The Pharaoh's Rose (Atem/Yami Yugi x Reader)

Season 5; Episode 10

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"Tell me, Pharaoh, what do you think is the worst way to die?" Bakura asked, relaxed against the chair as the huge hourglass ticked above him. The man across the table growled at him,

"Why do you ask?"

"There are many ways to die, Pharaoh.." Bakura hummed as he pinched small sand from the board, "...death is so easy to achieve cause humans are so easily manipulated and gullible. The whole world can kill them without them even realizing it, and sometimes, they forget they may be the cause alone. But tell me, Pharaoh, what is the worst way to die? Would you like me to list the options?"

"What does this have to do with our battle, Bakura?" He sneered,

"Oh, just an icebreaker question before our RPG game begins~." Bakura cooed, "If you honestly ask me, I think it's drowning."

"Drowning?" The Pharaoh's eyebrows furrowed,

"Yes," Bakura hums as he takes more sand from the gameboard, "Think about it, Pharaoh. You're alive, but no one can hear you. You're alive, but no one can see you. You struggle to breathe, but your nose and mouth are full of water...or even sand." Bakura teased as he dropped the sand back onto the game board. "Oho, sand is the worst, because unlike water you're stuck in the same place, choking completely underground. No one can see you, no one can even hear your throat clench and cut off oxygen for your lungs. Hell, people would blindly walk ontop of your suffering, completely unaware they're walking over a future corpse. You're lucky if you're drowning in water, because people would be able to see your struggles with the air bubbles."

Uncomfortable, the Pharaoh narrows his eyes at Bakura's detailed perception, "...what does that have to do with my memory, Bakura?"

Bakura's smirk soon faded to a closed-eye smile as he shrugged at the Pharaoh's question, "Just reminiscing, that's all. Just there's so much sand I couldn't help but ponder, who knows how many corpses could be buried under. Maybe they're important..." He hummed before shaking his head, "...anyway, let's begin with our final battle, shall we~?"

And so, the final battle began, and unbeknownst to the Pharaoh, there was more significance to Bakuras's sudden question than he realizes.

Meanwhile, down on the battlefield, things were going dangerously south. The first problem being that Bakura able to summon Zorc and merge with it in order to grow stronger. Following dangerously close, High Priests Shimon, Shada, and Karim had been killed by Bakura's hands. Not to mention this became a dangerous Shadow Game, and the Pharaoh was already on the brink of not only losing, but also with death creeping along the corner. This could very well kill him off a second time and grant Zorc access to finishing off what it started. Even if Yugi, Tea, Tristan, and Joey ran just in time to defend him, it wouldn't be long before they would also lose and fall under the hands of Zorc - just as it did towards the murdered High Priests. Not to mention the fact that the RPG game between Bakura and the Pharaoh, unfortunately, leaned more towards Bakura's victory than his worthy opponent. It practically seemed like all was lost.

"That's right, you understand now, don't you Pharaoh?!" Bakura, sneered with a grin, "I win-"

Bakura was interrupted by the clouds booming in rage with a sudden entrance of the Seal of Orichalcos being in the center of this sudden storm, right above the battle scene. Everyone immediately went silent and all attention shifted over to the Seal, watching the cryptic letters rapidly circulate and expand. Green lighting strikes emerged around the Seal and struck nearby with thunder booming over the land. The clouds heavily darkened the faster the Seal circulated and swirled right at the center as though a tornado was going to strike. Hyper winds clashed together and quickly blew over to the direction of the Seal, the sounds loudly echoed through all ears as a warning for the upcoming arrival. Not long after, three dragons arose from the grounds and lifted in the sky, each dragon in a position as though they were ready to escort the beast they swore to keep at bay.