Authoress Notes: Ugh...I'm sick again! Second time this month! Gah, I hate the Fates! Anyway, from the reviews that I've recieved for chapter 17...you people want Mr. Mazaki to suffer. ::big grin:: And suffer he shall! Muah-ha-ha-ha! I'll take my aggression of being sick out on him! Hehehe! ::runs to the window::

Chibi Piro: Hm...it isn't going to get here till this weekend Sanji.

::pouts:: Damn. I want my .hack//SIGN box set now! Gr...::coughs::

I do not own Yugioh or Duel Monsters. If I did, I would be making a deal with Mr. Takahashi to make the goddess cards.

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Dreams of Innocence

Chapter XIX: Crimson Torture

            Malik bit down on his bottom lip, worried. {Damnit, this man's gone crazy.}

            [Look, I won't kill him. Just let me have a little...fun.] Then, to Mariku's complete and utter surprise, Malik agreed.

            {All right. Just don't kill him. I'm gonna go and hide Anzu's mother.}

            [YES!] cheered Mariku, excitement running through him. The killer darkside materialized beside Malik, smirking. In his hand was the Millennium Rod, his eyes flashing maliciously. Noticing and being familiar with this look, Malik acted fast.

            Slipping out into the hall where the couple was, he cleared his throat. Mr. Mazaki stared at him. Before he could open his mouth, however, Mariku was on him in no time flat. Mariku had unsheathed the dagger from the Millennium Rod and had it pressed up against the man's throat. Taking this opportunity, Malik helped Mrs. Mazaki up and quickly rushed her back into Anzu's room, where it was safe.

            "Now, Mr. Mazaki..." almost purred Mariku, pressing the dagger closer. "From what I've heard, you haven't been treating your family very nicely..."

            "W-who the hell are you?" stammered Mr. Mazaki.

            Mariku sneered, enjoying the man's fear of him. "Who I am is none of your business." Then, in a swift moment, he drew back the dagger and quickly slashed Mr. Mazaki's shirt. The older man cried out in both pain and shock. A faint stain of blood appeared on the rip. Just as fast as this happened, the dagger was back at his throat.

            "Now, don't worry: I'm not going to kill you. Even though it is very tempting." spoke Mariku in Mr. Mazaki's ear. "But I will make you scream in pain and agony. And I will enjoy every single moment of it."

            "Who are you?" whispered Mrs. Mazaki, scared. Malik looked at the woman and felt sympathetic for her. She was in even worse shape than Anzu was.

            "My name is Malik," he spoke gently. "And don't worry, your husband won't harm you anymore."

            "D-do you know where Anzu is? Are you a friend of hers?"

Malik blinked in shocked. "Y-you could say that."

"Is she okay?"

"Don't worry, your daughter is fine. And so are you." Then, Malik flinched as he heard Mr. Mazaki scream and Mrs. Mazaki trembled.

"Who is that man?" she whispered in fear.

"Someone you don't want to know," mumbled Malik under his breath.

"Now, I want you to scream," spoke Mariku, grinning darkly, taking the dagger and slowly cutting down Mr. Mazaki's arm. And to his pleasure, the man did scream. Encouraged by this, he slashed the man's chest again, causing him to scream even louder.

Ryou looked at Anzu, feeling sympathetic. "Anzu, you sure you're going to be okay?"

"I'm okay Ryou," she murmured softly. But her eyes were looking down at the carpet; Emi curled up on her lap, sound asleep. She seemed to be off in her own world.

Suddenly, Ryou got an idea and leapt to his feet. "I know the perfect way to cheer you up!" he declared. Anzu blinked at him, confused. And before she could get a word in edgewise, he dashed out of the room. He returned a minute later, carrying a DVD case and the Millennium Ring around his neck.

"What's that?" asked Anzu, pointing to the DVD. Ryou laughed.

"This movie is completely pointless, has no plot whatsoever, but is hilariously funny."

"What's it called?"

"The Rocky Horror Picture Show!" Anzu sweatdropped.

"Now, should I cut you here?" Quickly, Mariku slashed Mr. Mazaki's other arm. "Or how about, over here?" The man cried out as the killer slashed him on the shoulder. "Or better yet! The leg…"

"Please! I'm begging you! Stop!"

"I want you to scream some more…"

"Yami!" Mariku growled and turned to see Malik standing there, Mrs. Mazaki hiding behind him. "That's enough!"

Mariku sneered. "But I'm doing this for your little girlfriend."

Malik blushed. "She isn't my girlfriend! I barely even know her! And that's enough! You promised not to kill him!"

The dark spirit growled but dropped the man to the ground. Carefully sheathing the dagger, he simply vanished into the Rod.

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Gotta stop there. More soon. ~LadySaturn aka Sanji