I can see when you stay low nothing
happens. Does it feel right? Late at night, things I thought I put behind
me haunt my mind. I just know there's no escape now once it sets its eyes
on you, but I won't run; have to stare it in the eye.Stand my ground, I won't give in. No more denying; I got to face it. Won't close my eyes and hide the truth inside. If I don't make it, someone else will stand my ground
Chapters
Thursday, February 09, 2006n i n e It was odd, the way Malik hadn't protested when he demanded that they talk. The Egyptian had blinked at him absently for a moment before nodding and indicating for him to lead the way. Now Ryou found himself giving the younger boy a sidelong glare, wondering what was going through Malik Ishtar's head.
"--okay?"
The word dragged him abruptly from his thoughts and he turned to fix a glare firmly on his acquaintance. "Excuse me?"
Malik's eyes were firmly locked on the ground, his refusal to meet Ryou's gaze not surprising. "Is Jyonouchi okay?" he repeated, voice barely above a whisper.
Ryou wanted to snap that that was none of his business. Instead he replied, "Jyonouchi-kun's safe enough." His frown deepened at Malik's slight nod; the blond had been a bit of a mystery to him even before he found out about Battle City, but this reaction wasn't what he'd expected at all.
"That's good," Malik said softly, his eyes somewhat distant. "Kaiba's with her, yes? Yes," he continued without waiting for an answer, "he can keep her safe, keep me away, keep it away...."
Ryou turned to stare incredulously at the other boy. He wasn't sure where that had come from, but it sounded... off. Looking around and spying a café, he grabbed Malik's arm and dragged him in that direction. Ryou scowled when he realized the Egyptian wasn't even arguing. He shoved his companion into one chair and circled the table to sit in the other. Waving off a waitress, he crossed his arms and leaned over the table.
"Alright, Ishtar," he fairly snarled, "talk. What the hell is going on in your tiny little brain?"
Malik refused to look up or acknowledge Ryou; instead he stared silently at the table for a full five minutes--enough time for the waitress to return and take a drink order from Ryou--before finally taking a deep breath and looking up. His expression was carefully blank as he spoke haltingly:
"At Battle City... nothing went right... nothing at all after the death duel...."
Malik screamed in frustration, struggling to regain control of his own body. Ever since his darker persona had taken over, the Egyptian had been watching all his carefully-laid plans unfold before his eyes. Absolutely none of what he'd been striving for--namely getting rid of the Nameless Pharaoh and taking everything away--was being accomplished, and he'd just discovered that his Other was more interested in domination and destruction than in actually helping him further.
"Let me out!" he snarled, clawing at the walls of his mind. His dark half merely laughed at him before answering.
And why should I? it asked almost reasonably. You owe me for getting you as far as you did. I think the world is a small price to pay.
"Bastard!" came the quick reply. "You promised that I would have the Pharaoh's name and title!"
I lied, came the purred reply. In fact, once I kill all those who stand in my way--your lovely sister included--I plan to cut you from me.
Malik growled. "You mean you plan to keep control of my body and leave me locked in here forever!"
No. I mean I plan to kill your mind and then keep your body for my own vessel.
"I won't allow it," Malik snarled in reply, struggling vainly for control and causing the darker part of his persona to laugh. "Shut up! Once I have my body back you're the one who's going to pay!"
You're wrong. I'm never giving it back to you. By the way, it added with a hint of amusement to its tone, did you know that the woman is awake? She's much stronger than I'd expected.
The Egyptian stopped fighting for a moment, a single name drifting through his mind: Jyonouchi. He'd only been able to watch her duel against his dark side for a brief moment, and his Other had delighted in sharing that the blonde had collapsed during the duel; in fact, it had bragged that she would likely die and then her secret would be moot.
"Don't you touch her," he found himself growling. "Don't even think of touching one hair on her head or I'll--"
You'll what? Sit back and watch helplessly like you did last time? The darker part of his mind laughed. You want her. Don't deny it, vessel; you held yourself back from taking her while she was under the Rod's control, but you still thought about it.
"Leave her alone," he said again. He couldn't deny it and he wasn't even going to try. Jyonouchi... was a complete mystery, enough of one to fascinate him. Had he not used the Sennen Rod to control her he would be like the rest of those aboard the Ship, completely unaware that the former gang member was actually a young woman. His own plans had shifted slightly to include the blonde enigma... and unfortunately gave his Other a means of keeping him under lock and key.
Too late, it purred. Look.
He found himself peering out into one of the corridors on Kaiba's blimp, something inside him freezing as he realized that while he'd been fighting for control his Other had been systematically stalking Jyonouchi. The girl wasn't moving very fast, and she kept one hand resting lightly on the wall to keep her balance as she walked.
"No..." Malik whispered, trying to wrench control of the body as he felt its pace quicken. Before he realized how fast they were moving he saw his arm reach out and grab the girl. He spotted a camera and desperately prayed that someone was keeping an eye on it, that someone would come to Jyonouchi's aide.
"Hello, hemet," he heard his voice purr out as his Other pinned the girl to the ground. "It's not safe for little girls to wander about alone."
"Get off me," the blonde snarled, shoving at him with both hands; Malik winced in the prison of his own body as his Other caught her wrists and pressed them to the ground above her head. "Bastard! Haven't you fucked things up enough for everyone yet?"
The hemet has a point, his Other whispered to him, its intent clear in its voice. She needs to learn her place, wouldn't you say?
"No!" Malik cried, his voice unheard by the girl struggling to throw him off her. "Let her go!" His Other only chuckled darkly in his mind as it shoved Jyonouchi's shirt up, using it to bind her wrists before pressing one hand to her throat. She stopped struggling, dark eyes widening in fear.
"Are you ashamed of this body, hemet?" it asked with his voice. "You bind yourself and wear such unflattering clothing. One would think you were frightened of men noticing you." It chuckled again as the girl paled considerably. "Ah, that's the truth of the matter. My host desires to have you. As for me, I choose to break you."
"Stop it!" Malik screamed, clawing angrily at the walls surrounding him. "Let her go now!"
"Ishtar." The voice was one he hadn't expected to hear: Kaiba Seto. Malik tried again the wrench control from his dark persona in vain as the 'distraction' barely phased him. The Egyptian listened to the conversation and felt some sense of relief in Kaiba's presence; his Other relented shortly and stalked off to the arena... after threatening Jyonouchi again.
I will not let you hurt her, he thought to himself, safely locked from his Other's probing thoughts. Even if I have to kill myself to keep you from doing her harm.
Nodding decisively in his own mind, Malik began to plot how to sabotage his dark persona's chances of defeating the Pharaoh.
"It lost," Malik concluded in that same dead, blank tone, giving a slight shrug. "Then Sister, Rishid and I went back to Egypt. I didn't worry any further because I knew that even if it wasn't truly gone there was no way it could get to Jyonouchi again.
"Then all of you came to Egypt."
Ryou frowned, playing the Egyptian's story in his mind along with the version Kaiba had shared. They coincided almost perfectly, with only the viewpoints differing. Neither boy had wanted Jyonouchi to come to harm, although only one was able to do anything about it. And in some way, he felt that Malik had been harmed far more than the blonde....
Still, there was one part that disturbed him: that Malik admitted to wanting Jyonouchi. That made something in Ryou growl darkly and he made a note not to mention that last little bit to Bakura.
"Thank you," he finally said after a heavy silence fell over them. "For being honest. At least this explains your twitchiness while we were all there."
Malik merely nodded, standing up to leave. He walked no more than a few feet before glancing back over his shoulder. "Tell her I'm sorry?" he asked. Without waiting for a reply he walked off, leaving a slightly confused Ryou behind.
((Note: Sorry this took forever. I may go back and edit the hell out of this, but for now I'm pleased with it.))
Updated 11:50 PM
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Stand My Ground is a story set in Eternal SailorM's Jillian universe; for better clarity it's advised to read both works in conjunction. Yuugiou and all characters appearing herein are © Takahashi Kazuki.Affiliates
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