parents are in Paris now. They should be returning in a couple of days, tough... As Melissa's walking home, she thinks,'Im too lazy to walk home. Ill take the short path.'

O.K., so Melissa takes the short path to her house... through the GRAVEYARD!!! ( I wish I could do that too!!!). Melissa goes through the old iron gates, and enters the Graveyard. She walks among the Graves and Vaults. Enormous shadowy mausoleums stand, silently, watching time go by... A thick lilac mist floats cryptically over the place.

Suddenly, a icy and sarcastic voice paralyzes Melissa. Its obvious that its not talking to her, but anyway Melissa sticks her back to the moss-covered wall of a Tomb (I like emphasizing grim terms, thats why I put Capital Letters at the beginning of those words...)

Anyway, Melissa trys to pretend she doesn't hear anything. It's pointless, its frightening the hell out of her... so Melissa begins running... but she never got out of the Graveyard! And when Melissa noticed, the man's voice is DANGEROUSLY CLOSE to her! Suddenly, Melissa hears somebody screaming, and the cold, mocking voice laughing a soulless, evil laugh... and then she can't hear anything more...!

Melissa sits on the wet grass, and rests her back on a grave... and she hears this voice again.. but.. its talking to her! He says,"Mmm... another lucky person who wants to take a tour around the Shadow realm... MWAHAHAHAHA!" (such a nice evil laugh...couldnt help myself...)

Melissa's paralyzed. She can't move. Melissa feels the man's rotten and cold hand on her shoulder.

Melissa stands up, and then she's face to face with this guy (actually, face to chin, he's taller than her...)...his silver hair shines with the soft moonlight, and surprisingly, he's wearing soft colored clothes.

The man has a recent wound in his arm, and a ring shaped necklace with an Egyptian eye carved on it... the eye of Horus. But what calls Melissa's attention the most, are his brown, lightless eyes. So dark. So cunning. So sad. Strangely, they remind her of Yami Marik's eyes. They are so similar...! No. They are the same!

Suddenly, Melissa realizes that... the Egyptian ring that the silver-haired is wearing around his neck... is TOO similar to Yami Marik's rod!... can they somehow be related? Will Melissa ever see Yami Marik again? Will he try to kill her if she does? Will Melissa's pointless questions be answered?

Chapter 5:Apparitions

Suddenly, Melissa realizes that... the Egyptian ring that the silver-haired is wearing around his neck... is TOO similar to Yami Marik's rod!... As Melissa is thinking this, the guy (Yami Bakura, if you havent noticed -_-U) asks Melissa,"What are you doing here? Dont you know that ghouls and specters wonder the graveyard at this time of the night...?"

As soon as he finishes saying this, a headless figure appears behind him. (Headless Knight, he used it during his duel with Bones) Its transparent, Melissa can see the graves through it. "You DO believe me, don't you?" Yami Bakura asks. Melissa answered,"I dont believe in apparitions."

Even though his friend seems to be dangerously real... . Melissa can still see the pale violet fog engulfing every single thing inside that old cemetery. Anyway, Melissa ask,"But.. if this place is full of spirits and such... where are the others? I only see one." And Yami Bakura says,"What about me?" Melissa can see his lips curved in a slight, sad smile.

However, he tells her,"Anyway, Im not gonna run the risk of letting you live and spoil my ...plans hehehe."(All this sounds way TOO familiar, doesn't it?) Of course, Melissa is TIRED of people threatening to kill her because they think she'll ruin their plans, or something... like she'd do it anyway.... (I know some of you would... oh well.)...Anyway, Melissa tells him,
"IM FED UP WITH CRAZED EGYPTIAN PSYCHOS WHO THINK THEY CAN THREATEN ME!"

Yami Bakura asks Melissa,"Who else has threatened you before?" Melissa tells him about her issue with Yami Marik. He seems REALLY interested about knowing the Egyptian sorcerer's name... Melissa tells him, and he smirks. It seems, that after knowing the sorcerer's name (Yami Marik, if you havent noticed...), he changed his opinion on Melissa, and decided to... forgive her... for whatever she has done... (of course, he has plans for Melissa... but you'll see that later...)

Melissa thanks Yami Bakura, and then she walks home. Melissa glances at her watch. 3:15 a.m.. The wind is blowing slightly harder, and she runs to her home. Melissa opens the door and goes upstairs to her room. She changes to her pjs and opens her window. Melissa falls asleep fast, and she dreams about the Duel Monster Tournament she's assisting to tomorrow.

~~Next Morning~~

Melissa's alarm clock didn't go off, so she's REALLY in a BAD mood. Today its the GREAT-DAY-OF-THE-TOURNAMENT-SHE'S-BEEN-WAITING-FOR-MONTHS, and she'll be bloody late! Melissa gets dressed as fast as she can, and she run to get to the Tournament. Melissa arrives a couple of minutes late, so Kaiba's speech is already over, and the plane (Ill call it like this, O.K.?) is about to take off.

Melissa glances at the list of finalists, and her name is not on the list. In fact, she doesn't even check the other names on it... (big mistake). But as she was a duelist, they allowed Melissa to get on the plane with the finalists. So, she's walking down a corridor, and she bumps into someone.

Chapter 6:The Unexpected Meeting

Melissa looks up, and sees Odion! But he's not dressing Egyptian-like as he was the other time. He's wearing a dark purple cloak, and hes holding Marik's Rod-like thing! The corridor is deserted, and its probably around 5:00 p.m., so all the people on the ship must be watching the first duel.

(Yami Yugi vs Yami Bakura)Odion offers Melissa his hand, and she stands up. Since Melissa has left the museum, she's had a lot of questions.

"What are you doing here?" Melissa asks Odion. He just sighs, and says,"Im here to help Master Marik." Marik. That name has been inside Melissa's head ever since she heard it. But not only Marik. Yami Marik. Yami. It means Darkness. Why? Does this guy Marik have a double personality? A... dark side...?

No, it'd be too astonishing... but yet...not impossible (lets say she knows Yami Yugi). Odion explains to Melissa briefly Marik's plan.(makin Odion act as Marik while the real Marik earns the trust of Yugi & co. and gets to steal his rare cards...). So; Odion revealing his plan to Melissa makes her an accomplice of his plan...

Odion tells Melissa that, if she's going to help them, she will have to call him (Odion), Marik., and that she's supposed to >hate< him. He also tells Melissa, that she must call the real Marik, Namu.

Melissa asks him about YAMI Marik. She sees his facial expression change to a hopeless one. He's silent for some time, and he finally answers,"You will have to ask Master >>Namu<< personally..." Melissa's shocked at this (*cough*he tried to kill her*cough*), but he says,"Dont worry, the Darkness always comes out when >it< senses sorrow, anger, hate. Do not worry about it. Yet." Melissa smiles at this.

Odion let's Melissa know hell tell to meet her at about 10:30 on the deck (of the ship, DUH!). Melissa agrees, and goes to try to see if the duel is over. "D*mmit. Its over." Melissa decides to take the afternoon to think, walk occasionally. Finally, she goes to her room.

Melissa opens her room's door. It has a large window, and the view is amazing. So, before taking a shower, she decides to sit on the edge of the window. After some time, Melissa goes to have a long, warm bath. She then gets out, and get dressed.

Melissa then heads to the place she was supposed to meet Marik. 10:30....10:45... At 10:55 she hears some footsteps behind her back.

Chapter 7:The lighter Marik

Melissa turns around and sees a guy; probably alittle older than her, but he's standing in the Shadows... When he walks into the light she sees him. He's taller than Melissa, his sandy blonde hair matches perfectly with his lavender eyes. Yami Marik's lavender eyes, if it wasn't for the light in them.

While Yami Marik's eyes don't shine with nothing (unless you count hate and evilness...), this guy's eyes seem to be kind... in a very... ummm... well-intentioned sort of way,"You must be Melissa. Odion told me about you," the blonde says. Melissa nods, and he goes on,"My name is Marik Ishtar...Im sorry... for all the trouble Ive caused you." *he pauses*.

Melissa looks at him as to say, go on, please. He sighs, and says,"Then the only way you may understand everything is if I explain it all... but... I dont know where to begin." Melissa glances at Marik. He has a resigned expression, as if he was about to tell the world he has just tortured and killed a person.

"Tell me all... since the beginning," Melissa says.

He sighs and says,"Well, I was born In Egypt. But because of my duty as a tomb keeper; I had to live underground; I was not allowed to see the outside world. My family had the obligation of keeping the pharaohs memory, and telling him about his past when the time came."

"It also had the obligation to keep this: *takes out the Millennium Rod*. This is the Millennium Rod, then I'll explain you how it works. When I turned 10; I had to assist to the ceremony in which I had to have the Ra d**ned pharaoh's personal reminder (I HAD to say that, srry..;. However, something went wrong and somebody who worked for the pharaoh (he says >>Pharaoh<< in a mocking voice), if not the pharaoh himself... killed my father (Remember he doesn't know about his Yami's existence... yet...).

"Now; Im here to avenge his death... and collect the rare cards so I can become the pharaoh and seek my revenge." (questions?)... ... ... (hahahaha). So now, Melissa is really confused... first, she felt really angry with him, because he tried to kill her... but now it turns out that the one who tried to do so was not him, but his dark(er) side! And whats worse... Melissa's beginning to feel sorry for him!

"It's O.K." Melissa says,"I wasnt hurt or anything.... hey... what was this Millennium Rod you were talking about...?" He smiles weakly, and takes this rod-like thing from his belt loop, and hands it to Melissa.( I don't think he'd actually DO that, but it's for the sake of the story...) Melissa recognizes it as the sharp-edged (*cough*knife*cough*) object that Yami Marik used to attempt to kill her... She also remembers that the graveyard guy (Yami Bakura) had a ring with the same Egyptian symbol.

The eye of Horus,"Marik?" Melissa asks him,"Yesterday... night, I met this guy... who seemed to know you... and he had an ancient item hanging from his neck... it was a ring I think... and it had the same eye on the front!. Is there any connection between both articles?"

Marik seems thoughtful for some seconds, and then he tells Melissa that the guy's name is Bakura... Yami Bakura... and that this items are linked by ancient magic. He tells Melissa that there are 7 of these objects: The Millennium Items; and each of them has a power, which can be used for good or bad deeds, depending on the owners will.

Suddenly, Melissa hears two men talking. One sounds young and innocent, and the other one sounds older and wise (sort of ~_). However, they are coming closer. Melissa looks at Marik. He seems half pissed, and half alarmed.

Melissa suddenly realizes that she's holding Marik's rod! She thinks madly where to hide it, but its pointless. The man stands outta the Shadows (its not who you think it is...) and Melissa sees him waving...to both of them.

"Hey!!! Namu! And you are... Melissa?! What are you doing here?!" Yugi says. "Hi, Yugi." Marik answers, with a hint of worry in his voice. He shakes hands with Namu (*cough*Marik*cough*), and turns to Melissa.

Suddenly, his facial expression changes, and so does his voice ( I excuse myself... his voice doesnt sound wise... he just sounds... old... hahaha)and hairstyle. He was staring at Melissa's hand.. the one she had behind her back... holding the Millennium Rod.

Chapter 8:Millennium Rod in the Bag

"What do you have in your hand," Yami Yugi asks, suspicious. "N-nothing," Melissa manages to stutter. Melissa glances at Marik, who is looking terrified. Suddenly, Melissa has an idea. She hides the Rod under the back part of her shirt. "Would you mind if I took a look?. I could swear I saw gold," says Yami Yugi.

Luckily, Melissa is wearing a golden bracelet, so she shows it to him. Even with that, he doesn't seem satisfied... he asks Melissa if she would mind turning around... just to be sure... 'd**n!'. However, Melissa has her bag with her, so with a quick turn of her wrist, and rapid finger movements, Melissa puts the Rod inside her bag. Marik sighs, relived. Melissa grins; and Yami Yugi seems really frustrated. (haha, looser)

There's a bright light, and Yami Yugi changes back to his normal self. He smiles cutely. Yugi smiles cutely, and asks if he could have a word with Namu."Sure," Melissa says and walks away... with The Mighty Millennium Rod in her bag.

Melissa is running to her room, and on her way, she passes next to a silver-haired boy. Melissa freezes in her tracks, and slowly walks back."Can I help you?" the boy asks, with a soft kind voice. A very familiar ring hangs from a string around his neck."Do I know you?" Melissa asks carefully. "I think I know you too...but I cant... remember..." he says, as if he was trying to remember something he had forgotten long ago.

"You are the ghoul who threatened to kill me, in the Graveyard, the other night!" Melissa says. "Ghoul? Threaten? Kill? GRAVEYARD? Night?! Oh no... geez... I think I owe you an explanation..." he answers, nervously. Melissa and Bakura go to the hall, where there are some comfortable couches. Melissa sits in front of him, and he says, "I have a... dark side.. and... geez...he is a little crazy... but I dont think he's SO bad... I dont think you'll understand it, anyway..." Bakura smiles sadly.

"I do understand it!"Melissa says, "Iv'e met you, and Iv'e met him and you 2 are not the same! "I knew you would..." Suddenly, his voice seems cold, sly, older, wiser... ((L)(L)(L)YAMI BAKURA!!!!(L)(L)(L))...Mornie Utulie... (Darkness has come...).

"you are... the Darkness..." Melissa says say, slowly, almost whispering. She has this feeling, as though she could fully trust him. 'Am I crazy...?' Melissa thinks. Melissa could swear she has known him for ages, when in fact she doesn't even know his name.

"Yes, I am the Darkness," Yami Bakura's voice snaps Melissa out of her trance. "Can I... know your name, Darkness?" Melissa asks, shyly. "Yami Bakura." There's an awkward silence in the room. Outside, the cold wind begins to blow stronger , and Melissa can hear the thunder, announcing the beginning of a storm.

The strong waves begin to make the ship tremble slightly. Melissa shakes her head,"Yami Bakura... you said the last time I saw you, that you were going to let me live, why?" (not that she wants to die, Melissa just wants answers...) "Because," he pauses,"You survived an encounter with Yami Marik... Not everyday a young woman faces a bloodthirsty murderer and comes out alive."

Melissa stares at him,"I was just lucky! If Odion had not come... I think I..."

"It wasn't just luck, girl. You told me you had told him part of the spell to awake Ra...Do you know what that could mean...? No, mortal fool, I dont think you do.... you will understand... later."

Yami Bakura stands up, and he's about to leave when Melissa grabs his wrist. He stares wide-eyed at her. But his expression lasts only for some seconds, and it changes back to his usual serious one. "What do you want, mortal?" he asks, slightly irritated. "Melissa," Melissa corrects him. (correcting Yami Bakura, Melissa must be very brave)

"O.K., MELISSA," Yami Bakura says coldly,"What do you want?"he asks. "I want answers," as soon as Melissa says this, the Millennium Ring, hanging from Yami Bakura's neck, begins to glow a golden light, and the pointed peaks slowly begin to move together forming an arrow, pointing to the Millennium Rod inside Melissa's bag.

Chapter 9: Dark Encounter

Yami Bakura walks to Melissa's bag, and before she can react, he opens it and takes out the Millennium Rod ."Interesting,"he says wickedly,"How could it be that a common girl has such a precious treasure. Specially when it belongs to someone else...? Did you steal it?" He emphasizes the word.

"It's just a... I am taking care of it...Ill give it back to Marik now!," Melissa grabs the Millennium Rod out of Yami Bakura's grip, and takes off as fast as she can. Melissa turns around a corner, and runs through a dark corridor.

The light is very soft. Suddenly, Melissa stumbles, and falls to the ground. The floor is wet; and when she stands up, all her clothes are covered in this liquid. The light is not enough, so Melissa can't see the color of the liquid, but it smells awfully familiar.

Melissa keeps on running, and she hears this deep; dark, (and oh so sexy) voice, that she thought she'd wouldn't hear again.,'Yami Marik?' she thinks,'no...It can't be.' Melissa slows down, and walks to a door. She opens it, and she finds herself on the deck! And the voice,now she's sure it's Yami Marik, is closer.

Melissa walks furtively and hides behind some cardboard boxes, and she listens,"Now, mortal. Where in the 7 hells is the Ra-d**ned rod?!" Yami Marik demands. "I told you, the girl has it!" Says Random Rare Hunter."LIAR! Now, face Ra's wrath!" Yami Marik says getting pissed. "Nooooo!!! Master, please!!! Show some mercy!" Random Rare Hunter begs. Yami Marik *pauses*"Mercy is for the weak!" He says laughing that crazy laugh of his.

Suddenly, Melissa hears an ear-piercing scream. 'Oh, no,' Melissa thinks, and she takes a look at the scene. Yami Marik is standing there, in the Shadows, and a cloaked guy is lying lifeless on the floor. Blood is spilt all over the wooden deck. Suddenly, Yami Marik turns around (looking as hot as always), and sees Melissa.

Melissa sees him, too, and for a moment, there eyes meet. Melissa gazes into his clear, lavender eyes, and begins walking to him, entranced. She doesn't want to, but she just can't help it.

Suddenly Melissa realizes what she's doing. She's walking towards a smirking Egyptian psychotic murderer...and she has no defense at all... or maybe she has.

Melissa still has the Millennium Rod... and that's a great advantage... specially when Yami Marik is walking towards her... still smirking. He's wearing a lavender sleeveless shirt, and natural colored trousers. It would be a nice clothing, if it wasn't stained with blood.

"What are you doing here?" Melissa asks him. Yami Marik doesn't answer, and he keeps walking to Melissa. She trys to take a step backwards, but her body doesn't respond to her command.

Yami Marik steps in front of her, so that she's almost face to face. (If he wasn't a feet taller than her).He puts his hands on Melissa's shoulders, the blood on them still fresh, and Melissa feels ghoosebumps form on the back of her head,"Where is the Rod?" Yami Marik asks Melissa, dangerously. "If I tell you... you will kill me," Melissa says.

"I can sense it... its here," Yami Marik says,"give. It. To. Me!" Melissa panics slightly. If she gives him the rod, he'll kill her... if she doesn't give it to him, he'll kill her... Melissa struggles desperately to think about a way to break free and come out alive... Suddenly, she has an idea... a crazy, suicidal one... but it could work...Melissa jerks away from his grasp, and, and take the rod out of her bag.

Slowly, Melissa gives it to him. Yami Marik rises it, and it begins to glow a golden light. The first thing he does, is banishing the corpse of the dead man.(to the Shadow Realm, I presume...) He then turns to Melissa... but before he does anything, Melissa forcedly kisses him. A short, somewhat sweet kiss, but enough to shock him.

Chapter 10:Bad News

Melissa breaks the kiss and stares deeply into his lavender eyes. Melissa had never expected he could show such a shocked face... and this is exactly how she wanted him to be. This is Melissa's chance to escape. She smile warmly at him, and begins running as fast as she can. Yami Marik does nothing to stop her...he's too much in shock to do anything.

He gazes at Melissa as she runs away from him. Yami Marik feels confused, shocked and fooled at the same time. But he also feels something new to him...he had never imagined that a feeling like that could exist...As soon as Melissa goes back inside the ship; Yami Marik holds his head as if he was in deep pain.

He can't take what he's feeling, nor can he understand it. Yami Marik's aware that if what he feels is what he think he's feeling, he'll disappear slowly, leaving nothing but a soft trail of the shadow he once was...and he's beginning to feel.... Little by little, he begins to change back to the normal Marik, still wandering if what he has begun to feel will cost him the only thing he has got in this world, his life.

The normal Marik stares longly at the Millennium Rod, now hanging from his belt loop, and smiles.

~~~THE NEXT DAY~~~

Melissa's running as mad to get to the stadium. Today is the battle she has been waiting for, since she hears it would be held. Marik vs Yami Bakura.

That is something worth being seen. Melissa has made sure she will have a seat at the first row, Melissa doesn't want to miss anything. Specially Bakura's phrases. Melissa has always admired his innate sarcasm.... But now she's 5 min. late... (as usual...) and Melissa's running as hell to get there on time. She finally arrives at the stadium and jumps to her seat.

Yami Bakura is playing his Dark Nechrophia card (I'm inventing, I didnt want to research...) and he seems to over confident about his victory...'On the other hand; Mari---YAMI MARIK?! O_O.... WHERE'D THE REAL MARIK GO????' Melissa thinks shocked.

However; Yami Marik is making his usual Im-so-oh-d**n-evil smirk. Melissa turns her sight back to Yami Bakura. And she's shocked by what she sees... in spite of the thick, violet fog, Melissa can clearly see the real Marik...O_O but he's like... body less, or something... and he's floating next to Yami Bakura... who's talking to him as if he wasn't transparent... (cool)

Suddenly, Yami Bakura summons a Golden Dragon, and all the audience gasps in shock and surprise...But what shocks Melissa most are the words he says after doing so...

"Great Beast of the sky please hear my cry, transform thyself from orb of light and bring me victory in this fight. Envelope the desert with your glow and cast your rage upon my foe. Appear in this shadow game as I call your name... PLEASE HEAR MY CRY, WINGED DRAGON OF RA!" The last lines, are the ones Melissa told Yami Marik, back in the Museum! (Ra. This is getting good...) But then, something really unexpected happens...

It's Yami Marik's turn, and he starts laughing as he draws a card... (an evil laugh; something along the lines of: MWAHAHAHAHA...). Both Marik and Yami Bakura look shocked as the mighty beast turns against them.

Their life points drop to 0, and the duel is over. Yami Marik wins. Bakura looks shocked as his body, partially banished, begins to burn slowly. But before banishing completely, he says,"You cant kill me; for I'm the Shadows and the Shadows never die... I shall return, for I am the Darkness."

Melissa can't keep all her feelings to herself anymore, and she shouts to Yami Bakura,"Im sorry! I should have been more comprehensive with you...please, forgive me...!" Yami Bakura smiles, a one-sided smile, and disappears into the Darkness of the Shadow Realm... a tear falls from one of Melissa's eyes.

He was the only one on the ship who had been friendly to Melissa; besides Odion and Marik (but theyre down and out...). Melissa is walking slowly to her room, when she sees an Egyptian-looking woman coming up to her.

"Lady!, Lady!" She yells,"Wait please!" Melissa stops, and waits for her. "You must be Ms. Melissa," says the woman named Ishizu. "Yes, its me," Melissa answers. "Ms. Melissa, Iv'e got some terrible news... a letter has just arrived from the airlines company...were your parents boarding a flight from Paris yesterday night...?" she says. "Yes...why?" Melissa asks. "I... am sorry. The plane malfunctioned...they didnt make it alive." Ishizu stated forlornly.

Chapter 11:Melissa Enters the Darkness

Melissa listens shocked to Ishizu's words... 'It just... can't be... something must be wrong... something HAS to be wrong....' Melissa takes her time to think.... 'no.... Ishizu is a serious person... she would never.... she cant possibly be... no, she's definitely not joking ....But....if they are gone.... whats left to me...?'

Melissa has no parents.... no real friends... no lover.... just a house.... but she never considered it her home.... and she can't go back, either.... if she did..... lots of memories would come back to her... memories of Melissa's family... Melissa breaks into tears, and runs away, bumping into some walls, stumbling some times.

Ishizu watches sadly as Melissa struggles desperately to stay as calm as she can. But Melissa just can't...! She finally make it to her room, and softly opens the door. Melissa closes it, and throws herself on her bed. She crys, until she falls asleep. Tears are still staining Melissa's cheek, when she finally wakes up.

Melissa is not troubled by the timetable today, the duels are at midday, and she's not particularly interested in them, however...(Yami Marik vs Mai, Kaiba vs Ishizu). Melissa still has not got over the past events, but what she most feels sorry for, is this awkward feeling, the feeling of having no one to comfort her.... Anyway, Melissa gets dressed quickly, and goes to find someone who might clarify her thoughts::: Ishizu Ishtar.

Melissa walks through the corridors... 'This woman... she seemed TOO familiar.... She knew my name...' Melissa only knows her's because she is a duelist, too... and a pretty mysterious one... Anyhow, Melissa's determined to speak to her.... She gets to her room, and as she rises her hand to knock at the door, Ishizu opens it.... as if she knew Melissa were coming...!

"Dear,"she says,"I was expecting you. I know you want answers. Please, do come in." Melissa nods, still amazed by her accuracy. 'How could she possibly know I was coming...?!' she thought. Melissa entered her room. There are some books on her night table, some pencils and scribbled papers too.

She has already prepared some tea. Melissa sits, and so she does, and she explains Melissa briefly the thing of Ancient Egypt, the Millennium Items, and her ability to foretell the future. Melissa isn't about to leave, and before she goes back to her room, she tells her,"Remember this, Melissa : = We nebnefer ak= means I love you, in Egyptian." (It actually means something similar, but it's not the real meaning. So take note: Im semi-faking my Egyptian....)...

"uh... thank you... why are you telling me this...?" Melissa asks confussed. "You will need it, later....now, go... I think you have some things to think about," Ishizu says. "Goodbye, ....Ishizu. Thanks... for everything..." Melissa stutters. All this has brought back memories of her family.

The only thing Melissa wants now, is to be alone. She spends the rest of the day, thinking about her parents death, and what she is going to do when this tournament ends....

~~~THE NEXT DAY~~~

Melissa wakes up, and spends the morning having a pleasant shower. The duel she is going to today is being held during the afternoon. The semifinals are starting today. And, today is the duel Melissa has been waiting for so long. Yami Marik vs Yami Yugi. Ishizu told her that in a past life he was the Allmigthy pharaoh of Egypt: the Grand, Nameless Pharaoh... (How grand, he doesnt even remember his own name!!!! I bow down to his grandness...!)

(I know its a crucial duel, but I have no clue of what the hell happens in it... if any of you do, please tell me. For the sake of the fic, I'll make a short duel remembrance.... so don't blame me if you don't understand whats going on in the duel...cause I don't know either...-_-U).

Melissa takes a set (on the first row), and waits for the duel to begin. The stadium is covered in a thick, suffocating, very familiar lavender mist. Yami Marik begins, and he summons a face-down card. He ends his turn (Remember, I'm inventing..._)

The duel goes on like this, a god card here or there, but nothing remarkable (this doesn't sound too interesting, now, does it...?I'm not good at describing duels... they're plain boring...). However, all the chances of winning are in favor of Yami Marilk... until Yami Yugi does an unbelievable, almost impossible, amazing move, and out of the blue, Yami Marik's life points drop to 0. All the spectators begin to cheer, as Yami Yugi is declared the winner.

Yami Yugi comes up to Yami Marik, and says,"Now, evil Shadow, the time has come for you to leave this world!" Melissa can't take this anymore. This runt thinks he can go, and disappear people's shadows just because he thinks he's doing the right thing...!."STOP!" Melissa shouts, and jumps off her seat.

Melissa runs through the arena, and gets to the place where Yami Yugi is about to enlighten Yami Marik. (*cough*send him to the Shadow Realm*cough*) (hahaha, I love word games). Yami Marik is looking almost as shocked as he looked when Melissa kissed him (lol). Too shocked to do anything... Melissa runs and trys to reason with Yami Yugi. But it is as as hard as trying to convince a wall.

He just won't listen to Melissa. "YOU... YOU JERK! JUST LET HIM DEAL WITH HIS PROBLEMS...!" Melissa shouts, really pissed by his Im-so-superior attitude. "Mortal... just... don't mess with MY problems....go away before I kill you!" Yami Marik says, in a weakened tone of voice. Melissa doesn't care anymore. She just wants all this to end. No one else has to be banished...! (At this point; she's thinking about Yami Bakura....).

"End all this, PHARAOH!" Melissa yells at him. Yami Marik stares, wide eyed at Melissa. The same expression is planted on Yami Yugi's face. "I don't know what is your point on defending this evil," Yami Yugi says,"But if it is your will to go with him to the Realm of Shadows, let it be! No one shall stop me from winning the 3 Egyptian God Cards, and getting my memories back! Now, suffer the consequences of your insolence!"

As he says this, his Millennium Puzzle begins to glow a purple light, engulfing Melissa and Yami Marik, banishing both of them into the Eternal Darkness of the Shadow Realm, taking with Melissa all the thick, lavender mist... not even leaving a trail of what once was.

Chapter 12:The Shadow Realm

Melissa closes her eyes as all her surroundings revolt around her, and become dark and gloomy. Melissa's head aches, and she can only see a thick, lavender mist. This is the Shadow Realm. The place no one wants to see, not even in dreams. Dreams which would become nightmares, for nothing a mortals eyes have seen can match it.

Not even the Darkness that falls in a moonless night. Not even the Darkness found in the depths of the sea. Not even the Darkness trapped within the ice. No Shadow can match those feared Shadows, those in the Dark Realm.

When Melissa opens her eyes, she sees nothing but dimness... She waits until her eyes get used to the lack of light. When Melissa's eyes finally adjust to the Darkness, she notices her body emits a faint glow, and so does the amethyst mist.

A mist that covers the whole place, a mist which could trap Melissa if it willed, the same mist she saw in the dark duels, back in the real world... Melissa wanders around, but to no use, the Realm of Shadows is all the same everywhere... She has been walking for about 2 hours (which is difficult to say, because there minutes seem to be hours...),

When Melissa suddenly distinguishs, among the mist, the shape of a person... who seems curiously familiar... Yami Bakura? Why not...? After all, he was banished, too... Yes, its him, no doubt... his silver hair gives him away... Melissa runs to him. He turns around, and sees her. He smirks, and chuckles slightly.

"Bakura...? What are you doing here...?"Melissa asks. "Well, ain't that obvious...? I was banished by a certain Egyptian... now, the question is, what are you, mortal, doing here?" he says, almost smiling about the possible answer. "Well... it was a misunderstanding...the pharaoh... sent me here.. along with... Yami Marik," Melissa says, slowly, thinking carefully every word she pronounces.

He couldn't be happier about Melissa's answer, but he dissimulated it quite well. "He lost his duel, am I right?" Yami Bakura says, still faintly amused.

Melissa nods, and he goes on,"Well, that doesn't surprise me... now, you must be eager to leave this dark, sorrowful and scary place (sense the sarcasm here...)... Theres a way out... of course; I have no idea to where it will take you ... but you still can try hehehe."

And suddenly it strikes Melissa. She is alone. Alone in this dark place. With no one. Even her own shadow melted with the other ones, making the Darkness even darker...the only person Melissa knows here... must be far away now, probably out already...Melissa begins walking, and she wonders if she will ever find Yami Bakura's way out.

Melissa's beginning to doubt there is a way out at all, when she spots somebody, lying on the floor. She keeps walking, until she can see his face... and it's Yami Marik!!! Melissa had thought she was alone, in the Shadows... but now... he is here. He might not be the best company, but he is here. And, d**n, he looks so cute when he is.... asleep?

Yes...o.O... asleep... (XD!!!!) Melissa kneels down, and touches the Eye of Horus on his forehead. It is fading. Gradually, but it is fading... and as she is lost in her thoughts about his sleeping cuteness(hehehe), he wakes up. At first, Melissa is too shocked to even take her hand off his forehead.

But as soon as Melissa regains control over herself, she pulls it back immediately, as though his temple is on fire. His facial expression changes from a slightly sleepy one, to an enraged and dangerous one.... this, certainly CAN'T be good... Before he completely wakes up, Melissa tells him, or more precisely yells at him,"I know the d**n way out! Kill me, and you'll be trapped here forever!"

Yami Marik's dangerous looks turns into a sorta-mocking one. "Really?" He asks. "Yami Bakura told me! Why in the world would he tell me that if there wasn't a way out!?" Yami Marik stays silent for some (long) time. "The question is... why would he tell >>you<< at all?" Yami Marik asks. At this point, he's talking more to himself than to Melissa.

However, he reluctantly stands up, and growls something along the lines of,"Get me out of here!" Melissa nods vaguely, and begins walking. She glances at Yami Marik from the corner of her eye (is this expression grammatically correct? I think I have a MAJOR preposition mistake... please, tell me the right one!!!).

Yami Marik is walking beside Melissa. He has this this-is-so-boring-and-humiliating-and-pointless look on his face. Yami Marik has his hands in his pockets, and his hair is more messy than usual.'Well,' Melissa thinks, 'sleeping on the floor of the Shadow Realm must not be too comfortable.'

Melissa and Yami Marik finally reach the place where Yami Bakura said there was a way out... and he was right. Right before Melissa's eyes, there is a void of a darker, thicker Darkness, so dark that even Yami Bakura could get lost in it. Cold, dead Darkness.

It doesnt even have that soft hue of amethyst that the rest of the Realm of Darkness has. The single thought of entering there makes Melissa shiver, and feel icy ghoosebumps form on the back of her neck. "This must be... the way out," Melissa says in a dull, gloomy voice, almost a whisper.

"Who... will go first?" She asks, quietly. Yami Marik closes his eyes, and sighs darkly,"you," he says, and pushes Melissa into the Darkness, a Darkness so dark, she could get lost in it.

Chapter 13:The Origins

Melissa falls into the Darkness, but she nevers reaches the floor. She just keeps falling. At last, Melissa lands unexpectedly on her butt. "Hey, you IDIOT! I'm still alive!" Melissa yells at Yami Marik, hoping he'll listen to her... and he does. Melissa still doesn't trust him, but she is alone, in what seems to be a basement of some kind, dust suspended everywhere.

An earthy smell is floating, and everything seems old. Very old... However, still in the Shadow Realm, Yami Marik walks calmly through the hole and falls... Melissa is still in the position she had been since she fell. d**n, her butt hurts a lot... Melissa is attempting to stand up, when Yami Marik comes out of the void... and falls on top of her.

(not in that way, you sicko). Melissa and Yami Marik's faces are merely inches away from each other. Both of them widen there eyes in shock. Melissa pushes him of her, saying something along the lines of, "Get off of me you sicko!"

Melissa takes this as her sign to get some sort of protection. She doesn't want to leave Yami Marik's side, it would mean being alone somewhere she doesn't know... but if she is going to stay with him, she has to be able to defend herself.... if you know what I mean.... Melissa knew that Yami Marik would eventually find her, anyway. He still wants to kill her, and now there's no one to stop him.... but herself. Melissa runs through a dusty corridor.

Light leaks through small window-like holes. The floor is made out of dirt, but the walls seem to be solid. Probably rock, of some sort. Melissa enters a small room, which, to her surprise, is full of weapons, of any type! She wonders which one/s she should use... or better, which ones she'll be able to hold.

Melissa finds a scimitar that suits her well. She gets a pair of daggers, and hides them in her clothing, which consists of a plain black t-shirt, and some loose trousers. Melissa even finds one bow, and fetch some arrows.

Melissa feels rather safe now, in spite of the difference of styles between her attire, and the weapons, but it's the same to her. Melissa walks out of the room, and almost runs into Yami Marik. She stares at him, and so he does. Finally, he can't hold it anymore, and he begins chuckling. "What do you think you are trying to look like, mortal?" he asks, now fully and completely amused.

Melissa's really irritated, so she tell him,"FIRST OF ALL; I am TRYING to come out ALIVE from all this. And you know you are not the most reliable person, in that matter... SECOND; I AM mortal, I have to admit it. But so are you, so stop calling me like that."

Now, this actually pisses Yami Marik off. He has this glint of dangerousness in his eyes (you know, the usual: how-do-you-dare-defy-me-you-idiotic-mortal.... well, maybe without the mortal...). As soon as Melissa sees this, she unsheathes her scimitar, and holds it with both of her hands, as though she were holding a katana.

Melissa has had no real experience with the sword... she's had kendo classes once, but just for a short period of time. Yami Marik chuckles,"And you think you WILL harm ME with that, dont you? Pathetic girl, what are you planning to do...? Cut me? Slice me? Hurt me?"

"No," Melissa replys calmly.

"I just want to talk," she says. "Then talk," Yami Marik replys."Well I- no; we... should see first what is this place... where are we," Melissa states. Yami Marik cocks an eyebrow. Melissa won't give him the chance to find the arsenal, so she runs, hoping hell follow. Melissa finally finds a door which leads her out of the house. She stares in shock at what she sees.

Yami Marik, who was right behind Melissa, is about to do something (harmful to her, probably...), but he just gazes at what he sees, trying to convince himself he's daydreaming... which of course, he isn't... right before Melissa's eyes, stands a market place.

Colorful tents are crammed, and each one sells one different thing. Its amazing! Just like the books show it. 'Where are we?' Melissa thinks. By the way people are dressing, the heat, and the nearby surroundings, Melissa and Yami Marik seem to be in an oriental civilization,"Uh....Yami Marik?" she asks.

Yami Marik scans the whole scenario, and finally says,"We are in Egypt... but not in modern times," Melissa's eyes widen. Yami Marik glances at her. He has to make quick decisions, and killing Melissa would attract too much attentionm,'no, not now,' Yami Marik thinks to himself.

And besides, Yami Marik starts thinking that Melissa may prove useful... later. But still... he feels much better being in Egypt... this has completely changed his mood, to one he doesn't even know he has... and yes, some sort of (evil) plan begins forming in his head... he'll keep Melissa alive... he's sure about that.

"How did you say your name was, girl?" he asks, faking a semi-caring tone of voice. Melissa turns around, and stares at him. He actually WANTS to know her name...?... o.O this CANT be good,"Me...lis...sa," Melissa stutters. "O.K., Melissa, I believe you do not know Egyptian, do you?" Yami Marik asks, still faking his voice.

"Then you believe right. I do not know how to speak Egyptian, but I do know some locations, and some information... anyway, I think you know MUCH more than I," Melissa says, coldly. She still doesn't know his true intentions, nor does she want to know them. Yami Marik frowns at the sight of all the people. They are too many. 'If we go out like this, wearing these clothes,' Yami Marik thinks,"Melissa," he says."go inside, grab some clothes. Meet me here in 10 min."

d**n, faking being nice is not so difficult....and that is beginning to worry him. If he allows himself to have feelings... He shook that thought of his head... He goes to a room, where he finds a shenti (the skirt-like thing Egyptian men wore...) that fits him.

Melissa goes to another room, where she finds plenty of dresses, most of them look good on her, but they are not her type... she digs in the piles of dresses until she finally finds one which looks awesome. Melissa puts it on, and gets all her clothes inside a bag. She heads for the place where she and Yami Marik are supposed to meet.

It seems that he has been waiting for some minutes, because when Melissa arrives, he says,"You are late." Yami Marik is still faking his nice attitude. "Now," he says, and grabs Melissa's wrist (as he has planned before...)- "dont try to go alone there, men here tend to have no respect for women."

Melissa nods, and both of them go out. The clamor of men speaking in Egyptian, mixes with the music coming from harp-like instruments, and the noisy neigh of the horses. Tents and stores selling fruit, fish, meat, cloth, jewelry, and other various pieces of craftsmanship crowd the market place.

Yami Marik and Melissa walks among the merchants, pushing and being pushed all along. Finally, Yami Marik taps one man on the shoulder, and tells him (in Egyptian, of course): "~Excuse me sir, we are foreigners, from Phoenicia, would you mind telling us where are we, and who is the mighty ruler of Egypt now?~."

The merchant, a fat man with a beard (hehehe, how original...) stares at Yami Marik, as if saying --you, weird people...--, but answers, in Egyptian, of course,"~We are in the sacred city of Thebes, in the Reign of the Almighty Pharaoh Atem, son of Ra.~"

Yami Marik thanks him, and tells Melissa what the man said. "Pharaoh Atem? Never heard that name before!" Melissa says, confused. "I haven't, either. But it is known, that Egyptians erased from history and tombs the names of the pharaohs who didn't treat the commoners how they wanted to be treated," Yami Marik answers.

Melissa keeps walking, Yami Marik still holding her wrist. Melissa suddenly feels someone grabbing her butt, and she yells, "GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME!"

Some people turn around to see who's making such noise, but nothing major happens. Yami Marik smirks. "You know," he says,"remember when I told you men here don't respect women much...? Expect these kinds of things to happen." Yami Marik has felt a glimpse of apprehension when Melissa screamed, but he just shakes that thought off, it may possibly mean he is beginning to feel...uh...something but he doesn't know what it is.

Melissa keeps walking among the people. The high temperature is insupportable, and all the people make it even worse. She turns around, and she sees many women and men, from all the ethnic groups she can imagine, tied up, barely clothed. Melissa figures this must be the slave trading part of the market, but she doesn't want to ask Yami Marik, who knows if he'll change his opinion on her and decide to sell her.

~~~~Its about 5:00 pm, and Melissa has been walking for about 3 hours. She has not yet found anything that tells her in which dynasty she's in, and both Melissa and Yami Marik are tired of walking among filthy merchants. Yami Marik is specially angry, about the fact of being wearing a shenti.... and Melissa is not too comfortable with her dress either.

Many men have found Melissa >>attractive<<, and she is eager to move from the crowd of people, before somebody touches her (again) where she doesn't want to be touched... Melissa finds a little pond, with some palm trees and green grass. The place is really charming, and its only Melissa and Yami Marik, unless you count three men sitting some meters away.

They seem to be travelers, for they have some horses, tied to the trunks of two palm trees. They are discussing over a serious matter, the look on their faces denotes some worry.

"Marik," Melissa asks quietly,"what are they talking about?" Yami Marik pauses and listens. "they are talking about some sort of crime... wait." He listens again,"they are talking about a tomb...yes.... a dangerous Tomb Robber."

'Tomb robber?' Melissa thinks.... there is this chance... no... Yami Marik is thinking basically the same... what if...? no, that'd be TOO good... but, then again... it is not impossible... He listens in some more...

"He raided Obelisk temple! But...Ra, that's the best guarded temple in Thebes...!... he is probably trying to rob >>them<< again... what are they talking about? d**n travelers, never giving straight information!" Yami Marik says.

Yami Marik seems really upset, about the fact that that people never said the name of the thief... Melissa trys to listen, but to no avail, she can't get anything of what they are saying, unless you count >Bakura<, but that's a name; so it doesn't count... 'WAIT A SECOND! Bakura! Of course, hes the famous Tomb Robber'Melissa thinks, "Marik, Marik!" Melissa says, excitedly,"I know the name of the Tomb Robber...! It's... Bakura!" Yami Marik grins evilly.

"Really?... well.. that would mean that Atem is Yami Yugi's past life," Yami Marik grunts as he thinks about Yami Yugi as the pharaoh.... This finally gets on his nerves, but unluckily to Melissa, she has not noticed that... yet... With the best of her smiles, she tells him,"So, if Atem is here, and Bakura is here...then Ishizu MUST be here too!"

Chapter 14:Priestess of the Tauk

Melissa finds a little pond, with some palm trees and green grass. The place is really charming, and it's only Melissa and Yami Marik, unless you count three men sitting some meters away, talking about a famous Tomb Robber.

"Marik, Marik!" Melissa says, excitedly,"I know the name of the Tomb Robber...! It's... Bakura!" Yami Marik grins evilly. "Really?... well.. that would mean that Atem is Yami Yugi's past life...the Nameless pharaoh."

He grunts as he thinks about Yami Yugi as the pharaoh.... This finally gets on his nerves, but unluckily to Melissa, she has not noticed that... yet... With the best of her smiles, she tells him,"So, if Atem is here, and Bakura is here...then Ishizu MUST be here too..!"

Yami Marik glares deadly at Melissa. She assumes he already knows it... and she remembers he sorta- dislikes Yami Yugi a bit... (<----note sarcasm here... >=D). Melissa decides, that for the sake of her head remaining in it's place, she has to shut up and let his thoughts wander... Time goes by, and he finally says,"Aihizu IS here... she must be in the Palace, to the North... we'll set out tomorrow."

He's right, they are in the south-west edge of the city... they will probably arrive around 9:00 pm, if Melissa and Yami Marik sets out at dawn... The sun is already setting, and Melissa's heart is wondering if she really deserves to be in Ancient Egypt with an almost soulless man...

"Marik," she asks,"Won't people here notice we are... foreigners?" Yami Marik has been gazing at the desert, shadowed now, thinking about tomorrow's journey, and Melissa's voice brought him back to reality, which didn't please him much... and he has to control himself, pretend to be calm, which he isn't.

But he just sighs, and says,"Nah, I don't think they will... unless you speak, of course... if that happened, you'd better start praying for your life, for I can't promise your security if a man here finds out you are not Egyptian... and you are single."

Melissa panics faintly,"What... sort of things can a man do to... me...?" Yami Marik grunts softly. (Melissa's getting on his nerves...! But this time is not her fault...completely... hahaha)

"Lots of naughty things a sane woman would not like to be done... and I've been told they hurt...a lot." Yami Marik says. Melissa shivers, thinking of the dark meaning of Yami Marik's words... (I think that, if you caught the meaning too, the word >dark< is being insulted....) "And what if...we get lost or something?" Melissa asks.

"JUST SHUT UP AND GO TO SLEEP!" Yami Marik answers... faking being nice is not as easy as he thought it would be.... He rests his back against the trunk of one palm tree, and gazes at the desert. His lavender eyes are almost closing, this was a tiring day... he didn't use to feel tired... not this way. Since he was separated from the >Real< Marik, he has felt different...

Yami Marik turns around and stares at Melissa. She is sleeping peacefully, this was a busy day for her too.... Maybe, without Yami Marik or Melissa noticing, she is teaching him how to feel, slowly, certainly, but he is worried...

And, Egypt reminds Yami Marik of his childhood, a lost one, but it is the only place where he has ever felt... at home.... . He closes his eyes, and breathes the warm breeze, which smells to sand, and early spring flowers.

~~THE NEXT DAY~~

Melissa wakes up to the sound of horses and men talking. She sits, and sees the charming little pond next to which she had lied yesterday, fully crowded...Men stare at Melissa. Some of them even try to approach her. Melissa is about to say, something, when somebody puts a hand over her mouth, and carries her out of the group of people.

Melissa sees Yami Marik, (DUH!) He whispers something that sounds like,"Finally! Now, follow me." Melissa nods, and he grabs her wrist, as he had done yesterday.

Yami Marik pulls Melissa along, and the little pleasant spot, now a reunion point of merchants and travelers, gets lost in the distance. Again, the horrible experience of the previous day is repeated, and Melissa feels forced to walk among the people. Some men try to touch her, but she manages to avoid them all. It's about midday, and Melissa's still walking through the market place.

Melissa suddenly remembers she has not ate anything but some dates (you know, little orange fruits which grow in palm trees....), and she is feeling pretty hungry. Melissa taps Yami Marik on the shoulder, and whispers to him,"I'm hungry...can we go get something to eat?" He nods vaguely, and Melissa and Yami Marik go to a tent where they sell bread. "~Hello~" says Yami Marik, in a perfect Egyptian, faking a polite tone of voice, "~could you give us some bread, please?~"

Inside, Yami Marik is cursing as hell, but he tries to sound the most respectful he can... The old woman smiles, and gives him the bag, which he passes to Melissa. When he does that, the woman notices her, and asks him,"~Are you two married?~" Yami Marik blushes madly for the first time in his life, and shakes his head,"~No... but,~"he glances nervously at a group of men, who seem to be very interested about the whole scene, specially about Melissa,"~but we are about to.~"

Melissa understands nothing, but smiles.(Just take some time to IMAGINE this moment...! lol... Yami Marik saying he is about to marry Melissa!!!! HA! And she understood NOTHING of the whole.... hahaha). Yami Marik passes something which looks like money to her, and pulls Melissa out of the place. He is still too shocked to react. (hahaha...).

Melissa and Yami Marik keeps walking the entire day, until, at dusk, they reach the palace... in one word: breathtaking. Melissa has never seen such splendor in all her life. The palace shines with majesty, and the halls seem to be made of marble. There is a long alley, with sphinxes and torches at its side, with spectacular gardens surrounding it, which leads to the main entrance, protected by a pair of serious guards, wearing a light armor, both of them holding scimitars.

Yami Marik pulls Melissa, but she doubts a bit, so he drags her along with him. Both of them walk causally to where the guards are, and Yami Marik says,"I need to speak to my sister, the Priestess of the Tauk, Aishizu." (I'll call the Priestess Isis, Aishizu, to make it sorter. When I speak of modern times Ishizu, I'll call her like that. When I speak of Isis, I'll be referring to the goddess...)

The guards discuss for some time, and chuckle lightly. Finally, one of them says,"Your sister...? The Great Priestess Aishizu...? Hah, sure.... You cannot pass, commoners. Go, before I decide to call the rest of the royal guard."

Yami Marik looks pissed, and he says,"I think I did not make myself clear. You WILL let me pass, or you will be sorry for the rest of your pathetic lives." The guards' mocking expressions turn serious, and they say,"And what will YOU do if we refuse?" Now it's Yami Marik who is chuckling slightly,"Wouldn't you like to know," he says.

"Marik," Melissa whispers,"I don't think this is a good idea." Yami Marik stares at Melissa, and so do the guards."What is she saying?" one guard asks the other,"I have no idea... but all this is really weird," the other one answers...

They both come up curiously to Melissa, and she walks backwards... Melissa doesn't want these men near her. Yami Marik has not let go of Melissa's wrist... He tells them to leave Melissa alone, the "conflict" is with him.... but they won't listen... One of the guards is about to unsheathe his scimitar, when a woman's voice freezes them in their tracks.

"What are you doing? If they have come to speak to me, let them do so." The guards go back to their still position,"yes my lady," they both say.

The woman turns to Melissa her tanned face, which she covers partially with a finely made cloth. Her eyes are shadowed, but in spite of that, Melissa can see two beautiful blue eyes... Priestess Aishizu's eyes.

Chapter 15: Skills with Languages

Melissa and Yami Marik follows Aishizu through the marble halls, none of them are speaking. Melissa observes the internal architecture of the palace. It is really superb, specially when compared to the poor house she saw when she had first arrived in Egypt.

The walls are carved with rhythmical designs, and the ceiling is supported by columns, finely decorated with lotus flowers. The torches are already lit, and Melissa already smells food, probably being cooked to satisfy the Almighty Pharaoh's appetite. Aishizu leads Melissa and Yami Marik to a wooden door, which she unlocks and opens, and then they both enter.

Aishizu locked the door again right after Melissa and Yami Marik had entered.... It is a large room, with a big window, from which Melissa can see a beautiful Egyptian landscape, with the lights from the houses sparkling in the Darkness of an early spring night.

Aishizu motions both Melissa and Yami Marik to sit on a double sofa-like seat. Melissa is somewhat uncomfortable, sitting next to Yami Marik. Aishizu sits on a single couch. "Now,"she says,"I know you have come from far away... probably from another time."

Yami Marik looks terribly bored. Maybe even pissed... Even though Melissa knows that both Aishizu and modern time Ishizu both have the power to foretell the future, it's still amazing how she actually knew Melissa and Yami Marik were coming. Melissa then sees Yami Marik nodding his head. She wishes that she could understand what was going on though, so she asks Yami Marik,"I... would like to know.....if there's a way to understand Egyptian," she says, timidly.

Yami Marik gets annoyed by Melissa's question. She begins to move as further from him as she can. Yami Marik's lightless stare is then scaring Melissa. She has never seen such a lifeless look on his face, not since Battle Ship.... he is officially freaking Melissa out. Aishizu seems to notice the scared expression on Melissa's face. So she asks Yami Marik something, which makes him think about his answer.

He finally replies, and now Melissa's even more confused than before. They keep on their talk, and Melissa trys to keep her mind off of the Egyptian subject. Finally, after what seems an eternity to her, Aishizu stands up, and so does Yami Marik. She guides s to two doors.

Aishizu says something to Yami Marik, and he goes into one of them. Now it's only Melissa and the priestess. She smiles at her, and says to Melissa, in a perfect accent,"Please, follow me." Melissa stares wide eyed at her,'How can she possibly know my language?' Melissa thought.

Ashizu leads Melissa to her room, and introduces her to some Ancient Egyptian devices, Melissa had never thought could exist. She finally manages to get the courage to ask Ashizu,"Excuse me.... how can you know a language which has not been invented yet? I was wondering.... if you can understand me... could you teach me Egyptian?"

Ashizu smiles warmly at Melissa, and says,"Of course, but it may take some time. Until then, I suggest you do not speak, or people may notice you are not from here... Now, as I told... my.... brother..., pick some clothes, and go to dinner, in the hall. I shall introduce you to the priests."

Melissa nods, and smiles brightly. Ashizu nods too, and leaves Melissa to change. She decides to take a short bath, since she hasn't had one since she had been banished to the Shadow Realm. She then gets out and gets dressed.

Melissa then decides to go and check to see if Yami Marik is ready yet. Melissa knocks on his door. Nothing. She knocks again, and then she hears a vague,"WHAT IN THE SEVEN HELLS DO YOU WANT NOW!" from Yami Marik."Can I come in?" Melissa asks him. Really, Melissa isn't thinking clearly... if she were.... she would have never asked such a thing.... but, oh, well.

Yami Marik's answer is something along the lines of "d**n you!" Melissa then takes that as a positive sign. She then slowly opens the door.

Chapter 16:The Priests of Egypt

Melissa slowly opens the door, and then she suddenly realizes what she's doing. She is opening the door, which leads to a murderer's chambers, with the murderer inside.'WHAT IN THE NAME OF RA AM I THINKING?!' SHE THINKS. It must have been the scents Melissa put in the water of her bath. Yes, that HAS to be, it clouded her judgment, but now it's too late to go back, for Yami Marik has already seen her.

"WHAT IN THE NAME OF AMMUT ARE DOING HERE!?" Yami Marik yells, as Melissa trys to cover herself. But to no avail, he has already seen her. Yami Marik throws a death glare at Melissa, but he doesn't move. Melissa was expecting the worst, but then she remembers that Yami Marik can't touch her. Why? Simple.

The priests are expecting BOTH of them to have dinner with them. They would not be pleased if only Yami Marik did so, and they wouldn't be pleased if they found Melissa's lifeless body in Yami Marik's room, either. And Yami Marik, of course, knows that.

So he just limits himself to saying,"Get.the.hell.away.now!" The bath has gotten Melissa in an unusual cheerful mood (*cough*sugar high*cough*), and, just to piss him off, Melissa grins and says,"No." Yami Marik stares at Melissa with an I'm-so-gonna-kill-you-when-I-have-the-opportunity face.

Melissa grins even more, and she says mockingly,"Need some help with that?" Yami Marik stares at her,"d**n you!" He says. He is trying to lace up his necklace, but he seems to need help badly."I.need.no.help!" Yami Marik replies coldly.

Melissa walks into the room. She sits on the bed, and stares at him. This is getting good. He looks so cute when he is angry! Melissa chuckles slightly to herself. Time passes, and she is getting bored of waiting,(and probably, the priests are bored too...)

Melissa then stands up and stares at him. "Don't even think about it!" Yami Marik says. Melissa smirks, and approachs him. He stares at her. (is it just me or is he staring at Melissa too much....?hahaha).

Melissa smiles at him, and laces the necklace easily. He glares at her, and gets his bracelets. While he does so, Melissa sits on the bed again. Since she arrived at the palace, she has been wanting to ask him loads of questions. How long will we be here? Will we ever go back home? WHY CANT I SPEAK EGYPTIAN? Why is it that always that I looked at Bakura, I had this odd feeling of I've-known-him-before?

Melissa finally decideed to ask him one question. The question that has been echoing in her head since she first thought about it."Marik," she asks,"What did the old lady tell you back in the Market Place?" Melissa still could remember Yami Marik's face (something like this---> ). He blushes lightly, and says."I...eh.... nothing, nothing important...err...We have to go."

Melissa chuckles. It must have been something embarrassing... at least to him.... Melissa could not get the answer, but she's sure about something: she saw him blushing. Melissa doesn't know about what... but he blushed.

Melissa nods, and gets out of the room. Melissa follows Yami Marik through the corridors and halls. Finally, Yami Marik opens a door, and they find themselves in a large room, with a long table in it. Aishizu stands up, and introduces Melissa and Yami Marik to the priests,"This is Melissa and Marik, both from the future. As I have told you before, their arrival was announced by the gods. They will be staying here, until it is wise for them to go back."

They nod, and ask Yami Marik some questions. Melissa can clearly see he's bored answering to them. Melissa then notices that most of the priests, with the exception of one who looks a lot like Seto Kaiba, are wearing shentis, which don't cover their back. She glances at Yami Marik.

He's wearing a shirt, as he has since they both arrived at Egypt. It has been very hot, but he has never uncovered his back. This is not normal... if Melissa were a man, she would wear as less clothes as possible.

When Melissa finishes eating, Aishizu introduces her to the priests,"Priest Seto, who holds the Millennium Rod, Priest Karim, who guards the Scales, Priest Shada, who keeps the Millennium Ankh, Priest Akunadin, who holds the Eye, and Mahado who keeps the Ring."

Melissa and Yami Marik shake hands with them, and all of them go and sit in a living-room like place. The priests talk among themselves, and Aishizu tells something to Priest Seto. He takes out the Millennium Rod. Yami Marik stares in interest, and it glows a gold light.

Melissa then suddenly realizes that she can understand and speak Egyptian! (note: I don't think the Rod has this power, but for the sake of the story, lets pretend it does.)

All the priests nod in approval, except Akunadin, who tells Aishizu,"They can't be here in the palace sitting around, doing nothing. His Highness won't be pleased... we should get them something to do."

Chapter 17: The Jobs

The next thing Melissa knew she's in charge of designing the pharaoh's gardens, and Yami Marik... well... he's the executioner. (lol). Aishizu explains briefly there jobs.

Melissa just has to observe the now bare gardens, sit, and plan what sorts of wild and exotic plants will suit each space.

Melissa will have plenty of free time, of course. And so will Yami Marik. His job requires just a minimum effort, since the only thing he has to do is to watch the tortures, and say when it is enough. Of course, the "Almighty" Pharaoh, sends almost no one to be tortured, partly because it's "very cruel and mean", and partly because he mindcrushes personally most of the criminals.

Melissa then has this slight impression, that Yami Marik is going to enjoy his job a lot. Priest Akunadin offers himself to show Yami Marik the underground calaboose, for tomorrow they both will begin there work.

Melissa doesn't want to go, but Ashizu tells her to do so, and after that, she suggests to Melissa to take a look at the garden she'll be working on tomorrow. "You should try looking from Marik's window... the view of the gardens is great from there. Of course, don't worry, I have already told him," she says, and smiles.

Melissa nods, and follows Akunadin and Yami Marik. They walk through a series of dark corridors, barely illuminated. The engravings on the walls are still beautiful, but a different style. This ones show war scenes, some real, dry blood stains the walls. Melissa freaks out a little. There is blood on the floor, and this one seems recent.

Melissa begins to walk faster, and almost stumbles with Yami Marik, who is some steps ahead of her. Akunadin opens a door, which leads to some steps. Melissa begins going down. Darkness surrounds her. There is no light, just a torch that priest of the Eye is holding carefully. He has told Melissa before, that if the torch fades out, there's no possible way of getting out of there.

The place is like a maze, and the Darkness is thick and sticky. The air is foul, and dirt bulks, making breathing difficult. The place is hot, but chilling at the same time. Melissa reaches the end of the steps, and Akunadin lits some torches. A sensation of imminent death claims Melissa's body, but she trys to resist. Skeletons are spread on the floor, and as she walks, Melissa steps on some, making a weird creaking sound.

Akunadin opens a door, almost rotten by the acid smell that comes from inside. Melissa doesn't want to enter, but she feels drawn to. Reluctantly, Melissa crosses the doorsill, and she finds herself in the most creeping place she has ever seen in her life. It is even more creeping than the graveyard of her city at night.

Men are chained to the walls, covered with moss and blood. There are no windows, and there's no way in which air could filtrate, so the air is vitiated. Akunadin lits some more torches. Melissa is terribly dreaded by what her eyes see. Men are skinny, all covered in blood, scars, and some of them are tied together. Some of them are dead.

Some others are about to die. Their skin is a greenish color, and it emits a nauseating smell. They are rotting. Alive. Yami Marik chuckles slightly. Akunadin smirks. But Melissa is completely shocked and disgusted. Akunadin closes the door. Melissa walks, and get to another room. She doesn't want to enter, she is sure. But Yami Marik pushes her, and Melissa falls on the floor.

The Darkness is covering everything. Akunadin has not lit any torch yet. Melissa struggles to stand up, but it seems she is not able to move... no, it's not that... someone is grabbing her... finally, light clarifies the room, and Melissa is stunned to realize, that the one grabbing her, is a prisoner, whose body is almost reduced to a bloody pulp.

Melissa screams, but nothing happens. The man is not letting go of her. He squeezes her leg, digging his rotten nails into Melissa's skin. "Please... let go," Melissa stutters, and trys to break free. But the man does not seem to hear her. Instead, he digs his nails even deeper, making some blood leak from them.

The pain is beginning to numb Melissa, and she stops struggling. Unexpectedly, Melissa feels the man's grip loosen on her, and she sighs. "Pathetic," Yami Marik says, and kicks the man off of Melissa, as she trys to stand up. But her leg really hurts, and she grabs the first thing in her way, to prevent from falling.

Of course, the first thing in Melissa's way, happens to be Yami Marik's arm. He grabs her hand, and is about to push Melissa off, when he glances at her leg, and sighs. Melissa is about to tell him something mean for pushing her off, but she shuts up when she notices his reaction. Akunadin has been staring at the whole scene, and a slight, evil smirk curves his old lips.

The rest of the tour in the calaboose is silent, and Akunadin keeps glancing at Melissa and Yami Marik. Yami Marik is too busy trying to figure out why in the d**n seven hells he has let Melissa cling in that human way to him, so he has not noticed his constant stares. But Melissa has, and she is beginning to distrust him, and his little evil smirk.

Melissa supports herself on Yami Marik's shoulder, but he seems distant, and tells her nothing. When Melissa finishes her "excursion", she goes up the stairs (with some difficulty, yes. The steps are irregular...).

Yami Marik and Melissa go to there rooms, and Akunadin says he has some business to attend to. Melissa bows politely, but she is really wandering what his true intentions are.

Melissa remembers what Ashizu told her, and she asks Yami Marik if she can see the gardens through his window. Aishizu told him this could eventually happen, so he agrees. Melissa smiles shyly, and enters the room with him. He leads Melissa to the window where she stares in awe at the beauty of the view. Yami Marik takes of his uncomfortable robe, and tosses it on the bed. Melissa is still staring at the magnificence of the gardens, so she doesn't notice this.

The window is large, so Melissa has plenty of things to look at. The gardens are lit with torches, but she has some difficulty to notice the different plants in them. Yami Marik leans on the windowsill, next to Melissa, but not too near. Melissa blushes slightly, she had never seen him shirtless. And again, this question raises in her head.

If all men here don't wear shirts/robes, why does he never uncover his upper half...? Melissa is not going to ask, of course... She turns around to stare at him. He seems to be kind of dazed, staring at the clear and starry night sky. Melissa looks at Yami Marik, and she sees something she would have never expected.

Yami Marik has a large tattoo, with Egyptian symbols Melissa can't read. Now she understands why he covers his back. If he walked among the crowd, he'd attract too much attention... (and people would find it weird that a man from the future has the Pharaoh's personal secrets engraved on his back...)

"Marik what is that tattoo on your back?" Melissa asks. Yami Marik turns around and stares at her. For a moment, there eyes meet, and Melissa feels he is only faking his evilness. But she knows he isn't.... is he?.

"I...don't want to talk about it... not now," Yami Marik answers halfheartedly. Melissa looks away, and her gaze lands on the garden. "I understand... Marik... I need to look at the gardens... would you...well... er... come... with me?" Melissa says, or rather stutters.Yami Marik stares at the nothingness and grunts.

If he agrees, he has to go for a walk with Melissa, through the gardens, at night. If he does not go with her, he runs the risk of her getting somehow hurt, kidnapped, raped, killed, etc, and he'll have the fault. Reluctantly, he sighs and nods. Melissa grins, and goes out of the window; her leg is not hurting anymore(and it's a first floor...).

Yami Marik follows her. It is really dark, and Melissa can't see nothing, so she is walking rather slowly. Melissa suddenly stops, and stare at a small bush, with beautiful delicate flowers, which seem to be lilac, though she is not sure.

Melissa is staring interested at it, when Yami Marik yells,"Are you coming or not?!" Melissa nods, and stands up. She runs a little to get to where Yami Marik is. It is really dark, and she can't see clearly where she is putting her feet. Melissa stumbles with a step she has not seen, and she about to fall to the ground, when Yami Marik catches her.

He is gripping her arms softly, and there faces are almost touching...The night is cold, and Melissa feels warm, with his bare chest almost touching her. Melissa feels protected, dazed. Slowly, shyly, she looks up, and stares into his lifeless, lavender eyes.

Chapter 18:Roses with Thorns

Melissa suddenly stops, and stares at a small bush, with beautiful delicate flowers, which seems to be lilac, though is not sure. She is staring interested at it, when Yami Marik yells,"Are you coming or not?!" Melissa nods, and stands up. She runs a little to get to where Yami Marik is. It is really dark, and she can't see clearly where she is putting her feet.

Melissa stumbles with a step she had not seen, and is about to fall to the ground, when Yami Marik catches her. He is gripping Melissa's arms softly, and there faces are almost touching...The night is cold, and Melissa felt warm, with his bare chest almost touching her. Melissa feels protected, dazed. Slowly, shyly, she looks up, and stares into his lifeless, lavender eyes. Yami Marik gazes deeply into Melissa's eyes.

The breeze blows lightly, swinging gracefully the tops of the palm trees. Yami Marik's heart is beating faster, and so is Melissa's. Yami Marik would have never thought he could feel this way, so... humanly. Having Melissa so close to him, makes him realize how pathetic, how evil he is. No one has ever told him human emotions are so complicated. If he softens now, his sheer evilness will weaken... no, he can't let Melissa be close to him.

Not in this way, not in any way. Melissa is dazed, confused, scared. Somehow, she is very happy. But his eyes are still a mystery to her. Sometimes so sad, sometimes so hateful, sometimes so lifeless. Melissa and Yami Marik stay like this for a while, gazing into each others' eyes, trying to guess what the other one is feeling.

Yami Marik closes his eyes, and sighs. He slowly takes his hands off of Melissa's arms, and she freezes. Suddenly, Yami Marik snaps out of his trance, and glares at Melissa with lifeless eyes. He pushes her, and runs away from her, leaving Melissa shocked at his sudden reaction.

A single tear falls from one of Melissa's eyes. She takes one step. One echo. One falter.

Melissa walks pausedly unsure of herself. Yami Marik has rejected her plainly, left her alone in the Darkness. Melissa rests her back against a wall, and closes her eyes. "Marik... why ...did you ...do that...?" Melissa whispers to herself.

She sighs sadly, and goes back to her room. Yami Marik got to his room a while before Melissa did. He laid on his bed and sighed. He had been about to feel human. He could not risk that to happen again. He can't risk that to happen again. He closes his eyes, and falls asleep.

~~The Next Day~~

Melissa wakes up early, and eats some fruits. She then works hardly in her task, and by the end of the afternoon Melissa is done choosing and positioning the different kinds of plants that will go in each place. She is very tired, and she still had to go to dinner. Aishizu has told Melissa, that she has something most important to tell her.

Melissa goes to the dining room, where she is supposed to meet her. She opens the doors, and find that not only Aishizu is sitting by the table, but also Yami Marik.

Melissa sighs, and greets Aishizu. She trys to pay no attention to Yami Marik, to ignore him completely. Both of them repudiate looking at eachother. Aishizu notices this, but understands it. She knows perfectly well what happened yesterday night, and she knows it is difficult for Yami Marik to realize he is not a Shadow. Not anymore. He is human, and even though he tries to appear as an evil being, he's not one.

Not anymore. The dinner is brief and silent. Aishizu perceives the uneasiness in the atmosphere, so she tells Melissa and Yami Marik rapidly that some important diplomats are coming to Egypt, so in order to commemorate the occasion, the Pharaoh has ordered the priests to organize a royal dance, to which of course Melissa and Yami Marik are invited.

Melissa nods, and excuses herself. Without even looking at Yami Marik, she runs out of the chamber, and goes to her bedroom. Melissa doesn't want to encounter Yami Marik. Not alone. She unlocks the door, and enters. The torches are already lit, and the window is already closed.

Melissa changes to her sleeping gown, and falls asleep. As soon as she left the dining room, Yami Marik asked Aishizu a few punctual questions about the dance, such as where it would be held, when, who where the diplomats, and so on. Aishizu answered, quickly, coldly, to every question.

When he had finished asking what he needed to know, he gave a reluctant,"Good night," to Aishizu, and left the room. He walked unwillingly to his room. He locked the door after he had entered, and rested his back against it. He closed his eyes, and whispered,"d**ned people... d**ned Aishizu.... d**ned Melissa!"

He took his robe off, and threw it on a chair. Unenthusiastically, he laid on the bed and closed his eyes. Darkness had claimed him before, had covered his actions, had watched his sleep. It had engulfed his "life".

But now, no Darkness surrounds him, no Shadow watches over him, no threat clouds his dreamless nights. And now, he is lost. If there is no Darkness to keep him, to take him away, where will he hide? Where will he keep his darkest secrets, those deep thoughts about an empty nothingness? Nowhere.

They will be kept inside him, rotting him, making him stay awake in the dead of the night. Those feelings that will be sealed inside him, feelings that will corrupt him, feelings that will slowly make him become what he has always feared the most.... a human.

Chapter 19:Plans for the Dance

It takes some time, since Melissa is not sure of many things, and his Highness has to be pleased when he sees them, and so have to be the diplomats. Aishizu has told Melissa they are coming from Assyria, country of tortures and war. Now, the question is, what kind of plants do Assyrians have in their region?

Melissa decides to place some palm trees in the middle. She will probably simulate an oasis and the desert, which is something both Egypt and Assyria have in common. In the desert she will make the slaves carry some sand and dirt below it.

In the oasis, green grass, and a pond, with lotus plants near the shore. Some papyrus here or there will do, too. The side gardens will probably have palm trees, and tropical plants. Flower bushes and colorful small trees, distributed evenly, will give the composition a touch of distinction.

This planning takes Melissa the whole day, and by sundown she is done with it.

~~10 Days Later (the dance will be in 3 days)~~

Melissa has finally finished planting and decorating the gardens. The priests have already checked her work, and to resume in few words their impression of her work; I'd have to say: superb, magnificent, and tactful.

Mixing Egyptian and Assyrian landscapes is a clever, not to say brilliant, idea. They have said that the Pharaoh will be charmed by the wonderful grandness of Melissa's work. In one word; they have worshipped her. Even priests Seth and Akunadin, who are usually though and almost emotionless, have shown some sort of approbation...!

(wow, that's bloody hard to believe....). On the other hand, Yami Marik has had no work all this time. Partly because nothing serious has happened, partly because the Pharaoh wants no dead people in the palace... (*cough* Assyrians love torture *cough*)...

Each time Melissa happens to come across Yami Marik, she rejects even glancing at him. And so does he. Aishizu has been really busy, she is very responsible, and she wants everything to be perfect.

Assyrians have a bad reputation about royal events. It is said that they are hard to please, and are very meticulous, always trying to find the mistakes in something which seems to be perfect.

~~The day before the Dance~~

Melissa has helped Aishizu with everything she could. This has made her relationship with her even better than what it used to be.... Right now, Melissa is very tired from moving boxes, bouquettes (sp?) of flowers, and random ornamentation around, but she has agreed with Aishizu that she'll show her some party dresses for tomorrow.

Melissa goes down the stairs, and meets Aishizu in the main hall. She leads her to a large room, where some women are sewing beautiful clothes, for the people who dwell in the palace. Aishizu shows Melissa some good-looking dresses, but she is not sure about anyone. Finally, she shows her a heavy, dark red one, with really long sleeves.

Melissa is completely satisfied with her choice, and she hopes she will not attract (too much) attention. Aishizu chooses one for herself. It's an old shade of green, and it looks great on her.

Yami Marik is not satisfied with any traditional shenti, for he does not want to walk around the dance with such an important piece of information. So he has chosen a long, sleeveless robe.

~~The next Day~~

All afternoon Melissa has been helping the priests make the last arrangements and preparations. She is now changing into her dress.

Melissa finishes putting it on, and she puts on some khol and jewelry (use your imagination....think for once in your life....). When she is done, she goes to the music room, she then needs some time alone. Melissa opens the doors, and goes into in a relaxed state.

A musician is playing what seems to be a harp-like instrument, similar to those Melissa saw in the market place, just that this one seems more... elegant. The arch is made of a golden metal (99% probable it's gold), and the cords are long, slim silver strings.

The instrument produces a soft, almost angelical sound, and it calms Melissa's soul, and frees her mind. She sits on the windowsill, and sighs. As Melissa stares through it, she thinks about what could have been if Yami Marik had not pulled away the other night.

Melissa has replayed the scene in her head thousands of times... the flower, the fall, the catch, the embrace... She knows it is better this way... and yet, Melissa would have wanted it to last.... But, she knew it is impossible. Yami Marik is... well... heh... sort of.... emotionless.... or something dangerously similar.... (second option!).

The sky is showing Melissa now its best shades of crimson and purple. Over the roofs of the houses, she can spot a weak, setting sun. Melissa would be so happy if she could be out there, in her gardens now...!She is peaceful now, but she wished she could be outdoors. And Melissa can't help feeling somewhat uneasy. The balls have never been her thing.

Melissa is not too clumsy, but when it comes to dancing. She let her thoughts wander, and she didn't even notice the music is not playing anymore, and that somebody has entered the room. Suddenly, Melissa feels a cold hand on her shoulder.

Closed. Plagiarism.