I am Malik Ish-- I MEAN MY NAME IS NAMU.

[obeytherod]

[Malik had humoured the nurse, listened to her explanation until it made him burn with fury and he knocked her back with a telekinetic blast of his Millennium Rod. He storms out of the office mere moments later, letting out a frustrated cry.]

Rruhh! This cannot be! [Why this, in the middle of the Battle City tournament?! He was so close, so close to his revenge on the Pharaoh he could practically taste it, and now he was here. It made him so furious, and--]

[The teenager suddenly winces, bringing a hand to his head as an intense headache pounds at the forefront of his skull. He takes a moment then to calm himself, shaking for a bit before he finally straightens back up.]

[The Egyptian looks either way down the hall, silently hooking his Millennium Rod to his belt. Now was the worst possible time to be caught off guard like this. But for now he would just have to hope he could find a way out of here...and that he wouldn't bump into anybody who might recognize the Rod for what it really is. Then again, even if he did, he could always use the Rod to warp their mind into thinking it was nothing more than a decoration.

Still, he better play it safe and put on a nice face. After all, he was supposed to be Namu, not Malik.]

Ah...I really am lost! [He calls out innocently.]

((ooc: Here's his Permissions Post for anybody that missed it. I'll default to "no" on everything otherwise, and ask on a case-by-case basis.))

Comments

[fluffydeathdealer]

He did hit me, Malik. He could have killed my host if I hadn't taken control back.

[Reaching over, he presses a hand to Malik's forehead in a mocking parody of checking his temperature.]

[obeytherod]

Tch...! [Malik quickly knocks the hand away, openly fuming at Bakura now, even as he continues to speak telepathically.]

Well, I guess your host just isn't as important to the Pharaoh as the first two I used. Too bad, that really makes you less valuable than I originally thought.

[fluffydeathdealer]

[Why, you-]

You don't know the Pharaoh as well as you think you do, do you? His friends are important to him... but I doubt anything would force him to surrender a battle which would result in putting the rest of them at risk. One loss... versus a potential multitude of others.

He would not surrender, knowing that 'Malik Ishtar' was involved.

[Besides, he'd told him, hadn't he? He would not allow his host to be destroyed.]

[obeytherod]

[Malik simply smirks.]

He would have killed your host to save the others. You were nothing more than a sacrificial lamb to please Osiris.

Hahaha, how does that make you feel, Bakura?!

[fluffydeathdealer]

[It's pretty much as expected, really. He never went into that battle expecting to win. Still, the taunting stirs his anger. His knuckles are whiter than usual with how tightly he's gripping his own arms.]

'How does it make me feel'? You're like a vicious cat, Malik Ishtar. Claws out, trying to draw blood with every scratch.

Even if my host dies, I will continue to exist. It's just inconvenient to lose a comfortable body after all this time... especially one so close to 'him'.

Maybe I'd just have taken your body instead. Of course, you'd be too troublesome to share...

[It's an idle threat and he knows it. Sealing Malik's soul away would make the body available, but that doesn't mean he'd care to do it.]

[obeytherod]

Oi, oi, I want to draw much more than just blood out of you. [He chuckles darkly, opening his eyes. Malik simply enjoyed seeing Bakura lose his cool; it was too easy and too fun. Plus he could redirect it towards something more useful...like his plans.]

With my Millennium Rod, you wouldn't stand a chance. Now...

[He holds the item out.] Lend me your mind so I can know all you know about this place; unless you're afraid I'll discover your lies.

[fluffydeathdealer]

...? What are you-?

[That comment makes him stare, more than a little confused. More than blood? What was he talking about? That sounded. Suspicious. What are you up to, Malik Ishtar?]

I'm afraid of nothing, Malik.

[After all, most of his older memories are sealed deep. Too deep. There's too much darkness in the past.

He forces himself to relax his defenses, though it annoys him even more to be ordered around like this.]

Look at whatever you like. I have nothing to hide.

[obeytherod]

[Malik doesn't bother to explain himself, he simply holds out the rod and concentrates, digging deep into Bakura's memories of this building and the events just preceding his arrival. Malik is careful to count the perceived days, and when he's done he looks a bit drained from shock.

Bakura hadn't been lying. If not a week, he'd certainly been here long enough to contradict Malik's own arrival.

He really wasn't sure what to make of this, and so he narrows his eyes accusingly at Bakura. There was no way what he'd seen had been fabricated...]

This doesn't add up.

[fluffydeathdealer]

There are multiple possible explainations, but none of them make sense.

Either this place exists outside of time...

...one of us has fabricated memories...

...you've been in a coma for a week...

Or time travel has been invented.

[A light shrug. It's good to see Malik looking flustered for a change. He could have done with an answer to whether or not he was being hit on, though. Oh well.]

[obeytherod]

I think I would know if I've been in a coma , Bakura.

[Then again...he had woken up in the infirmary. Now Malik has to check himself, surveying his hands, running one through his hair, and looking down at his midriff in thought.

He didn't seem skinnier than he remembered, his hair was clean, and his clothes weren't wrinkled.]

No. That's definitely not it. [He looks up again.] It could be possible for my Rod to fabricate memories, but I didn't do that either.

...And you're right about the others not making sense. I don't like this. Something is...off.

[fluffydeathdealer]

I thought you looked too healthy for that.

[The dryness of his voice was almost icy in nature. If Malik has such a time discrepancy, then none of this makes sense. Time is messed up in some way and he doesn't like it.]

At any rate, the Pharaoh isn't here. You've seen for yourself what this island is like. If you have any of your 'brilliant ideas', now would be the time.

[Putting Malik on the spot, oh yeah~.]

[obeytherod]

[Malik was in agreement here; the time discrepancy was unnerving, to say the least. The only explanations he could think of were in the realm of science fiction. No better than Bakura's.]

[He scowls when Bakura puts him on the spot.] Well, it looks like you barely gave the surrounding jungle a try. All you did was let your host play follow-the-leader.

We could start there.

[fluffydeathdealer]

[At that comment, he scowls. As if he hadn't tried to explore the jungle on his own! It wasn't terrain he was used to, much as he hated to admit it. It makes him seethe, but he pastes on a smile.]

Fine, fine. It's okay by me.

[He waves a hand dismissively.]

If you find you can't handle it, be a good boy and go wait in the dormitories. I'll come back for you if I find a way out.

Or at least I'll come back for the Rod.

[obeytherod]

Heh. [Bakura, you shouldn't have offered if you weren't serious. Malik quite enjoys making others do the work for him.] You know what? I think I will. After all, I can watch you perfectly well from back here, and if you don't come back, then I guess you don't want the Rod after all!

[Malik lets out a little laugh.] Now, take me somewhere to stay while you find us a way out.

[You're his bitch now, Bakura.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

You bastard... someday I'm going to make you regret ordering me around like this.

[Luckily, he had been prepared for this. It was hardly the first time he'd been out in the jungle. But being bossed around by an inexperienced mortal like this... He makes a tsk noise with his tongue and gestures for Malik to follow him, leading him towards the eastern dormitories.]

But you'd only slow me down anyway, so I might as well go by myself.

[obeytherod]

[Malik doesn't comment on that either, but that cocky, amused expression really says it all. Bakura can whine and insult all he wants, but he was doing Malik's dirty work whether he liked it or not.

Oh, Bakura was really desperate for his Rod, wasn't he? Teaming up with this fool was really coming in handy.

He simply follows the older man as he bathes in confidence.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

[Oh, he could wait. Truthfully, he never expected Malik to win. Once the Rod was in the Pharaoh's hands, his plan would be set in motion. Until then, he might as well play nice.

He just kicks the door open carelessly.]

I'd say to make yourself at home, but I'd expect nothing else from someone like you.

Just be a good boy and don't break anything.

[obeytherod]

Tch. [Malik steps inside, looking around the small apartment. He glances back at Bakura over his shoulder and mockingly uses his own words against him.]

As long as you be a "good boy" and find us a way out of here. [A bit more serious.] I'll have to punish you if you don't.

[fluffydeathdealer]

...

[Okay, did Malik even know what he was saying? Because that definitely sounded like he was being hit on. Surely not. ...right?

At any rate, that sounded like he was suggesting he was in control here.]

How odd. I thought partnerships were supposed to be equal. I guess this alliance is more like a dictatorship.

What would you do if I decided it isn't worth it, I wonder?

[After all, Bakura was used to working alone. Malik, on the other hand...

Heh. That was an advantage he should hold on to.]

We only have each other to rely on here.

[obeytherod]

[That comment snaps Malik out of his little power-high, causing him to curl his lip and glower. The last thing he needed to lose in this place was his only partner.]

...Then maybe we should adjust our agreement. For the change in circumstance.

[He couldn't have Bakura walking out on him, and he wouldn't be half as much use to him as a Ghoul. He doubted he could Ghoulify him anyway, given the fact he has two souls.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

[Seeing that look on Malik's face makes him smile. It's almost a perfect revenge.]

Perhaps we should. [A light shrug and he drops down into a chair, waiting for Malik to continue.]

I'm listening.

[He's honestly curious now. He'd mostly said it to remind Malik of the risks of pushing him too far. But this was a new twist. What could Malik be suggesting?]

[obeytherod]

[Malik glances around, finding a chair of his own to sit down in as he follows Bakura's lead.

With the Millennium Rod still in his hand, he idly toys with it as he speaks.]

Right now, we have a common goal. [He looks sternly at the man across from him.] We should work towards that together. Let everybody else here rot, but we need to be able to trust each other.

Now... [He smirks, something sadistic about it.] How do you plan to do that? How do I know I can trust you?

[fluffydeathdealer]

[Trust? What a foolish word. Trust was not something given, but merely assured by making it clear that there was no option for betrayal. He had little idea how to answer that at first, simply watching him as he ran through possible words before he spoke.]

You're quite the bold one to ask that. The straight answer is simple enough... you don't. You and I are quite alike. We both use others for our own ends. Because of that, it's difficult to trust either of us. But you're right- the others here are insignificant.

The easiest way might be some kind of collateral. But I can't think of that many things that either of us would be willing to give up in favour of that.

[obeytherod]

[Bakura had a point, and it was one Malik had realized himself even as he made the suggestion. In fact, it was the very reason why he had decided to speak up in the first place.]

Collateral. Heh. And I suppose the promise of my Millennium Rod is not enough for you, just as your promise of helping me defeat the Pharaoh is not enough for me.

Well... [Malik hums thoughtfully.] Tell me, Bakura, can you still take over your host without the Millennium Ring?

[fluffydeathdealer]

No.

[His expression darkens at the suggestion. As if he would give that up! If Malik could even get him to part with the Eye, that'd be an accomplishment.]

The Ring is the conduit that carries my soul. I need both the Ring and the host to be connected to control him.