Disclaimer: Put simply, I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or its characters. I do own (from this chapter) Tory
Reader Notes: This is the sequel to "Your Heart & Mine", which doesn't really need to be read to understand the plot – just how my main OC (Tory) knows Yugi and such, and stuff about the Essence Items. And now for some messages:
T-Bone, AuroranWings and Sylvia Viridian: Glad to hear from you guys again! Advance the story of the Essence Items!
Review Notes: NO FLAMES! Constructive criticism IS allowed, and I would actually appreciate it. This will help me to form the story better, but make it nice :D
MidnightBallad's Notes: I kind of feel like I let you guys down with the boringness of the first chapter. Well, here's chapter two! New characters from the series will be coming soon – i.e. Marik – to add to the plot!!
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Chapter II:
Online, Offline
Ice Cream parlour, 9:04 a.m.
Yugi and Tory just stared at the newspaper. So, it was true – there were other Essence Items out there. All the while, Yugi had supposed that their previous enemy, the owner of the destroyed Essence Rod, was bluffing. Maybe trying to scare them. But Yugi had been wrong, and now he knew that the world could be in danger again.
Joey sat down noisily on the plastic seat next to Tory. He looked at both she and Yugi strangely. 'Why the long faces?'
'This isn't good,' Tory muttered, ignoring Joey. 'If those Essence Scales fall into the wrong hands, then we're in trouble.'
'Essence Scales?' Joey asked, clueless. When Yugi didn't reply, he shoved a very big chocolate ice cream in his face. 'Ice cream makes it all better!'
Tory jumped to her feet, sliding past Joey. 'Sorry, Yugi, but I have to go.'
Yugi watched Tory as she left, calling, 'Where are you going? Tory?'
Joey rolled his eyes and licked his chocolate mint ice cream. 'Girls...man, they're pathetic.'
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Domino Streets, 9:10 a.m.
Tory was scanning the newspaper article again as she walked home. There was one part that took her interest: 'Akogi is currently selling the Egyptian scales online for $US 900 000, such is their approximated value.' So, perhaps Tory could find out more about the auction of the Essence Scales on E-Bay.
Turning into a fairly empty street, Tory set off for home at a quick run. She didn't want to be out on the street of Domino all alone – she never even did that around her street. So, head held high and avoiding the eyes of strangers, Tory rounded another corner. She recognised this street; here stood the large game shop that Duke Deblin owned. Outside was Duke himself, opening the store for the day.
When Duke saw Tory, he waved. 'Hey, Tor. Were you waiting for me?'
'What?' Tory said, confused, when she realised that Duke meant waiting for him to open the game shop. 'Oh no.' She paused. 'Actually, Duke, you could save me a trip home. Can I use your computer?'
Duke opened the glass door to the shop wide. 'Be my guest. But you better buy something before you leave.' He said teasingly. Tory just smiled and went inside, taking off her blue-tinted sunglasses so that she could see properly. Duke flicked on the lights, and Tory was greeted with the sight of hundreds of shelves, each holding something to do with Duel Monsters, Dungeon Dice Monsters or another game.
Tory went behind the counter, sitting on a leather stool and booting up the computer. She quickly logged on to the internet, her fingers going crazy over the keyboard. Duke watched her apathetically.
Tory begun to search all the online auctions, typing in Egyptian scales in the searches, but she kept coming up with zero hits. Sighing, Tory consulted the newspaper again.
'Whatever you're looking for, you probably won't find it.' Duke said, going out the back of the shop. 'Have you got any idea how big those online auctions are?'
Tory went on in silence for a bit, her eyes scanning the screen until they hurt. With another sigh, Tory tried the last available option she could think of –
'Excuse me?'
Tory looked up into the dark purple eyes of a very tanned teen with plenty of spiky hair. She went pink instantly; not because of the guy's looks, but Tory knew what he wanted. 'Uh...I don't run the shop. You'll want to talk to Duke, he's out the back.'
Tory then noticed the guy reading the newspaper article she had, his head turned slightly to one side. He glanced up at Tory with a small smile on his face. 'Planning on buying that?'
'Ha! No, I...' Tory paused. 'I just want to see the idiots who bid on it, that's all.' As if she was going to tell this complete stranger why she was really on the site.
Surprisingly, the young man said, 'Ever heard the phrase "the eyes are the soul's windows" ?'
Tory frowned slightly. 'Yeah.'
'Well, I see through your eyes and I know you're lying.' The teen smiled at her again and eyed the Egyptian necklace that hung from her neck. It was very pretty – a brass plate holding a large crystal, one that never stayed the same colour. 'Interesting. Can I ask where you got that?'
Now this guy was asking too many questions. Tory raised her voice to shout, 'Duke! You have a customer!' Tory slid off the stool and did not even bother saying goodbye to the very inquisitive tanned teen.
A few seconds later, Duke came back inside his shop. Tory was gone, and her certainly didn't have any customers.
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Domino backstreets, 9:30 a.m.
Tory went home at a brisk walk, trying not to look too concerned about the snoot in the game shop. Eventually, she shook it off and turned the last corner into her street –
Tory took one more step and then someone leapt out from behind her, one arm around her waist and one over her mouth. Tory didn't bother screaming, for no one would hear her anyway.
Instead, she struggled like hell.
The person behind her held tight and said in her ear, 'Don't struggle, I'm not intending on hurting you.'
Tory knew the voice instantly. She tried to speak to him, but the words came out muffled. Strangely, she wasn't too worried – this guy, whoever he was, obviously didn't want to hurt her. Tory didn't know how, but she knew that he was trying to be gentle.
The teen took his hand away from Tory's mouth just a bit. 'Where did you get that necklace?'
Tory answered quietly, 'It's a family heirloom that goes way back.'
'How far exactly?'
'If I told you, you would never believe me.'
'Oh, really?' He laughed. 'You may think I'm a sick guy who gets pleasure from attacking lone girls on the streets, but I'm not. Believe me, I know of that item you were searching for online.'
Tory went quite still. 'Really?' she asked hollowly. 'How?'
'Because, when I was a tomb keeper, I learnt of the duplicated Millennium Items. You were searching for the Essence Scales, weren't you?' The teen asked, a small smile slithering onto his face. Tory didn't say anything. Was this guy out to steal the Scales and use them wrongly?
'That's none of your business,' Tory hissed. 'I'm not letting your hands on those Scales.'
There was a laugh behind her. 'So, you think I'm going to steal the Scales? No, I want to tell you something else.' He spun Tory around so that she faced him. She blinked; eyes changed from blue and brown to green and white-blue. 'Not here, though.'
All that Tory saw next was darkness, and all she heard was nothing.
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Unknown location, unknown time
Tory awoke to feel a hand over her forehead. Instantly, the memory of being in the street with a complete stranger came back to her, and her eyes snapped open. Above her was the teenaged boy from the game shop, and without warning Tory smacked him square between the eyes with the palm of her hand. With a startled yelp, the teen left her vision.
Tory was so ticked, she rolled off the bed she laid on the grabbed the stupid guy by the hair and gave a very sharp tug. He shouted out, shoved his foot into her gut and pushed her off, slamming Tory against the bed.
'I don't want to hurt you,' the teen said sharply. 'I'll even give you my name, so that you can turn me in to the police later – Marik Ishtar.'
Tory groaned, eyes squeezed shut. 'What...the hell...do you want, Marik?'
Marik said quietly, 'I want you help you get these Scales. And I want to tell you about that Essence Tauk around your neck.'
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MidnightBallad: Hoorah for Marik! (falls in plot hole) Where the heck'd that come from? Anyway, thanks for the reviews everyone! Tell me what you think of it so far!