My Unwanted Egyptian Wedding
A/N: Okay, this is a continuation from the Hala and Malik story. Try not to get lost in fluff! And I do not support the idea of under 15 make out scenes, despite what you see here! Also I will never own Yu-Gi-Oh! If you are a millionaire willing to purchase, follow the yellow brick road.
Chapter 6: Tattooed Curse
Over a year had passed since Malik had met his girlfriend, Hala. He was 14 now and had gotten taller. He and Hala were deeply in love but they kept it a secret from her parents. No word had come from his elder siblings, but his new 'family' didn't mind having him. Malik also helped in the fields and worked in the city. They saw each other less and less as they grew. Hala wasn't allowed to go in the city by herself and everyone was too busy to take her. Sometimes, Malik's work was slow and he came over to see her. Hala's mother suspected their little romance but didn't object to it.
Late one evening, Hala was gathering some flowers to sell the next day when she saw a figure move in the dark. She gasped.
"It's just me, Kalila." said the voice she longed to hear.
Hala dropped the basket and ran to the voice's location.
"Malik!" she cried. The girl hugged him tightly.
"Kalila, you're so warm."
"And you are dirty like a pig that has stayed in the mud too long." she said affectionately.
He laughed. "Sassing me again, hm?" Malik kissed her forehead.
"Of course. I can't always be your kitten, you know."
"But you're always adorable." They let go of each other and she went to go pick up the woven basket. Hala looked at her boyfriend and noticed the rips and black streaks on his shirt.
"Mechanics are tough, aren't they?" she asked.
Malik looked at his ruined shirt. He grinned and rubbed his hand on his long, white-blond hair. "Ahehehe... yeah,"
She shook her head.
"But that's okay because I got paid for overtime!" He pulled out a check.
Hala tried to hide her shock. "Well...wow."
"You know what I deserve?"
"A kiss?"
"Actually I was gonna say food. But that works too."
Malik wrapped his strong arms around Hala. She put her hands on his back and under torn shirt. His lips gently touched hers. When their kiss ended, Hala asked,
"Do you have a tattoo?"
"Well...um...sort of." he stuttered.
"Lemme see!" Hala whispered eagerly.
"Hala, do you have to?" Malik stalled.
"No. Are you ashamed of them or something?"
"Yeah." He tried to look away from her. "But you can see them anyways." He began to unbutton his shirt.
"It's okay. If you don't want to..." Hala stepped back.
"I think I should show you."
"What?"
Malik removed his shirt and turned around. Hala gasped. "Marks... marks of the pharaoh. Oh my God." She fell to her knees.
"Hala? Hala, what's wrong?"
"Who are you? That's the scariest thing I've ever...seen." Hala inhaled. "And the scars under your eyes," She traced the black cuts. "Those are marks too."
Malik nodded. He reached his arms out but Hala scooted away. "I'm sorry Malik, but I can't... I can't..."
"But you promised me—"
"It's not you. It's that." Hala mumbled.
"Fine." He stood up and began to walk. He dropped the paycheck. "Take the money. I don't need it."
Hala looked up to the scarred boy. "Malik,"
"This why I hate where I come from. It takes me away from my love." Malik turned to her with tears shrouding his purple eyes. He spun around and ran off. Hala began to cry.
Malik didn't return to her over the next several months no matter how much his heart hurt. He never it would never be the same. He became cold and heartless. His change was even worse than before he met Hala. Malik afraid he would hurt her. A dark voice in his head reminded him constantly that he didn't belong with Hala or anyone else.
The voice tormented him every night. His eyes lost their shine and he scared the people around him. He was falling into the inner soul he had tried to keep away for years. But now, he was losing.
"Hala!" Makeema called. Her friend bounced over to her. The girl looked at her with a saddened smile. "Hala? Why are you always down?"
Hala had noticed she was getting depressed later. Without Malik around nothing could cheer her up. She wondered if she would ever see him again. All the time Hala felt bad for how she had acted on that night. It wasn't his fault he had those scars. He never wanted to be an Ishtar. It was unfortunate fate's fault.
"I'm fine, really."
Makeema sighed, asking not another question, even though she knew something terrible had happened to her.
That night, Hala went to the city with some money to buy fruit. She was alone for the first time. She hoped to see Malik but reason shot her wish down. How could she find him in such a big place if she didn't even know where lived? Hala sighed; reason had won. The girl kept looking for the fruit stand when she realized she was lost! She had gotten so carried away while her feet took her into city slums. Homeless beggars sat on the sidewalks and on building steps. She choked from the thick smoke and squinted as dust got into her eyes.
"How am I going to get out of here?" she asked herself.
"I can help you." a stranger told the girl. The voice sounded familar and reassuring. She saw the outstretched hand and took it. Now out of the frightening neighborhood, Hala looked to her guide. She couldn't make out the face hidden behind the black hood.
"Please sir. Let me see your face so I can properly thank you."
"Are you sure, dear? I might scare you away." the man said.
"Yes."
He pulled the cloak from his head and Hala tried to hold back a shriek.
"Malik?"
The man looked a lot like him, but his lavender eyes were icy and dead, his platinum blonde hair was clumped in sharp spikes.
"I'm not Malik anymore." he said passively.
"Yes you are! You're the man I love and you can't change that."
"If I was Malik still, I would be smiling and at your side. All I am now is a monster."
"Since when! This vile and horrid city life has changed you, hasn't it?"
"No." The man put the hood back on. "You took my soul and all the life I had. And no I can't get it back." He started to head back to the slums and Hala ran after him.
"What are you talking about? Don't act like another person! I'm sorry for what I said! I'm honestly sorry from the very bottom of my heart. Why do you have to act like this?"
He stopped. "Because I'm trying to protect you!" The man pushed her back from him and disappeared into the shadows. Hala didnn't follow him that time.
"Protect me?"
A few days after Malik's run in with Hala, he saw his brother Rishid.
"Brother! Brother!" he called.
The tall man turned to look at him and smiled. "Master Malik!"
"Almost two years!"
"Where on earth have you been?" Malik looked down in response to the question. "You've changed, haven't you?"
He nodded.
"Never mind that. We must get Isis and get out of here."
"We're leaving!" Malik cried.
"Of course we are!" Rishid looked at him with confusion. "Isis needs to get back to her new museum job in Cairo. Israel doesn't have a Cairo."
"Okay but...I need to see someone before I go."
Malik arrived in the village he had lived in. He smiled faintly at the familiar scene of little children running in the fields and older women gathering water from the stone well. He called hello from the hut door.
"Malik?" the grandmother cried. "Malik is here!" A stampede of kids from the back of the hut came with the announcement, followed by their parents.
The little children repeated his name excitedly, even refined Alyssa. Malik didn't see Hala. Hiding his worry he asked everyone to sit down. They all planted themselves down on the old rug, except the grandmother who listened intently as she clicked away on her loom.
"I want to tell you all...that I found my family." The room burst into cheer. "I want you to meet Rishid, my brother."
The tall man stepped in the room and everyone stared up at him.
"Your brother is scary." Lily said loudly. Alyssa slapped her.
"Don't be so indecent!" she whispered.
"No it's quite alright. I am pretty scary." Rishid chuckled.
The family talked for a while. All seemed cheerful when Hala's father asked, "So where do you guys come from?"
The awkward question turned to ice spears for the brothers.
'My past will never go away! Why does it always haunt me!' Malik tried to suppress his evil feelings. He realized he would have to tell them the truth.
"I never wanted to tell you, but I'm an..." He choked out his clan's name. "Ishtar."
The wooden loom dropped to the floor with a crack. The two older children gasped and the mother's eyes widened.
"I knew it!" the father cried. "I had a feeling you were one! The light blond hair, the purple eyes and the tattoos under them... why is it such a shock to you all?"
The rest of his family didn't share his excitement.
"How can you say something like that with such glee? Do you know what an Ishtar DOES!" the grandmother yelled.
"Of course I know. But there is no way anyone came bring back the dead. No way."
"I don't care what your job and... this science tells you. They are the curse and I want them out!"
"Grandmother," Malik muttered. "Please don't hate me for my given heritage."
The old woman harrumphed. "I won't hate you, my darling child. It is the other Ishtars I will hate. Still it is best for you to leave now before the other villagers learn of your background. For generations we have been dreading this day."
"Yes, but may I see Hala before I go?"
"Hala is ill." her mother spoke up. "She has had a fever for the past few weeks."
Malik stood up and went to the back room. Hala laid on a cushion and was wrapped in many blankets. Her face was pale and her cheeks were flushed. She didn't open her eyes when he walked in. Malik heard her heavy breathing.
"Kalila?"
"Malik..."
"Oh Ra, what have I done?" He rushed to her side and held her hot limp hand. "Please forgive me for the pain I caused you."
"You were trying to protect me. I understood." she said weakly.
His eyes widened. "How did I protect you? I let you get sick, my sweet Kalila! Oh God."
"I'm alive aren't I?" she muttered confidantly. "I've had this fever for at least 17 days now. Most people would die by the sixth. You did protect me, Malik."
"No, Hala, I didn't. I let anger push me away from you. You have been ill for so long and I wasn't at your side.
"I'll be fine. Just promise me one thing." the weakened girl coughed.
"Anything."
"Don't be so serious. Or mean."
"I promise. And I won't leave you again."
"But your brother, you found him. You should go."
Malik sighed. He wondered how it seemed all the time his siblings would only ruin good things when they tried to help.
"I will stay until you get better, my Kalila."
Like Malik said, the two Ishtar stayed for several days. He hardly left Hala's side. The family was not shaken at Malik's presence. They entrusted her life with him. It had become obvious now that Malik and Hala were in love.
After four days, Hala was better again.
"A miracle!" her jubilant mother cried. "Only love would make her better."
Malik took her to a faraway field a mile or two from the village. The two were glad to get away from the busy neighborhood. They laid down on the mat Hala brought. For a while they didn't say anything. They gazed up at the sky together in each other's arms.
Hala nestled her head in the crook between Malik's neck and shoulder. Her eyes were closed and she looked very peaceful. Malik smiled as he felt the girl's warmth.
She moved her head a little and their lips touched. Neither of them drew their head back. His hands ran under her tunic and over her small waist. Hala pushed herself on top of Malik.
"Kalila..." he whispered.
He could tell she was trying to get his shirt off and helped her. Through her half opened eyes she stared for a second. He heard her draw breath.
"..." Hala looked up at him with wide green eyes. Malik held back his smirk (and his squeal about how adorable she looked...).
He took his right hand off her stomach and placed it on her cheek. She gazed at him with loving eyes. With his left, he removed her shirt. Instead of jumping back in surprise, like he expected, she put her exposed chest on his.
"Sneaky...now you'll have to marry me." Hala mumbled.
"And I certainly don't mind that." He kissed her again and they remained shirtless till it got cold.
On the sixth day, Malik had to leave with Rishid. Hala and her father took them to the airport. When they arrived, they all got out of the car to say farewell. Both Malik and Hala were crying. They hugged goodbye and, through sobs, vowed, "Don't forget. Promise to return someday."
They had one last kiss, whispered "I love you," and went their separate ways. They both kept looking back at each other until they vanished into the crowds.
"Hala, don't forget me. I'll be there for you." Malik thought to himself as the brothers boarded the plane.
(End of sidetrack. Oh gosh, you people don't know how hard it was for me to write the perverse fluff.)
Malik jolted up. He realized he was just dreaming about her. Looking around the dark living room he saw the digital clock. "4:30 AM"
'I made a promise. I need to see Hala again.' He decided he would look for her.
Hala would now be 17 and a half. When he last saw her, at the airport she was only 5 feet and 3 inches tall and her hair was curled at her shoulders. Malik wondered what she would look like now. He hadn't truly gotten over her. Now in Japan, it would be hard for him to ever go back to Israel. He forgot many Hebrew words. However he had just enough money to pay for a low-class round trip to see her. But what then?
He couldn't go back to before this arraigned marriage had started. And how would she survive on her own? Malik doubted she would speak Japanese. He decided he would stay with her.
'In a week,' he told himself. 'I will return to Kalila.'
Monday...
Anzu was in a good mood. She didn't see grumpy Malik that morning and it was enough to cheer her up. Also her first day of work was awesome.
Her friends noticed her beaming rays of sunshine as she strode proudly to her seat for first period.
"Hey Anzu, what's up?" Jonouchi asked. They were glad to see a smile on her face. After all she had been rather gloomy for a long while.
"My job!"
"Job?" he asked.
"Yeah, I work at this new cafe called "Sugar Sweet" and it's the best." Her eyes sparkled as they spoke.
"It must be good. I've never seen you so happy." Otogi remarked in awe.
"The people there are so much fun."
"Glad to see you're pumped." Honda grinned. 'She really is happy again.' he thought.
Soon the day was over and Anzu skipped her way down the block. She bumped into a person in front of her.
"Oh sorry mister." She bowed a little with sincerity. As her eyes saw the sidewalk, a dreaded voice responded,
"You don't have to be so formal, Anzu."
She swung her head back up and was about to bolt in the other direction when a pale strong hand grabbed her shoulder firmly.
"Don't run away from me." the harsh voice growled. The albino pushed her to the wall, pinning her arms to the cold concrete. Anzu wrists and head were beginning to throb.
"Let me go." She tried to sound tough but failed miserably. Her voice disappeared as she screamed.
"You're the one who wants this, don't you?" He whispered in her ear. Anzu winced. Where was the kind hearted-boy she admired?
'How could you be so stupid again?' her conscious yelled. 'You screwed up again. Now he's going to use you, idiot.'
Everyone who passed the corner ignored them. Bakura dragged the helpless mute into his car.
As he pulled into the driveway he instructed her, "If you make one sound, you'll be dead. Not a sound."
Anzu was scared out of her mind so she only nodded, hoping his threats were only bluffs. Once inside the now locked house her captor pushed Anzu to the hard wooden floor. She kept back a groan from the pain in her bones. After binding her hands together tightly, Bakura rolled the girl on her back and crouched over her. He pulled out a gold object from his back pocket. Anzu realized it was dagger. She scooted away and knocked him down in the process. Her getaway was foiled. He landed on top of her.
The crazed man chuckled. "Pathetic woman."
His twisted grin faded as he began to chant in his past tongue. He sat on top of her lower abdomen and seared curled marks around her navel. She screeched at the pain but lowered her yells to whimpers remembering his threat.
For 20 minutes he chanted as he slashed her delicate pale skin. Abruptly he stopped and got off of her. Anzu didn't move. She felt dizzy as felt the blood drain from her face.
"Don't turn over. You've already lost a lot of blood. Any pressure to your stomach can kill you."
"What do you care? Weren't you just trying to do that yourself."
"You'll learn what I did in time."
She ended up on his floor for days. Bakura stayed with her, speaking to her in a foreign language as if the exhausted girl would understand him. She asked herself when Malik would be coming.
'Why was I glad when I didn't see Malik? He's not going to come rescue me again. Not after what I did to him...'
Anzu refused to eat most of Bakura's food. She hated being unable to move most of the time. She hated not being able to yell at him because she lacked the strength to. Most of all she hated him.
After two weeks, the wounds started to become blackish imprints. She also regained strength. One morning she looked at her waist in the bathroom mirror. Anzu gasped. Curved writing circled her navel in an intricate black pattern. A set of wings arched at the belly button. They looked similar to the ones on Malik's back.
"Oh God...no!" She burst out of the bathroom. She looked mad, her arms flailing and practically blind by tears. Bakura jumped in front of her as she ran for the door.
"Get away from me you deranged psycho!"
She struggled against his strong grip on her arms. Although he could tell she didn't have the energy to fight him, her spirit was pushing him away.
'Her soul is fighting fate? How long can it hold up?' Bakura suppressed his surprise. Suddenly, Anzu stopped squirming.
"Let me go, monster." This time it was not Anzu's high pitched voice but a darker evil voice commanding. Her skin became burning hot and a blue aura surrounded her body. He dropped her and the now possessed girl glared at him. Her blue eyes were now red eyes with black slits. He could see the marks also glowing blue. Bakura stepped back.
'She should not have had this effect. Anzu was supposed to lose consciousness not glow blue! Shit!'
"Fear me more, Bakura." The girl's lips curled into a twisted smile. "It will make your death enjoyable."
She pounced on him and as he fell to the floor the rabid Anzu clawed at his skin.
(Backtrack!)
The same day Anzu was kidnapped, Malik was preparing to leave the country. Malik rushed out of the empty house eager to get to the bus. He left no note for Anzu and took only a small suitcase. No one knew that he would be leaving to Israel to find Hala. He doubted anyone even knew who she was except for Rishid. But Rishid would probably have forgotten her by now. Even so, he wouldn't expect for him to head there.
The bus arrived and in half an hour the Egyptian was at the airport ready to board the plane. He never questioned himself. He knew Hala would kept her promise as he was keeping his.
'From minute I left you, you never left my heart, dear Kalila.'
Malik stepped on the plane and it soon took off. He closed his eyes dreaming about his one true love.
(To the present)
"Guys something weird is going on..." Otogi mentioned in class. "Anzu and Ryou still haven't come back to school."
"Golden Week is going to start in four days. If they aren't back by Friday there must be trouble." Honda remarked.
"If they aren't back by the first bell we're skipping." Jonouchi decided.
"What?" they protested.
"How can we just sit here in class worrying about our friends when we can go to see them?"
"True." The bell had rung and no one entered the door. One by one, they snuck out of class and headed to Anzu's apartment.
When Honda knocked on the door, an old man answered.
"Didn't Anzu say she moved?" Otogi asked.
"That would have been good to know ten minutes ago, genius!" Honda scoffed.
"Whatever,"
No one knew her new address so they took a bus to Ryou. The door was unlocked, surprisingly. Ryou was a pretty meticulous person and usually wouldn't miss things like that. They stepped inside, quietly. Honda gasped with his eyes wide open. The others looked to see.
Ryou was lying in a pool of blood. Otogi rushed to call the hospital as Jonouchi tried not to freak out. When he calmed down he observed the strange gold knife clutched in his hand. It also had blood on it but Ryou's body had marks different from the one the dagger would make.
"Talons...of a bird." Honda muttered.
"Ryou was attacked by a bird?"
The hospital and police arrived but the boys couldn't offer much help. The police could only figure out that the attack happened that morning, most likely two hours before their appearance. The students got in trouble for skipping school, but made off with a day's detention. Honda, Jonouchi and Otogi talked about the incident during as they cleaned up the halls.
"What do you think happened to him?" Otogi pondered.
"I have no clue."
"It was weird though. Like really weird." Honda muttered.
"But it sucks though..." Otogi trailed off.
"What?" they asked.
"How when Yugi left all these things are going on."
"Yeah. Hey, you know we haven't heard from him in two months or something?" Jonouchi announced.
"And we still didn't find Anzu." Honda added.
"Will you guys stop talking so loud, I'm trying to run my business here."
"Oh shut up Kaiba!" Jonouchi barked.
"Anzu is missing and she is living unlike your computer!" Otogi agreed. The CEO stopped tapping at the keyboard.
"She's what?" He actually looked up at them, to their disbelief.
"Didn't you notice?" Honda asked.
"Why do you care? Don't you hate us?" The blond stepped in.
"Yes." Kaiba reminded himself. "Forget I asked." He walked past them. They gaped as his shoes clicked on the school floor tiles.
"And what just happened now?" Honda said rather loudly.
"You know there isn't a teacher to keep watch, right?" Otogi said off-subject.
"Let's go!" the others shouted. The green-eyed boy rolled his eyes at his friends' stupidity.
'We have to find Anzu before something really does happen to her...if it already hasn't.' Otogi told himself. 'And just where is her fiancé?'
A strange black-winged creature watched the students over the school rooftop. Its talons gripped the railing as it dangled over the edge.
'New targets.' It cackled, blood dripping from the corners of its twisted grin.
End of Chapter 6
Jina-chan: I'm losing the interest to update. No one reviewed since chapter 4! And the last one was a flame! Is my story really that unworthy of good comments?
Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa and Happy other Holidays you guys celebrate! See you in 2006!
(An Important note! I will be changing the summary and first two chapters soon! You must remember either the title or my name: Jina-chan!)