Princess Viv: I'M SOOOO SORRY FOR THE DELAY IN UPDATING! I know everyone is impatient, because it's been such a long time. (grimace) But I haven't had any time, honest. Not to write anyway. (sigh) Once again, please accept my greatest apologies.
But thank you sooooooo much to everyone who reviewed! I am so grateful, and very surprised at the amount of reviews!
Sorry for this late update – after school started again, I haven't had much time to write… I hope you will all enjoy this chapter, and please review! If I don't get more than… Let's set it at ten… If I don't get at least ten reviews, I won't update. (grins evilly)
Viper the Bat: Thanks… I'm hurrying! And here it is… Finally… (sigh)
Chisakami Saiyuki: Thanks so much for bothering to review! Thanks for the compliments. And you're welcome – it's my pleasure to review your fic. (nod)
Godzilla-Freak: Lol, thanks. Here's the long awaited update… I'm sorry for keep you waiting…
Blazoner: Thanks; it's not that great! And there will be plenty more couples, believe me…NocturneD: Lol, yup, they sure don't have many S/M fics here… (sweatdrop) It's annoying…But there is one other, if you look around. The author's great, as is the fic.
OverXplosivz: I'm glad you like it, and thanks.
RedButterfly: Thanks! And yeah, Mimi will explain everything. Hope you enjoy this chapter.
l33t k1w1: Aw, thank you for highly recommending it and putting it on your favs. (tears in eyes) (sniff) Anyway, just to tell you, doesn't Mimi already have those guardian powers? I didn't invent that…
jamesstutz and Neo Aguni: Thanks.
Lloyd (Irving)Aurion: I know, I myself wasn't expecting the previous chapter to be updated so quickly, but it happened to be the Xmas holidays, and I had a lot of time, so I thought to give you guys an early first update. (smiles) But I'm afraid this update took ages, and the future ones will probably be the same, since my next holiday is halfway through February. But I hope to continuously see your reviews (wink).
TkMacintosh: Thanks! You're probably my most enthusiastic reviewer, lol!lost-forgotten-alone: Thanks, and happy New Year to you too! (Though it's slightly late! But it is almost Chinese New Year!) And sugar is gut for youuuuuu! Mwahaha! OMG, Kai is a muse of yours! I LOVE Kai! (chases after Kai)
Kai: AAAAH! A weird, demented woman is chasing after me!
Black Demon567: You like the fic, Black? Aw, that's sweet of you. And I'd never complain if you didn't review! (eyes shift around) And I'm sorry about the long delay in updating… (sigh)
animeaddict99: And I'm happy that you're happy! Hehe!
Disclaimer: I do not own Duel Masters.
Duel Masters: Over The Rainbow
Chapter 3: Sakura
"Mimi?" Shobu finally breathed, his eyes locked on hers.
"Yeah, it's me." Mimi smiled softly, her own eyes gazing back into Shobu's brown orbs. "…I-It's nice to see you both again."
Shobu's POV
It was definitely Mimi… I… I stood there, dumb and speechless. I must have looked a complete idiot.
But can you blame me? I haven't seen Mimi for three years! And I've missed her. I always think of her… I…
Shut up, Shobu! Shut up!
I shook my head, trying desperately to clear my thoughts.
"Mimi?" Shobu finally breathed, his eyes locked on hers.
"Yeah, it's me." Mimi smiled softly, her own eyes gazing back into Shobu's brown orbs. "…I-It's nice to see you both again."
Hakuoh was the first to speak after that.
"It's great that you're back, Mimi… You said to Shobu you had news for us?" his normally calm and peaceful eyes were dark and serious, and he got straight to the point.
Mimi nodded slowly. "I do… But let us go to a more private area."
Throughout this, I just continued staring at my old friend. I couldn't believe it… I really couldn't. Was she real? The nightmares I have had for these past three years have confused my brain, twisting dreams with reality…
Mimi walked to me, and placed her hand on mine. My body was zapped awake, and I lifted my head up to look into her eyes. She stared into mine, her orbs almost emotionless, though containing a hint of happiness. Was she fake?
No, she was real, for sure. Mimi was back, after all these years of waiting…
Normal POVMimi drew away from Shobu, and smiled at him. Finally, Shobu smiled back at her. A relieved, happy smile. Mimi sensed a weight had been lifted off Shobu's consciousness, and felt glad.
"Come on." Mimi said to her friends, turning around. "I know a private place." She began walking off, and Shobu and Hakuoh followed her away.
"Hm… I wonder where the hell Shobu and Hakuoh were going…" Rakudah mused.
"Oh, stop thinking about it, Rakudah!" Saiyuki laughed cheerfully as she talked with Toru and Kintaro. "They'll be back! What they're doing can't be that serious!"
"Hey Saiyuki, we're gonna get us some ice cream! Which flavour do you want?" Toru called to the red head.
Saiyuki gave it a moment's thought. "Strawberry please."
"Vanilla please." Rakudah replied when Toru turned to him.
"Coffee." Kintaro said.
"Jimirah? Do you want ice cream?" Toru asked the teenager, who was leaning against a wall, watching them with dislike. He rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, sure, as long as you pay for it. I want chocolate."
(A/N: Damnit, why did I let Jimirah choose my favourite type of ice cream? I must be out of my mind?)
"And I'll have… Mint choc chip." Toru said to himself as he bought the ice creams.
"Which country this time?" Aeris snapped.
"Japan." The clocked figure replied.
"We're going back to Japan?" Sakura asked in dismay.
"It's time…" the clocked man whispered.
"Time for what?" Benny Haha asked, folding his arms.
"Shut up." Aeris glared at the sixteen-year-old boy, who glowered back.
"It's time to face them." The last person in the room, who was a tall, young girl, said coldly.
"Them, Faith? Are you serious?" Sakura's eyes widened. "I have to face… h-him?"
"Yes, Sakura." Faith's eyes bored into the younger girl's. "You must face him. And win."
"I know you will." The dark clocked figure spoke up now. "I have faith in you, Sakura. You are strong enough. And if you don't want to go…" the man snapped his fingers, and two big strong men suddenly leapt into the room and seized Aaron. "…Then he will be the first to go."
Aaron struggled. "Get lost!"
"Leave him alone! I will do it!" Sakura yelled. The dark figure nodded, and the two large men backed off, and released Aaron. Tears sprung to the young girl's chocolate brown eyes.
"Good, Sakura. You know what would happen if you defied me. First Aaron. Then Aeris. And then the rest of them… And you know they're all under my control. They wouldn't be able to escape me… They know their fate is in your hands… And I sincerely hope they're in good hands."
Sakura blinked to try and stop the hot tears from leaking out. She ran to Aaron, who was being stabilised by Aeris. Benny watched with no emotion, and Faith stood behind Aaron, her expression blank, but her mind whirling. "I'm so sorry…" Sakura whispered into Aaron's ear.
Aaron smiled. "It's okay, Sakura… It's not your fault…"
Sakura looked up and eyed the dark figure with contempt. "What can I do? I don't want to go back to Japan… I wanted to leave it behind with my past… But now…"
Mimi, Shobu and Hakuoh were sitting together in Mimi's apartment. Mimi's hand still clutched the document she had found in the fallen Temple, and now she laid it carefully on the coffee table in the middle of her living room. "Take a seat, guys." Mimi smiled.
"Right, back down to business." Mimi's face was suddenly grave. "I have something of great importance to tell you both… Yesterday, I returned to Japan, and decided to visit the fallen Temple." At this, Hakuoh flinched slightly, and Shobu's eyes widened in surprise and disbelief. "In Master's… I mean, his old office, I found some documents in his desk cupboards that he'd accidentally left behind…"
"Documents?" Hakuoh's eyes widened.
"Yes." Mimi nodded, her expression dark."
"And you learnt something from them." It was more a statement than a question from the blue haired boy.
"I did."
"Tell us." Shobu said firmly, making eye contact with Mimi.
Mimi turned to him, and nodded. "Okay… Here's what I read. To cut the story short, he planned, after you defeated Hakuoh, Shobu, to rebuild the Temple in a different country. Do what he used to do…"
"He what!" Hakuoh exclaimed. Shobu's mouth fell open.
"The nerve of that-" Shobu stopped himself from swearing in time.
"What now? Where are they? What shall we do?" Hakuoh began rambling on and asking questions.
"Hakuoh, stop." Mimi said firmly, and made her friend shut up. "But that's not all! It turns out he isn't the boss of everything… There was another, more stronger guy behind the Temple."
"There is?" Shobu groaned. "Great."
"And I think he was murdered some time after his failure with Hakuoh. By the real leader of the Temple." Mimi continued. "So… Then this weirdo did move the Temple organisation… To America."
"America!" Hakuoh's voice was getting louder – very un-Hakuoh-like.
"That's the biggest, most powerful, and most influential country on the planet at the moment." Shobu said glumly, as if stating the facts from a geography book.
"Yes." Mimi nodded. "And I'm afraid this guy succeeded… Obviously, I don't know the rest, because that was three years ago, but I bet the idiot has the organisation running strong and well… And knowing him before he died, he would go after Shobu, and maybe Hakuoh, when he had gotten strong players again. And this guy will probably do the same." Mimi's eyes glinted. "Because his aim is to take over the world of duelling… And with it… Everything else."
"I don't want to sound… Horrible or anything…" Shobu said after a short silence. "But Mimi, you don't know when they'll come for me… Or us… They may come a few years later."
Mimi grabbed a magazine lying on the table. "I was reading this on the plane yesterday, and I was not suspicious at all… After all, why should I be? Have a read." She handed the magazine over to her friends at a certain page. Hakuoh read the article aloud:
"The newest American duelling sensation, eighteen-year-old Sakura Kimura, is flying over to Japan on the 25th May to compete in her own duelling contest in Tokyo. This will be run and sponsored by her own agent's company, and the bookmakers say that they bet this will be a huge success, and already they are giving us odds of who will win. Our own sensation, Shobu Kirifuda, is rumoured to be in this competition…"
"What!" Shobu exclaimed loudly, interrupting Hakuoh, "I hadn't even heard of the contest until now!"
Mimi took the magazine from Hakuoh's hands and laid it onto the coffee table again, and stared into her friends' eyes. "Shobu, their rumour is understandable though, since you are the best player." This made the teenager shut up, and listen. "But as you can see guys, this activity is most suspicious. The event's in a few weeks, and Sakura girl will be coming over here to duel, obviously. She is amazing, and that's putting it lightly. You will most definitely be invited, Shobu. The rest of the article states the name of her boss and sponsor. His name's Gino Baxton. A very rich man – he's a multi-billionaire. I have no doubt that he's the head of the new temple."
Hakuoh frowned. "What do we do then?"
Shobu nodded. "We can't stop them."
Mimi's eyes glinted. "We can."
"How?" Shobu and Hakuoh said simultaneously, both leaning forward in their chairs.
Mimi stared out of the window, and at the buildings all around. Her eyes were angrily fiery and determined, though they contained a sad, mournful hint. "By taking this Sakura girl down, and get to the Temple. Then… then we destroy Gino Baxton… forever."
Princess Viv: Finally! I am done! (sobs)
Once again, I am very sorry for the delay. About the next update… Nothing is guaranteed, but I'm guessing that maybe I can write this chappie in the next two weeks – but NO guarantees. If I can't, I can't. I'm sorry, but I do have a social life, and other things. But I promise I will definitely update.
Please review (it may make me update faster… (wink) Lol) and I hope you enjoyed this.