Disclaimer: See my commentaries for the last two charpters

Dustbunny: Whoo-hoo, chapter three! I'm doing good!

Bunnydust: Of course you are

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"I can't believe she wouldn't even let me use her umbrella," Ryuzaki was still musing when he heard footsteps coming toward him.

"Ryuzaki!" a girl's voice called. Was that..?

The duelist turned and was surprised to see that Anzu now stood only a foot or so away and was getting closer. She didn't stop until the umbrella tipped over the shorter boy's head as well as her own. Ryuzaki looked up at her curiously and waited for her to speak.

"Look," she started, "if you really need to, you can use my umbrella until you can get a cab or whatever."

"Oh, no," he refused to be reeled in, tempted but suspicious, "I know where I'm not wanted."

"Since when?" she couldn't help but blurt flatly.

"Ha, ha, ha. I'm busting a gut," he answered in an almost grumble. "Anyway, since when am I allowed such an honor as to use your umbrella?"

"Since you always come around uninvited and I don't need to be guilted about you coming down with a head cold or being hit by a car," she said flatly.

"Yeah? Well, maybe I look forward to guilting you about making me get sick or run over."

"Hit," she corrected.

"Whatever," he shot back.

"Look, I'm spending the time to come back here for you so you may as well just come. It's a lot more sensible than dying of cold or something!" Anzu's patience was running thin- but Ryuzaki didn't care.

"I don't think so," he said in a superior tone and turned to leave though a voice in his head urged him otherwise.

"Oh, no you don't!" Anzu yelled, her patience gone. She reached out and grabbed him by the cartilage of his ear. "I didn't waste all this time to be blown off!" Effectively holding him, the brunette turned back in the direction she'd been going in the first place and stomped with the stunned boy in tow.

"Ow! Hey, for crying out- Youch! That hurts!" Ryuzaki complained as he was dragged unwilling- though at least in the umbrella's shelter.

This odd precession went on until Anzu felt certain that Ryuzaki would not leave if she released him. Letting go, she found herself correct when he fell into step beside her, grumbling all the way. They walked otherwise in silence, having nothing to say to each other. Finally, casting a sideways glance at his companion, Ryuzaki sighed.

"Let me carry the bag, would you?" he turned his head to her to make the offer.

Anzu hesitated, making Ryuzaki sigh again, this time in exasperation. Did she really think he might try to make off with her groceries? He could have done so already, and had he? No, he had not. He was about to make this point to her when she shifted to hand him the bag.

"Be careful with it, would you?" she breathed. It was all Ryuzaki could do to keep from dropping the bag in spite.

"Whatever," he answered.

Silence returned but for the rain falling all around them. The sight was almost pretty. But then they were stuck walking through the mucky weather. And there was more to worry about than just the rain. The wind had not ceased and insisted that it continue playing with them. A sudden gust grabbed hold of the umbrella and pulled Anzu savagely to the side, making her ram into Ryuzaki. Both the wind and Anzu refused to release the umbrella, causing a great struggle. During all this, Anzu was unable to move away from the shorter figure beside her since she was using him to stay standing. Thus, Ryuzaki was dealing with a few struggles of his own. He had to hold onto the bag he carried while trying to help Anzu regain her balance- without losing the umbrella- and he had to do it while resisting the urge to stare into the chest that was crushed against his head.

Finally, the wind gave in, allowing Anzu to stand back up. No longer having a very distracting body pressed up against him, Ryuzaki was able to better his hold on the bag and walk strait. Anzu apologized while straitening her clothing and the tilt of the umbrella. Ryuzaki just nodded and mumbled something incoherent.

After a few more blocks, Anzu grumbled something that Ryuzaki couldn't hear and turned to go down an alley. Ryuzaki took a glace down the back street and saw all he needed to. The alley was dark and secluded with only a single dim streetlight breaking meagerly through the darkness. There was no way he was going down there.

"What are you doing?" his voice sounded more nervous than he liked.

"This is the fastest way to my house," Anzu answered, her impatience evident in her tone and on her face through the gloom.

"Are you insane? It's a dark, creepy alley at night during a storm!" Ryuzaki cringed at the sound of himself speak; he definitely sounded like a sissy now.

"What are you afraid of? The thugs around here almost never come out when it rains," she seemed calm which didn't help his self-confidence in the least.

"'Almost never', huh? Well, suppose they are out?"

"We'll figure it out when it happens- if it happens," Anzu said with a wave of her hand. But Ryuzaki's worry was not to be waved away.

"No soap, lady," he said simply, turning up his nose. Anzu growled, making him lose his boldness very fast. In a flash, she had his ear again.

"Look, you little creep," she growled into his twisted ear, "you're carrying a bag of my groceries; as long as you carry my groceries, you stay under my umbrella; as long as you're under my umbrella, you follow my rules; my rules are do what I say and don't question me; I say we're taking this shortcut now!" her voice had grown louder as the tirade went on.

"Yes, ma'am," Ryuzaki squeaked, looking up at her with wide eyes. Since when could she get that mad? If he wasn't so frightened he may have realized that all he needed to do was give back the grocery bag and run. It would have left him in the rain but at least he'd of stayed out of the alley.

As it was, the thought didn't occur to him and so he meekly followed Anzu down the spooky alley. His ego was a bit bruised that Anzu walked in front, but he didn't care. He was closest to the exit and that was all that mattered. Still, even with the girl ahead of him, he was uneasy and looked constantly from side to side. After all, what good could the girl possibly be if they encountered trouble? Ryuzaki was ready to bet money that she had never been part of any type of combat in her life. Luckily, the cost seemed to be clear. Anzu had turned several corners, led the way down several other alleys but none showed any sign of life.

Ryuzaki breathed a sigh of relief when Anzu announced that they were approaching the way out. The path to the street was mere yards long now. Anzu was ready to say 'I told you so' when a shadow stepped into their path. Ryuzaki, who had been peering around Anzu at the exit, immediately shrunk back and cowered. Now it was he who could say the infamous four words- if they got out alive.

"Goin' someplace, babe?" the big thug asked as he got closer.

Anzu stiffened and Ryuzaki heard her snarl. She then retorted, "As a matter of fact, I'm going home. Now if you would kindly get out of my way I could go faster."

"Aw, you gonna go so soon? You just got here," the tall man got closer.

"And I don't plan to stay here," Anzu told him simply. She was already toting Ryuzaki which didn't put her in the best mood for games. She started forward on an angle that dictated she planned to go around the punk- said punk had other ideas and blocked her way.

Ryuzaki, in a flash of gallantry, decided to step forward to face the thug. As he started to go around Anzu, he got a better look at the guy. The man in their way stood at least six feet and had more than his share of muscle. Across his face was a long, jagged scar. His eyes were dark and wicked. Ryuzaki moved back to his place behind Anzu, deciding that he needed to do his duty and keep the groceries safe.

"Do me a favor," Anzu said to the man sweetly. Then she seemed to grow taller and her voice boomed out angrily, "Back off!" For a moment the man looked as if he might do just that. Then he recovered and smirked.

"Feisty, ain't ya, honey?" he said in a way that left one to assume he was trying to be smooth. "That's just the way I like 'em."

This time the thug heard Anzu snarl as well. In a fluid movement she closed the umbrella, lunged and got the man directly in the stomach with her high top shoes. The guy made a pained noise and clutched his gut. Then, a wounded look on his face, he reached out a hand to strike Anzu. The brunette just barely managed to duck beneath the punch and clenched a fist of her own. Years of dance lessons were put to work as her wound up leg muscles sent her rocketing up to let her knock the punk against the wall with a right hook to the jaw. If Ryuzaki hadn't known better, he would have been sure he saw blood. Either way, he was impressed. But then back-up arrived. At least half a dozen guys at least as big as the first stepped out of the shadows around them and advanced quickly.

Anzu turned determined eyes on Ryuzaki and gave him a simple command he was more than ready to obey, "Run!"

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Dustbunny: I think I like how ths is going!

Ryuzaki: Mind if I disagree?

Dustbunny: Yes, I do... But I still love you #glomp/#Ryuzaki: I really wish you'd quite that

Marshmallow: Really? I find it funny... Please review!