Chapter Eight- Encounter with a Stalker

Yugi and Joey continued their 'meal' in silence. The blonde decided to break the ice, "So uh, Yuge… how's life ben treatin' ya?" he asked lamely.

"Hmm let's see. An old rival came back and wants to be my friend, I just got attacked by my most persistant enemy, my best friend is bugging the hell out of me, my other rival is helping my friend, though they don't like each other, and now I've been having weird dreams with shadows and flames attacking me and I've got problems with homework…" Yugi started rambling uncontrollably. "… and you weren't supposed to hear that." Yugi finished in a mumble.

But Joey had heard it, "Dreams? What were they 'bout pal?"

Yugi decided it would be easier to tell him than if he tried to cover it up. After all it was just a dream, what could Joey possibly use against him that was from a dream? "Well here's how the dreams went…" Yugi again went rambling. He gave the most desciptive version he could of the dream. "… and that's it I guess. sniff" Remembering what he'd dreamed almost scared him as much as the dream did.

Joey was too deep in thought to notice the sniffle. Dat shadow. It's gotta be an enemy. After all what decent person is there who could scare Yuge? And with a familiar voice, maybe it's an old enemy.

"Joey? Joey!"

The taller boy scratched his head in embarrassment, "Sorry, Yugi."

"Yes, sorry Yugi."

Crash

The teens jumped at the sound of breaking glass. The kitchen window near them was shattered when a person jumped through it. "Hey, what's da big idea? Somebody coulda ben hurt!"

The intruder smirked, "Yes I'll remember that."

The stranger had on black pants with a slate sleeveless shirt and long black vest. His hair was a short shaggy black color that went perfectly with his grey-blue eyes and pale skin. He had on silvery jewelry on his arms an neck and had silver earrings just like Marik's gold ones. He looked about Kaiba's age and height.

"Ugh, you got a name, tough guy?" Joey had no patience.

"Yes. My given name is… Ananias Tatsu."

-Joey-

Ah, man what kind of freak is this that jumps through glass windows? I mean c'mon it looks fun enough but it hurts like hell to get out all the little shards.

The intruder walked forward to Yugi and me. "So sorry to interrupt your little conversation." His voice sounded slick and lithe, it curved like a snake. Although he spoke quietly, his voice rang through out the whole room. He held up his hands as though to stop us from moving, even his movements were smooth, "Don't worry, I'm not here to fight. At least not with you anyhow."

I growled, "What's dat suppose ta mean?"

His calm expression became coiled and he looked pleased as an animal who had cornered its prey, "It means that, as long as you do as I say, we don't have to be enemies." He made his way to the fridge, and selected something to drink himself, "I hope you don't mind but I've had a long and trying day on a wild goose chase so I'm rather parched." He sipped before walking over to us again. Yugi stepped forward.

"You've got no right to be here! And I hope you plan on paying for the window you broke!" Yuge's arms folded across his chest at an attempt to scare the unwanted intruder away.

Ananias took another sip and looked at Yugi, Marik-style, "That window will soon be the least of your concerns."

"Wha'?"

"Heh, you'll find out soon enough. I want you to call Seto Kaiba for me, tell him to meet me at the park in an hour."

The way this guy was telling us what to do had gotten under my skin, "What, ya can't do it yaself? Ya hafta have someun' else make a phone call fer ya?!"

"But of course. I'm a busy young man you see, and I can't be bothered with petty things such as a house call, something your friend Kaiba can agree with." He turned to the window, "Oh, and tell him, don't be late or else…" He crushed the can in his hand before tossing it on the floor. With that, our stalker Ananias leapt out the window he'd come from and landed safely on the road. To my horror, another figure ran out towards him before they both ran off.

"Crap, what have we gotten into this time?"

-Kaiba-

"… and there's also these reports Mr. Kaiba. What would you-"

I groaned. Couldn't anyone at Kaiba Corp. handle a little work without me breathing down on them, verbally ordering their every move? Not that I couldn't handle it, it was just annoying for me to have such dumb subordinates. "Ugh, I don't care. Figure it out yourselves. I was up all night and would prefer some of my own time."

"Y-yes, Mr. Kaiba. As you wish, sir."

I breathed a sigh of relief as I heard the dial tone. It was true, I hadn't gotten much sleep but that wasn't exactly a result of pulling an all-nighter. No. That was on account of that party. I should have never let Ishizu talk me into having those losers over, though she can be very persuasive. Heads out of the gutter, people! As if right on cue, the Egyptian woman entered the room. "Don't you knock? Or do people only learn how to be psychos in Egypt?" I wanted it to sound insulting but it sounded more like what a middle-school kid would say as an insult, or worse, what Wheeler would say.

Ishizu chuckled, "Still under the weather, Kaiba?"

I groaned again, I seemed to be doing that a lot lately. Probably from stress or that nagging feeling I've been having that something bad was going to happen. "Possibly. Tell me: where is that insane, psychopathic little brother of yours? I don't want him wrecking the house again."

Ishizu looked at me with those exotic eyes of hers and I knew it was pointless to discuss such trivial matters with her. "Oh he's alright. But there is someone on the phone for you. They say it is urgent."

"I swear if it's another one of my employees, I'll fire him." I picked up the receiver to hear the last person I ever wanted to hear.

"Hey, is dat you Kaiba? Eh, richboy! I'm talking to you! Hey!!"

I had a look of murder on my face when I next looked at the woman before me.

"Well you never would have answered it if I had told you who it was, would you?" She smiled in that all-knowing way that said to talk or I'd be single again. She left the room as I continued answering my call.

"Ggrr."

"Hey thar ya are Kaiba! I t'ought ya'd fergotten me!"

"Unfortunately, you never give me the pleasure, Wheeler."

"Why, ya-" Ah, yes. Teasing the less than great when you're awake is simple enough. But annoying them out of their minds when you're half asleep, well that's just an art. "-an' I'll gettcha an' I'll-" I heard Yugi's voice on the other end, urging him to control himself. That little brat is always ruining my fun. "Awrigh' anyway, moneybags, kind of have this little problem-"

"Get to the point, mutt."

"Argh, it's no time to poke some fun! There's dis guy who came by, some freak named Ananias, and he says he wants to meet with ya inda park in a hour!"

"Why should I care?"

"Because the way he said it, it sounded like he was going to do sometin' bad if ya didn't listen!"

"Ugh, listen Wheeler. Tell your mystery person if he wants to talk with me, to schedule an appointment like everyone else." With that I hung up the phone and went about my business.

-Normal-

"Ggrr, damn rich kids, think they so great." Joey mumbled as he put down the receiver.

Yugi looked expectantly at his best friend, "Well, what did he say?"

Joey closed his eyes. For a moment he wished that everything was alright, that this was all just a really bad nightmare that he'd wake up from. He wished that the guy who had stalked them, really wasn't as evil as he seemed. He wished that jerk-ass Kaiba would willingly agree to save their world. But most of all he wished his best friend still loved dueling. "He's not coming." It burned at him that someone could be so stubborn that they cannot see what is directly infront of them. Yeah, that's it! Joey ran to the door, only stopping to get his coat.

"Joey where are you-"

"I'm goin' ta get Kaiba, no matter what." With that he rushed out the door toward Kaiba's mansion.

Yugi stepped forward to the door and looked into the sky. Already it had become dark, like the Shadow Realm. There were signs that the rain would come soon and thunder and lightning with it. "I don't like this."