I am crushed in a tight embrace. "You made it." He sighs in relief. I nod, confused as to where he has seen me before.

"I've missed having a companion." I state sitting down again. Akefia stays stood upright, constantly looking over his shoulder. He looks a lot like Bakura except he is muscular and tan with violet eyes instead of brown but his snowy white hair makes it apparent that he is in fact the predecessor of Bakura.

"It is lonely in the desert." Akefia agrees he helps me stand up. "Come with me, you could be arrested for association out here." I am lead to a cave bellow the ridge. Beside the mouth of the cave is a golden band. It looks like some sort of duel disk.

"Why would I be arrested?" I ask.

"A lot has changed since the burning of Kul Elna. I'm so happy to see you got out too." he smiles at me.

"Like what, what has changed Akefia?" I ask.

"Too much. I have had to fend for myself since I could not find any other survivors. I had to take up the family business of pick pocketing, but that was never enough to survive so I began to take food and later valuables from homes. I got too carried away and was caught by the Pharaoh's court. It was my Ka, Diabound that saved my life then. I've been on the run, plotting the way to avenge Kul Elna since I discovered my power. Trauma and fear brings it forward." Akefia informs me.

"Wow. Life has treated you like scum." I gasp.

"And you?" he asks. I blink, confused. "Haven't you been caught fending for yourself?" he asks.

"No. I sleep on the ground and eat what I can scavenge." I reply, the lie flowing from my lips with ease and minimal reluctance.

"That explains why you're so thin." Bakura's predecessor thinks aloud. Of course he doesn't know of what anorexia is he's probably mistaken it for emaciation. It's an honest mistake, but I have been getting better as time goes on.

"Yeah." I agree. I am tossed an onion, smiling gratefully, I hear my stomach growl. I haven't had any food since I discarded the cookie dough ice cream after maybe a spoonful. I eagerly bite into the food Akefia gave me, appreciating the rancid taste, at any other time, I would just refuse the onion since I hate the smell and taste of the food. It usually makes me feel sickly, but cookie dough ice cream does that to me too. In fact smelling any piece of food all together would be enough to make me want to vomit.

"Do you have a name?" Akefia asks me as the sky turns an inky violet colour.

"Marmalade." I reply, I honestly prefer that to Hadley since Ryou gave me that name, back when he couldn't pronounce the 'H' in my name. It was a cute childish habit, but it stuck.

"Mind if I shorten it down?" I am asked. I nod.

"Go for it." I encourage.

"Can I call you Mala?" he asks me somewhat shyly. I like that. It makes me sound more innocent but still not weak.

"Yeah." I smile.

"Do you have anywhere to sleep Mala?" Akefia asks. I shake my head.

"I didn't set up camp." I reply.

"Would you like to stay here? I've missed having someone to talk to." Akefia offers.

"If you wouldn't mind." I reply.

"Of course not, my friend." Akefia smiles. I return the smile.

We sit by the fire that Akefia built.

"Do you have a Ka Mala?" he asks.

"Not that I know of, but I have never tried to bring one forward." I admit.

"I don't blame you Mala, what would a scavenger need a Ka for when she's alone?" He asks.

"Nothing." I agree, munching on another onion, yawning to hid the gag that was about to occur.

"You should sleep." I am told. "Here." I am handed the royal red robe he was wearing and a pillow to rest my head upon.

"Thank you." I reply, curling up into a ball, resting beside the flames.

"No worries, orphans like us stick together." He waves. Why was he so nice to me? How has he met me before? Blackness crosses my eyes. I slowly forget what is going on and let sleep carry me away to somewhere safer.

I am rudely awoken by the sound of pounding hooves on the stone ridge above my head. I groggily sit up, baffled by how these people would be able to justify such a loud wake up call. I watch as the small band of people approach their horses from my resting point. I peer into the cave, desperate for some sort of comfort.

"Over there!" I hear a familiar voice call. I gulp; it's the predecessor of Seto Kaiba. And he looks very mad this morning.

"It's not him Seto." a man wearing a familiar headdress and the Millennium Ring states.

"Silence Mahad." Seto commands, he activates the golden duel disk equivalent and calls upon a creature known as Galestgoras to serve him. The band, now accompanied by a monster approach me, blades pointed at my body.

"Stand." Seto says. As I slowly pull myself upright I begin to panic. Being captured by Seto Kaiba's ancestor is not a good way to determine what Bakura is up to. I look the man before me in the eyes. "Why are you here?" He demands.

"To sleep." I reply honestly.

"Not good enough. Galestgoras." Seto calls the monster over and points to me. I gasp as the creature readies itself to attack me. I wince and cower behind the force being produced from the necklace and band. Energy boils up in my system as black light projects itself from my jewels. I almost topple over due to the force that my necklace required. I gasp as before me stands the Black Souled Albino Caster. I nod to my creature as I collapse to my knees in exhaustion. My Albino Caster destroys Galestgoras which was guarding Seto. A power race through my veins as pain crosses Seto's face.

"You have no true structure of innocence." Seto accuses, pointing the Rod at me. "Karim!" he yells over his shoulder.

"Yes Priest Seto." A tan man with a sleek sheet of black hair replies, looking to Seto.

"Duos Dragon?" Seto is asked by the man, holding the Millennium Scales.

"Duos Dragon." Seto confirms. Before the two men now stand a colossal dragon which somewhat resembles the Curse of Dragon. "Attack this insolent woman!" the man that Seto addressed as Karim declares.

The dragon destroys my Black Souled Albino Caster. Pain and rage cause a second monster to generate itself before me. It's the Black Souled Magician Girl!

"Seto, Karim, stand down." Commands a bald man with a tattoo across his forehead, he resembles that of Shadi. Like Shadi, he wears golden doughnut like earrings and welds the Millennium Key. His eyes are also the same shade of foggy blue. Is this the predecessor of Shadi, or is it Shadi himself?

"What is it Shadah?" Karim asks, stopping the focus on the Duos Dragon, causing it to vanish.

"This woman has a Ka, strong enough to match that of the Gods themselves. We cannot risk losing our lives out of foolishness." Shadah informs the people around here.

"She has still been associated with that thief." Seto spits in protest.

"There is no proof." Shadah hangs his head. My arms are bound together with cuffs by Mahad. Seto's fury begins to progress.

"Tell your monster to stand down." Mahad instructs with a whisper.

"How?" I ask quietly.

"Just tell it to." I obey Mahad's commands.

"Stand down my Magician Girl." I say quietly. The monster looks me in the eyes and then vanishes.

"Good, now get on my horse." Mahad says, helping me sit on the brown horse with bound hands.

"Let's go." Seto says jumping upon his own horse and leading a hastily departure from Akefia's camp.