The first of a series of three explosions rocked Domino City at around 1 o'clock AM. Both Anzu and her father were awoken when the first 'bang' resounded through the night. Before the second expulsion went off Kenji Mazaki was in his daughter's room to check her well being. She was already awake and had thrust open her window for a better view of whatever had caused the explosion. Just as he reached her, the city shook with a second explosion and this time was accompanied by a large plume of smoke. The third and final explosion could only be seen by those at the epicenter but was felt in a low, vibrating rumble the was felt through the city and it's suburbs.
"What do you think that was Dad?" Anzu asked her father finally acknowledging his presence. The adult looked thoughtful.
"I'm not sure," he said reaching for the phone only to put it down as soon as it reached his ear, "the phone is dead." He walked to Anzu's bedside lamp and tested the switch. "Power's out too." In the distance sirens whined as they made their way to the site of the explosions. Anzu looked grim as she thought of the well being of her friends, including Malik. At the thought of Malik she bit her lower lip and blushed slightly. Fortunately for her, her father was looking out the window once more. Anzu felt guilty about what had happened in the park earlier that day and hoped that the next time that they say each other that Malik would let her apologize before most likely killing her. Her thoughts on what had happened in the park, Anzu's mind involuntarily fell to Rory. She silently wondered if Rory was okay and where she was. 'And if she's the cause of this,' Anzu thought riley as her eyes and thoughts fell on her father.
'But is he really my father?' a subconscious voice whispered in the back of her head. The doubt was quickly smothered by the reassuring thoughts she had been silently reciting over the past few days. 'There is no way I'm not Anzu Mazaki. And there is no way that this man isn't my father.' As if sensing her discontent her father turned to her.
"Are you alright Anzu?" he asked eyes concerned.
"Fine Dad, just wondering if Yugi and others were alright" Anzu lied. She felt guilt seep into her once more. How often had she been lying to everyone lately? Yami immediately came to her mind and she felt herself regress once more. Misreading his daughter's facial expressions Kenji Mazaki smiled down at his kind-hearted daughter.
"You are always thinking of others Anzu, don't worry. I'm sure that everyone is alright." As that moment a knock on the door echoed through the house. "I wonder who that could be" Anzu's dad mused to himself. Looking back his daughter once more as he left the room he instructed her to stay and not to worry any more. Anzu listened to his retreating footsteps on the wooden staircase and let her thoughts wander back to Yami. After they had separated on her front porch he had merely sat on her railing staring thoughtfully into the distance. Anzu, meanwhile had stared at him lost in thought. Two completely separate, but at the same time perfectly connected souls, completely enveloping one another's minds. Yami thankfully left just a few minutes before her father had pulled into the driveway, avoiding a very awkward situation. Anzu had to wonder if Yami had sensed her father coming and left on his good sense of judgment. It was entirely possible in Anzu mind and both amazed and chilled her to the core at the same time. How could she be falling in love with such a man?
'LOVE!' the though echoed through her suddenly very clear mind causing a blush to spread across her face. It was the first time she had even subconsciously thought that word. She emitted a tiny 'eapp' in response. Below her she could hear her father bid whoever had come to the door goodnight and come up the stairs toward her room. He entered looking both relieved and concerned at the same time.
"Well that was city official. Seems that something blew over at Kiaba Corps." Anzu immediately sat up straighter, her thoughts on Mokuba and Seto. "It seems that no one was seriously hurt," he continued not noticing her reaction, "and that power should be back within the hour. Which means," he drew out, "that you have school tomorrow and need to get back to bed." Anzu looked at him numbly. Was he insane? Sleep with all these thoughts running though her head? But sometimes the gods, forces, beings, what have you, that rule over us grant us tokens to ease our lives. This was one of those times and Anzu was asleep before her head ever hit the pillow.
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Across the city from the Mazaki residence Rory lay staring at the ceiling of her hotel room. She had entered from the back as too avoid suspicion as to the reason she had been out at such a late hour, conveniently after the Kiaba Corps. Complex 2 had blown. A simple crossing of wire in the surveillance cameras disproved any photographic evidence that she had been there, not that anyone in Domino City would think to check it, as Rory figured. She was lying on her back, breathing in the scent of hotel carpet that seemed a common occurrence on any continent. In her mind, as she stared, she accessed the wounds she received that night. Nothing to serious but it could have been. 'Who'd a thought that Kiaba would be so paranoid' Rory thought sitting up. 'Or for that matter have such a stock pile?' The thoughts served to amuse Rory as she attended her most serious wounds.
"Son of a Bitch," she muttered to the stale hotel air as she laid back down, fabric rubbing into her back. She looked up at the bed and decided that the floor would do for tonight. She smiled to herself before finding sleep. 'Who knew that Domino City would be so much fun' she thought and then slept.
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In another part of town, one further from Rory but closer to Anzu, and yet separate from it all Yami sat in deep mediation. In the sanctuary of the Millennium Puzzle Yami sat, undisturbed by the happenings at Kiaba Corps. He did feel the disturbance and his hikari's alertness and spike of curiosity but did not sense danger. Therefore he remained in the confines of the puzzle. He heard Yugi call out to him to join him but Yami simply cut off their mind connection. Now was not a time he wanted to be disturbed. He felt guiltily. This was the second time in less than twenty-four hours that he had cut off their mind link and was more than coy with him. But some things, at least for now, he needed to keep to himself. He wasn't sure if Yugi knew that extent of his feelings for Anzu. He knew that Yugi had a lingering crush Anzu from childhood and wondered if the feelings were still strong. He himself was having a very difficult time with his emotion for Anzu at the moment.
He had feelings beyond that of friendship for the girl, of that he was certain. He would not deny it, and would be the first defend it. But he worried if Anzu felt the same way, if she was as confused as he was right now. He did not blame her for slapping him earlier, in fact he felt it was somewhat justified. He had put her in a situation that even he was not comfortable with, yet it had seemed the right thing to do. Just being near Anzu was enough for him, just know she was there. Some how her presence was enough to calm, if just for a moment, the constant storm of emotions and memories in his mind and body. The situation was complicated enough on its own with out throwing Malik into the mix. The spirit growled in frustration. If he hadn't like Malik and his yami before now, it was a certainty that he didn't now. He didn't like the way he had looked at Anzu, or furthermore, the way Anzu had looked at him. Yami shook his head in frustration. If one thing was certain, if he had learned nothing from his endless lifetimes, it was simply this. There is no such thing as and easy love.
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Anzu growled in frustration as the battery powered alarm cloak her father had set up gave off some horrible buzzing/humming noise. After sufficiently beating the clock into silence Anzu rolled over to try and achieve more sleep only to be awakened by her regular clock suddenly coming to life and blaring static. Practically screaming Anzu sat up and ripped the cord out of the fall. Now completely awake Anzu stumbled into her tiny bathroom and set the shower. Memories of the previous night rang through her head and curiosity promoted her to set her shower radio to a local news station. She picked up a news show that seemed to be involving a newscaster in an argument with someone who had called in. "I'm telling you the same thing that I've told everyone else that has called in. I know nothing other than what city officials have told everyone. I…" he was cut off by the caller.
"I know that you are in with the city council. For that matter the whole country's government! It's all a conspiracy; I've been onto Kiaba Corps for years. The whole government," there was a click accompanied by a groan from one of the newscasters. This was obviously not the first call of this nature that they had gotten this morning.
"For the last time," the voice on the radio spoke with obvious control, "we here at NewsBreak know nothing more than that there was a series of explosions at Kiaba Corps Complex Number 2 last night. There were a few injuries reported, but nothing of the critical nature. We have nothing more to report and when we do, we will report it. Now on to today's other news, Himeko." A woman's voice began to tell about a traffic accident in southern Kyoto but Anzu turned the radio off. Thoughts still on the nights events, Anzu prepared for school mechanically. She left her father at the kitchen table, his moves equally mechanical, the lack of sleep obviously getting to him. It took Anzu longer than usual to get to school, caused by her deep thought and the unusual amount of traffic she encountered. It seemed that the explosion had shut off several city blocks resulting in a larger than normal amount of people on the sidewalks. By the time that Anzu got to school she only had a few minutes to get to her locker and walk toward her homeroom. On the way she did run across a scene involving Seto Kiaba being hounded by reporters as he attempted to enter the school. For a brief moment their eyes connected, but Kiaba quickly turned his head and continued on his way to homeroom, which was in fact the same as hers. She followed behind at a much slower pace and watched him enter without a backwards glance.
'What was that in his eyes?' Anzu wondered as she walked into the classroom. 'Worry? Fear? Both?' she thought sighing as she found her seat. A quick glance concluded that she wasn't that she wasn't the only one having trouble getting to school today. Nearly half the class was missing, including the teacher, and only Ryou out of Yugi, Jou, and Honda were present. Ryou sent her a smile and a wave before setting his head back on the table and dozing once more. Her eyes settled on Kiaba once more who had buried himself in a book. He thoughts returned back to him but she quickly shook them from her mind. 'I've got enough problems of my own without concerning myself with Kiaba, not that he'd even want my help.' It was at that point that the final bell signaling the start of homeroom rang and Yugi burst through the door looking as if he were about to have a heart attack. His eyes, wide and worried, quickly swept the room for the teacher and finding none, he looked extremely relieved. He waved to Anzu who automatically waved back but suddenly was filled with doubt. 'Does he know what happened yesterday? And for that matter, what has Yami told him?' But the boy, if he knew anything of the love triangle brewing, was clearly ignoring it and going about his merry way.
"I was so worried I wasn't going to make it to homeroom on time" Yugi told her as he took his seat kitty corner from her. "Lucky for me the teacher is late to." Anzu let out a relieved breath. She figured if Yugi acted as if nothing was wrong, why should she?
"Did you see Honda or Jou?" Anzu asked. The blonde youth shook his head.
"No, and neither would answer their cell phones. I'm a bit worried about," but what Yugi was worried about Anzu would not know because as if on cue the duo exploded through the closed door, falling on top of one another. Those in the now nearly full classroom watched in wonderment and awe as the two boys made apologizes and excuses to the non-existent teacher. Jou was half way through telling the story about his sick cat when he seemed to realize that there was no teacher. After a quick sweep of the room, Jou shot Anzu and Yugi a goofy grin and poked Honda in the ribs who was going off about pulling a family from a burning building. He looked equally surprised not to see a teacher and grinned sheepishly. Both found their seats quickly, Jou's front row center, and Honda's directly behind Anzu. They didn't sit a moment too soon, as the teacher walked in with a look that dared anyone to make her life difficult. She looked extremely frazzled and slammed her attendance book down with emphasis.
"Sorry I am late class," she practically hissed and Anzu felt herself snap to attention a bit more. " Do to the," she paused, "inconvenience caused last night my cast was damaged and I was forced to find alternate means of transportation." She glared at Kiaba as she spoke and Anzu had to wonder how Kiaba was going to get through the day. The CEO seemed indifferent to the situation and turned the pages of his worn paper back at a leisurely pace. The teacher looked ready to kill and turned her attention to Jou in the front row. "Mr. Katsuya," Jou visibly stiffened, "I believe you were late to homeroom this morning. If that true?" She waited for an answer, tapping her foot impatiently. Jou took an obvious risk answering.
"No?" He replied shyly.
"No is it Mr. Katsuya. Well then perhaps you can tell me why your face is red and you are breathing so heavily." The teacher leaned in close and Jou fidgeted noticeably. 'Poor Jou,' Anzu thought, 'why do the teachers always seem to pick on him? Not that he doesn't deserve it sometimes…. Shut up Anzu! He's your friend.' As Anzu's mind battle finished up Jou seemed to have to come up with an answer.
"Well, aside from being very, very nervous right now I," a few students giggled but were quickly shut up by the teacher's hard glare.
"Please continue Mr. Katsuya" the teacher beckoned. But Jou didn't have a chance to reply. Anzu did it for him.
"Mrs. Kino," Anzu said giving a slight bow of apology for interrupting, "Jou walked with me to school today. We arrived ten minutes before the bell rang." The teacher looked a little dismayed.
"You are sure of this Ms. Mazaki?" she asked as if to tempt her.
"Oh yes, positive." The teacher seemed a bit disappointed but accepted the answer none the less. From the front row Jou turned and mouth 'Thank You' and Anzu could help but smile back at him. She smiled over at Yugi who had his usual starry-eyed glance when it came to Anzu and friendship while Honda gave her a reassuring squeeze on her shoulders. At that point in time Yami, Malik, and most importantly Rory were about as far from Anzu's mind as possible.
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"Really weird," Jou commented leaning up against the picnic table the four had chosen for lunch that day. Anzu sat beside Yugi while Honda made himself interested in his school lunch. Jou sat across from Yugi and Anzu and next to Honda. Ryou was no where to be found. "No I mean it is really weird" Jou said again.
"We know Jou!" Honda snapped back.
"But I mean really! Look at him! I've never seen Kiaba so quiet!"
"Well one of his factories did just explode," Yugi said matter of factually.
"It is just so…fascinating," Jou said obviously reveling in the fact that Kiaba was in any discomfort.
"You are so odd Jou" Anzu said already tiered of the conversation.
"But just look at him," Jou said waving his hand across the open air next to the table, "he looks so lost, and, and." Jou suddenly looked as his he had the greatest thought of twenty life times. Yugi seemed to realize half a second after Jou did and he chocked on his juice box trying to warn him.
"Don' t you dare Jou," Yugi told him in a raspy, juice still stuck in his throat. Anzu caught on a moment later and grabbed the sleeve of his uniform.
"I swear Jou if I even sense you thinking about the word 'puppy' I will personally break my lunch tray over your head." Jou just grinned wolfishly and started to saunter over to where Kiaba sat alone typing on his laptop. Anzu stood in front of Jou and placed her hands on his shoulders in an attempt to deter him. "Come on Jou, think about what a bad idea this is" Anzu pleaded. Jou looked slightly miffed.
"What your taking care of Kiaba now Anzu? First Malik and now this." Jou immediately regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth. Anzu looked hurt.
"That was unnecessary Jou," Anzu said tears in her eyes and voice. Jou rubbed the back of his neck nervously.
"I'm sorry Anzu, that wasn't the smartest thing I've ever said and I," but Anzu interrupted him.
"Stuff Jou, I don't wanna hear it," and with that she quickly gathered her books and left the courtyard that was used for lunch. Jou was about to go after her when a snide voice caught his attention.
"Aww trouble with the fantastic four?" Seto Kiaba asked walking onto the scene. Jou looked murderous.
"Push it Kiaba, I'm just itching to punch that smug pale face of yours in." Kiaba did indeed look smug.
"Too easy" he said simply and left Yugi and Honda to restrain Jou who was fighting wildly to get at Kiaba. Anzu meanwhile was stuffing her morning class books viciously into her locker.
"Remind me to never give you a book as a gift," a silky voice advised from beside her. Anzu jumped a good three feet before turning to face Malik.
"What do you want?" Anzu asked as she worked her next period's book out from the mess she had just created.
"Just visiting," Malik said leaning into the lockers, "thinking it might be time to pursue some form of education." Anzu faltered for only a moment.
"Do go here, it sucks" she slammed her locker shut to emphasize the word 'suck'. She stalked over aware that he was following her.
"You seemed stressed," he observed casually forcing the books she held out of her death grip and carried them himself.
"And you're as creepy as ever," she told him trying to regain possession of her books. He stopped and held them up over his head. She jumped and tried to reach the textbooks only to have him lift them higher out of reach. "Malik, you are treading on thin ice. Give me back my books." She was grateful the halls were empty and no one could witness what she was going through. Especially Yugi and the others.
"What will you give me for them?" Malik asked smoothly enjoying her distress.
"I could kick you like I did yesterday," she told him hands on her hips. The Egyptian looked thoughtful but then seemed to come to some type of conclusion.
"No, no I wouldn't enjoy that. Now if perhaps you gave me what I was trying to achieve yesterday…" he let the sentence trail off and enjoyed watching Anzu turn all shades of red.
"Keep the books! It isn't worth that!" Anzu stormed off leaving a generally surprised Malik behind. He caught up to her just as she was about to enter the girls' bathroom.
"Wait, wait, wait," he commanded softly grabbing her arm with his free hand. She looked at him with tears in her eyes. He was slightly taken aback by this. Why on earth should she be crying? "What's wrong," he asked the obvious question.
"Trying to make my life a living hell too?" she asked furiously. (AN: I just have to stop her and marvel at what I am writing. If this is a bad life Anzu, I'd love to meet what you consider good. It must be heavenly….Alright I'm done with my ranting. Enjoy the rest of the chapter!) She stared at him icily. He returned the favor.
"What had happened to you that would change you so much?" he asked her.
"Change from what?" she shot back. "For all you know I've always been like this, you didn't know me before and you don't know me now."
"You forget about a little thing called the Millennium Rod? Or did just imagine taking over your mind?" She made a move to slap him but he dropped her books with a clatter and stopped the hand only inched from his face. Now he held both her hands and pulled her roughly toward him. Anzu stumbled over the books and fell into his waiting arms. She looked up at him from the depths of his arm before turning away and mumbling something into his chest. "Come again?" he asked, laughing slightly, enjoying the feel of her warm breath through his shirt.
"I said," she said pulling her head from him, "that I hate you." Her eyes conveyed that emotion and Malik simply shrugged.
"I can work around that" She pushed away from him and nearly fell backwards over the books once more.
"Don't you take anything seriously? Or is everything just some sort of sick game to you?" she asked as he took a step toward her, careful to step over the books. He then proceeded to trap her against the wall, his arms barriers on either side of her neck.
"Incase you forgot my dear, that incident a little less than a year ago, I took very seriously. In fact, destroying the Pharaoh was and still is possibly the biggest and most serious part of my life."
"Possibly?" she questioned letting the fact slip by that he just admitted to still trying to kill Yami.
"Yes, possibly. You rank quite high on that list too my dear" (AN: Shivers ^_^) They were now, scant inches apart from one another and their lips touched for just the shortest of seconds. Moments later they moved in together to deepen the kiss. Anzu felt her heart go light and her head swim, yet she couldn't find a single thought in her head. Her body weight shifted as Malik wrapped a possessive arm around her waist, drawing her closer to him. They stayed this way for mere minutes when their peace was shattered by the call of Anzu's name.
"Anzu!" Yugi's voice called out across the empty halls. Anzu broke away from Malik's kiss and turned her head slightly to see if Yugi was in sight. Satisfied that he wasn't near she turned back to Malik only to be interrupted once more by Jou and Honda's voices calling for her as well. She giggled slightly and looked up at Malik. He looked slightly perturbed and bent close to her.
"I could kill them all, and we could," he paused to nuzzle her neck, "continue." Thee words weren't even out of his mouth when Yugi called for her again, this time obviously closer. Anzu sighed and breathed in Malik's scent of Egyptian sands and desert rains.
"I have to go" she told him reluctantly and pulled away.
"Anzu," he spoke and she turned to see him. "Your books," he said sounding slightly childish, "don't forget your books." She collected them from his outstretched hand. She muttered a thank you and was about to turn away when he wrapped his arms about her waist once more.
"This isn't over," he breathed into her ear, causing her to shiver. He released her and she walked away. She hadn't gone more than five steps when she turned to look back at him again. But he was already gone.
I can't believe this moment's come
It's so incredible that we're alone
There's so much to be said and done
It's impossible not to be overcome
Will you forgive me if I feel this way
Cause we've just met - tell me that's Ok
So take this feeling'n make it grow
Never let it - never let it go
Don't let go
You give me something that I can believe in
No don't let go of this moment in time
Don't let go
I can't explain the things that I'm feeling
No don't, no I won't let go
Now would you mind if I bared my soul
If I came right out and said you're beautiful
Cause there's something here I can't explain
I feel I'm diving into driving rain
You get my senses running wild
I can 't resist your sweet, sweet smile
So take this feeling, make it grow
Never let it - never let it go
Don't let go
You give me something that I can believe in
No don't let go of this moment in time
Don't let go
I can't explain the things that I'm feeling
No don't, no I won't let go
I've been waiting all my life
To make this moment feel so right
The feel of you just fills the night
So come on
Lets just hold on tight
Don't let go
You give me something that I can believe in
No don't let go of this moment in time
Don't let go
I can't explain the things that I'm feeling
No don't, no I won't let go
Don't let go
No don't let get
No I won't let go….
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Ok peeps, that's it for this chapter. So how much do you all hate me? I have a good excuse!! I have a good excuse!! I started this chapter before I left for my show the week of the 14th. Well while there (I did very well thank you!) I was showing horses for a sales barn as favor for an old friend and to boost my standings Well everything was going great until the horse I was on tossed me at a Liverpool (type of jump with water). No one told me the horse was petrified of water!! Damn you Andrew!!!! Anyway, I landed hard on my elbow and thought I was ok. I rode for the rest of the week, just on my horse mind you and by the end of my last class Sunday, (I fell on Thursday) my elbow was the size of a baseball. Turns out I slightly fractured it (there goes my perfect record of no broken bones!) and hand a sort of mini cast on for the past two weeks. This made writing very difficult cause I had to keep it elevated, yadda yadda yadda. Anyway I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. The song is 'Don't Let Go' performed by Bryan Adams and Sarah McLachlan off of the 'Spirit' Soundtrack. God I love Bryan Adams. Anyone that's it. I wanted to make this chapter longer but decided to get it out instead. Hopefully a new chapter out very, very, VERY soon. Till then peace!
-Star_Chan