the_campus | EGYPTIAN WHEELIES

...H-hh...

[Malik's spirit steps back, a look of abject horror flashing across his transparent features as Bakura spoke.]

No...! I don't want to live that long! [Eternity...that was too long. Unimaginably long and lonely. To be conscious of his hate and the pain of the past for that long...would he be able to let go of it, or would it just continue to fester inside him?]

Put me back! [Malik's spirit dives back into the Ring, and then drives itself into Ryou's body in an attempt to take over.]

Edited 2013-09-24 21:31 (UTC)

GH-?!

[Inside of him... something intrusive was inside of him! He stumbled, clutching the bed for support. Inside of his mind, a battle had begun.

His hand let go of the blankets, raising to clasp at his face as he fought the attacker off. He'd expected anger, but not for Malik to go this far-!

No, this wasn't good. Even if Malik forced control, it would not be the Ring he could wield. He'd have no power over him! Why then, was he struggling so hard? Why was he afraid? Didn't he understand?

This was the punishment for his crimes. That fear and suffering was worse than any physical damage he could cause.

And more than that... it created an unbreakable bond. For Malik to return to his body, he'd need to keep Bakura alive, and find a way to make him willing. Not that he had any plans to do it.

Malik didn't deserve to regain his own body!]

Get... OUT!

[Inside Bakura, Malik's fraction of a soul struggled with all its might, trying to force control of the host's body. It was not unlike using the Rod, but much visceral, like prey clawing its way out of a predator's gut.

It wasn't unlike the way his other half had taken over him.

If he could control Ryou...then he could use the Ring, right? He could return his soul to his body himself! And if not, he'd keep control of Ryou until Bakura did it for him!]

Gnh...! Ma...lik-! Bastard-!

[His mind was being torn at by Malik's fighting. It was like being ripped apart from the inside, only for the reformation of the walls he threw up to be interrupted again. An endless loop. It was almost frightening. Malik was fighting like a wild beast, like a trapped animal desperate to escape.

But Malik had forgotten one thing.

Within Bakura was an endless well of darkness that he would have to tear through in order to force control.

His hands fisted in his hair, gripping hard enough to hurt as he focused everything he had into breaking down the fragment's attack.]

Nn... Ghh...! I TOLD YOU TO GET OUT! Don't be a rude guest!

[After a few more fitful attempts, Bakura finally manages to subdue him, the fragment going silent thereafter, not just from spiritual exhaustion...but the crushing realization that he'd been too weak to save himself.

While the fragment may not be talking, those feelings were strong enough to resonant without words. Malik's trust was being fractured--chipped apart in just the same way he'd threatened Bakura's confidence--by fear and hate.]

...

[Bakura sinks down to sit on the ground, breathing ragged. His mood softens, anger fading at the realization of what's going on.]

Malik...

[He takes the blade, returning with it to Malik's side and strapping it onto his leg, beneath his trousers.]

Wake up... We need to talk.

[Malik's eyes snap open mere seconds after the knife is on his person, and he sharply sucks in a breath, as if it were the first one he had in years.

Sitting up, Malik looks over at Bakura with wide, ten-yard stare before they refocuse...and immediately burn with hate.

He tackles the other man to the ground, wrapping his hands around his neck. His own breathing was ragged.]

Put me...back...in my fucking body or I'll DESTROY YOURS! [As he raised his voice, something else tinted it, a distortion...]

-!

[Too far. He's gone too far, and he knows it. That distortion in Malik's voice, the hatred in his eyes... he's fuelled the other Malik quite a bit, and he can tell. His first instinct is to try to pull Malik's hands away from his throat, but he forces himself not to. Instead, his hand lifts to cup Malik's cheek.]

Calm down! If you kill me, you'll be stuck like this forever, remember? I didn't do this to hurt you! Listen to me!

[One of Malik's eyes widen, almost independent of the other in the deranged look it was shooting Bakura. The wicked grin that stretched to half his face wasn't much different.

The different was brief, though, and soon Malik's eyes return to a uniform seething leer as he tightens his grip on Bakura's neck.]

Why should I?! Like I'm going to believe anything you say now!

Ngh... [It's hard to breathe like this. His instinct is to kick Malik off, to stop him. Instead, he lets his hands drop to his side. No need to antagonize him now. He can take it. If Malik tightens much more, he'll have to stop him, but he can handle this. He has to. Pissing Malik off more will just make things worse.]

Idiot... nn... [No, no, less assholeish. Focus. Think.] I just wanted to teach you a lesson! I wasn't going to leave you in there forever!

... [Remembering Bakura's words from earlier, Malik can see the logic, but it does little to sate his fury. Right now, the only one who needed to be taught a lesson was Bakura.]

I don't care what you wanted--put me back!

[It's all he can do not to snap back, but he bites his tongue and responds by initiating the transfer back. Being already connected to his soul-container, it probably wouldn't feel as strange as it did originally.]

Now let go of me. And give me my fucking dagger back.

[Preferably not in the face.]

[It was still an unpleasant sensation, but once he was back Malik was feeling relieved...if only slightly.

Now he had to deal with Bakura.

He didn't let go of him, and the stare he was giving him was contemplative.]

[Bakura stared back, eyes slightly wide. Was Malik really considering killing him over such a stupid thing?]

W-what? Why are you looking at me like that?

[Finally, he lets go, getting to his feet and decidedly not returning the dagger. His expression was cold.

His heart wrenched and made him queasy.]

Maybe I misjudged you. [What was he thinking...investing in somebody like that? People outside of his family...they were nothing more than tools!]

Edited 2013-09-24 23:00 (UTC)

...I'm sorry.

[Bakura's voice was quiet. He stayed where he was, lying on the ground and staring up at the ceiling. Malik probably couldn't tell the effort actual apologies cost him - and probably didn't care.

His mind ached, and for some reason, his chest was hurting a little too.]

I lost my temper again. It's no excuse, I know. I... really did want you to stay with me. If you'd stayed like that, you wouldn't die on me again. And...

[His chest hurt worse suddenly. What was this pain? It was like a knife twisting in his chest, like some part of him was fighting against these words.]

...I didn't want to be alone again. I don't understand these feelings... but I didn't want to lose them.

Some day, you're going to disappear, no matter how much I try to hold onto you. That's the price of growing attached to humans.

I know it doesn't mean much... but I'm sorry. I didn't realize it would hurt you that badly.

... [That's the second time now, that Malik has heard Bakura apologize; the first had been when he'd come back from the dead. The words claw at his insides, twisting themselves around his heart and squeezing.

It was so stupid...to let himself feel like this. Every time he started to accept it, he came back to the same crushing doubt.

Malik let his hands fall limply at his sides, his head bowed.

Why did everything have to be so difficult? If he wasn't allowing himself to drown in his own vices and passions...he had this.

And Bakura...Bakurajust had to make it worse. He should be mad at him, he was mad at him, but not entirely. That stupid Spirit...was he really that afraid of losing him?

He had an eternity, and all Malik had was a short and likely painful lifetime.]

You idiot. You should have just asked, if it bothered you that much.

[He lifts a hand up, wiping his eyes.] But...I don't think my soul can handle eternity. Sometimes I can barely handle the days in front of me.

[After a moment, he adds on as an after thought...] Besides, you'll get bored eventually and find something else to entertain you.

Edited 2013-09-24 23:26 (UTC)

I... don't want something else.

[It's a painful confession. One he hasn't made before. He stares at the ceiling, trying to gather his thoughts enough to speak.]

I don't want to lose you, but... if you really don't think you can handle that eternity... it's fine. I won't try to force you.

It's painful and boring, and during the times when you're not in contact with your body, it's like you're melting into nothingness. I can understand why someone wouldn't want that.

[He sits up slowly, one hand lifting to rub at his neck. That dull ache isn't going away. It seems to be getting worse with every word he speaks. Bringing his hand to his face, he tried to focus on finding words.]

If you hate me, I'll leave. I like you enough to do that. But... even if you won't be with me for long, I'd like to be with you while I can.

[If he leaves... it'll just be early. Yes... he was foolish to try to hold onto these feelings. Of course someone who could still be called 'human' would never be able to handle this.

His head hurts. What is this dizzying sense of blackness in the back of his mind? It's like something's raging at him right now, something he can't remember or even conceptualize inside of his head.]

In the end, the decision's up to you.

[...though he's not letting Malik go as easily as all that, whatever Malik says.]

[Finally, Malik takes a seat next to the bed, leaning over so that his head might rest against it and the soft sheets. He lets out a thoughtful sigh, reaching into his pants to pull out that dagger and turn it in his hands.

Immortality. That was something humanity strived for, wasn't it? Then why was the idea so terrifying to him? Eternity was incomprehensible.]

You broke my trust. You're lucky, I really considered killing you back there. [He accidentally pricks his finger on the blade, wincing.]

...But I don't hate you.

[Malik sets the blade down in his lap, slouching over so that his bangs hid his face.]

If I do this...and my body dies without me, I can never make it to the afterlife. Then again... [A small, distraught laugh escapes him.] Ammit was going to eat me anyway.

What's worse? Disappearing, or never being able to disappear?

Edited 2013-09-25 00:02 (UTC)

Who knows?

[Drawing his knees up, he rests on them. Disappear, or never disappear? Nothingness, or an empty eternity? It's the same question that faces him.]

I can't pass to the afterlife myself. Because my 'name' and 'body' were destroyed... So I can't even guess at that, even if I hadn't fucked up my chances long ago.

Truthfully... either way, you have a choice I don't. If your body dies... As long as your soul is intact, I can transfer you into a new one. You can live as a human again. Eternity doesn't need to be eternity.

[Instead of living like a parasite, relying on weak and useless bodies because the Ring's a picky bitch.]

[It had been obvious that Bakura was stuck in this realm, forever a spirit of the Ring...but hearing him say it was still unsettling. He really had no choice but eternity.]

...That's right. I would need to use someone else's body... [He wasn't entirely sure how he felt about that. It's not that he minded using others, but it still wasn't his body. The fact that he had the potential of ending his "eternity" at any time though...that was a small comfort.]

But even if I did... [He looks sternly over, a slight pout on his lips. Why was he even humouring this?! Why did he feel this strongly about Bakura...enough that he felt pity for him.] We have no way of guaranteeing the items would stay together.

Ugh... [Malik brings his hand, and the dagger up to his head, seemingly overcome with a headache. It wasn't him though, just his own thoughts.]

Edited 2013-09-25 00:33 (UTC)

Oi... If you do that while holding the dagger, you're going to give me a fright. At least put it aside.

[He's hoping it isn't what it looks like. The idea of the other Malik killing him with his own knife is both tiresome and unnerving.]

...heh. I never thought of that. Stupid, right?

[The only way to keep the soul containers together for sure... The problem is the part where it's probably almost impossible.]

I could always try to seal you into the Rod instead.

[He's only half-joking.]

Edited 2013-09-25 00:39 (UTC)

... [Malik places the dagger on the bed, but it seems the "headache" faded soon after anyway. He just kept his hand there as a comforting press to his temple.]

...the Rod? [Besides the idea being almost ludicrous in and of itself, there was something else:] I thought you wanted the Rod.

[It made sense, sure...but Malik didn't need the Rod once he'd killed the Pharaoh. After that...he just wanted to help his family.

Maybe eternity wouldn't be so bad if he could do that. He'd free the Tombkeepers, help establish them in the outside world...

He wouldn't mind living a little longer if it meant seeing to that. They could always take outsiders to act as bodies for him and Bakura. It'd be for a good cause, after all...surely they wouldn't mind, knowing that.

Even if they did, he didn't care.]

The Rod's just a key, remember? After I retrieve the Items from Shadi, Yugi and whoever has the Tauk... I won't need it as a key anymore.

[That's not strictly true. He needs Yugi still, but he's still hiding that fact. But Malik doesn't need to know that. Having never experienced the duel against the other Malik, he also doesn't know of his connection with Shadi. If he did, he'd never have mentioned that, either.]

Once the Gate opens... there's no need for any of it. I'll have what I seek... and everything will be fine.

[For him.]

Right... [He looks down at the item, considering this. Bakura still didn't know that he needed Yugi alive to open the door, did he? Either way...]

I'll do it...under a few conditions. [Glancing up at Bakura again, he watches his expression carefully.]

Edited 2013-09-25 00:55 (UTC)

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