OH MY GOD!!! *dodges flying veggies* I'm so-o-o-o-o-o-o-o sorry!
There is no excuse for my slowness, but I'm sorry *sniffle*. My disc drive is broken on the only computer with the internet at my house, and my mom has been constantly working at home on this stupid business plan for the past 2 months.
And remember what I said about working on "FLWV"?! That was ALL on a disc! THE NEXT TWO CHAPTERS ARE ON A FRICKID FLOPPY DISC!!!
I hate computers. Really, I do.
Oli: Why don't you sing about it.
Why don't you, demented pixie?! *breathing raggedly*
Oli: *eyes widen as she slowly inches away*
But I do have GOOD GOOD IMPORTANT NEWS FOR YOU READERS:
I have started a new story entitled "Before I Fell Over the Rainbow", which is a sort of prequel regarding Tea to "The Sanctuary". I strongly suggest you check it out ^^ You know me! *giggles*
My next update (as far as I know) will be on that story. It'll be short; only about 5 chapters in all, so don't worry about me lagging os behind again. God. I don't even know if anyone's reading anymore. I'm so slow, and my computer greatly dislikes me *huggles Kenshin plushie* I'm so unloved . . .
Oh well. That doesn't mean I'm stopping!
loquacious guava - You . . . like it? Oh my, thank you very much! *blushes* I didn't think you would but . . . oh wow, thanks! E-mail me whenever you want; I need people to talk to. And we SO have to see Trigun together ^^
summer psycho - Yes ma'am! *salutes*
R Amythest - Yeah . . . but I STILL think Vincent Valentine is way cooler ~_^ Sorry about my lack of correspondence. Evil, computer hogging mothers haunt my humble life. Bleh.
Rosz of the Angel - Thanks. Really, you words mean a lot to me. I hope you're still there for this update, because I LOVE hearing from you! ^^ Hope this chapter satisfies you!
Cloak*and*Dagger/Aisha Outlaw - *double take* No. Way. *squeals* Thank you so much for checking out my fic! You know how much I love yours ^^ Don't explode . . . the day will get better . . . okay, that advise is WAY late, but use it wisely in the future when that particular urge threatens to consume you. *nodnod* Yes, yes. Thank you so very much!!! I'm going to bounce now. *bounces*
Yami Krissy - YAY! You're back! No microphone though, darn ^^ Don't worry about reviewing late, I mean, look how late I've updated.
Oli: Your own damn fault!
*looks thoughtful* Who the hell taught you to say that?!
Tasuki: *whistles innocently*
. . . where did that come from? Maybe I should sleep more. Inuyasha won't be back until August *sniffle*
Shenya - Umm . . . sorry? *dodges tomato* I wish this chapter were more eventful, but I guess it ~does~ have a twist at the end ^^ And it's long (by my standards)
Rowan and Sakura - *bows* Thankies! Hope you're having an easier time around here now . . . (it took me a few months; I'm so sad!)
Sailor Comet - Yeah, we can hardly resist the psychopath type. *sniffle* Too bad he's all Ryou's . . . they're just too pretty to be straight. Though, that doesn't mean we can stop ogling them ^^ I hope you're still there; you've supported me through a lot of this stuff, haven't you? ^^ See you around!
Kitty-chan66 - Oh my . . . thank you *blushies* I'M SO SORRY FOR THE MAJOR- DELAY! I hope you guys aren't too angry *wrings hands* Dubbing is funny though! And it's really sad, but I actually like Vash's English voice. He's funny *giggles*
Always. I'm constantly thinking of new ideas! Too many, I think *swirly eyes*
NeoStar - You know, it's odd. The men in white coats move away quite fast when you're practicing your evil cackle in the mirror. Thank you, oh so humble knight! How might I ever repay you?! We shall forever be against the men in white coats . . . and maybe even join their ranks someday! MWAHAHAHAHA--*gag* *gulps down tea*
Okay, so that would be just plain cruel. *whips out pink stapler* Forever feel my wrath, white fiends!!! Help with the disclaimer? Giggle no understand, tell me! ^^ Any help is welcomed, fello funny bunny (isn't fello cool spelled like that?)
Deja*vu - Well, I'm a creepy-weird kinda gal ^_~ Ryuuji doesn't like being famous . . . poor guy. Hope you continue to keep up with my story!
~*~*~*~
WOW!!! Over 100 reviews! I . . . actually cried when I saw that. Thank you so much for your support, my friends. I LUFFLES YOU GUYS!!! *huggles everyone*
Oh yeah! I have a wittle very, very bad picture I drew of Rei on her first day of school ^^ I'm no good at anime (fanartists are so cool ^^ but I'm a realism freak T.T), but I know I never really explained her hairstyle, so here it is: - 1060045323?m=0&pg=0&ro=0&co=1
So, lets be off, darlings ^^ Oh, and I don't own YGO. Who'd have thunk. ^^
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
So many nuisances; the mortal world was always imperfect as it had existed for too long.
In fact, the unluckiness was so horrible, it breached the 'barrier', and allowed those unworthy of the real world able to meddle in human affairs. Such souls were vermin to him, souls that could never learn true humility because, technically, they didn't exist.
So how could this have happened?
The spirit that occupied an entire line of sons since ancient times, the one lost dreadfully to the effects of immortality, the one that had always called himself 'Shadi', knew naught of the purpose of such jest and foolery. It just wasn't logical.
He drummed his blunt fingertips on his pursed lips, finding their coolness calming to his soul. Actually, the gods had been quite strange lately . . . why, look at such unrest recently! The Battle City tournament that could have caused ~so much~ to go wrong, non-magical weapons powerful enough to destroy the world, snowing in midsummer . . .
For someone who's lengthy lives dedicated for the sole purposes of the gods, he was confused. But he was only a servant, and the more he contemplated over the matter, the more clearly he realized that it was not his place to question the ideas of the gods.
Carefully plotting his bare feet on the side of the oversized rock, Shadi hiked his light white robes past his knees, and hosted himself to the top. The view that should have startled him, was a disappointment from it's vagueness. The 'sky' was like a dark, swirling sunset, just a melancholy mix of reds, purples, and blacks. No evidence that the thing he looked for had crossed the plain of nothingness at all.
Growling in genuine frustration, he leapt down, not even bothering to dust off his robes from the clingy purple dust. His eyes were dull and hard; he was beyond angry.
"Have you been looking for me?"
Sing-song tone, teasing his weary mind to thoughts of the extreme.
Shadi whipped around with the experience of deaths plain in his eye, and was met by a bright contrast to the rather dreary setting. It was something heavenly, something other-worldly.
Something that needed to be taken care of, before it ruined everything.
"You have, I think." The Change of Heart decided aurally, nodding "But whatever for?"
She fanned her pale, porcelain face with a white fan innocently. Shadi still glared, with every ounce of nastiness he could muster. He supposed he had been walking in this wasteland for what could have been weeks, months even. And here she--it was; the one who found ~him~.
"This is not a visit to discuss meaningless pleasantries." He said, in that empty, emotionless tone.
"Hmm." She was looking about in a bored manner, even examining the illusion she conjured of meticulous fingernails.
"I am very serious, you stupid thing!"
Her eyes flashed dangerously. She dropped the fan, as it disappeared before it hit the surface that she stood on, as her feet gently raised from it, and she floated with her face contorted in barely-suppressed anger.
"Oh really?" the Yami hissed.
Shadi straightened his back, giving off an even colder aura. The Change of Heart knew his heart was twisting into the turmoil of rage that he could not control, after all, this was ~her~ sanctuary.
The children were off playing near the gingerbread cottage, so she knew they were safe.
"Your foolish actions are not justified by any means; what do you think you are to fool around with beings of such sophisticated power?! The millennium item holders are living on a precarious balance of magic, that could ~easily~ destroy any world."
He took a scarce breath, and licked his lips.
"Even your own."
Not even bothering for another stare-down, the Change of Heart lifted her chin and replied with;
"Who is to say that they would have experienced a more severe imbalance with two souls? Two souls inhabiting the same body?"
Shadi scowled "That is none of your business, monster."
She was joking with herself. Really. Her mistress was unique in the way that she treated her like a natural thing, and not a ~problem~. Yet, her mistress' heated reassurances that she indeed deserved such respect were astounding, but meant more to her than what sad things, like the Shadi, often claimed.
In her mistress' name, she found her echoing voice, knowing that Shadi had no right to talk to her down like a normal master.
"I believe," she said "that my mistress is my business. You just don't understand what the problem is."
Ryou was unstable long before the Change of Heart was gifted to him; a child that experienced profound loss in his life, as well as the bitter affects of neglect from the ones he cared about most. Come to think of the past, she should have brought him to her sanctuary to heal before the depression stuck. But he was gifted with the powerful trinket, and spirit imprisoned in the millennium ring was much of the same when it came to past, and that was dangerous.
No one cared for Ryou though, he had no one to share his burden and pain with.
That was what Shadi had carelessly overlooked; where did he ever get the idea that her mistress had ever wanted such power in the first place?
"Me, understand humanity? I do not think that is an area in which you are justified to judge. You are not human."
"You do not have to be human to understand humanity, parasite."
He hissed between his teeth at the insult.
"The 'Independence Day' is approaching--"
"Not soon enough. And even now, my mistress has a power to destroy everything she holds dear, so don't meddle in her affairs."
Shadi's eyebrows shied in surprise.
"What do you mean?!"
"Don't you know?" she said spitefully "The Tomb Robber was the one that stole the Eye. It is rightfully in her possession now."
Now this was an unneeded complication.
~*~*~*~
"Ditching your homework ~already~, Mai?" Rei clucked disapprovingly.
"Oh come on, Rei," the stylish duelist claimed in a good-natured way "we haven't done anything for a week. It's time to treat ourselves to something!"
Rei sighed. There was no use arguing with someone you actually agreed with.
Mai was currently lounging luxuriously on a waxy chair that squealed in protest under her position, but was turning to be what appeared to be a very unhappy chair (as Mai didn't really care for it more than her comfort). Rei was seated next to her; keeping a straight posture so that her back wouldn't begin to ache later, though she was quite weary for some reason despite the extra effort. She assumed it was only the sickness of new-school-year nerves, but the added complications probably didn't help matters at all.
They had both been dismissed early from their classes that morning to lunch, as it was a Friday and the teachers understood through experience that they could never hope to understand, or limit the students in their anticipation of fleeting freedom. The cheery sunlight shining through windows and the cages of humming fans did not help the learning mood; by most standards, it was a beautiful day. Rei didn't really care for the invitation of the dry weather as much as her classmates, because she was very British at heart and, rather than thinking fondly of hot summer days, she embraced the cool and damp with a wide umbrella so that the raindrops didn't tickle her eyelids . . .
But it was sunny. Stereotypical joy.
This did not mean, however, that their load of homework was relieved as much as their attention.
Truthfully, it had been a rather uneventful experience through their first days back. She had only witnessed a bare handful of students getting dunked into trashcans, and no pranks that had been pulled on the unsuspecting teachers (Rei supposed that perhaps Yugi's lectures might have actually been working successfully on the ears of Joey and Tristan).
Rei was trying to make the most out of her odd situation, but her natural shyness seemed to multiply incredibly when she came back to school. Risking nothing, she often kept her head down and profile low, at least, as much as was possible when you hung around Mai Valentine.
The flashy styles she bought and painted carefully on her face were preventing her from entirely fading to the background, even if Mai could only give her a makeover before school once a week. Though Rei could admit to the point of everything, that 'Rei's' appearance was far from what 'Ryou's' had been. Ryou had faded into the background, and in order to throw off any suspicions, theoretically, Rei had to be where the attention was. It was just frightening.
Though they rarely saw her face, Rei was still a radical contrast to any of the other female students, and the unusual attention she was receiving made her feel all the more uncomfortable.
Her conversation with Mai on the subject wasn't at ALL relieving.
/"I thought that women were supposed to be the forward ones!" she had said with wide eyes, her hands gripping and twisting together nervously.
Mai had thrown her elegantly curled head back and ~laughed~.
"It's just because you're so ~cute~" she had immediately grasped Rei's cheek as an infamous aunt would have, and from then on, teased her unmercifully . . . /
"And I know just the place." Mai claimed, looking thoughtful. Her right hand was supporting her chin, while her other hand was lazily draped over the corner of 'their' table as her fingers traced unconscious nothings in the air.
Rei shivered, glancing fleetingly to the cafeteria line. For her friend's obvious assurance of the supposed perfection of the plan she was dreaming about, she had lived with Mai long enough to understand that she should rightly feel an uncomfortable twinge of foreboding. Being well-assured was all well and grand, but being ~too~ sure of yourself could lead to some nasty situations. And Mai tended to get herself into those often enough.
Oh dear, she ~hoped~ Mai wasn't planning on doing anything illegal!
"So . . . what do you plan on doing?" Rei said finally, trying to look open- minded with a face masking her doubts. However, this just made her eyes grow too large, her mouth set too small, and overall, a very weirdly guilty look. Flattening her layered hair nervously, she glared slightly at Mai's distinctly amused expression at her antics and her gaze turned out to be startlingly maniacal through darkly penciled eyes and lashes.
"Don't worry, dear, I've been scouting around for the local hang-outs all week," she started. Rei was wondering what shady means she had used to find time for this 'scouting,' but honestly, she had to admit that Mai found efficient ways to accomplish her wants through ways many that Rei had yet to discover. "and it turns out that there's this little club down on 23rd. Live music and stuff."
At Rei's startled look, Mai quickly assured "But no alcohol! It's targeted entirely to a high-school crowd!" /Or so I think./
The newly introduced to the wonderful world of womanhood, relaxed slightly with a sigh, but still sat as tense as she would if she were bracing herself for a nearby plane crash. She was still a bit unsure not-so-deep into her cinnamon eyes.
"Oh yeah!" Tea came up, carrying a plain sack that the school's bagged lunches inhibited. "I heard a few people from my Studio ((AN - Dance studio)) talking about going there last week."
"What did they say about it?" Mai urged eagerly, shooting Rei a glance that distinctively expressed the famous /I told you so/.
Tea shrugged absently, opening her single-serving milk-carton.
"They seemed to have had a good time."
Rei felt her neck slacken dubiously, as she looked appraisingly to the ground for support. She ~really~ didn't want to go and abandon a quiet reading heaven for something plainly loud, irritating, and unusual, but she didn't want to disappoint Mai either.
"C'mon, it's not like I've gotten you into any trouble before!" Mai said with amusement, above her humbled head.
She heard Tea laugh, too "Oh, lighten up, Rei!"
/I thought I had already lightened up enough!/ it was hard enough to not act like the cautious Ryou as constantly as was natural for her, and she was trying so hard . . . and yet she knew she wasn't nearly as outspoken and free as her clothing suggested. /Oh dear./
Finally, she sighed, absently turning her gaze up and around, and abruptly, her half-glance at the clock finally registered.
"Oh no!" Rei moaned, shoving her things violently back into her JanSport while her two companions jumped in their seats from her unexpected viciousness, and looked to each other for an explanation.
Her shoulders began to ache dully again from the unexpected weight of four textbooks hanging off of her back.
"I have to get to my study group in English," she said in a quietly feeble manner "I'll see you guys later."
She strode with a quickened pace out of the wild cafeteria.
~*~*~*~
"As we look at theorem 1-3, we can assume that applying it to example 3 would leave angle 'a' as what measurement . . . ?"
The balding man's lesson was boring, yet informative, and that gave her enough reason to keep rapt attention to his lecture. Her notes were messy, but they made sense to her, and that was all that mattered.
/Hopefully Mai won't ask to borrow them./
She doodled around the binder holes framing the left side of her paper to dull down her pencil. It was too sharp, and she wasn't that precise with her handwriting to make it look good.
Mai's voluminous curls obscured her from the direct gaze of their math teacher, so she shifted as the girl in front of her stretched luxuriously, and apparently, on purpose.
A neatly folded note labeled "/Rei/" was deposited on her desk.
Looking around as an extra precaution, she unfolded it very carefully so that no one would notice the sound. Inside, the message was simple:
"/So how about tonight?/"
Biting her lip, she recorded her daring decision, swiftly.
"/Sure/"
~*~*~*~
A convenient parking spot was spotted by Rei about a block away from their destination. It was about 7:30 or so, and the sky was gigglishly pink from the current sunset. She shivered as a weak, but chilled, zephyr prodded her warmth, and her patience.
Despite her apparent calm, Rei knew Mai was painfully excited for their outing. She had even insisted that they change their outfits for things a little more stylish, and Rei had to put up with even MORE sparkles and make- up on her face. Even in the dull lamplight, every time she moved, little flashes darted around the edges of her vision; taunting.
"Have you ever seen a live band before?" Mai asked suddenly.
"I don't think so."
She smiled.
"I think you'll have fun, then."
Rei doubted that statement when she thought about her boots that were still not broken in yet. The laced-up wonders fit her length-wise, but were too wide for her bony ankles and feet. She knew there would be some blisters there soon enough.
The rest of her outfit consisted of a redish-purple pleated skirt, that waved in silky splendor behind her thighs. Her top was orange, as Mai seemed to have an odd fixation with seeing Rei in orange, and just a simple, form hugging top. Her orange eye-shadow was so thick, she was seeing the world framed in a distinctly orange hue, and Mai had added sparkles of the same hue as her skirt over the orange. Two loose and splintering pig-tails protruded from her head.
Mai was a little less odd, and a bit more natural in her clothing choice. Abandoning her normal tight mini-skirt, she adopted one that was easy- flowing, and looked a great deal more comfortable. The skirt was a bright peppermint green, that matched her sparkling strapped heels and hung with a delicate ring of matching lace at the hem. She wore fishnet stockings to humble her cut legs, but her top was of the same mold as the outfit she wore back in Duelist Kingdom; a cute white peasant top that revealed her collarbone.
The sign faded into sight, shedding a reddish hue around the decrepit sidewalk as the handful of weeds drooped over the curb to their eventual doom. Rei walked a little closer to Mai's side, as if she wandered closer, some of her famous self-assurance would rub off.
Tilting her head to the glowing sign, Rei choked slightly at the name of inscribed clearly on the partial-metal-sculpture.
'The Sanctuary'. How ridiculously ironic.
She quickened her pace to the obvious wooden entrance, and held the door open for Mai before entering herself.
The first thing that hit her was the smell.
Apparently too strong to be soaked by anything other than incense, the fumes hit her like a ton of bricks, putting a hippie store to shame. It was warm and oddly comforting, considering that Rei had never really cared for incense, but with the sparse warm lights and a great deal of dark wood, it seemed natural.
Thankfully, she didn't sneeze. But her eyes ~did~ water enough to slightly distort her vision.
It was a small place, with a high ceiling sprinkled with warm-hue lights that shined lazily. Most of the light was a contribution from the yellow stage-lights off to her right, but the mismatched band was taking a break for that moment; chugging down sparkling water and oblivious to onlookers.
'The Sanctuary' was probably a bar at one point, complete with a mirror- lined counter, and matching stools. It had character despite it's rather worn appearance, with a retro curve rather than straight and traditional. A few thin people around their early 20s were chattering coolly.
Near the counter, there were wooden tables and chairs as well as a few booths for people to sit and drink in relaxation. But the stage was attended by huge couches, which were quite ugly, and looked very comfortable. Rei twitched in her uncomfortable boots just by looking at them.
She made her way to an unoccupied monstrosity (a big green chair, actually), with Mai gladly following her lead to sit down to a more comfortable position. The band was strapping on their guitars and picking up their drumsticks again, so they turned to watch them play.
Strangely, the amplifiers were set so it was hard to understand what the man talking into the microphone was saying, but they just nodded and clapped with the rest of them. Melting back and nodding to their set tempo, the man said something to his three band-mates before they started.
Rei was unprepared for how ~wonderful~ it sounded . . . with the bass, with the drums. CDs didn't capture that chest-pounding experience.
But even that natural gritty-ness couldn't conceal that most of the band- members were quite bad at what they did.
"They're awful." Mai commented, her handbag resting on her knee. Truth to be told, it didn't look like many of the others around them were paying much attention to the live band.
"Yeah." She agreed, relaxing into the incense-soaked couch. Unfortunately, large couches like these were not particularly made for skinny people, and she soon found herself easily enveloped into the cushion. Thrashing with muffled protests, she managed to avoid sinking entirely, but she still glared at the offending pillows.
"The only one holding them together is the drummer!" Rei commented, punching the pillows.
"Oooooooh, he's kinda cute, too!" the blonde giggled, feeling easily like her old self again. Rei sighed. "But those sunglasses . . . why? He looks so calm and collected, but you can't even see if his eyes are as pretty as the rest of him is!"
Mai got frustrated over the most trivial of things, didn't she?
Rei tilted her head to the side and smoothed her skirt as she examined the drummer a little better. Even sitting she could tell he was quite tall and skinny, with a thin face and straight brown hair that dusted the top of his sunglasses, the middle of his ears, and the back of his neck with sweat- dripped swipes.
His expression was concentrated, but emotionless. /Almost like . . . /
"He almost has that Kaiba look about him." Said Mai.
Rei felt a jolt of realization. /Oh god./
"But Mai, that IS Seto Kaiba!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Oooooooh, plot twist ^^ Sounds like the perfect setting for further "Mai- mischief," huh?
If you have any suggestions, ideas, or just want me to write faster, I would greatly appreciate reviews! Really . . . 'cuz I'm not ~entirely~ dead.
*cackles* Oh god, Catholic school's going to be a blast ^^
giggleplex
There is no excuse for my slowness, but I'm sorry *sniffle*. My disc drive is broken on the only computer with the internet at my house, and my mom has been constantly working at home on this stupid business plan for the past 2 months.
And remember what I said about working on "FLWV"?! That was ALL on a disc! THE NEXT TWO CHAPTERS ARE ON A FRICKID FLOPPY DISC!!!
I hate computers. Really, I do.
Oli: Why don't you sing about it.
Why don't you, demented pixie?! *breathing raggedly*
Oli: *eyes widen as she slowly inches away*
But I do have GOOD GOOD IMPORTANT NEWS FOR YOU READERS:
I have started a new story entitled "Before I Fell Over the Rainbow", which is a sort of prequel regarding Tea to "The Sanctuary". I strongly suggest you check it out ^^ You know me! *giggles*
My next update (as far as I know) will be on that story. It'll be short; only about 5 chapters in all, so don't worry about me lagging os behind again. God. I don't even know if anyone's reading anymore. I'm so slow, and my computer greatly dislikes me *huggles Kenshin plushie* I'm so unloved . . .
Oh well. That doesn't mean I'm stopping!
loquacious guava - You . . . like it? Oh my, thank you very much! *blushes* I didn't think you would but . . . oh wow, thanks! E-mail me whenever you want; I need people to talk to. And we SO have to see Trigun together ^^
summer psycho - Yes ma'am! *salutes*
R Amythest - Yeah . . . but I STILL think Vincent Valentine is way cooler ~_^ Sorry about my lack of correspondence. Evil, computer hogging mothers haunt my humble life. Bleh.
Rosz of the Angel - Thanks. Really, you words mean a lot to me. I hope you're still there for this update, because I LOVE hearing from you! ^^ Hope this chapter satisfies you!
Cloak*and*Dagger/Aisha Outlaw - *double take* No. Way. *squeals* Thank you so much for checking out my fic! You know how much I love yours ^^ Don't explode . . . the day will get better . . . okay, that advise is WAY late, but use it wisely in the future when that particular urge threatens to consume you. *nodnod* Yes, yes. Thank you so very much!!! I'm going to bounce now. *bounces*
Yami Krissy - YAY! You're back! No microphone though, darn ^^ Don't worry about reviewing late, I mean, look how late I've updated.
Oli: Your own damn fault!
*looks thoughtful* Who the hell taught you to say that?!
Tasuki: *whistles innocently*
. . . where did that come from? Maybe I should sleep more. Inuyasha won't be back until August *sniffle*
Shenya - Umm . . . sorry? *dodges tomato* I wish this chapter were more eventful, but I guess it ~does~ have a twist at the end ^^ And it's long (by my standards)
Rowan and Sakura - *bows* Thankies! Hope you're having an easier time around here now . . . (it took me a few months; I'm so sad!)
Sailor Comet - Yeah, we can hardly resist the psychopath type. *sniffle* Too bad he's all Ryou's . . . they're just too pretty to be straight. Though, that doesn't mean we can stop ogling them ^^ I hope you're still there; you've supported me through a lot of this stuff, haven't you? ^^ See you around!
Kitty-chan66 - Oh my . . . thank you *blushies* I'M SO SORRY FOR THE MAJOR- DELAY! I hope you guys aren't too angry *wrings hands* Dubbing is funny though! And it's really sad, but I actually like Vash's English voice. He's funny *giggles*
Always. I'm constantly thinking of new ideas! Too many, I think *swirly eyes*
NeoStar - You know, it's odd. The men in white coats move away quite fast when you're practicing your evil cackle in the mirror. Thank you, oh so humble knight! How might I ever repay you?! We shall forever be against the men in white coats . . . and maybe even join their ranks someday! MWAHAHAHAHA--*gag* *gulps down tea*
Okay, so that would be just plain cruel. *whips out pink stapler* Forever feel my wrath, white fiends!!! Help with the disclaimer? Giggle no understand, tell me! ^^ Any help is welcomed, fello funny bunny (isn't fello cool spelled like that?)
Deja*vu - Well, I'm a creepy-weird kinda gal ^_~ Ryuuji doesn't like being famous . . . poor guy. Hope you continue to keep up with my story!
~*~*~*~
WOW!!! Over 100 reviews! I . . . actually cried when I saw that. Thank you so much for your support, my friends. I LUFFLES YOU GUYS!!! *huggles everyone*
Oh yeah! I have a wittle very, very bad picture I drew of Rei on her first day of school ^^ I'm no good at anime (fanartists are so cool ^^ but I'm a realism freak T.T), but I know I never really explained her hairstyle, so here it is: - 1060045323?m=0&pg=0&ro=0&co=1
So, lets be off, darlings ^^ Oh, and I don't own YGO. Who'd have thunk. ^^
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
So many nuisances; the mortal world was always imperfect as it had existed for too long.
In fact, the unluckiness was so horrible, it breached the 'barrier', and allowed those unworthy of the real world able to meddle in human affairs. Such souls were vermin to him, souls that could never learn true humility because, technically, they didn't exist.
So how could this have happened?
The spirit that occupied an entire line of sons since ancient times, the one lost dreadfully to the effects of immortality, the one that had always called himself 'Shadi', knew naught of the purpose of such jest and foolery. It just wasn't logical.
He drummed his blunt fingertips on his pursed lips, finding their coolness calming to his soul. Actually, the gods had been quite strange lately . . . why, look at such unrest recently! The Battle City tournament that could have caused ~so much~ to go wrong, non-magical weapons powerful enough to destroy the world, snowing in midsummer . . .
For someone who's lengthy lives dedicated for the sole purposes of the gods, he was confused. But he was only a servant, and the more he contemplated over the matter, the more clearly he realized that it was not his place to question the ideas of the gods.
Carefully plotting his bare feet on the side of the oversized rock, Shadi hiked his light white robes past his knees, and hosted himself to the top. The view that should have startled him, was a disappointment from it's vagueness. The 'sky' was like a dark, swirling sunset, just a melancholy mix of reds, purples, and blacks. No evidence that the thing he looked for had crossed the plain of nothingness at all.
Growling in genuine frustration, he leapt down, not even bothering to dust off his robes from the clingy purple dust. His eyes were dull and hard; he was beyond angry.
"Have you been looking for me?"
Sing-song tone, teasing his weary mind to thoughts of the extreme.
Shadi whipped around with the experience of deaths plain in his eye, and was met by a bright contrast to the rather dreary setting. It was something heavenly, something other-worldly.
Something that needed to be taken care of, before it ruined everything.
"You have, I think." The Change of Heart decided aurally, nodding "But whatever for?"
She fanned her pale, porcelain face with a white fan innocently. Shadi still glared, with every ounce of nastiness he could muster. He supposed he had been walking in this wasteland for what could have been weeks, months even. And here she--it was; the one who found ~him~.
"This is not a visit to discuss meaningless pleasantries." He said, in that empty, emotionless tone.
"Hmm." She was looking about in a bored manner, even examining the illusion she conjured of meticulous fingernails.
"I am very serious, you stupid thing!"
Her eyes flashed dangerously. She dropped the fan, as it disappeared before it hit the surface that she stood on, as her feet gently raised from it, and she floated with her face contorted in barely-suppressed anger.
"Oh really?" the Yami hissed.
Shadi straightened his back, giving off an even colder aura. The Change of Heart knew his heart was twisting into the turmoil of rage that he could not control, after all, this was ~her~ sanctuary.
The children were off playing near the gingerbread cottage, so she knew they were safe.
"Your foolish actions are not justified by any means; what do you think you are to fool around with beings of such sophisticated power?! The millennium item holders are living on a precarious balance of magic, that could ~easily~ destroy any world."
He took a scarce breath, and licked his lips.
"Even your own."
Not even bothering for another stare-down, the Change of Heart lifted her chin and replied with;
"Who is to say that they would have experienced a more severe imbalance with two souls? Two souls inhabiting the same body?"
Shadi scowled "That is none of your business, monster."
She was joking with herself. Really. Her mistress was unique in the way that she treated her like a natural thing, and not a ~problem~. Yet, her mistress' heated reassurances that she indeed deserved such respect were astounding, but meant more to her than what sad things, like the Shadi, often claimed.
In her mistress' name, she found her echoing voice, knowing that Shadi had no right to talk to her down like a normal master.
"I believe," she said "that my mistress is my business. You just don't understand what the problem is."
Ryou was unstable long before the Change of Heart was gifted to him; a child that experienced profound loss in his life, as well as the bitter affects of neglect from the ones he cared about most. Come to think of the past, she should have brought him to her sanctuary to heal before the depression stuck. But he was gifted with the powerful trinket, and spirit imprisoned in the millennium ring was much of the same when it came to past, and that was dangerous.
No one cared for Ryou though, he had no one to share his burden and pain with.
That was what Shadi had carelessly overlooked; where did he ever get the idea that her mistress had ever wanted such power in the first place?
"Me, understand humanity? I do not think that is an area in which you are justified to judge. You are not human."
"You do not have to be human to understand humanity, parasite."
He hissed between his teeth at the insult.
"The 'Independence Day' is approaching--"
"Not soon enough. And even now, my mistress has a power to destroy everything she holds dear, so don't meddle in her affairs."
Shadi's eyebrows shied in surprise.
"What do you mean?!"
"Don't you know?" she said spitefully "The Tomb Robber was the one that stole the Eye. It is rightfully in her possession now."
Now this was an unneeded complication.
~*~*~*~
"Ditching your homework ~already~, Mai?" Rei clucked disapprovingly.
"Oh come on, Rei," the stylish duelist claimed in a good-natured way "we haven't done anything for a week. It's time to treat ourselves to something!"
Rei sighed. There was no use arguing with someone you actually agreed with.
Mai was currently lounging luxuriously on a waxy chair that squealed in protest under her position, but was turning to be what appeared to be a very unhappy chair (as Mai didn't really care for it more than her comfort). Rei was seated next to her; keeping a straight posture so that her back wouldn't begin to ache later, though she was quite weary for some reason despite the extra effort. She assumed it was only the sickness of new-school-year nerves, but the added complications probably didn't help matters at all.
They had both been dismissed early from their classes that morning to lunch, as it was a Friday and the teachers understood through experience that they could never hope to understand, or limit the students in their anticipation of fleeting freedom. The cheery sunlight shining through windows and the cages of humming fans did not help the learning mood; by most standards, it was a beautiful day. Rei didn't really care for the invitation of the dry weather as much as her classmates, because she was very British at heart and, rather than thinking fondly of hot summer days, she embraced the cool and damp with a wide umbrella so that the raindrops didn't tickle her eyelids . . .
But it was sunny. Stereotypical joy.
This did not mean, however, that their load of homework was relieved as much as their attention.
Truthfully, it had been a rather uneventful experience through their first days back. She had only witnessed a bare handful of students getting dunked into trashcans, and no pranks that had been pulled on the unsuspecting teachers (Rei supposed that perhaps Yugi's lectures might have actually been working successfully on the ears of Joey and Tristan).
Rei was trying to make the most out of her odd situation, but her natural shyness seemed to multiply incredibly when she came back to school. Risking nothing, she often kept her head down and profile low, at least, as much as was possible when you hung around Mai Valentine.
The flashy styles she bought and painted carefully on her face were preventing her from entirely fading to the background, even if Mai could only give her a makeover before school once a week. Though Rei could admit to the point of everything, that 'Rei's' appearance was far from what 'Ryou's' had been. Ryou had faded into the background, and in order to throw off any suspicions, theoretically, Rei had to be where the attention was. It was just frightening.
Though they rarely saw her face, Rei was still a radical contrast to any of the other female students, and the unusual attention she was receiving made her feel all the more uncomfortable.
Her conversation with Mai on the subject wasn't at ALL relieving.
/"I thought that women were supposed to be the forward ones!" she had said with wide eyes, her hands gripping and twisting together nervously.
Mai had thrown her elegantly curled head back and ~laughed~.
"It's just because you're so ~cute~" she had immediately grasped Rei's cheek as an infamous aunt would have, and from then on, teased her unmercifully . . . /
"And I know just the place." Mai claimed, looking thoughtful. Her right hand was supporting her chin, while her other hand was lazily draped over the corner of 'their' table as her fingers traced unconscious nothings in the air.
Rei shivered, glancing fleetingly to the cafeteria line. For her friend's obvious assurance of the supposed perfection of the plan she was dreaming about, she had lived with Mai long enough to understand that she should rightly feel an uncomfortable twinge of foreboding. Being well-assured was all well and grand, but being ~too~ sure of yourself could lead to some nasty situations. And Mai tended to get herself into those often enough.
Oh dear, she ~hoped~ Mai wasn't planning on doing anything illegal!
"So . . . what do you plan on doing?" Rei said finally, trying to look open- minded with a face masking her doubts. However, this just made her eyes grow too large, her mouth set too small, and overall, a very weirdly guilty look. Flattening her layered hair nervously, she glared slightly at Mai's distinctly amused expression at her antics and her gaze turned out to be startlingly maniacal through darkly penciled eyes and lashes.
"Don't worry, dear, I've been scouting around for the local hang-outs all week," she started. Rei was wondering what shady means she had used to find time for this 'scouting,' but honestly, she had to admit that Mai found efficient ways to accomplish her wants through ways many that Rei had yet to discover. "and it turns out that there's this little club down on 23rd. Live music and stuff."
At Rei's startled look, Mai quickly assured "But no alcohol! It's targeted entirely to a high-school crowd!" /Or so I think./
The newly introduced to the wonderful world of womanhood, relaxed slightly with a sigh, but still sat as tense as she would if she were bracing herself for a nearby plane crash. She was still a bit unsure not-so-deep into her cinnamon eyes.
"Oh yeah!" Tea came up, carrying a plain sack that the school's bagged lunches inhibited. "I heard a few people from my Studio ((AN - Dance studio)) talking about going there last week."
"What did they say about it?" Mai urged eagerly, shooting Rei a glance that distinctively expressed the famous /I told you so/.
Tea shrugged absently, opening her single-serving milk-carton.
"They seemed to have had a good time."
Rei felt her neck slacken dubiously, as she looked appraisingly to the ground for support. She ~really~ didn't want to go and abandon a quiet reading heaven for something plainly loud, irritating, and unusual, but she didn't want to disappoint Mai either.
"C'mon, it's not like I've gotten you into any trouble before!" Mai said with amusement, above her humbled head.
She heard Tea laugh, too "Oh, lighten up, Rei!"
/I thought I had already lightened up enough!/ it was hard enough to not act like the cautious Ryou as constantly as was natural for her, and she was trying so hard . . . and yet she knew she wasn't nearly as outspoken and free as her clothing suggested. /Oh dear./
Finally, she sighed, absently turning her gaze up and around, and abruptly, her half-glance at the clock finally registered.
"Oh no!" Rei moaned, shoving her things violently back into her JanSport while her two companions jumped in their seats from her unexpected viciousness, and looked to each other for an explanation.
Her shoulders began to ache dully again from the unexpected weight of four textbooks hanging off of her back.
"I have to get to my study group in English," she said in a quietly feeble manner "I'll see you guys later."
She strode with a quickened pace out of the wild cafeteria.
~*~*~*~
"As we look at theorem 1-3, we can assume that applying it to example 3 would leave angle 'a' as what measurement . . . ?"
The balding man's lesson was boring, yet informative, and that gave her enough reason to keep rapt attention to his lecture. Her notes were messy, but they made sense to her, and that was all that mattered.
/Hopefully Mai won't ask to borrow them./
She doodled around the binder holes framing the left side of her paper to dull down her pencil. It was too sharp, and she wasn't that precise with her handwriting to make it look good.
Mai's voluminous curls obscured her from the direct gaze of their math teacher, so she shifted as the girl in front of her stretched luxuriously, and apparently, on purpose.
A neatly folded note labeled "/Rei/" was deposited on her desk.
Looking around as an extra precaution, she unfolded it very carefully so that no one would notice the sound. Inside, the message was simple:
"/So how about tonight?/"
Biting her lip, she recorded her daring decision, swiftly.
"/Sure/"
~*~*~*~
A convenient parking spot was spotted by Rei about a block away from their destination. It was about 7:30 or so, and the sky was gigglishly pink from the current sunset. She shivered as a weak, but chilled, zephyr prodded her warmth, and her patience.
Despite her apparent calm, Rei knew Mai was painfully excited for their outing. She had even insisted that they change their outfits for things a little more stylish, and Rei had to put up with even MORE sparkles and make- up on her face. Even in the dull lamplight, every time she moved, little flashes darted around the edges of her vision; taunting.
"Have you ever seen a live band before?" Mai asked suddenly.
"I don't think so."
She smiled.
"I think you'll have fun, then."
Rei doubted that statement when she thought about her boots that were still not broken in yet. The laced-up wonders fit her length-wise, but were too wide for her bony ankles and feet. She knew there would be some blisters there soon enough.
The rest of her outfit consisted of a redish-purple pleated skirt, that waved in silky splendor behind her thighs. Her top was orange, as Mai seemed to have an odd fixation with seeing Rei in orange, and just a simple, form hugging top. Her orange eye-shadow was so thick, she was seeing the world framed in a distinctly orange hue, and Mai had added sparkles of the same hue as her skirt over the orange. Two loose and splintering pig-tails protruded from her head.
Mai was a little less odd, and a bit more natural in her clothing choice. Abandoning her normal tight mini-skirt, she adopted one that was easy- flowing, and looked a great deal more comfortable. The skirt was a bright peppermint green, that matched her sparkling strapped heels and hung with a delicate ring of matching lace at the hem. She wore fishnet stockings to humble her cut legs, but her top was of the same mold as the outfit she wore back in Duelist Kingdom; a cute white peasant top that revealed her collarbone.
The sign faded into sight, shedding a reddish hue around the decrepit sidewalk as the handful of weeds drooped over the curb to their eventual doom. Rei walked a little closer to Mai's side, as if she wandered closer, some of her famous self-assurance would rub off.
Tilting her head to the glowing sign, Rei choked slightly at the name of inscribed clearly on the partial-metal-sculpture.
'The Sanctuary'. How ridiculously ironic.
She quickened her pace to the obvious wooden entrance, and held the door open for Mai before entering herself.
The first thing that hit her was the smell.
Apparently too strong to be soaked by anything other than incense, the fumes hit her like a ton of bricks, putting a hippie store to shame. It was warm and oddly comforting, considering that Rei had never really cared for incense, but with the sparse warm lights and a great deal of dark wood, it seemed natural.
Thankfully, she didn't sneeze. But her eyes ~did~ water enough to slightly distort her vision.
It was a small place, with a high ceiling sprinkled with warm-hue lights that shined lazily. Most of the light was a contribution from the yellow stage-lights off to her right, but the mismatched band was taking a break for that moment; chugging down sparkling water and oblivious to onlookers.
'The Sanctuary' was probably a bar at one point, complete with a mirror- lined counter, and matching stools. It had character despite it's rather worn appearance, with a retro curve rather than straight and traditional. A few thin people around their early 20s were chattering coolly.
Near the counter, there were wooden tables and chairs as well as a few booths for people to sit and drink in relaxation. But the stage was attended by huge couches, which were quite ugly, and looked very comfortable. Rei twitched in her uncomfortable boots just by looking at them.
She made her way to an unoccupied monstrosity (a big green chair, actually), with Mai gladly following her lead to sit down to a more comfortable position. The band was strapping on their guitars and picking up their drumsticks again, so they turned to watch them play.
Strangely, the amplifiers were set so it was hard to understand what the man talking into the microphone was saying, but they just nodded and clapped with the rest of them. Melting back and nodding to their set tempo, the man said something to his three band-mates before they started.
Rei was unprepared for how ~wonderful~ it sounded . . . with the bass, with the drums. CDs didn't capture that chest-pounding experience.
But even that natural gritty-ness couldn't conceal that most of the band- members were quite bad at what they did.
"They're awful." Mai commented, her handbag resting on her knee. Truth to be told, it didn't look like many of the others around them were paying much attention to the live band.
"Yeah." She agreed, relaxing into the incense-soaked couch. Unfortunately, large couches like these were not particularly made for skinny people, and she soon found herself easily enveloped into the cushion. Thrashing with muffled protests, she managed to avoid sinking entirely, but she still glared at the offending pillows.
"The only one holding them together is the drummer!" Rei commented, punching the pillows.
"Oooooooh, he's kinda cute, too!" the blonde giggled, feeling easily like her old self again. Rei sighed. "But those sunglasses . . . why? He looks so calm and collected, but you can't even see if his eyes are as pretty as the rest of him is!"
Mai got frustrated over the most trivial of things, didn't she?
Rei tilted her head to the side and smoothed her skirt as she examined the drummer a little better. Even sitting she could tell he was quite tall and skinny, with a thin face and straight brown hair that dusted the top of his sunglasses, the middle of his ears, and the back of his neck with sweat- dripped swipes.
His expression was concentrated, but emotionless. /Almost like . . . /
"He almost has that Kaiba look about him." Said Mai.
Rei felt a jolt of realization. /Oh god./
"But Mai, that IS Seto Kaiba!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Oooooooh, plot twist ^^ Sounds like the perfect setting for further "Mai- mischief," huh?
If you have any suggestions, ideas, or just want me to write faster, I would greatly appreciate reviews! Really . . . 'cuz I'm not ~entirely~ dead.
*cackles* Oh god, Catholic school's going to be a blast ^^
giggleplex