Ultramarine Fire
Chapter Two: A Call to Action
In a dimensional gap hidden between the mortal world and the Shadow Realm a lone figure stood peering into the portal before her. The violet furred cat crossed her arms as she watched two humans interact.
"I can't believe this!" Rebecca was grumbling. "I got an A-! Me! Rebecca Hawkins, a genius, got an A-!!"
Dina stared down at her own quiz grade to see a B staring back at her, "Oh you poor baby." she answered in her usual monotone voice.
"Sorry," Rebecca sighed, "but I'm not used to messing up like this, if the whole Queen of Games thing wasn't looming over my head I'd be able to concentrate."
The Guardian followed her charge out into the parking lot where their respective boyfriends were waiting to give them a lift home.
"If only she'd worry this much about the less trivial challenges in her life." Felaine sighed.
"Sister!" came a high pitched voice with a hint of mockery to the tone. "Still watching the dreary mortals live out their feeble lives?"
With her claws sinking into her palms Felaine spun around to find her sister staring at her with a smug expression. The feline's fur was a darker shade of violet and unlike her sister's orange hair hers was long and black with horizontal burgundy highlights on the sides. The Proclaimer's amber eyed sibling spoke again after seeing that her sister had no intention of replying. "Oh come now big sister, I thought that I was the merciful one when it came to humans. Why then have you taken a shine to those two girls?"
"They are my charges Urvasi!" Felaine snapped, "They are no concern of yours. Now why have decided to pry into mortal matters this time?"
"Why I have personal interest in the lives of two particular mortals." Urvasi smirked upon witnessing her sibling's eyes widen, "Don't worry my sister, I'm not going to harm the Queen or her little body guard. I merely wish to fulfill my role in the Duel Monsters monarchy."
"And what might that be?"
"Why, just as you watch over the pharaoh's bride and Mystic, destiny has chosen me to look after the interests of the Flame Keeper and Huntress."
Felaine lifted an eyebrow and stared at her sister suspiciously, "And why haven't I been notified about this?"
"Because you've spent so much time locked away in isolation that you've fallen out of the loop." Urvasi twirled a strand of black hair around her finger. "I suppose it's a natural thing though, we are immortal. Time and all its endless events really don't appeal to us."
"But I am involved in these events now." Felaine insisted, "It has been so since the day that the Queen lost her biological guardians. And now that Pegasus's summon has made the pharaoh aware of my presence I haven't the option of rejecting Fate's role."
"Oh what fun we're going to have, watching these mortals duel for their world!" Urvasi clasped her hands together in a mischievous manner.
"Sister," a slight hiss was evident in Felaine's voice, "do not toy with these humans or their destinies. They must not be deterred from their rightful courses in life. Meddling in human affairs is dangerous enough; you must respect the power we immortals hold and not use it to make a mockery of a mortal's existence."
"Oh please sister," Urvasi scoffed, "you LOATHE humans and-as I recall-you even declared that you would not use your powers to aid another human being even if the heavens themselves threatened to collapse upon all of creation!"
"That was a long time ago," Felaine felt a twinge of guilt as she was forced to swallow her own words, "much has changed since I last was called upon to watch over a mortal. These two young women, they are different."
"And what has made you come to accept this?" Urvasi wondered, a smirk evident on her face. "Even when I, your own sister, have been telling you this exact same thing for centuries, nay, millennia?!"
Felaine thought back to the days when she had first reluctantly accepted her responsibility as the guardian and trainer of the two mortal girls. Dina had been washed upon the bay's shore, more dead than alive and in need of a kind soul to watch over her as she grew up (parentless) in a cold world. Rebecca had come from a loving family, until illness overtook her parents leaving her in the care of a grandfather whose work sent him off on expeditions to earn their living. Both girls had been essentially alone, and Felaine was to teach them to rely upon themselves and each other in order to achieve their great destinies.
Urvasi sighed, illusory as she was, the immoral feline/woman was still a well meaning and powerful sorceress. She had meddled with the affairs of mortals before out of playfulness or amusement but had never gone so far as to put an innocent human at risk. Such things were beyond her. And regardless of what her sister might think, she was not unfeeling towards the mortals, not half as much as Felaine.
"So what poor mortals has Fate placed under your care?" Felaine finally spoke again.
"They are known as Taylie Opel and Shashi Tira," Urvasi smiled, "and they shall be arriving in Domino within the hour."
"Taylie Opel?" Felaine turned back to the portal to see the girls climbing into separate vehicles, "I believe that the name may be familiar to Dina. Someone from her past perhaps?"
"An old friend," Urvasi nodded, "I was 'brought up to date' before being set loose to handle my new duty. Taylie and Shashi currently reside with a band of performers who travel the globe putting on plays written by the late Escribe Ardor."
"And this concerns me why?" Felaine inquired.
"Because after these two mortals have entered the picture, we shall be but one member short of completing the Queen's Court."
"The Queen's Court?" Felaine gasped as she recalled the prophecy made back in the days of Ancient Egypt. Just as the great Pharaoh Yami had a court of high ranking and powerful regales, priests, and magicians the future queen too would have her own assembly of strong and mysterious allies-The Queen's Court.
"Now if you'll excuse me dear sister, I'll come to the point of my visit." Urvasi mimicked Felaine's stance with crossed arms and a tilted head, "The fifth and final member is one who still has her Earthly guardians. Therefore, we are forbidden from training her ourselves. Likewise, it shall be a considerably difficult task to locate her. For this reason I feel we should work together."
"I agree," Felaine nodded, "but any of your tricks Urvasi and-"
"Faith sister," Urvasi chuckled, "I will honor my duties. But I must greet my charges soon, for I fear that we are short on time. Another evil is brewing and to make matters all the more complicated the Millennium Necklace holder has informed her brother of Taylie's power."
"What is so complicated?" Felaine asked, "Their paths are meant to cross."
"True." Urvasi conceded, "But the way in which they cross could mean hope or disaster for all involved in this ancient power struggle."
******
Yami Bakura sat on the couch in the living room of his light's apartment. It was a sickeningly bright and peaceful day so he'd insisted on Bakura leaving the Millennium Ring here so that he could avoid it all.
Even the ancient thief was surprised at how much his own strength had grown as of late. It seemed that ever since the bond had formed between himself, Dina, and Bakura he'd been able to live more independently. In the past he would've been too weak to emerge from the Ring unless Bakura was wearing it and close by.
He heard footsteps approaching from out in the hall and then a knock at the door.
"Honey, I'm home!" Dina teased as she entered the living room followed by Bakura. He grinned to himself, noting how Dina was gradually loosening up whenever it was just the two (or three) of them.
"This isn't your home you know?" Yami Bakura chided, "You have your own place near that precious studio of yours."
"Ever the romantic." Dina commented sarcastically as she plopped down beside him.
"Romance is a waste of time." the thief remarked, "If I see something I want-" he swiftly grabbed Dina and spun her below him in his arms, "-I just take it. Why bother with foolish games?"
The redhead smirked and nipped his lower lip, "Because you might just get more than you bargained for."
"Ahem," Bakura muttered as he joined the pair on the couch, "I don't mean to interrupt but we did promise to meet Yugi and the others at the card shop after school."
"Right," Dina sighed while setting up.
Yami Bakura didn't seem pleased about this. "You've had her all day Bakura, why did you have to make plans to hog her all evening too?"
"I wasn't trying to cut in on your 'personal time'," Bakura insisted, "It's just that Dina has a duty to protect Rebecca so she had to agree to go along. Yugi invited me to join them as well…and he even told me it was fine if I wore my item."
"That innocent act of his has deceived all of you then." concluded Bakura's darker half.
"It's not an act," Dina interrupted, "he's just an overgrown kid that only sees the world through rose colored glasses."
Yami Bakura arched an eyebrow at this; Bakura simply chuckled at the spirit's confusion. Just when the thief thought he'd heard it all this new woman came in and had him baffled all over again.
"She means he's overly optimistic." Bakura explained.
"For cryin' out loud Yami B." Dina grabbed the spirit's hand and pulled him off the couch, "you really do need to get out more."
"Do NOT call me by that name!" Yami Bakura fumed as he reluctantly rose.
"Well if I didn't give you a nickname both you and Bakura would be confused whenever I tried to address one of you." Dina countered. "So until you can come up with something better, Yami B. will have to do."
"Anything is better than that wretched pet name." the spirit spat.
Pausing for a second Dina grinned mischievously at Bakura who had a bead of sweat running down past his bangs. "All right then, I'll just ask Tea to help me come up with something a little cuter and-"
"NO!" Yami Bakura pressed a hand against her mouth and grumpily conceded, "Yami B. it is."
With that he allowed himself to be drawn back into the Millennium Ring as Bakura slipped it around his neck. Dina watched as her boyfriend (his 'lighter' half anyway) carefully tucked the Ring beneath his cream colored sweater.
"I hope he's not too mad at me now." Dina sighed. Emotion wasn't something she herself was particularly good at showing but Yami Bakura was an expert when it came to unleashing his anger so that the whole room felt the fury.
"I don't think he is," Bakura smiled and then added with a wink, "I'm sure he'll have forgotten all about it by tomorrow morning."
"Those high expectations of his are starting to rub off on you," Dina sauntered past Bakura and headed for the door. "Well I'm not easy by any means B. You want a second round, then put a ring on this finger." Dina held up her left ring finger. "And I don't mean that ancient one around your neck."
******
Back at the card shop Rebecca and Yugi would putting their things away before their friends arrived.
Yugi decided to change out of his school clothes into something more comfortable, like his black sleeveless top and dark denim pants. Buckling the collar on his neck he reached under his bed to find his other shoe. His fingers roamed over the mess of supposedly 'stored away or organized' objects covered with dust bunnies when he felt something soft and curvy. Curiously he pulled out the object and turned a deep shade of red as he realized what it was.
"SIRIUS!!!"
Hearing his name called would've usually brought the little kitten running, but Yugi's tone sent the cat dashing straight into Rebecca's closet.
"Sirius," Rebecca placed her hands on her hips, "what've you done now?"
Yugi appeared at his girlfriend's door a split second later holding out her white silken bra. Rebecca's cheeks turned almost as red as Yugi's were. "Um…thanks."
After she took the undergarment Yugi headed straight for her closet knowing the little troublemaker would be hiding there.
"You've pulled your last little stunt mister." he scolded, catching the kitten by the back paw and pulling him out. "You know better than to drag our things all over the place. What if Grandpa had seen that in my room??"
Rebecca couldn't help but bust out with laughter. "What?" Yugi arched an eyebrow, "I don't see what's so funny about this?!"
"Y-you're lecturing my cat!" Rebecca wiped away a tear, "And you used to think I was crazy for talking to a teddy bear!"
"Yeah so?"
"So, I was only eight at the time." Rebecca reminded him, "What's your excuse?"
A sweat drop rolled down the back of Yugi's head. He did feel a little silly being a grown man and all and reprimanding a cat like it was a little kid. "Well I don't really expect him to understand what I'm saying it's just that-I-urr…"
Ding dong!
Thank goodness! Yugi thought as he raced downstairs to answer the door.
Shoving the bra into a dresser drawer the blonde hurried downstairs to greet her friends.
"Hey ya Yuge!" Joey beamed as the door was opened.
"Hi guys!" Yugi smiled, hoping that his blush had faded away.
"Um Yugi hon," Mai stared down at Yugi's feet with a look of bafflement, "not to sound like a fashion critic or anything but the one shoe look is so out that it was never really in."
A cheesy smile found its way onto Yugi's face as he recalled that he hadn't found and put on his other shoe yet.
"Oh right, well ya see I was just looking for my other one as you guys were pulling up," he explained.
"Did ya check the hallway?" Rebecca asked coming down twirling Yugi's missing shoe around a finger.
"Boys," Mai teased as Rebecca presented Yugi with his shoe, "what would they do without us? I know Joey couldn't make it to school in the morning."
"Hey!" Joey protested, "At least some guys don't have pushy girlfriends that drive around their place honking their horns at 'em at six thirty every mornin'!"
Everyone grinned at the couple's antics until Tea noticed the limousine pull up to the curb. "Guess who's here?"
"Kaiba," Joey couldn't help but growl, "can't that jerk ever take a cab someplace? Just once?!"
"Oh be nice Joey," Mai objected, "he is driving your sister around ya know?"
Said 'jerk' approached holding Serenity's hand. "Well, well, well if it isn't the local mutt. Out here on the doorstep waiting for my arrival."
"Watch it…" Joey warned raising a clenched fist.
Serenity sighed, "You two are hopelessly immature sometimes."
Both men stared at Serenity as if they'd each received a slap in the face.
"Me? It's HIS fault!" they declared in unison.
"Look guys," Yugi intervened, "why don't we all just go inside and hang out like we planned?"
"Ever the optimist." Seto stated as everyone filed into the game shop.
"Just when it was getting good," Rebecca grinned to Yugi.
"Hey, I had to break it up." he insisted, "They were driving away costumers."
A few minutes later Rebecca had gone to fix drinks for everyone while they dueled in pairs and waited for the pizzas to arrive. While she was alone in the kitchen a sudden chill ran down her spine. It was almost as if there was someone there with her. Looking around and finding nothing she was still unable to shake the sense that there was someone in the room watching her.
"HEY REBECCA!" Yugi called out nearly scaring the blonde half to death. "You'd better make two more drinks cause Bakura and Dina just showed up!"
Gritting her teeth Rebecca swore to herself that sometimes Yugi let the whole 'being a pharaoh in the past' thing go to his head. She was supposedly his queen after all, not his kitchen slave.
Coming out she handed Kaiba coffee, Dina and Bakura tea, Mai bottled water, and Serenity bottled water, leaving cans of soda for everyone else.
"Here, your highness." she said in an all too sugary voice upon handing Yugi his soda. "Will there be anything else?"
"No thanks." Yugi answered, taking the can and turning back to his duel with Joey against Seto and Tristan.
Hmph, he's gonna get punched any second now. Kaiba mused as he watched Rebecca storm back to her seat with a reddening face.
"So Kaiba," Joey chided before making his move, "where's Mokuba? I thought he was supposed to swing by here with that girlfriend of his?"
"Stop stalling Wheeler," Seto fumed, it wasn't his fault that Mokuba kept making up excuses as to why he wasn't able to introduce Seto to his girlfriend. She must not be all that impressive if he were doing his best to keep her from meeting his older brother.
"That wasn't fair Joey," Serenity frowned, "you know I didn't exactly come out and announce to you that I was dating Seto right away either."
"Ouch sis." Joey muttered in defeat. Clearly his little sister would be taking up for her boyfriend in this battle.
As the evening wore on the students eventually got tired of dueling and moved on to movies and finally the dreaded conversations of boredom.
Mai and Tea were gossiping away on the sofa while Serenity and Dina watched another fight ensue between Wheeler and Kaiba. Yugi had recently discovered that Rebecca was upset with him and sat slumped by the arm of the chair she sat in facing away from him with crossed arms, he was practically begging her to tell him what he'd done wrong. Bakura stretched out on the rug to skim some articles in the newspaper when a flyer fell out of the entertainment section.
"What's this?" he wondered aloud.
"What's what?" Joey inquired, hating to be left out of anything seemingly interesting.
"This," Bakura held the flyer up, "it seems to be an advertisement for a play. It says the cast of the late Escribe Ardor will be performing his last great love story in the newly restored theater uptown. Once auditions are the completed the play is expected to run on weekends for the following two months."
"Ugh a play?" Tristan turned up his nose, "Isn't that a bit girly?"
The comment earned him a slap from Tea, "It's a love story Tristan. Perfect for dates you know?"
Tristan groaned upon getting the feeling that Tea expected him to take her to the mushy sounding play.
"Well don't worry Tristan," Bakura chuckled, "it did say that the auditions had to be held first. Apparently they're still looking for a talented actor to play the leading male role."
"What kind of pansy would want to do a thing like that?" Joey laughed.
Dina was more silent than usual upon the mention of Escribe Ardor's name. It couldn't be them. she told herself, Taylie's cast travels a lot but why come back from America so soon?
"Something wrong dear?" Bakura had walked over to his girlfriend as she stood motionless in deep thought.
"No," Dina shook herself out of her contemplations and past memories, "it's just I think I'll head over to the theatre. There's an old friend of mine that I believe might be a member of the cast."
Bakura nodded, "Want me to drive you?"
"No, it's not all that far from here, I'll walk."
"But what if you run into a mugger?" Bakura's eyes filled with concern.
"Then God help him." Dina flashed a sardonic smile.
Bakura sighed as she brushed past him to leave. You know I want to take her all the more when she acts like that, Yami Bakura snickered.
Rolling his eyes at the comment which only he had heard Bakura turned back to finish reading the paper. It was nice being surrounded by his friends and all, but it was simply Bakura's nature to distance himself from everyone.
******
"All right everyone now we have to pull this production together if we're going to meet our deadline!" a female's voice cried out over the din of the cast members setting up the next scene.
"This is where the charming young man first sets eyes upon the woman to whom he'll pledge his love to in a poem that rival's Shakespeare's own ballots!" the director/actress continued with her instructions as the props were brought forth and scenery put into place.
"I really don't see why we're doing any of this now," Sadie (an actress in one of the minor roles) remarked, "we haven't even got an actor to play the part yet."
"Well that's no reason why the rest of us can't rehearse the scene," the first cast member-Taylie-pointed out. "Now everyone take your places, glance over your scripts, and ACTION!"
One of the actors fidgeted around in place as everyone else remained still and silent.
"Something wrong?" Taylie asked, refusing to crack a grin at the actor obviously trying to make a spectacle of himself. That's the sort of work environment you get used to after growing up with your colleagues.
"That guy we don't have an actor for is supposed to come in and say the first line!" the actor replied.
"Well then why don't we just skip his line and go on to the next one Ian?" Taylie suggested with wavering patience.
There was a brief pause before Ian's hand shot up again-honestly, for someone two and half years her senior he acted like a little kid sometimes-Taylie placed a hand on her forehead and inquired, "What's the problem now Ian?"
With a laugh he replied, "That character's got the next line too!"
"Okay that's it," Taylie murmured to herself, "Everybody take ten and we'll pick this up later!"
As the stage was cleared of actors and actresses a tan skinned woman in a tight navy dress approached the stressed director.
"Hey Taylie," Shashi put a hand on her friend's shoulder, "don't let yourself get so worked up about this. Ardor's last play will be a hit and we'll find someone to fill the leading male's role, you'll see."
"Thanks," Taylie sighed, "but the last thing I wanna do is have to put this play off again. If it's not the lack of talented actors it's-"
"I know," Shashi nodded quickly, "but you can't let that worry you either. This play is all you've had your heart set on since I handed you the original script."
Taylie laid her hands upon the well preserved cover of the script and etched over the golden letters with her fingers. "I'm just gonna go backstage to my room and try to chill out for a while."
"I will see you in ten then?" Shashi grinned.
"Yeah," Taylie threw her 'sis' a wave as she headed through the side door that led to the rooms backstage.
The theater had been a real fixer-upper but well worth the investment. The backstage area was large enough for dressing rooms/bedrooms, two kitchens, some extra bathrooms, and a lounging area. To the cast, this was home. Taylie was hoping that if the crew liked things here in Domino they could settle down in the theater and perform all their plays from there. She'd had her fill of seeking out audiences for a while; it was time that they came to her.
Being home schooled had prevented Taylie and Shashi from interacting with others their age throughout the years, the cast had providing some companionship but there was still a sense of loneliness and isolation that fell upon the two women. Seeing the world was one thing, living in it was quite another.
Back in her new room Taylie sat the playbook on top of the trunk by the foot of her bed and slumped back onto the mattress. Her look had changed since she'd first come to live with the cast. Her hair had been cut short to fit the curve of her head with long bangs waving about her face, their dazzling blue tips dancing about her beautiful features like flames. This change in appearance at such a young age was done to avoid recognition by a certain madman who was still roaming free.
Taylie had grown into a surprisingly cheerful and radiant young woman with a personality that easily drew others to like her. Her major flaw…she was insane. Or at least she claimed to be when asked about her flaws. She had a very daring nature, constantly involved in motorcycle races, death defying stunts, and just rather odd behavior. But her quirks made her loveable in a strangely intriguing way so everyone cooped just fine with Taylie's self-proclaimed madness.
"Life's no fun if you're not at least a little crazy." Taylie told herself as she shut her eyes to the dim walls which surrounded her.
A small noise like the soft sole of a shoe causing the floor to creak made her eyes flies open. Reaching beneath her pillow she darted upright brandishing a dagger in her right hand. "Who's there?!"
"Paranoid aren't we?" came a smug voice.
Taylie recognized it but couldn't place its owner. Someone stepped forth from the shadows by her dresser as she tried to place a face with the voice.
The 'visitor' took a moment to note the dagger in Taylie's upraised hand. "Now is that any way to greet an old friend?"
Taylie blinked upon realizing who had confronted her. "Dina?"
Finally smiling the redhead took a seat at the foot of the bed. "Miss me?"
"I hardly recognize you without your desert gear on." Taylie laughed. "You almost look like a normal person instead of a fellow freak."
"I'll take that as a compliment," Dina replied arching an eyebrow. She was used to Taylie's antics.
"So what brings you to the theater?" her dark haired friend asked, grateful that Dina wasn't who she'd at first feared her to be.
"My better half's better half found a flyer for your upcoming play." Dina answered, "And what's with the dagger greeting? That demon from your past still bothering you?"
"Constantly," Taylie seemed disheartened for a moment before recalling Dina's odd statement, "What do you mean your better half's better half?"
"Long story," Dina quickly responded, "But I'd rather hear about why you decided to leave America so soon?"
"We were touring there like usual when some complications arose and forced us to take our little show on the road." it was obvious that Taylie really didn't want to talk about this. "But you should meet our newest members." she returned to her cheerier tone and dragged Dina out into the hall.
A few doors down Taylie stopped and knocked on Ian and Joyce's bedroom door. An actress in her early twenties opened the door. Her chin length lavender hair was being tugged at by the baby boy she held in her arms.
"Hi Taylie!" Joyce exclaimed, "Break over already? I was hoping to put Travis down for a nap first."
The little boy babbled senseless ramblings as he looked from Taylie to Dina and back again.
"Break's still on," Taylie informed her, "I just brought Dina to see the kids."
Joyce finally seemed to notice the second visitor, "Oh I'm sorry! I didn't even see you standing there, you're so quiet. That's an easy thing to overlook with all the commotion that goes on around here."
The baby stretched down towards the little white haired girl of about ten years of age who appeared shyly behind Joyce. "This is our son Travis," Ian answered coming forward half covered in baby food, "and the timid one down here is our adoptive daughter Cassandra."
Cassandra smiled up at Taylie but averted her eyes from meeting Dina's. Ian ruffled Cassandra's hair as she pushed him back playfully. "It's nice to see ya again Dina. Been a long time."
"I see it's been long enough for even you to grow up Ian." Dina answered. The last she remembered Ian was just the typical older brother type to make teasing remarks and get himself into mischief (especially with Joyce, who'd only been his crush at the time).
"Gonna get stuck babysitting your little bro again Cassie?" Taylie smiled.
Dina's thoughts were elsewhere as she watched her friend chat with the little girl. Taylie seemed to be dancing around all Dina's questions about her 'past demon' just like she'd done before. All Dina really knew of Taylie's past was that her parents had been murdered in a fire and that their killer was never found. She wondered if maybe he was still after Taylie. It would certainly explain a lot of things, like the dagger under the pillow. Hardly anyone slept that close to a weapon…well, the queen of thieves really didn't count.
Once the two friends were alone again Dina proceeded with her questioning, "Taylie I know something's wrong. You may as well tell me what it is."
With a misleading grin the actress replied, "There's nothing the matter Dina. You always worry too much about everybody's safety. What are you, a bodyguard?"
"Yes." came the frank answer.
"Oh, I thought you were an artist?"
"I'm an artist and a bodyguard…among other things. Now who's stalking you Taylie?"
"No one." Taylie was fast becoming fed up with this conversation. "Just drop it okay?"
"It's that pyromaniac creep isn't it?"
"You don't have to get so involved in my life!"
"I don't want you to wind up in the obituaries okay?" Dina snapped, "I can help."
"Why do you care?!"
"Because I'm your friend. I have to care."
"Well don't!" Taylie exclaimed reentering her room with Dina still standing outside, "You've got no idea what you're messing with. My life's not as carefree as it looks."
"Thus your insanity?"
SLAM!
Staring at the closed door unfazed Dina turned on her heel and started to leave when she heard voice coming from inside the room. Tell me she's not talking to herself again?
Taylie was furious as she slammed the door in her friend's face. Dina had no idea what she was trying to get in the middle of. True she seemed like a skilled fighter but no one really knew what to expect with a madman involved…no one except his victims. Taylie'd been stalked by her parents' killer for years. The murderous man had one goal in mind-to finish what he'd started. And he'd already proven through several blazing infernos that he was willing to go through any obstacle to finish her off.
"Why'd my life have to be so damn dramatic?" she questioned no one in particular.
"Oh but you haven't seen anything yet." a woman with long raven hair and burgundy highlights appeared in the center of the room, "I assure you that the real drama is just beginning."
________________________________________________________________________
*Not much action, just stuff leading up to it in this chapter. But the next chapter will be much more eventful. And of course, Malik still has to meet Taylie. ^_~ Review!*