Children of Ra. (1 on 1 between me and Melody Frazier)

[FactionParadox]

Ryou sighed to himself silently as he turned through the snow on his way to school. Thankfully, his Yami didn't bother him during the winter as apparently it was "too bloody cold". He watched the snowflakes tumble to the ground, smiling a little. He saw the large building up ahead, and entered, his scarf still tightly wrapped around his neck, as the heating never seemed to work. "Hey, Bakura!" Joey said as he pulled the shorter, snow-haired male into a bear hug, scaring Ryou slightly. Ryou promptly put on his usual fake smile. "Hello Joey..." He said, his heart pounding. Joey let him go as soon as the blond Brooklyn-born saw his rival, Kaiba. "Anything I should know about, Mutt?" The six foot CEO said as he smirked. "Leave Bakura outta this, rich boy." Joey said, glaring at Kaiba, who glared at Ryou, Yami Bakura having only at the weekend kidnapped Mokuba as a lure so he could enact another one of his insane schemes to kill the Pharoah, although Ryou did secretly agree with him, due to the fact that the Ancient Egyptian had no qualms about putting him in a coma via the Shadow Game his Yami had initiated. Ryou's life was difficult enough as it is, none of his friends knew where he lived, because his flat was in one of the poorest areas of town, some poor soul usually had their head bashed in every week or so. Still, no point in complaining. He took off his coat and hung it up, before hearing some footsteps behind him, he turned and saw Marik, the person Ryou really considered his best friend, mainly because he also shared the same views about the Pharoah and he could truly sympathise with Ryou about his parental problems. "Morning Marik!" Ryou said as he waved, greeting the Egyptian.

 

[FactionParadox]

@Melody Frazier

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Marik also had not been taken over by what his elder sister called his dark side. He was glad for that. It meant that he was in full control of himself. "Morning, Bakura." The blonde was also wrapped up pretty tightly, in no way used to the cold. It was very different from his home in Egypt, though the tombs that he had grown up in were, admittedly, not the warmest. They weren't even a great home to start with and his father never helped matters, but...Marik never wanted his father to end up in the Shadow Realm. It was all his fault and he knew that. Now, he would spend the rest of his life with that guilt and making up for it. Once inside the school, Marik nodded at Yugi, Tea and Tristan, who had all greeted him so warmly. What really upset him, however, was Kaiba's treatment of Bakura. "Excuse me, Seto, but I really don't appreciate bullies such as yourself." He smiled warmly at Ryou. "Good morning, Bakura." He never removed his coat.

 

[FactionParadox]

The day progressed with Seto continuing to glare at Ryou, evidently furious, refusing to believe Yami Bakura existed and therefore blaming Ryou for what happened to his younger brother. It all came to a head during break. "Kaiba, I would never hurt Mokuba. I barely know the kid." Ryou said, glaring at Kaiba, looking not dissimilar from his Yami when doing so. "I don't believe in your fairy tale nonsense about being possessed by some spirit. Go near him again and I'll make sure you end up dead like your mother and sister." Kaiba said, as he began to walk away. Ryou suddenly ran off, evidently upset, silently crying, resulting in the Pharoah and Kaiba having a massive argument, at lunch you find Ryou still crying in an empty cubicle.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Marik was at the sink, washing his hands when Bakura had entered the boy's room. "Bakura, is that you?" He knocked on the cubicle door, then backed off in case he opened it. "What happened?" If Kaiba hurt him, he's dead. Marik had no qualms with throwing Pretty Boy to the Shadows, though he would probably have to summon Yami to do it. "Bakura, open the door." He murmured. "Please. Talk to me." He waited in silence, attempting to calm his anger and frustration while still having Ryou with him. He would never, though Bakura could take care of himself, put the snowy haired male in danger intentionally.

 

[FactionParadox]

"Marik... Please, I want to be alone right now..." Ryou said, looking at the locket he wore around his neck, containing a picture of Amane. He missed her so much. Her tragic death hurt the white haired teenager to this day. He wanted to hurt Kaiba, but he knew if he did he would be sued. "Kaiba said if I went near his brother again he'd make me end up like my mother and little sister. They both died when I was ten..." Ryou said, sniffing.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"I lost my mother and father when I was younger too, Bakura." Marik was now leaning on the sink with his back to it. "I know what it feels like." He couldn't just leave Bakura alone and he couldn't just have a go at Kaiba just yet. Marik wasn't the kind of person to do that. He had to get so worked up that Yami came forth and possessed his body. "Bakura, I'm not leaving until you come out of there and come with me."

 

[FactionParadox]

Ryou sighed and got up, unlocking the door, his usually kind eyes now swollen and red and tired looking. "Let's go..." Ryou barely whispered, sounding beyond exhausted. He went over to the sink and splashed cold water on his face, his eyes returning to normal. He put on his happy face, even though both he and Marik knew it was a lie, Ryou knew it would piss Kaiba off.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Marik passed him a towel, then decided he'd better do it himself. "Here, let me help you." With the Millennium rod poking at the back of his leg, Marik walked behind Bakura and dried off the hair that Bakura didn't reach. The Egyptian couldn't get over how beautiful Bakura's hair was. Each strand was like the whitest snow. "You shouldn't be crying. Don't give Kaiba that satisfaction. Let me handle this." He set the towel in the sink and led Bakura out.

 

[FactionParadox]

"Sorry..." Ryou said, stopping the tears instantly, years of abuse from his Yami teaching him how to do that. He heard Marik say he was going to handle it, making Ryou panic. "W-What are you going to do?" Ryou said, nervous. He didn't want Marik to give the Pharoah any reason to hurt him, the Pharoah could be as sadistic as Ryou's own Yami, he just hid it behind his false view of 'justice'.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"I'm going to show Kaiba what happens when he upsets someone I care about." Marik reached behind his back and pulled out the rod from his pants and walked slowly toward the last place he saw Seto Kaiba. "I heard what you said to Ryou." Marik finally spoke. "You don't honestly believe that I'll let you get away with that, Pretty Boy." His head started to hurt, but Marik ignored it. "Marik, what's wrong with you, dude?" Tristan asked, seeing the blonde holding his head. "N-Nothing." Marik shook his head. "I'm fine."

 

[FactionParadox]

Kaiba smirked in response. "And what exactly are you going to do, Ishtar? Get your sister to poledance for me?" Seto said cruelly, laughing. "Well, you'd know all about that, Seto. I might only have a Dad, but at least my Father didn't beat me like a dog, unlike yours." Ryou said, finding the courage to be insulting. With that, Seto growled, picking Ryou up and punching him in the face before throwing him to the ground. "Don't you ever say that again!" Seto said kicking the snowy-haired male. Tristan ran off to get Yugi, as Ryou coughed.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"You're going to regret that, Seto." Marik's voice had grown deeper, creepier. Some of his hair was standing up and the Millennium rod was glowing. "You won't be seeing another day if I have anything to say about it!" He pointed his item at the brunette. Completely ignoring Ryou at this point, he stared directly at Kaiba. "Say goodbye! I'll be sure to take good care of Mokuba!" He laughed maniacally. "Marik!" Ishizu rushed over. "Marik, stop!" The woman ordered. "I cannot let you do this. This isn't like you." "Enough! Seto needs to learn some manners!"

 

[FactionParadox]

Ryou got up, coughing up blood. "Marik..." He whispered hoarsely, his throat sore. "Do it..." He said, for once wanting to hurt someone. "Ryou, don't say that!" Yugi said as he rushed over to him. "Shut up... I'm tired of not standing up for myself."

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Yami Marik (Malik) turned around and smirked at Bakura. "Gladly, Bakura. I will make certain of that!" With a single wave of his weapon, the darkness surrounded Seto Kaiba and soon, he was gone. Malik laughed out loud, a very cruel, maniacal laugh. "Finally!" Suddenly, he registered who was with them. "Ah, Pharoah. I hope you haven't come here to try and take Marik back to Egypt." He chuckled. "Probably not, right? Either way, I've had enough of everyone picking on Bakura and now, I will leave. It's too damn cold to stay out for long." He soon let Marik take control again. "Bakura, are you alright?" The blonde asked, placing a gentle hand on Ryou's shoulder.

 

[FactionParadox]

"I'm fine, Marik..." Ryou said, lying through his teeth. His back hurt like hell, but he wouldn't show it... He had to be strong, he couldn't afford to give in to the pain. He didn't want the Nurse to see the scars and belt marks on his back that his Yami had inflicted on him when Ryou had been rebellious about Yami's control over his body. The Spirit was a masochist, so he enjoyed punishing Ryou if it involved physically harming him. he'd think he'd been self-harming, and would refer him to a counsellor, who Yami would invariably banish to the Shadow Realm, he didn't want to give Ryou any crutches to lean on, as it were.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Marik hardly believed the other. "Don't lie to me. One thing that I cannot stand in life is a liar." Marik was still reeling from what Kaiba said about Ishizu. "But, if you choose to be this way, perhaps I will leave you alone, Ryou." He didn't care either way. He had to get out of there before Ishizu or the Pharoah came looking for him and demanding that he bring Seto back. "Goodbye." He walked away.

 

[FactionParadox]

"Wait!" Ryou said, not wanting to be abandoned. "It hurts, but I can't go to the nurse..." Ryou said, trembling. "Why the hell not?" Joey asked. "I can't, don't make me." Ryou said, not wanting anyone to see what Yami did to him. Joey nodded at Tristan, who grabbed Ryou's wrists and held them, Joey lifting up Ryou's shirt horrified at what he saw, you see it as well. His back has quite a lot of knife scars, there are belt marks all over it as well as scratching. Joey drops Ryou's shirt, upset. He didn't care if someone hurt him, but Bakura was a different matter. Ryou broke free from Tristan's grip, put on his coat and began running home.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

Marik heard Bakura leaving. Something inside him snapped and he pulled his coat tighter and ran out the front of the store and into the snow. He had to find Bakura. "Wait just a second!" He saw his friend's figure disappear around the corner. "Ryou, wait!" He managed to catch up and grab the shorter male, holding him from behind. "Trust me. I understand what you've been through." Marik wanted to reveal the inscription engraved into his back, but the weather wouldn't permit it. "Believe me."

 

[FactionParadox]

"T-They're going to think I've been self-harming... I didn't want them to know, now they're going to send me to a psychiatrist or something..." Ryou sobbed, shaking badly. "He'll kill me... He doesn't like doctors, if I go to one he'll banish them to the Shadow Realm..." He whispered hoarsely, shivering.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"That doesn't matter now." Marik shook his head, releasing his friend, but still holding the other's hand. "You don't have to hide from me. You know that, Ryou." He entwined their fingers together. "I know what he's capable of, but he's a coward. He won't come out with me here." He moved forward, lips turning almost blue.

 

[FactionParadox]

"Marik, you're freezing..." Ryou said, the Egyptian was clearly cold. "Let's go back to my house, I can't face Joey and the others, plus the Pharoah will be looking for you." He whispered, doing what was probably the worst thing he had ever done of his own volition.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

The blonde quickly agreed, believing that Seto's goons would be after him soon. "Let's go." He pulled the collar of his undershirt up to cover his mouth and followed Bakura further away from school. "You're not hurt, are you?" He grabbed the boy by his shoulders. "Don't lie to me."

 

[FactionParadox]

"My back hurts from being thrown into the lockers, but apart from that I'm okay. I have a lot of painkillers at home." Ryou said truthfully as the two wandered into worse and worse neighbourhoods, before finally reaching the block of flats Ryou was living in. It was run down and to be honest, it didn't look fit for a place for animals to live in, let alone humans. Ryou climbed the stairs as the lift was broken due to some teenagers setting off fireworks in there last Hallowe'en and the Council were not going to fix it any time soon. They reached the 8th floor, and Ryou opened the door to his flat, Taking of his shoes, but not his coat or scarf due to the fact that his heating was broken. "Here we are..." Ryou said, letting Marik in. "Would you like some tea?" Ryou asked, putting the kettle on, holding his hands over the steam.

 

[Saiyan Princess]

"Sure, why not?" Marik shrugged off his coat, but quickly put it back on. "You really have to get your heating fixed. It's the dead of winter, Bakura." He searched for some matches. Finding some in a drawer, he looked around for a fireplace. "I'll put on a fire. You'll freeze to death before that tea ever gets done." Soon, a roaring fire was blazing. Marik put his hands out. "There, isn't that better?" He actually took off his coat and draped it over the other male.