Geez, I'm whipping out oneshots just like Bakura does his-
Bakura: Ilencesay on the hippingway!
Me: Haha! I miss my Riv! :( I haven't heard from her for a whole day! That's too much to bear! Wahh! This is dedicated to RiverTear980 for her awesomeness! So, here we go!
Title: On the Edge of Glory
Pairing: Malik X Anzu Manipulashipping, slight Mana X Mahado Apprenticeshipping
Rating: T
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any YGOTAS I may use. Credit goes to Kazuki Takahashi and LittleKuriboh.
Summary: Anzu Masaki runs away from Domino City, hoping to escape her current life. When she flies to Cairo, Egypt, she reunites with a piece of her past that she never thought she would see again…
Anzu's P.O.V.
I glanced at my alarm clock. It was finally midnight. Time to head out like Solid Snake. I quickly grabbed my overstuffed suitcase with almost all of my belongings and left my home. My parents were still at work at this late hour, and were leaving from there to a business trip in France. By the time they got back, I would have been settled in Cairo, Egypt for two months.
I glanced at the picture frame of Yugi, Atem, Jounouchi, Honda, Mai, Shizuka, Ryou and Otogi and sighed. I would be leaving them forever as well. My parents were over controlling of my life. They wouldn't even let me watch a TV program without approving it. So that meant no PG-13 movies…even though I'm seventeen. On several occasions, it got so bad that my own father beat me. I decided that I couldn't live in Domino anymore. It was time to start a new life.
I didn't bother to tell Yugi and the gang, otherwise they would have tried to do anything to make me stay, even tell my abusive parents. I left a note on the kitchen table, explaining why I ran away. Of course, I didn't tell them where I was going, and I'm sure that they wouldn't give a crap where I ended up. A month ago, I got in touch with Atem's friends Mana and Mahado. They agreed to let me move in at their place and swore not to tell Atem or anyone.
Making sure I had all my money, plane ticket, and stuff, I took one last look at my home and quietly headed outside. A taxi cab was waiting for me, and as I shut the car door, I took my very last look at the outside exterior of the house before the cab sped away. I began to think about the last conversation I had with Atem, my crush for so long.
Flashback: Three Weeks Ago…
"Atem…would you miss me if one day I disappeared?" I asked.
Atem looked up at me in surprise. We were hanging out at the Kame Game Shop while Yugi went with Grandpa Sugoroku on an errand.
"Why are you asking?" Atem asked, a bit suspicious. "Did someone threaten you?"
"No, no." I replied. "It's just a question."
Atem's expression softened at bit, and he answered. "I would miss you very much. You have been so kind to me when I first came here three years ago."
"Would you be heartbroken?" I asked, hinting at him a bit.
Now Atem just looked confused. "Heartbroken? I would be very upset, but not to that point. I mean, I would do anything to get you back here, but being heartbroken won't help at all."
"Would you be if I disappeared willingly?" I pressed on.
Atem just stared at me, an unreadable expression on his face. "Why are you asking me this?"
I looked down, but then I had a burst of bravery and looked him straight in the eye.
"If you suddenly disappeared, I would be very heartbroken. Because…I'm in love with you."
There was a deathly silence in the air, and I felt him grow tense. I grew tense as well.
"Anzu…I'm sorry. I don't feel the same way. I really don't want to upset you, but that's the only way to say it. I'm very sorry."
I could feel my mind drop dead, and I swear that a few brain cells exploded. Despite my inner turmoil, I looked at Atem and smiled.
"It's okay, Atem There's no need to apologize. Honesty is a trait that I had always liked about you. I-I have to run! I have to make dinner…" I felt my voice waver. I had to get out of there.
"Goodbye, Atem." I said softly, knowing that this was the last time I would see him, seeing as though I couldn't face him again after this.
I walked out of the game shop, and when I was at a far enough distance, I broke into a run, the tears falling down my face.
My last memory of you…is heartbreak. I thought, a sob escaping through my lips.
I didn't stop running until I reached my house. I pounded up the stairs to my bedroom and spent the rest of the evening in grief.
End of Flashback
As the memory of Atem ended, I felt fresh tears streaming down my face. I was at the Domino airport in no time flat, so I quickly dried my tears and paid the cab driver. I decided that it was no use crying over spilled milk. I was starting a new life, and I need to start it with a new attitude. In an hour, I boarded flight 278 flying nonstop to Cairo, Egypt, my new home.
"Ahh! In Cairo at last!" I cried, stepping out of the plane.
I shoved my iPod into my pocket as I looked for Mana and Mahado in the crowd of people. They said that they would be holding up a sign with my last name on it. Sure enough, I spotted out a sign that had MASAKI printed on it.
"Mana! Mahado!" I cried, waving to them.
The two brown haired Egyptians saw me and hurried over to me.
"Anzu!" Mana cried, jumping on me. "I haven't seen you in forever!"
I had met Mana and Mahado when I was just a kid. My parents brought me along for their business trio, and Mana's family was our host family. Mahado was a friend of Mana's and he lived with her because his parents abandoned him.
"Welcome to Cairo, Anzu. I hope you will enjoy your new life here." Mahado said serenely.
"I just can't wait to show you around! I invited some friends over today!" Mana was saying as we exited the airport. "They are a bit rowdy, so I refrained from telling three of them your name and gender. The other two are calm and fun! They're coming to meet you this evening!"
Mana tripped over nothing, and a yelp was heard from her. Before she could even think, two strong arms gripped her. She opened her recently squeezed shut eyes to see Mahado looking down at her, a worried yet slightly amused look on his face.
"Watch where you walk from now on." he said, setting her upright.
Mana was as red as a cherry when Mahado walked ahead. Smirking, I beckoned Mana close to me.
"Is there something going on between the two of you that I don't know about?" I asked innocently.
"What? No way! Mahado's like a brother to me!" Mana said quickly, her eye twitching.
"You're always such a spaz." I laughed.
The residence of Mana and Mahado hasn't changed a bit. It was still the familiar, warm one story brick house with a beautiful garden and swing in the back. What I did see that was new was the indoor pool.
"Wow!" I cried. "This is so cool! An indoor pool? You guys must have a lot of fun in there!"
Mana and Mahado blushed, picking out the double speak in my words.
Mana showed me to the guest bedroom, which is now my permanent room. It was a nice size, and it looked comfy.
"Do want me to help you unpack?" Mana asked.
I shook my head, smiling. "No, no. You and Mahado have done so much for me already. And I promise that I will get a job to repay you guys and then support myself!"
Mana smiled at Anzu's selflessness. "That's not necessary. You are still a minor. Mahado and I are nineteen, almost adults. We will take care of you. And we will make sure you go to college. Do you still want to be a dancer?"
I nodded, still yearning to achieve that goal.
"Then we will send you off to Julliard School in New York!" Mana grinned.
"No, I will pay for my tuition!" I protested. "Do you know how much that school costs?"
"Yes, I do. Mahado and I are taking college courses as of now. We work part time at the Cairo Museum, and the owner is quite generous in our pay. In fact, she's one of the friends I invited!" Mana was saying.
I smiled, blessed to have such great people to rely on. I'm sure that this life will be much better than my last, and I'm not looking back.
That evening, I was helping Mana cook the meal for our welcome party while Mahado was setting up some entertainment.
"Mana, I haven't seen your parents around at all. Where are they?" I asked.
"They moved out of the country," Mana explained. "They were having some problems, got a divorce, and went their separate ways. That was only a year ago."
A saddened expression replaced her smile, and I felt extremely bad for asking.
"I'm sorry, Mana." I whispered.
"No need to apologize. It was their problem." Mana replied.
No later than five minutes, the doorbell rang. Mana quickly put the last of the food on the kitchen table before answering the door.
"Bakura! Polari! Kurai! Thanks for coming!" I heard Mana saying.
I peeked around the corner to see a white-haired guy Mahado's height, a black haired girl that looked around my age that had the reddest eyes I had ever seen and a crescent moon mark on her right cheek, and a cute, shorter boy with long brown hair and brown eyes. Some of his hair covered his left eye.
"Anzu! Come meet my friends!" she called to me.
I shyly came from the kitchen and walked to the three.
"Hello! I'm Polari Manu, and this is my little brother Kurai." Polari greeted, shaking my hand.
"I'm not little! I'm eleven years old!" Kurai whined.
"You are a midget. You're 5'2." Polari teased, ruffling his hair.
"Nice to meet you, Anzu!" Kurai grinned, giving me a huge hug.
"Do you see why I didn't tell Kurai she was a girl?" Mana was whispering to Polari.
"This asshole over here is Bakura Akefia." Polari continued, pointing at the white haired man.
"This "asshole" didn't make you stay up half the night on the phone because he was afraid of a spider." Bakura snapped.
"Ixnay on the pidersay!" Polari hissed in pig Latin.
I shyly shook Bakura's hand, and Mahado ushered them inside.
"You're going to love here in Egypt." Polari was saying to me. "There's so much to do and see here. You may even get to see Bakura arrested several times."
"Polari, I only got arrested once! It wasn't even my fault! That guy was asking for a fight!" Bakura snapped from the kitchen.
"At least I don't have sloppy lip flaps!" Polari shot back.
"At least I'm not a virgin!" Bakura smirked.
"Is that something to be proud of?"
"In this society, yes!"
The doorbell rang again, silencing the bickering. Mahado answered it this time.
"The Ishtar family has arrived!" Mahado called to Mana.
Mana jumped up from her seat in the kitchen, forcing Kurai to get off her lap in the process.
"Isis! Hey everyone! Come on in!" Mana said.
Three people, one a female and the others male, entered the family room where Polari and I were. I peered at them. Why do they look so familiar…?
"Come here, Anzu!" Mana said, waving me over.
I stood up and stood in front of the Ishtar family. The female looked a bit older than Mana, and her assumed brothers looked around my age, both having blond hair and lavender eyes. Okay, this sis too freaky. Why do they look so familiar?
I was snapped back into reality when the guy with the less crazy styled blond hair spoke.
"Hello, I'm Malik Ishtar." he said, shaking my hand.
"I'm Anzu Masaki." I replied.
As soon as we said that, we both had a case of déjà vu…
Flashback: Six Years Ago…
"Anzu, these are my friends Malik and Marik. She's from Domino City, Japan." Mana was saying.
It was the second day that Anzu was at Mana and Mahado's family's home, and they invited the twin brothers Malik and Marik Ishtar over to play. Their older sister, Isis, was a sophomore in high school then, so she was busy.
"Hi." Anzu said shyly.
The older twin Marik smirked at me. "Looks like Mana gave us another toy!"
"Shut up, Marik!" Malik snapped. "Why do you consider all of the girls toys? You really should stop listening to Bakura for Ra's sake."
I looked down, a bit embarrassed. Malik grabbed my hand and smiled.
"Don't listen to my brother! He's a troublemaker."
"So I punched Atem in the face. Big deal!" Marik muttered.
Mana rolled her eyes at Marik as Mahado came outside. He was the same age as Mana; thirteen.
"Marik, you are so immature." Mana said.
"That's nothing new." Mahado piped up.
"You guys can all go straight to hell." Marik snapped.
We all laughed, and Marik challenged Mahado to a game of basketball. Mana went back in the house to grab a basketball. It was just me and Malik left in the backyard. We sat on the long, cushioned swing as we swung back and forth.
"What's it like in Japan?" Malik asked.
Anzu smiled as she thought about the city life. "It's very big and busy. We all have something to do. A day in Domino City is never boring, especially with the Duel Monsters game. My friend Yugi Mutou introduced me to it last year."
"We play Duel Monsters here too." Malik replied. "Marik is very competitive when challenged. Me, not so much."
"That's cool." Anzu said.
For the rest of the three months she spent there, she, Malik, Mana, and Mahado grew closer. Anzu never got to meet Bakura, and she didn't meet Atem until she was fourteen in Domino City. She and Marik were not that close, but he kept flirting with her and getting her riled up. Malik always looked on n jealousy. Anzu had no idea why.
On the very last day of Anzu's stay, a goodbye party was thrown. Anzu was sad to leave, but she missed her friends in Domino. When the excitement of the party was over, Malik led her back to the swing where they had their first conversation. Once seated, Malik faced her.
"I have something for you." he said shyly.
He dug in his pocket and took out a handmade necklace. He had made it himself, and Anzu's name was in beads in Egyptian. There were various colors in it, and it looked very pretty.
"Malik, it's lovely! Thank you!" Anzu gushed.
There was a pinkish tint oh Malik's cheeks as he fastened it around her neck. "You're welcome."
The two then looked away awkwardly, not sure what to say.
"Anzu…" he spoke up, looking her in the eye. "There's something I want you to know…"
"Anzu!" Mrs. Masaki called. "It's time to go! Now!"
Anzu slowly stood up, even more saddened.
"Goodbye." Malik said, looking down.
Anzu gave Malik one final hug before leaving. In her haste, the necklace Malik gave her loosened, and it fell upon the grassy yard.
Anzu didn't discover that the necklace was missing until she was on the plane. Seeing as it was too late, she didn't say a word. Malik found the fallen necklace three days later, and was stricken with grief for a while, but eventually forgot Anzu's face, but never her name…
End of Flashback
"Malik…" Anzu whispered.
"Anzu…" Malik whispered back
Marik, being the asshole he is, ruined the moment.
"My toy came back to live here? That's great!" he smirked, looking her up and down.
"Nice to see you too." Anzu muttered, rolling her eyes.
Isis took Marik by the ear and pinched him hard.
"Ow!" he hissed.
"You know better than that, Marik." Isis scolded.
Malik couldn't stop staring at me. He was just so shocked to see me after six years. Mana noticed us and smirked, glad she kept Malik coming to the party a secret from me. She then decided to give Malik and me a metaphorical nudge.
"Hey Malik, Anzu! Come with me for a sec." she said cheerfully.
Grabbing out hands, she led us outside back to the swing where we first met.
"I'm sure you guys have some catching up to do, so have fun!" she said before hurrying back into the house.
"I have a feeling that Mana set this up." I joked after a while.
Malik just nodded, looking in his lap.
"Malik?" I questioned, putting a hand in his shoulder.
Without a word, Malik put a hand in his pocket, and pulled something out. "I think you forgot this." he said kindly.
I gasped; it was the necklace he gave me all those years ago!
"I thought that I would never see that again!" I cried.
Malik finally looked me in the eye, giving me the same smile from six years ago. Then, I noticed the irony in this.
"You know, this is like a Cinderella story," I said shyly. "We met, we got to know each other, you had something to say, we were interrupted, I had to leave quickly, and the necklace fell from me. You found it, and then after all this time, we are reunited, and the necklace was revealed. Isn't that ironic?" I asked.
Laughing, Malik hooked the necklace back around my neck. "It's still a perfect fit." he whispered, placing a light kiss on my neck.
"Malik," I began. "You were going to say something important to me before I left…what was it?"
I felt Malik stiffen, and I immediately regretted asking. It's going to be uncomfortable, just like with Atem I ruin everything, don't I?
I was brought back from myself when Malik turned me to face him, and he curled his index finger under my chin, tilting my face upwards.
"I was going to say this," he said.
He leaned in and captured my lips with his, releasing my chin. I gasped in surprise as he moved his lips against mine. I kissed him back as the kiss began to get passionate. As his tongue met mine, he leaned forward, making me lay down on my back on the swing. I wrapped my arms around his neck as he deepened the kiss even more, his tongue exploring my sweet cavern.
There's no need for words. I thought. This right here says everything…
Later that night…
I couldn't go to sleep after what transpired that day. I got out of bed and began to walk around the darkened house. I then heard Mana's voice. It was coming from Mahado's room. I tiptoed around the corner and peeked into his room.
"There's something that I have been wanting to say for a long time, much like Malik did." Mana was saying seriously.
"Yes?" Mahado said, his heart speeding up,
"…you have something on your shirt." she said.
I face palmed as Mahado looked down. Mana then took that opportunity and lifted her head, pressing her lips against his. Mahado's eyes widened in shock. Mana pulled away, a smile from her face.
"I learned that from watching Ramona and Beezus." she said.
Mahado didn't say anything; he just leaned for another kiss, smirking.
Giggling softly, I went back to my room.
It looks like I'm not the only one with a fresh start in life. I thought.
Finis
As my Riv-chan would say: kawaii desu! I hoped you enjoyed this nine page long oneshot!
Ja ne, minasan! :3
PRK