A/N: Look who's back, back again… Lalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalala…. Wow, I hate that song… Let's sing a good song! Energy Drink! Energy Drink! Ow my leg! I think I'm blind!

Annnnnnnnnnd, moving on…

Willowwind, no long response again because you can find out RIGHT NOW! Oh, but about Mutual… It will be continued, once I'm done with this… I do have a good idea, but I wondered if I could write it in a similar style to The Secret Journal- Well, as a journal anyway. I'll E-mail you bout it, if that's okay. Don't want to give TOO much away for the general eye…

Disclaimer: DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUH

Chapter Eight: Dates, Meetings and Forgotten Memories

"Hold on a second." Doug said, sounding confused. Not daring to hope, Azreal lifted her head and met his eyes for the first time. "I know you, don't I?" Doug said slowly "But where from…?"

Azreal held her breath. It wasn't possible.

But then, she had seen quite a few impossible things recently.

She stopped those thoughts. Hope, she reminded herself, Destroys logic. But it made no difference. Suddenly, Doug wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

"Anna…" He said, not daring to let go. "Oh man. Oh man. Oh man…" He repeated this over and over again. It was as if someone had opened a gate to his mind and the memories were flooding back. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…" He was crying, and so was Azreal. Combined with the rain drops, it was impossible which wetness came from where.

"Dad." Azreal sobbed. "Dad…"

Perhaps some family history would be useful at this point. Azreal was not quite what she seemed.

For Azreal was half-human, her mother's illegitimate daughter.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Seto was not up to his usual standards. He was distracted, looking out the window at the rain that was still coming down. He knew Azreal was out there somewhere, for she hadn't been at the Mansion that morning. Mokuba had mentioned someone named Anna Mitsan, and Seto couldn't imagine who else it would be if not Azreal, but he hadn't caught anything but the name. He wondered where Azreal had gone. Time was ticking away, she said herself that she couldn't stay away that long. He hoped she'd come back. She was probably mad at him for the night before. Seto shuffled uncomfortably. Guilt was not a feeling he was used to.

He should go and look for her.

But this was a very, very, important meeting. He just needed this contract, this deal to be done. He could sell Kaiba Corp. products in America. And once you get America and Canada, you can get Britain. Then Europe. Then you're pretty much world-wide.

He couldn't blow this off.

The Meeting could drag on forever. Azreal would die.

Which would be her fault.

But then she just wouldn't exist anymore. He was supposed to help her, after all.

Seto groaned mentally. He was becoming way too nice. Next thing you knew, he'd be handing out flowers and twittering on about rainbows and friendship. He stood.

"Mr Kaiba, I think you'll find our offer is perfectly reasonable." The American said, with a barely veiled threat. "We want Duel Monsters-related produce for sale overseas. And if you won't sell, we'll have to go somewhere else." Seto continued to the door, his heart sinking.

"Give it to someone who wants it. Try Devlin and his poxy dice game. I'm sure he'll accept."

He was weeping inside.

Later, Seto wouldn't believe what he had done. Not only had he refused the best offer he was ever likely to get, he'd offered it to Devlin on a plate.

Waaaaaaaaaaay too nice.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Doug was a painter, that was how he and Azreal's mother, Millierie, had met. Not yet head of the Musing company, Millierie was one of the rising stars, specialising in that most difficult branch of musing, taking on a physical form and posing as a human to get right up close and personal with their charge.

In Millierie's case, a little too close.

Doug's self-esteem was shot to pieces by a less than adequate childhood and he had vowed never to paint again. Yet talent like his could not be allowed to rot away. Millierie knew when she undertook Doug's case that it would take a long time. What she did not know was that when it became time to leave six years later, they would be married with a three year-old child. Anna Mitsan, as she was known on Earth.

But there was no question of Millierie staying. The President was teetering on his last legs, and Millierie was the favourite to replace him. The Public and the press loved her, she could do no wrong, she was perfect- With three girls, the rarity that was triplets, named Ruby, Emerald and Opal after their eye colours, who the public also adored. Even after Millierie's first husband died, she had picked herself up and carried on, worrying about the public and her duty more then finding herself a new man.

That was the official story, anyway. No-one knew that Millierie's husband had been exiled to Earth due to atrocities against her. No-one knew Millierie had found a new man, and one she loved.

Millierie made a decision then. She loved Doug, more then she believed possible- but there was no way that her three other beloved daughters whom she had seen precious little of over the years could come and live with them here. She could be the President of the most predominate Musing Company- a position often explained to the humans as being on a par with the respect and importance of the Pope. It would give her daughters the best life they could get, even Anna who would be in danger of losing her muse identity if she did not feel as though she was a muse. Then she would be unable to see her mother at all. Simply physically incapable.

So, one night, Millierie took her youngest daughter and slipped away back to Wherever, the home of the Muses. When Doug woke up, he did not love her because he did not remember her, though he was suddenly unable to paint again and he had a peculiar feeling of loss weighing down his heart. But it was a happy ending for him. It was too risky to send in another muse as he would just remember Millierie. So Doug, and his painting skills were forgotten. He eventually trained as a doctor in a small clinic, where he met his new wife, oddly enough called Ruby, after she came in with a broken toe. He learnt to love her, and over the years they had a child, James, now four.

Meanwhile, with her new muse name and mother's maiden name, Azreal Kiyoko, formerly Anna Mitsan, was growing up. You can imagine the scandal of the beloved Millierie returning with a secret, half-breed, daughter. But they couldn't have the Press turn against Millierie, or no-one could accept her as President. So her spin doctors pinned everything on Azreal, turning it into another tragic chapter in the woman's life. It was not Millierie's choice, even when she became the President.

Living in her perfect older sisters and perfect mother's shadows, Azreal was determined to prove herself to the Wherever population as something completely the oppisite to what they saw her as. She would become a great Muse, and show them all! The problem was, she wasn't very good at Musing. Even when her every short coming was described in great depth, her every mistake ripped to shreds, analysed, blamed on a certain half of her parentage and concluded to prove beyond any doubt that she was an irredeemable waste of space, Azreal kept on trying. (This determination was twisted to make it look like she was out for revenge against the Earth, but that's another story) Eventually, despite the prejudice against her everywhere and the majority of the populace seeing her as a vicious, cunning monster that was a burden to her mother, Azreal passed all her classes and became a fully-fledged Muse at only the age of thirteen- The forth youngest ever. Her older half sisters had done it at twelve.

'ANGEL OF DEATH TRYING TO OUTDO SISTERS? IS MOTHER NEXT?'

Was the chosen head line of many papers the next day. As you can see, Millierie made a really wise choice when calling her daughter Azreal. But still, Azreal was determined to prove them wrong.

The only problem was, everything she had been taught made sense in theory, but in practise it was… Well, complete crap really. At least in her opinion. So, even with all eyes on her, Azreal became a little unorthodox in her approach. She got the job done, undeniably.

But it wasn't enough to keep her off shaky ground. This was not the first time her job had been threatened, and every time it was a media circus. If she actually got fired… Well, it would prove everything they'd said about Azreal in her twelve years of residence in Wherever was true.

And this was her last chance to prove them wrong.

Doug was never supposed to remember, and he never did- Till Azreal turned up under his apple tree.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Meanwhile, Ryou's and Téa's first farce date was in full swing. It was, after all, the half-term holiday, so their friends had been expecting to meet up pretty much everyday. When invited to go bowling, however, Ryou and Téa had made some (deliberately) very suspicious excuses about prior engagements and had declined. So, they had spied on them. Or, as they preferred to call it, 'observed'; Duke, Joey and Tristan on Ryou, and Yugi and Mai on Téa. They had followed them here, to the popular café, The Milk Bar. And now, hiding behind the bushes outside the window, they watched the 'date' go on. Téa had got there a few minutes before, so when Tristan, Joey and Duke arrived with Ryou, Yugi and Mai were already there. They watched secretly as Ryou entered the place and went over to Téa.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Did anyone follow you?" Téa asked, deliberately making it look as if she were greeting him.

"Yup." Ryou said in an apologetic tone, to make it look to their observers like he was apologising for being late. Then, as though by way of explanation, he added "Joey, Duke and Tristan. I suppose Yugi and Mai followed you?"

"How'd you guess?" Téa asked curiously.

"I can see the top of their heads outside the window." Ryou said, sinking into the seat oppisite Téa as she laughed.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Their not-so-secret observers watched in interest as the date went on. They couldn't hear what was going on, but it was pretty obvious from the body language. Ryou entered, apologised, and sat down. He'd obviously said something funny, because Téa was laughing. They ordered some drinks, and seemed to be having a pretty swell time. They were talking easily, laughing often, and when they finished their drinks they got another. All in all, things seemed to be going pretty well, until…

Until Téa said something, still laughing, that fell flat on it's face. Ryou gave a half-hearted laugh, but generally looked miserable.

Instantly sober, Téa leaned forward, saying something, looking concerned. Ryou looked down at his lap, spoke for quite a while, then shrugged uselessly, his hand flopping over the table.

By now, Téa looked both thoughtful, miserable and concerned. She lent forward, putting her hand over Ryou's, saying something that was clearly 'I'm Sorry…'

Ryou looked up, smiling and blushing a little even through the tears that looked like they were threatening to fall. He said something, Téa smiled and…

And Mai dragged them away, saying it was their duty to make sure it went alright, but no-one should spy on friend's kissing.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

It was tremendous fun. They knew Yugi and the others outside would have no idea what they were saying, so they could talk freely and still look like they were on a date. They were pretty much just insulting the people who had not only tried to set them up but were now spying on them, but they were also discussing what to do next and how they would end this particular joke. Ideas for what they could do were slowly getting more and more absurd/strange/psychotic/ridiculous (Quite possibly because of the sugar and caffeine in their drinks) and Téa had more then once sprayed drink around in a most unlady-like fashion.

"Your go to suggest one." Ryou grinned.

"Okay, okay…" Téa replied, thinking. She came up with the idea almost instantly, and couldn't help laughing at her own wit. "I know! Let's act like you're upset about something and make it a little intimate in here!" Ryou stifled a laugh and looked into his lap with such a miserable expression that Téa almost believed it herself. She put on her 'concerned' face and leant forward, as though to ask him what was wrong, but instead asked "Have you got a story?"

Ryou looked up awkwardly. "No," He said "But we can make it look as though I have just by me sitting here talking, not meeting your eye and you nodding sympathetically every now and again." Téa did so. "And all I have to do," Ryou continued "Is look pathetic enough to fool those idiots out side that think Yugi's hair would come below the window frame as opposed to above it. I can say any old rubbish, as long as I look angst-y it won't make a blind bit of difference." He sighed deeply, looked down at his lap again, and shrugged, deliberately making sure his arm flopped down on the table. Téa knew exactly what to do. She tried to look sympathetic and covered his hand with hers.

"Well, this sure is embarrassing…" She said, trying not to laugh. They stayed like that for a moment, until they saw the others 'sneaking' away.

Oh, how they laughed.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Speaking of sneaking away, Azreal pulled away from her father. It had finally stopped raining, at least.

"Anna?" He asked. "Wait, what was it your mother said… Azreal, wasn't it?" Azreal nodded.

"Do… do you want to come in?" He asked "We've got more then twelve years to catch up on! Come and meet my family."

"I…can't." Azreal said, then repeated herself more firmly "I can't. My job's on the line and I already have so many extra mind wipes and now I made you remember and I'm nowhere in Inspiring Joey, and now I've told you when I'm not supposed to, and to top it all off I can't even control- Never mind. But I really can't get fired!"

"You're only fifteen! What are you doing working full-time at that age!"

"I…"

"…Poor Ann. You've had a pretty screwed-up childhood, haven't you?" Azreal made no reply, gave her father one last hug and started to leave.

"Azreal?" He tried.

"Don't worry about me, dad." Azreal said "Once I'm done here, you won't even remember."

And so, after only a few minutes of being reunited, Doug lost his daughter for the second- and possibly last- time.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Azreal!"

"Seto! What are you doing here? I thought you had a meeting!"

"I did."

"Then why…?"

"I came looking for you. You cease to exist without me, remember?"

"Oh, thanks…"

"So, what's the matter?"

"No…Nothing."

"You're crying."

"No I'm not. Really."

"Don't give me that. Look, Az, I don't expect sympathy and I don't give it. But I'm asking what's wrong, and don't give me that 'nothing' lie. I'm not stupid. So, what's wrong?"

"…"

"Why are you crying, Az? Why are you solid? Can't you control yourself anymore? Give me a straight answer Azreal- What is wrong with you?"

"Seto…"

"Tell me! I just screwed up the most important meeting of my career for you! So tell me, already!"

"I can't! Quit asking me!"

"…"

"You lost your parents when you were young, didn't you?"

"…That's a sudden question."

"Didn't you!"

"Yeah."

"Still, at least your parents actually cared, even if they weren't around for long."

"…Why do you bring it up, Az?"

"…"

"I give up. How about we get out of this gutter and go back to the house?"

"…Alright."

"Finally."

"Seto? I have to finish this soon. Tonight."

"What are you going to do?"

"It doesn't matter. Just leave it to me."

"Oh, I'm so reassured."

"Seto?"

"What?"

"Thanks for pulling me out of that gutter."

"I…"

"You what?"

"It's alright. You know…"

"What?"

"I think you pulled me out of one to."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

A/N: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Fluff! Fluff! My first pitiful attempt ever at Fluff! Please, don't hurt me… ehehehe…