Not a lot to say for this chapter. At least nothing that I can think of right now! But I do have a tiny winy little warning for this chapter and probably the remaining chapters. Up until this point Rory has been a sort of…well…. a catalyst I guess for lack of a better word. But now, her true character will be starting to come out and things may get a little…violent. Rory is not a good person by most standards that people live by and that will start to show more and more. She does however have a soft spot for Anzu and that becomes more and more apparent as she gets darker then we've seen thus far.
And with that little warning aside on with the tenth chapter!
Her aim was flawless as she shot each egg from their hold in the chain link fence in a secluded part of town that she had found. It was in the early hours in the morning and the dark was still dominant over the struggling morning light. Rory, at the top of a 20-story building, had a nice view of the coming sunrise but paid it no mind as she focused again on the fence below her. She had been at this for nearly two hours now, shooting from different angles, heights, vantage points, trying to keep herself in shape. She shot again and if you hadn't seen her shoot then you might have thought the egg had exploded on its own and Rory had to smile. The silencer worked as well which was fortunate because of the lack of crime in most of Japan. Had she been in New York City or even Los Angeles then the noise might have gone unnoticed this early in the morning. But Rory had to give it to the presence of the Japanese Police who helped to discourage people like Rory from wandering about causing trouble. And causing trouble was indeed what Rory intended to do.
In ten days Rory would do one of two things: either expose both the Gardners and the world to Anzu or she would simply walk away from Domino City without another glance. And the latter was not apart of the plan. She couldn't believe that she would ever consider it but for some reason it really was an option. Rory stopped and looked at the last egg still stuck firmly in the chain. She stood considering everything that had happened in the last week or so. There was fight with Fredrick that probably had her on every major assassins list in word. Rory's relationship with him had always acted as a type safety belt-if someone went after her then they went after Fredrick and no one crossed Fredrick, at least not until now. Rory had dug herself a hole one that was going to take a hell of a lot to get out of. Then there was Seto Kaiba and in just a few days time Kaiba Corporation would be in ruins and it was just for fun-and the money. Then of course there was Anzu Mazaki. Everything revolved around her.
The pattern of life that Rory knew well by now was off beat and the only way she knew to right it was to finish the Gardner case, one way or another. Eyes still trained on the egg Rory raised her gun for one last shot her mind processing many things. She had never failed at anything. No one ever stopped her from reaching her goals. Anzu Mazaki and her emotions were not going to knock her off track. Focus was Rory's main ally right now. She couldn't lose focus- this was just another assignment which was ready to be finished. Rory had put too much time and energy into this already but she would not give up until she was done. She pulled the trigger. The egg exploded. She couldn't help but smile. If only it was as simple as that.
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Feeling fresh after an early morning of target practice Rory had a hard time sitting in her hotel room as she waited for the response to an e-mail she had sent out late last night. On a hunch Rory had e-mailed a man she knew in West Belgium that could let her know about the movements of 'for hire' people like herself in the Balkans. During the "ethnic cleansing" in the late 90's in Kosovo Rory had made herself a few enemies (of those who survived) when she was hired by the British Representative to the UN at the time in conjunction with a senator from the U.S and a hand full of French officials. Rory had been hired to work as a Rogue along side the UN troops to stop Milosevic's efforts at the source. It would be easier for her then conventional troops since she wouldn't be held to UN laws since she wasn't technically a part of the UN-or any country for that matter. One by one with various methods Rory took down major supporters of the dictator and the Serbian troops began to cave from the inside. In her last assignment she was supposed to take out Milosevic himself but things went terribly wrong when Rory was discovered and she fought hard to make it out alive. She did and was now on many major hit lists of the Serbian upper class.
But again that is where the safety net of Fredrick and the Syndication came in. Not that it really stopped the assassination attempts, just deterred them slightly. And now that she was on the shit list she had a hunch that a certain Serbian would be after her. She had taken out his eye and right thumb, taking off her opponent's right thumb was a signature of hers, in their last encounter nearly three years ago but Rory was sure that the memory was still very fresh in the terrorist's mind. Draza Karadzich would do anything to kill Rory and Rory knew that he would find her here which was why she needed to speed things up. (AN: although what happened in Serbia in the late 90's, as scary as it is, is true, the character Draza Karadzich is purely fictional and if I did actually name him after a Serbian militant it was unintentional so please don't hurt me! That is all)
There was a moment or two of pacing before her computer gave out the familiar noise she had been waiting for. Practically leaping on the worn piece of plastic and computer chips Rory opened the email and her heart sank at the length of it. The expression 'no news is good news' applied to her, and too much usually led to problems in Rory's life. Scanning it quickly she was quick to pick out the more important piece of the letter. Short and sweet, would have been better. Most of the letter was speculation as to what Draza was up to and when it came down to it now one really knew where he was. While this was relevant to Rory, obviously, something else in the email caught her attention. It was a rumor that had its origins in Britain about Welsh couple that had adopted a baby online from the states through an online auction site and it was only a matter of time before the whole international community would be in an uproar as soon as the media got wind of it. But what interested Rory was the baby was supposed to be from the Midwest but had flown out of Baltimore, and only Baltimore. Now to the untrained mind this may have seemed normal but there was a hitch that Rory spotted. Why would a person so poor, or so greedy, they had to sell their baby online fly out of one of the most expensive airports in the country? And further more how had they gotten there? Rory's fingers flew across the keyboard as she pulled up various links, web pages along with her own documents.
Rory was the only one in the world who had access to what was known simply as the Core to her. Shortly after the millennium Rory had been in a bad car accident, which was an odd way to become laid up in her line of work but it had happened none the less and she found herself with a surplus of time on her hands. Never one to sit still, even before she had come into the care of Fredrick, Rory had set herself a seemingly impossible task- gathering all of her knowledge and researched everything she thought she could ever need. The result was an ever-growing resource database for her eyes alone. She couldn't count the number of times she had plugged in her thoughts on the Gardner's case and came up with nothing, but maybe this time… and after entering in the auction site and recent article to the Core her answer came to her in a matter of moments. Desperate to prove it, adrenaline coursing through her from excitement, Rory quickly pulled out a pen and pad of paper and drew it out in the physical.
Five pages of timelines, connections, and explanations later Rory sat stunned. After four years of frustrations, leads that led nowhere, and nothing but pure speculation she had in front of her every connection in the Gardner kidnapping. Flipping to the third page Rory traced the timeline of events with her index finger starting at the first known scouting assignment to the day that Tea was delivered to her new parents Yoko and Kenji Mazaki. She could account for nearly every step of the process that had once only been a collection of loose ends for her but now made up a completed web of twists and turn. And with this proof all Rory needed know was the get Anzu's fingerprints and send them out like she had done with the girl's blood sample and her case would be closed. Now while Rory wasn't a very emotional woman that didn't mean she was emotionless and she felt the need to celebrate her current success. She was about to crack open the mini bar in her room when her laptop gave off an urgent beeping- an alarm to Rory.
She practically fell upon the beat up piece of machinery and read the message that was waiting there for her. "No," she gave a tiny sort of whisper that sound more like a gasp. "Not now, not now damn it!" she said louder this time and turned to punch the wall in place of her computer which was very tempting. The Syndication was in motion and it wouldn't be long until every haphazard, would be assign would be on top of her. The DC deal that Fredrick had been trying so hard to have her on had collapsed into ruins and he was mad. Mad at her to be specific and that meant only bad things. Sitting on the edge of her bed staring at the wall with her hands folded in front of her Rory's mathematical and mechanical mind was in a frenzy. She would be ok for the remainder of the week, maybe even longer. Green bounty hunters were smart enough at least to not go after her and all of the seasoned veterans were either good friends or knew that trying to kill her at this point would be suicide. But there was a third category and those were the ones that frightened her because they would come. Young pros in this area of work looking to make a name for themselves would come and Rory was worried that they'd figure out about Anzu.
And then of course there was Draza Karadzich and his unknown agenda- that worried her. Men like that did not just disappear. Rory knew that she could slow down the worst of those that would soon be descending upon Domino City. Even without being in Fredrick's good graces she had a lot of friends in high places, and low for that matter, that she could rely on to help her without her having to send out an SOS. Already she had a plan- she'd let someone through the net she was slowly forming in her mind and kill them in such a way that would hopefully deter all other attempts until the next week and a half was over and hopefully the case of Tea Gardner would be over as well. In the mean time she had a call to make to her friend Jeri to make sure that: 1) her old DNA and fingerprint samples had made it there ok, 2) the new blood sample she had sent had arrived and finally, 3) that Jeri was still alive.
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"Hello"
"Don't hang up"
"Hello? Who is this?"
"Promise you won't hang up?"
"Malik? Malik is that you?"
"Yes…don't hang up!"
"Why would I hang up on you?" Anzu asked the phone. It was later in the same day of Rory's crazy morning and Anzu hand been peacefully been doing her homework when the phone rang. Thinking it was one of the guys with a homework question she had answered ahead of her father. She was glad that she had now; she wasn't sure how her father would react to stranger with such an odd accent asking for her.
"You don't hate me?" came a surprised reply from the other end.
"No, I don't hate you. I'm pretty mad at you right now but I certainly don't hate you. I mean its bad enough what happened earlier this week with Ryo and then you showing up at the school like that. And worst," she paused and Malik prepared for her to yell, "you didn't call or come to see me even once. That kind of hurt, I mean, I thought that if you actually were my friend or wanted to be my friend you'd reach out to me."
"Well, um, it goes both ways you know. Why didn't you try to contact me?" Malik asked though immediately regretting it. He was calling to apologize for his behavior, basically grovel for forgiveness (though he refused to admit he was ready to grovel) and he had already picked a fight with her.
"Well I would have Malik. I honestly would have if I had anyway of getting in contact with you. You're new to the city so you aren't listed anywhere. I don't even know if you have a cell phone and when I tried to have the staff at the museum give me your information they said they couldn't because of museum policy."
"Anyone ever tell you that you're an over achiever?" Malik asked trying to mask the remorse in his voice. All of what she had just said was true, even the museum policy on handing out personal information. "Why were you trying to get in contact with me?" he continued trying to change the subject.
"Why else?" she asked in surprise. "To make sure that you were ok of course."
"You were worried about me?" he asked equally surprised and unknowingly moved. "Why?"
"That's a stupid question Malik," she said getting the normal bounce in her voice back for the first time in their conversation. "I worry about all of my friends, especially when we left things how we left things. I know that we haven't known each other for a very long time Malik but I thought that you knew and understood the type of person I am when it comes to my friends."
"I do and, and, and I'm sorry Anzu for everything. About what happened with Bakura and knocking you down and what happened at your school, even if part of it was the Pharaoh's fault." (AN: Because this story takes place just a little while after Battle City then I am making it so that the characters don't know the Yami's real name is Atem. In future stories I will probably use that name just cause I like it better then Yami. That's all!)
"That's not really fair Malik. You can't blame what happened between us on Yami. That's just an excuse," Anzu reprimanded wondering just how much Malik really did dislike Yami. During the short amount of time Anzu and the others had gotten to know Malik after the Battle City Finals he seemed, to Anzu at least, like a very kind and nice person who obviously was remorseful for all that he had done. Anzu couldn't blame him for the darkness that had been born in him but she could also tell that Malik still held feelings other then reverence for the former Pharaoh. And now, as she got to know him more Anzu could tell that he still blamed the Pharaoh for the servitude of his family and all that had resulted from it. She couldn't really argue that point but at the same time Yami had never intentionally tried to hurt the Ishtars, it was just a bad set of circumstances. She heard Malik exhale on the other end of the line and she waited for him to respond.
"Lets not get into that right now," he told her. "I called to apologize and I don't want to get into another fight with you." The tone in his voice caught Anzu by surprise and she could almost see him blushing and she in return blushed as well grateful that he couldn't see her. "I…I am glad that you aren't angry at me," he continued, "cause umm, just because I suppose." As soon as he said those words, despite the fact that they really made no sense, that Anzu felt something warm inside her that she didn't understand and felt a tremor in her body that she hadn't experienced before. There was silence between them for a few immeasurable moments before Malik suddenly said "Can you meet with me right now?"
Anzu looked down first at her unfinished homework and then at the clock which read just after 4 o'clock. She should stay and finish her homework or go see Yugi or anything else but her heart for some reason felt as if it would rip from her chest if she didn't go see him. "Yea, yes where do you want to meet?" she asked slightly breathless.
"Is the museum too far for you? Or we could get something to eat or something," he suggested sounding the way she felt. But something about getting something to eat seemed to 'dateish' for her. She just wanted to see him, which was different from a date right? Unsure of herself, Anzu shook her head to clear her mind before saying that she'd meet him at the museum in about a half an hour. Anzu quickly changed out of her boy shorts and t-shirt, an outfit perfect for doing nothing around the house but not for meeting someone, and changed into a pair of jean caprices and a short sleeved blouse along with a denim jacket. A quick touch up of make up and a brush through her hair had her ready to go but there was still one problem.
"Daddy?" she started in the sweetest voice she could muster. Her father who wasn't currently in his study going over some bills looked up at his daughter who was clearly dressed up to go out.
"What is it sweetheart?" he asked keeping his attention on his teenage daughter.
"Would it be ok if I went out to meet a friend at the museum?"
"Of course," he told her with a smile before turning his eyes back to his desk. "Which of your friends are you going to meet? Yugi? Or that younger girl, Shizuka was her name right?"
"Ah, yeah that's her name but I'm going to meet a new friend. He's ah, err, a new transfer student at school and we kind of hit it of." Now the words 'transfer student' or 'new friend' wouldn't have really affected her father but she knew that mentioning that Malik was indeed a 'he' would have some aftereffect and it did. Her father, it seemed, was having a delayed reaction because it took a solid thirty seconds for him to react.
"New boy friend?" he asked trying to sound as casual as possible. "And you're meeting him alone?"
"We're just going to the museum Daddy. Nice, open, public place," she said knowing where his mind was going.
"Still," Kenji Mazaki continued in a very business like manner, "I think I would like to meet him before this date."
"Its not date!" Anzu protested. "Please Dad, I'm going to be late and I don't have his cell phone number so I can't call him to cancel and I don't want him thinking that I ditched him." She said all of this in one breath and her father could only stare at her with a slight bit of wonder.
"Alright," he finally caved, "but be home by six please. You have school tomorrow so you shouldn't be out too late."
"Thanks Dad," she said giving him a hug and then slipping from the room.
"Do you have your cell phone?" he called after her.
"Of course," she yelled from the door her mind already consumed. As she began to jog in the direction of the museum she couldn't help being so happy about finally seeing Malik again but at the same time couldn't stop herself from having some second thoughts at the same time. After all she felt as if she were running into this blindly and wasn't quite sure what to expect from Malik. Perhaps she was reading to far into her own feelings for Malik and was just blowing everything out of proportion. She slowed down to a walk for the rest of the trip to the museum lost in her own thoughts. What exactly was happening between her and Malik and more importantly what was she feeling inside? She was frightened to think about feeling this strongly about anyone, at least in this way. Even when her crush on the other Yugi began it wasn't this, well, intense for lack of a better word. 'I'm really over reacting here,' Anzu counseled herself upon reaching the museum unsure if she should even be here. 'I'm certain that anything happening between me and Malik is,' but she didn't finish her thought as a pair of strong tanned arms wrapped around her and drew her body from behind into his.
"I didn't realize," he said huskily into her ear when she didn't fight him or turn away, "how very much I wanted to see you." Anzu just couldn't say anything to that. It summed up everything that she was really thinking anyway instead her eyes settled on his arms pressed to her.
"Malik," she finally said unaware of the stares passersby were giving them, "what did you do to your hand?" Her fingers ran along the ace bandage that adorn his left hand and his resulting chuckle sent chills up her spine. How on earth had she fallen so hard and fast? She had been so certain that she was in love with Yami the moment she had heard his voice that first time when she was being held hostage. But Malik had such a power over her that had nothing to do with the millennium rod. "No really," she asked again trying to regain some control, "what did you do to your hand?" Malik finally released her and she turned to look at him. He grinned sheepishly before saying,
"I punched a wall." Anzu blinked in surprise not at the response. Since when had Malik turned so, so… well normal? She knew that he still had some 'darker' tendencies; she had seen that more then not since he'd come to Domino. But here in the sunlight of a beautiful Sunday afternoon he looked like some one that Anzu could have grow up with and for a moment she thought of him as his alter ego Namu. "What?" he asked noting her expression.
"Its nothing, I was just thinking that you looked like how I first meet you. You know, as Namu." Anzu didn't know why but for some reason that seemed to strike a cord with him and he looked uncomfortable for a moment.
"Lets not talk about that right now," he said taking her hand in his one good one and turned them toward the museum, "I want to show you the exhibit that Isis and I have been working on since Battle City." Anzu let him lead her along but she could help thinking in the back of her mind, 'Lets not talk about that was becoming a common line for him.' Once inside the shade of the museum however she let it slip from her mind as he steered her around the various exhibits. After some time, her curfew ticking closer, she asked him,
"Where's your exhibit? I thought that's why you came back to Domino?" He gave her a sly look.
"That's one of the reasons I came back to Domino," he said giving her hand a squeeze and Anzu could feel the blush covering her face.
"I've got to get going soon. My dad wanted me back at six," she explained noting the look of disappointment on his face and blushing once again.
"Alright, I'll take you back to the exhibit and then I'll walk you home." Anzu expected him to steer her to the back of the museum where they hadn't yet gone but to her surprise he led her to the closed off upstairs. "It hasn't opened yet," he explained before she could get the question out, "so we can just get a special sneak peek. When they reached the top of the stairs he flicked on the hall light and a face appeared out of what looked like and office on their right.
"Ah, Mr. Ishtar," the man said with a heavy accent that Anzu couldn't identify, "I thought maybe it was some lost tourist again. I had to turn two away earlier and tell them that this floor wasn't opened as of now. I don't think my Japanese was quite clear though they looked very confused. But who his your lovely young friend here?" Anzu could feel her face flush but hoped if didn't show to the stranger, an older man that had obviously been quite a sight in his youth because even now, Anzu guessed about sixty, she could see he had been a heartbreaker of sorts.
"Oh, that was rude of me. Dr. Borkowski this is my friend Anzu Mazaki, a local here in Domino. Anzu this is Dr. Gene Borkowski, one of the foremost experts on the Dynasties of the Middle Kingdom in Ancient Egypt. He's been working with my sister and I on the exhibit that'll be opening here in two weeks."
"Its very nice to meet you Dr. Borkowski," she said politely stumbling slightly over his last name. He seemed to notice that but was enough of a gentleman to not point it out.
"As it is with you Ms. Mazaki. But I won't keep you two any longer. I was just on my way out," he told them. "Shall I lock up or do you need to get into the office Malik?"
"That's ok Doctor but we're just going to take a quick look around. I won't need the office today."
"Very good. If that's all I'll leave you two to your private tour." Something about the way he said 'private' made Anzu slightly uncomfortable, as if he were insinuating something. The three said goodbye and Malik led Anzu to the left and through another door. He threw on another light switch and a display of chaos greeted them though Malik didn't seem surprised at all. Carefully packed crates were stacked waiting to be open, though a few had, and half finished displays were placed haphazardly about the room. Anzu wasn't really sure what to say but Malik seemed amused.
"So what do you think?" he asked stepping over some boxes into the center of the room while Anzu hung back. "I know it needs a little straightening up but otherwise…" he trail off unable to keep a straight face any longer after seeing the almost pained expression on hers. "You are very gullible Anzu," he said with a few powerful laughs, "this is just a work room. Over there," he motioned behind him at another door, "is where everything will be."
"Oh," was all that Anzu could manage as she stepped into the room to going him. "Can we see it?" He smiled at her sweetly.
"Of course," he told her. One more doorway and another light switch and Anzu was greeted with more of what she expected. There were only a few complete displays and a few nearly done, and a handful started. Anzu examined the room which was mostly barren and stretched down what seemed the length of the museum.
"Are you using this whole room?" she asked hearing it echo back softly off of white walls.
"Yup, we've got more coming in next week along with those in the other room. That'll be a staging area, an introduction point I guess you could call it." Anzu nodded in understanding and moved toward one of the completed displays and read the card.
"Title: Offering Bearers, Medium: Painted Wood, Period: Middle Kingdom, Dynasty: VX." (AN: this is an actual piece that I learned about in Art History this semester but for the life of me I can't remember the Dynasty. So I made it up….have a problem with it then sue me, on second thought don't) Anzu read off of an index card taped to the glass. Malik came over to join her and fingered the paper card.
"Like I said, we're still getting going."
"Are you excited about it? Isn't your first museum opening?" Anzu asked straightening up to meet his eyes. He gave a shrug.
"Its nothing new. I've been around this kind of stuff my entire life. The only difference is that I'm making it pretty to show other people." He stepped away from her toward the window and Anzu wondered for a panicked moment that she had brought up the painful memories of his childhood. She was about to apologize when he stopped before the window and stooped so that he could open up on the crates and pulled out a case. Anzu came over curious as to what he was doing and peeked over his shoulder. She watched as Malik's skilled fingers worked to combinations of the lock and then lifted the top open to reveal a piece of jewelry like none she had ever seen. It was a simply crafted golden chocker that briefly reminded her of the millennium item Isis had once worn. But what made it unique to Anzu were the gems worked into it: perfect oval pieces in alternating colors of black and a shade of blue that reminded Anzu of the deep ocean.
"What are the stones in it?" Anzu asked curious.
"The black ones are black opals, very rare. And the darker blue ones are called lapis lazuli; they were used a lot in Egyptian jewelry." He then opened the clear cover of the case and lifted it out. "Would you like to try it on?" he asked innocently enough but Anzu still jumped back as if he had suddenly shouted.
"Me? Wear that? No Malik, that's not even funny put it away," she ordered him seriously. He did as he was told and replaced the necklace in the crate it had come from.
"Why were you so against that?" he asked coming to stand next to her at the next display she had quickly walked to.
"That's just weird Malik. That belonged to someone thousands of years ago and I'd feel like I was disrupting their spirit if I wore it." She didn't want to say that she had immediately thought of Yami and if he knew if something like that happened to possessions of his past life. Malik seemed to sense her unease and put his arm around her waist to pull her to his chest.
"Hey, I'm sorry I didn't mean to upset you." Even after his apology he continued to hold her tight to his chest and Anzu couldn't help think how it didn't feel as nice and comfortable as earlier in the afternoon. She pulled away a little with the intent to speak but he apparently took it as another meaning. His lips covered her in a much more possessing sort of kiss then the one he had given her in the hallway at her school. She had no way to pull away from this one so she gave in and wrapped her arms around his neck. He took a moments break from her lips which allowed Anzu to catch her breath quickly but it hitched suddenly, not because of where his lips had wandered on her neck but that his hands were slowly making there way up from her waist under her shirt.
"Mal," was all she could get out in protest before his lips were on hers again asking for more that she unwillingly gave because she was too shocked by what his hands were doing. Her hands unwound from his neck to deal with the problem but she hadn't realized that he was her main source of balance and as she tripped backwards her feet got caught up a few of the empty boxes and she would have gone completely down if not for Malik's wandering hands. Amazingly his lips had barely left hers as she started to tumble down and he continued to help her to floor until she was lying on the cool wooden surface, most of his weight spread over her. Now for Anzu this was just beginning to be too much. She pulled her lips from his but that didn't seem to deter either his lips that caressed her jaw or his hands that were now finding the under wire of her bra. "Malik!" she called getting his full name out this time but he still didn't seem to register her voice. "Malik please stop," she said again but still had no result so she struggled under him but that only seemed to encourage him. Every lesson she had ever learned about fighting off attackers and every move she had ever made up on the spot were flying through her mind but the way he had her arms and body pinned didn't allow her many options. "Malik please," she tried again before he was on her mouth again. Tears were beginning to fall from her eyes while she worked one hand free. She was about to strike him when a noise brought them both out of their own little world.
"Oh, Mr. Ishtar. I'm very, very sorry," came the plea of a very surprised member of the cleaning crew. He was gone in a moment and Malik was suddenly off of her. Anzu sat up and stared away from him unsure of what to say or do. A minute or two of silence passed before Anzu finally looked over at him. He was on his knees, hands set on them as if to brace himself while he stared at the floor. Another few minutes of silence passed before Anzu finally stood.
"I need to get home," she told him making for the door. She had made it to the stairs before he caught up with her, catching her arm and spinning her toward him. "Please let go Malik. I'm going to be late."
"Just, just let me apologize. I don't know what came over me there. I just lost control but that's no excuse." His eyes were wide and stricken and if Anzu had been able to read his mind she would have seen that he was panicked that he had lost her for good this time.
"Should I take that as I complement?" Anzu asked lamely trying to force some amusement into her voice.
"Anzu I," he said but couldn't seem to think of anything else to say. He let go of if grip on her arm and looked away from her awaiting her explosion but what she said surprised him greatly.
"Its not so much what you did," she said not meeting his eyes but taking his good hand in both of hers, "but that you didn't listen to me." She looked up to him, her eyes brimming with tears. He sucked in his breath.
"I would understood if you never forgave me," he said eyes down cast in shame. Anzu then shocked him again by ducking under his downcast face and giving him a quick peck on the lips.
"I had a great time," she told him, "until then. But still a great time." She finally let go of his hand and made his way quickly out of the museum. When she would look back on that day later in her life she realized how foolish she had been. At the time it had been so wrong that he had nearly forced himself on her and she had brushed it off, convinced that she loved him then so much that it made it ok. Many more things would come to pass in Anzu life that would make her realize that it wasn't love that she was feeling that day but instead the effects of wanting so badly for it to be love.
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She was guilty. She was feeling so guilty that she was having some difficulty functioning in school the next day. But why was she feeling so guilty? The answer to her thought evaded her throughout her morning classes. She processed it over and over in her mind. Jonouchi, Honda, Yugi, and even Ryo were her very dear friends. They would understand if she had feelings for someone that they were…less then fond of. Jonouchi was just hot headed when it came to situations like this for some reason for another and of course he and Honda played off of one another so she could see some conflict there. With sweet and wonderful Ryo she couldn't see many problems there, if anything she would have bet on him to be her greatest ally if it wasn't for his yami. Despite the fact that the 'alliance' that had been formed during Battle City was between Marik and Bakura(or at least that's how Anzu perceived it) for some reason Malik and Bakura had it out for one another. There were things there that Anzu didn't know about and frankly didn't care to but she would soon know. And then there was Yugi.
Anzu didn't really like to admit it but she could be very dense to certain things and one of those things was how Yugi felt about her. Jonouchi had mentioned it casually one day to her as if she already knew that Yugi had a huge crush on her. Of course she had already figured out just by the way he acted that he had different sort of feelings for her but she hadn't realized it was on the level that it was. She wondered now, during her quest for answers, whether he still had strong feelings for her. Anzu hoped not, all she need was for a more complicated situation. And of course with Yugi came Yami and with Yami came for Anzu a mass amount of confusion. Had he approached her two weeks earlier about possibly being more than friends she would have simply melted. But she just couldn't keep Malik out of her head despite the way he had acted. He was like an infection in her mind that was starting to have the same cloudy and heavy feeling it had before she passed out.
And yet she could still say she loved Yami. Yes, loved him. She wasn't really sure when she had come to the conclusion that she did, in all actuality love him, but she knew she loved him all the same. But she wondered if it was possible to be in love with two people at once. And that was why she concluded she was feeling so guilty- because everything always came back to Yugi and therefore back to Yami. Anzu was prepared to let all of this disappear from her mind for lunch at least but she never made it to lunch. After being held behind in class in regards to a quiz grade Anzu was late and wandering through the empty halls toward the cafeteria when she felt the tap on the shoulder. Turing Anzu came face to face with who at first glance she thought was Ryo but quickly realized it wasn't. A moment of fear over took her but she blinked and the image of the tomb robber within Ryo was gone leaving only her friend. Anzu breathed a sigh of relief.
"Oh, Ryo. You startled me." She paused and looked him over. He seemed to be a bit more disheveled then usual. "Are you ok Ryo?" she asked concerned. He looked at her for a moment as if seriously considering her question. His eyes connected with hers for one breathless moment and Anzu wasn't sure for a second time if she was actually talking to Ryo.
"Do you have a minute Anzu?" he asked in a scratchy voice that didn't seem to be his own and Anzu felt so taken aback that she literally took a step back.
"Ryo what's wrong?" she asked placing a hand on his shoulder as if to snap him out of whatever trance he was in. It seemed to work because he suddenly snapped up straight.
"Yeah, ah, sorry. But do you have a minute? I have an odd sort of request." Anzu looked at his oddly, analyzing him but nodded yes. Taking the initiative Ryo took her by the hand and guided her into the closest empty classroom which was fairly easy to find because nearly everyone was out enjoying the nice day. Anzu settled herself in a seat while Ryo sat on the desk opposite of her. Another moment or two passed as Ryo seemed to struggle with the words and Anzu sat patiently in waiting. Finally he spoke. "Ok, hear me out. This is going to sound crazy but um, my yami wants to talk to you." Anzu didn't know how to react for a moment before spitting out the word, "why?". Again Ryo seemed to struggle with himself and Anzu finally recognized the same look Yugi got when he was talking to Yami and Anzu was sure that Ryo was talking to his yami.
Hesitantly Anzu finally said, "Its ok Ryo, I'll talk to him. As long as he isn't planning on killing me or anything." Anzu was half serious. She knew that Ryo would never intently allow his Yami to harm her but the memory of the spat that Bakura and Ryo had the other day was still fresh in her. Before Ryo was able to express his obvious gratitude he was gone and Anzu was left staring at the Spirit she knew only as Bakura. He seemed to regard her for a second with his cold, killing eyes before showing some hints of relaxing. Anzu chewed her lip nervously waiting for him to start, not wanting to push him but also to get this over with as soon as possible.
"This is stupid," he said causing Anzu to jump from her thoughts.
"What's stupid?" Anzu inquired.
"Thinking that there was any point in talking with you about Malik." He seemed ready to leave her but Anzu wasn't ready to let him go.
"Wait a sec," she commanded standing up from her chair, "what is this about Malik?" What surprised her was not his answer
" I wanted to talk to you about getting it into his thick head that I made a deal with the darkness that was within him. Not with 'him' how he currently is." Anzu stood transfixed for a moment. What had surprised her was not his answer but the look on his face. Something that Anzu could only label as nervousness or insecurity, two things that Anzu was surprised to know he possessed.
"Why me?" she asked trying to swallow though her mouth seemed paper dry. He looked at her again with his usual stony/mad expression.
"I would think that would be obvious. He obviously has a claim on you, one he wants to make clear to the pharaoh," he spat the last word but that's not what angered Anzu. It was the word 'claim' and how he had said it, making her sound like a prize and not a human being.
"What do you mean claim?" Anzu snapped. The spirit chuckled darkly and Anzu felt the normal shiver she had come to associate the spirit with run up and down her spine. He looked at her seriously leaning closer as he spoke.
"Claim my dear, to those like me, means exactly as it sounds. You are claimed. No one else should be permitted to touch you, look at you, or be near you without consent. Malik once chose the God Cards for this but now he is obviously directing his attention to you." Anzu blushed deep crimson as he spoke thinking of Malik's actions the day before. Had that been his intent? To staked that sort of claim on her? To her it sounded so medieval but of course Malik had never been exposed to, well anything, before Battle City. Perhaps he thought that was how his courtship should be? Another laugh brought Anzu back to her senses as she looked up at Bakura who was currently towering over her which surprised her because she hadn't realized that she had sat back down. "Understand what I mean now?" he asked not expecting an answer.
"Anyway," he continued, "tell him to keep out of my business. I have much more important things to do then to deal with a spat from a person like him."
"A person like him," she repeated applying Malik to the words that Bakura had just used. She looked up at him to question him again but he was already gone along with Ryo's body. Gathering herself Anzu groaned as she looked at the wall clock noticing she only had ten minutes or so to get any lunch for herself. She was so distracted that when as she left the classroom she didn't notice Bakura still blatantly watching her from down the hall. It amused him that this plain girl, a nobody really, could be the center of attention for two of the most influential people in his second life.
You had to be an idiot not to notice that Malik had had intentions for her all along otherwise he would have kept his mind in Jonouchi's head because he would have had better access to the pharaoh. Of course this was before Bakura had hidden some of himself in the puzzle, otherwise he too would have thought to use Anzu. And although Malik had used her initially Bakura knew it wasn't because he knew of the Spirit of the Puzzle's feelings for the girl. Bakura would have had liked to investigate more but more important things had to be done. A love triangle could wait until later. (AN: This is not going to become a Bakura/Anzu fic just so you know. Also there will be no attempts from Bakura to steal the items in this story. What he is thinking of in the above passage is his next move. He will return in the story later- in two chapters I think- but in a very different roll, I believe, then he had played before)
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AN: Ok not much to say except I thought that I had already put a tenth chapter out! So when people started asking for a tenth chapter I thought they may have considered the first chapter a prolog and that's why there were only nine! Well I'm an idiot. The originally chapter actually goes on for a lot longer. And I was initially going to publish it as one big chapter but it was taking too longer to finish. So another chapter will be out tomorrow or the next day. The next chapter of You Wish maybe out by the end of the weekend- but I'm moving out this Sunday and working all day Saturday so I'm not 100 sure. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this short little chapter, though looking at it now its 13 pages on word so that's not super short. Ok then.. Ja!
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