This chapter has been revised.

Disclaimer: Do I own Yu-Gi-Oh!? Do you own Yu-Gi-Oh!? Unless you're Kazuki Takahashi(which I highly doubt you are), then the answer is crystal clear. I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!
I was seriously overwhelmed by the substantial amount of reviews left for the past chapter. (beams) My thanks go to anyone who took their time leaving a comment.

Notes:

-san (The equivalent of Mr. or Mrs.; A term to show respect. )

Chapter Eight:

To Retaliate

Anzu's POV

I sat there folding and unfolding my hands, all the while gazing at the foreign scenery outside of the window.

There was no need for me to get so flustered over such a minor occurrence like this.

I leaned back into the seat and closed my eyes.

I breathed in shakily and summoned all of my courage, about to open the car door when a figure caught my eye.

My hand on the lever quivered ever so slightly and I closed my eyes again, opening them only after a second or so had passed by.

No... I hadn't been seeing things.

I haven't imagined it at all.

He was here.

Miss Anzu Masaki:

We have observed the heightening status of Gardner Industries for quite some time now. Our company, Hikaru Inc., has, over the passage of years, continued to provide their customers with satisfactory service, guaranteed.

We strive to enhance our commercial business hence the sudden request of your service.

Hikaru Incorporation has never failed to reach out to the Japanese citizens. Your company has branded its place in America, and with our connections and known success, we are sure to spread our products all over the nation.

As the cheif executive officer of our corporation, Mr. Aritomo Daishi is announcing an alliance of sorts. Our specialists only select the best of the best, so think of it as a honor that you have been chosen. People who have been notified will assemble at a convention held in the public warehouse near the Turtle Game Shop on September 1st.

Please think over this offer carefully, Miss Masaki. It may be a great opportunity and may ensure you a bright future.

Also, you are required to be present at the convention.

Thank you for placing our proposal in consideration.

I gazed at the contract impassively.

It was astounding; how a single piece of paper could be so significant.

I glanced at the black-tipped pen that accompanied the sheet of paper.

I absolutely refused to look at the people that sat around me.

Those faces...

All of them were smiling; all of them welcomed my presence and beckoned for me to sit down.

But I knew that it was all under false courtesy. I knew that they all had an ulterior motive underneath those facades that never once deceived me.

I knew their kind well.

Hypocrites.

...Every single once of them...

...But I would be lying to myself if I said that I wasn't one as well.

Slowly, I lifted the writing utensil and allowed my hand to hover above the paper...

Let them keep their smiles a bit longer.

And then I dropped the pen, standing up to smooth over the creases on my formal black suit.

I took hold of my suitcase and strolled casually to the door.

My frowned deepened as another taxi sped away.

'How inconsiderate...'

I pursed my lips after glancing at my watch.

'I suppose that it can't be helped...'

I sighed as a public bus halted in front of me.

An understatement it was; to say that I disliked this way of transportation.

I closed my eyes briefly before following the throng of people that entered the massive vehicle. I slid my petite form through the sparse space, trying hard not to breathe in the excess smoke.

The bus came to an abrupt stop once again, groups of people entering and exiting the automobile.

Among these people was a striking crowd of young adults, a large majority of them whispering and murmuring to each other.

"There's few empty seats on the far left corner..."

"Go ahead then; I've got a meeting in an hour and it is imperative that I be punctual."

"Fine; whatever..."

The blonde shuffled to the left, allowing a 6'l" brunet to pass through.

The others eventually followed his example but in the end, only one young man was left standing, cursing his unfortunate luck.

He held up a middle finger and the tri-colored man's smirk flipped to show a deep frown.

He then scanned the place for a vacant seat but ended up eyeing the seat that was occupied by a woman.

Glaring at the smirk on his companion's face, he moved towards a seat and cleared his throat.

"Move."

Perhaps that wasn't the most intellectual or most courteous remark to say, but the blonde didn't really give damn.

The woman, with short auburn hair, brushed his comment off coldly and continued to look out of the window.

His frown deepened slightly, "I wouldn't have asked you if I weren't so... desperate."

He spit the word out as if it were a disgusting thing to be, "As you can see, that bag of yours is preventing me from sitting down."

He repeated once more in a demanding tone, "Move."

A moment of tense silence was interrupted by her biting, apathetic statement, "Why don't you sit in the isle if you're so... desperate? You'd blend in very well."

The familiarity of that comment stunned him, but he waved it off with an irritated sigh, fully aware that he and this woman had a listening audience.

"If you want to avoid trouble...then I suggest that you place that bag of yours some place else."

Her direct stare unnerved him...

It didn't expose any emotions of irritation or fear that was customary in the people he faced against in the past; in fact, it was devoid of any feeling.

She spoke suddenly, shaking him from his thoughts, "Insistent, are we? Are you that compelled to repeat the conclusion of our last meeting?"

Her tone took on an immediate mocking edge, "I've always thought of Katsuya as the one playing the dog...but you? Never."

The blonde from earlier stood up and impulsively glared at the woman, "How do you know my name, huh? I ain't a godforsaken puppy!!"

A small smile was instantly on her face as she perceived his words.

"No... I never said that you were a puppy, Katsuya-san--"

He calmed down at her statement.

"--I said that you were a dog. But I guess that I was mistaken. A dog, when compared to a puppy, is the maturest of the two. So... my apologies, puppy."

A man in a crisp black business suit coughed to cover his snickers while the blonde man was restrained by a vivacious woman.

"Why I ought to--"

"Do what? That whore obviously won't let you go."

The blonde woman gasped and the man with the last name of Katsuya glared harder at the brunette, "Mai ain't no slut!! You shouldn't talk about business that isn't yours!!"

Another petite brunnette placed a consoling hand on the offended woman's shoulder and shrieked to the other woman, "You're one to talk, bitch!!"

The ones that knew the gentle female well gaped at her abnormal behavior.

The woman, on the other hand, didn't seem fazed at all, "...My, oh my, Shizuka... Has all those years in the dark fogged your mind?"

Two men came to her aid, "Shut up!!"

Meanwhile, amongst the chaos, Yugi Mouto decided to step in, "You shouldn't fight over nonsense!! Please stop!!"

The constant bickering stopped instantly.

The woman smiled gently but her words were anything but soft, "Always the sensible one, aren't you, Mouto-san? ...But I sympathize with you; hanging out with men and women... such as... them."

Yugi remained calm, "If you took the time to know them then you would've--"

The woman waved her hand nonchalantly, "Nonsense."

Yugi flared at this and unintentionally brought up a forgotten memory, "At least Anzu Masaki wouldn't have thought that friendship was crap. She'd--"

"You and others... never knew her, or even attempted to try to get to know the real her... So don't talk about her that way. It sickens me."

A man with unusual spiked white hair muttered quietly, "Are you saying that unlike us, you knew the 'real' her? That may be correct but I assure you, she was the exact opposite of you."

"...Ryou... I'll take that as a complement."

Yami, meanwhile, had just about had enough, "How do you know our names?"

As she opened her mouth to answer, the bus driver turned around and stated to the woman in an irritated voice, "You're causing quite a distraction, ma'am. Perhaps it's in your best interest to get off of the bus."

Katsuya Jounouchi laughed quietly and was the one to mock her this time, "Yeah, ma'am... it would be quiet a relief to have you out of our sight."

A few people on the bus, none of which the woman had ever met or saw before, nodded discreetly, siding with the blonde.

Enough play.

The blonde rambled on, a few of his companions encouraging him, "You ain't better than that worthless girl-- "

She continued to stare at him impassively, not caring to interrupt him.

The curvaceous blonde woman from earlier spoke up, "Nobody wants to take your crap. You were the one that started this... And now that I've thought of it, you aren't any different from Miss Tuberculosis."

"...Do you have anything to back your words up? Do you have any proof at all? You should taste your words more often... before spitting them out."

"Or what? Are you going to take away our jobs because you're some famous CEO? Heh... as if."

Her mouth opened in astonishment and she smiled pleasantly, "...In fact... yes... Yes, I might."

She held out a card and stated in a quiet yet strong voice, "I am owner of Gardener Industries and I am capable of firing every single one of you."

Silence.

"This has got to be fake..." Jounouchi stepped closer to the woman and when he read the name printed neatly on the bottom of the card, his eyes widened.

"What's wrong, Jounouchi?"

Jounouchi struggled to force the words out, "You're... Anzu Masaki... aren't you?"

With a smile on her face she stood up, lifting her suitcase.

When she passed by the blonde haired, tanned man from earlier, she whispered, "Aren't you going to sit down?"

She left him incapable of speech and before she left the bus, she told the driver, "I have the strangest feeling that you'd rather I'd walk home..."

I walked down the busy streets of Domino, feeling quite complete.
End Chapter
This chapter has been revised.
deity of death