Disclaimer: Wow, a quick update. How rare.
A/N: I have picked apart the Rules and Guidelines and couldn't find the bit about 'don't reply to reviews' so I am!
Beastfire: Hmm... I might use them in my next story, but for this one, it focuses more on my couple. Though Ivy might make a brief appearance, dunno yet
obsessive.turtle.lover: I know you know, lol, seeing as I kept asking you if you were alright with it. But thanks all the same.
Twister91: Onyx, don't make me set Ichigo on you. We both know what'll happen!

Jamara: hehe, Bakura is indeed very cute! And shy too, much unlike his sister.

Alchemy Hope: Thank you!

Lmann: Yes indeed there is. grabs Batman I was wondering where you'd got to!
Astral Firefly: Well it could be, then again it might not! But I ain't gonna say!

Zakuro flicked open the book then gasped,
"its Malachite's diary!" she cried, eyes widening. She knew she ought to give it back, not read it and memorise it for future blackmailing, but this is Zakuro people. She flicked through the boring entries until she found one which caught her attention; it had a photo of her on it. Curiously she read on,
Dear Diary, that lousy brat Zakuro kept arguing with me today. She never stops! Honestly, she's so stubborn and arrogant, it drives me mad. But recently, I've been feeling weird around her, and we've been picking fights for no reason. It's kinda like we're fighting for the sake of fighting rather than for a real reason. I wonder... if we didn't fight, would we get along? Ichigo told me a saying where you always hurt the ones you love, maybe if I stopped and tried to be nice then we could be friends. But the kid's so stubborn and suspicious she probably wouldn't give me a chance.
Zakuro slapped the book shut and snorted, it was just like him to write some sentimental junk like that! Them being friends, the very idea was ludicrous. And yet... a small part of her couldn't help but like the thought of getting along with Malachite. No more fighting and no more yelling.
She shook her head rapidly, getting rid of her thoughts. What was WRONG with her? She and Malachite had always fought, for as long as she could remember and it wasn't gonna change. But she felt her eyes reread over Malachite's words and she scowled,
"Stupid dork" she spat, threw the book on her desk and picked up Bakura.
They played outside in the park, Zakuro tossing Bakura a ball whilst her mind continued to dwell on Malachite's words. Suddenly she felt someone behind her and came face to face with Malachite, she squeaked slightly and glared.
"What are you doing sneaking up on me?" she demanded, angrier that she squeaked in fright than at Malachite, Malachite handed her her diary silently. Zakuro looked shocked as she took it then she glared at him,
"So you did take it!" she accused, eyes narrowing.
"No, I found it in my room" he replied, sounding unusually hurt by her words. Zakuro snorted,
"Yeah right, so it just happened to be in your room and you just happened to see it. I bet you read it all!" she hugged it close and saw a flash of something go through Malachite's eyes. She couldn't place the something but whatever it was it didn't seem like the Malachite she knew so well. But his eyes quickly darkened and he glared at her,
"For your information, I read none of it!" he replied crossly, hands on his hips. "I respect others' privacy!" Zakuro bristled at this and glared back,
"Oh and I don't then?" she asked rhetorically. Malachite gave her a 'what-do-you-think?' look and she lunged at him.
Soon they were in a dust cloud, scrapping like dogs and yelling at each other. Bakura watched them sadly then he felt someone behind him and turned to see a caped and hooded human grab him and teleport away.
Zakuro continued to beat Malachite mercilessly until she noticed something missing in the corner of her eye,
"Bakura?" she asked turning away from Malachite, and she gasped when she saw him gone, "no! Oh no!" she ran to the place where he'd been and looked around desperately, "Bakura!" she called.
Malachite watched her call desperately; he felt pity for her even though she'd just been beating the crud out of him five minutes earlier. Rain started to fall and Malachite looked up in thought, he tried to block out Zakuro's pitiful cries but he turned and looked at her. Tears were streaming down her face and she hiccoughed as she called, he felt his body run on automatic as he walked up to her and put a hand on her shoulder,
"Zaki..." he said in a soft voice, "he's gone"
This simple sentence was enough to bring her to her knees and she covered her face and cried. Malachite looked slightly shocked to see this side of Zakuro, a side he'd never seen at all. He felt an overwhelming rush of emotion and, before he knew it, he reached down and hugged her close.
Zakuro felt shocked as his strong arms encircled her then she felt something pull her nearer to him. She couldn't help smiling at the feeling of completeness it gave her and she leaned in and rested her head on his shoulder, enjoying the feeling of ease he gave her.
"Malachite?" asked a voice and Malachite sat back, shattering the warmth Zakuro felt in his arms. Petalite walked towards them, holding an umbrella and looking worried, "are you ok?" Malachite smiled at her and hugged her tightly, Zakuro felt sadness fill her heart as she watched them hug and share a quick kiss.
"Fine" he replied, beaming at Petalite, "let's go" Petalite nodded then Malachite turned to Zakuro, "you coming?" he asked, the look in his eyes changing when he laid eyes on her, soaked, sitting in a puddle and looking pathetic, and Zakuro looked away.
"No" she whispered hoarsely, "I'm gonna stay out a while longer" if she'd looked up she would've seen Malachite's expression change to concern, but he quickly shook his head and took Petalite's hand,
"Ok then! See you inside!" he said brightly.
Zakuro waited until their footsteps died away and she broke down again.
Bakura blinked and looked around, he was in a dark room, filled with scary gooey creatures and he was being carried by the hooded human in the cape, he looked where they were going and saw a throne high up with a skeleton man on it. The skeleton smiled, ghoulishly,
"Excellent" he purred, relishing their arrival with his eyes gazing predatorily at Bakura, "you've done well, my minion"
"Thank you, your grace" replied the hooded man, bowing. The skeleton walked down to them and grinned at Bakura as one would a prize,
"With this child, we will soon be rid of the Hyper Force!" he gloated, making Bakura wince at the evil in it. The skeleton stopped and he grinned at the hooded man, "go now, and complete your mission" the hooded man took off his hood and Bakura almost screamed. The man looked exactly like Ryou; the only difference was the blue ends to his hair and the evil smirk on his face. "Go now, Otogi!"
Otogi smiled wickedly and placed Bakura in front of the Skeleton King before bowing and walking away.
"Otogi?" questioned Bakura quietly, as he watched him go.
Malachite looked out, anxiously, into the dark gloom of the park where Zakuro was still sitting in the rain.
"She should've come in by now" he murmured in worry, then he felt someone tap his shoulder. Petalite handed him a steaming mug and smiled,
"Thinking deeply?" she asked, standing beside him. Malachite smiled,
"Nah, just wondering when Zaki's gonna move her butt and come in. She's gonna get a cold at this rate!" he replied. Petalite smiled warmly at him,
"I love how much you care for her, like she was your little sister" Malachite almost froze up when she said that.
'Care for her like sister? Is that why I felt compelled to hug her?' he reasoned with it, 'must be, what else could it be?' he drank his drink as he thought and gazed out at her, 'maybe... all the feelings I felt were just platonic love. I was concerned for her like she was my family, nothing more...'
Zakuro sniffed and felt tears mix with rain as they ran down her face. He didn't love her, never would. She'd finally realised the truth about her feelings when he hugged her, but she knew... he wouldn't feel the same.
"And who can blame him?" she sobbed bitterly, "when he's got someone as great as Petalite, why would he want anything like that to do with me?" she felt more tears fall and sniffed. "And now...now Bakura gone too, it's all my fault!" she broke down and cried more.
"No it's not" said a quiet voice behind her and she spun round. Malachite stood over her with an umbrella, keeping the rain off, she looked up at him, confused, as he smiled and held out his hand. He helped her up and held onto her hand, "Don't be so hard on yourself, Zakuro" She looked at their hands then back at him and sniffed a little,
"But now what can I do?" she whispered, looking away. Malachite smiled,
"How about we go after him?" he suggested and Zakuro looked shocked.
"We?" she asked and Malachite nodded,
"It's my fault too, so I'm going to help you" he explained and Zakuro grinned, she felt so happy that he flung her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.
"Oh thank you Malachite!" she squealed, then blushed when she realised what she'd done and broke off. Malachite looked a little shocked too but then he collected himself and smiled,
"Now let's go get your brother!" he said and Zakuro cheered as they left.
Meanwhile, Skeleton King watched from his throne as he gazed into his sceptre,
"Fools" he said, grinning widely "Walking straight into my trap like lambs to the slaughter!" he laughed and it echoed throughout the citadel. Bakura heard it and shivered in fear,
"Oh Zaki" he sobbed, "I hope you'll be alright!"

Yay, chapter two done! And it sucks really badly, at least to me it does. Review people and remember to guess the couple, unless you already know!
Here's the clue:
One of the OCs belongs to me, the other doesn't