Disclaimer: Guess who doesn't own Sailor Moon or YGO! Stop when you get to Dustbunny
A/N: I'm happy with how well this is moving along. I was so obsessed with cliff hangers on every chapter that it was taking forever. Two more chapter and it'll be where it was- and it had eight chapters!
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At about half past ten that evening, Anzu was just getting out of the shower when she heard her ring tone sound. Realizing that it might be Isis, she quickly wrapped a towel around herself and darted for her room, leaving her clothes in a heap on the bathroom floor. She lunged for her cell phone where it rested on her bed.
"Hello," Anzu gasped into the phone after flipping it on.
"Anzu?" Isis greeted. "Hold on a moment. I'm going to switch us to conference call."
Anzu heard a few beeps over the line, then Isis's voice again.
"Hello? Are we all here?"
"I'm here," Anzu replied, getting up to close her door and grab some pajamas from her dresser.
"So am I," chimed Mai.
"Me too," Shizuka said.
"So, Isis, what's the plan? How're we gonna do it?" Mai asked strait off. "Or were you yanking our chains?"
"No, I was serious before," Isis responded. "I needed to check up on something, which is why I couldn't explain until now."
"So, what was it?" Shizuka asked curiously. "Something that gives people super powers?"
"Not exactly. It does increase speed, strength and stamina, but not by much. It's more of a transformation."
"No joke?" Anzu inquired. "Hang on a second, okay?"
Anzu set her phone down on her dresser to get into her underwear and nightshirt. She dressed quickly and snatched her phone back up.
"I'm back."
"What was that all about?" Mai questioned.
"I just got out of the shower," Anzu explained. "I had to get dressed. Now then, what's up, Isis? You were saying?"
"Yeah, what about this transformation thing?" Mai piped up. "Is it some sort of spell?"
"Yes, it is. Put simply, it-"
"Isis!" Malik's voice was heard from the background. "I need the telephone."
"This phone is for business," the girls heard Isis tell Malik, each of them rising their eyebrows and trying not to laugh.
"Then why did you call Yugi for Shizuka's number?" Malik questioned suspiciously. "I thought none of them were supposed to know we were here!"
"Shizuka already knew," Isis explained patiently. "I saw her earlier today."
"That still doesn't make calling her business."
"Isis?" Mai cut in over the phone. "Unless you're going to explain everything to him, what say we talk later? We can all meet for lunch tomorrow. Do you know where Burger World-"
"I am not going to Burger World," Anzu snapped in. "The management stinks."
"Okay. How about the Pizza Palace?"
No one had any problem with the Pizza Palace and Isis knew where it was.
"What time?" Isis asked.
"Isis, come on! It's getting late," Malik all but whined.
"Who could you possibly need to call so badly?" Isis asked, patience wavering.
"We'll see you at about two o'clock tomorrow, hon," Mai called into the phone. Isis didn't respond, but could just barely be heard speaking to Malik. "Oh, is that okay with you two?"
"Yeah."
"Uh-huh."
"Okay, two o'clock," Mai confirmed. Isis still didn't answer. "Isis?"
"Yes, two o'clock," Isis answered. "I'll see you then, Mai. Goodnight. Goodnight, Shizuka, Anzu."
An unintelligible shout was heard from Malik in the background. The girls thought they could catch the word "phone" before a finalizing click was heard.
Wondering what was going on with the two, Anzu flipped her phone shut. As an afterthought, she turned off the ringer so no one would bother her when she tried to sleep. The last time Jounouchi and Honda had gone on a gaming spree, they had kept calling and asking her to look up cheats. She set the phone on her nightstand, turned out the light and climbed into bed.
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The next day, Anzu woke up fully energized, ready to meet with Isis and the girls. She rushed through her morning routine- with the added bonus of being scolded for leaving her laundry in the bathroom- and was out the door in a flash.
When Anzu arrived at the Pizza Palace, she saw Shizuka sitting at a booth and Mai just heading towards the drink dispenser. She went to the booth, smiling and waving. Seeing Mai's jacket on the opposite seat, she took the spot next to Shizuka.
Anzu looked around for Isis but didn't see her. She did, however, see an overly geeky boy at a nearby table look towards the table and almost faint. The guy looked like he was in heaven.
"Uh, Shizuka," Anzu started, "What's with that guy over there?"
"Oh, him," Shizuka said, looking where Anzu was pointing. "He starred a lot when Mai and I first came in. Mai says he's not used to having such pretty girls around him."
"I see," Anzu looked at him nervously out of the corner of her eye. She wasn't sure whether to be afraid, disturbed or concerned.
Mai came back then and set a cup in front of Shizuka. "I got your lemonade," she said, taking her spot. Then she noted Anzu looking around. "Isis isn't here yet. If she isn't here in five minutes we're ordering without her."
Four minutes later Isis came in looking annoyed- well, in comparison to her usual calm, cool disposition. As she came nearer, the others saw why. They had a tag along. A hot-looking tag along, but a tag along still.
"He just needs to talk to Anzu for a minute. Then he's leaving- in no more time than that," Isis explained in a tight voice that wasn't usual for her.
Malik smiled smoothly and squeezed next to Anzu, pushing Shizuka into the space next to the window in the process.
"Hello, Anzu. I meant to call you yesterday evening, but someone broke the phone," he said looking pointedly at Isis.
"You're the one who hurdled over the desk and landed on it," she said under breath.
"Anyway," Malik continued, voice taking on a slight nervousness, "I was wondering if you would be interested in seeing a movie with me Monday."
Mai raised an eyebrow and half-smirked, eyeing Anzu; Isis was looking out the window in an attempt to ignore what was happening; poor Shizuka was waiting to reclaim her seat. The window was cold.
Anzu, surprised, thought it over for a few seconds. She didn't want Ryou to be hurt should he find out. Even though there was nothing going on between them, it didn't seem fair to go out with Malik when the issue with Ryou was still open.
Smiling sweetly and apologetically, she answered, "I'm sorry, but I'm going to be busy all that day."
"Tuesday, then?"
"I'll be busy then too. In fact, I don't know when I'll have any free time for a while. I can try to get back to you, though."
Malik's face fell. He was no super-stud, but judging by some of the female attention he had had while in town, he didn't think he would have trouble getting a date- especially not with someone he knew in a semi-friendly manner. Still, he smiled and excused himself with grace. No use cry over spilt milk or unavailable dates. That would be plain creepy.
When Malik was gone and there was room on the seat, Anzu quickly scooted over and helped Shizuka out of the crevice.
"I'm sorry about him," Isis stared out after her brother. "I needed a ride here and he wouldn't go away afterward."
"It's alright, Isis," Anzu smiled reassuringly at Isis while helping Shizuka straighten out and dust off. "He didn't waste too much time- and I was flattered he asked me out."
"Maybe you should change places with Shizuka, Anzu. It's less likely that you'd fall into such a small space," Mai suggested, eyes gleaming with amusement.
"Are you saying I'm fat?" Anzu huffed teasingly.
"No. I'm saying that Shizuka needs to eat more often."
As if on cue, the waitress showed up and the girls placed their order for a medium pizza. Anzu and Isis went up to get drinks.
When everything was situated, a slice of pizza and beverage in front of each of them, three sets of eager eyes turned on Isis. Isis, meanwhile, was taking a rather leisurely drink of her tea.
"Well?" Mai pressed impatiently?
"Hm?" Isis glanced at her casually. "Ah, yes. I managed to get my hands on a very interesting artifact."
"The Holy Grail?" Shizuka leaned forward excitedly.
Isis arched an eyebrow before answering a simple, "No."
"Oh," Shizuka leaned back in disappointment.
"It's a mystic stone that can grant the power of shape-shifting," Isis finished.
That got Shizuka leaning forward again, along with Mai and Anzu.
"It's nothing like turning into animals or even several different things, mind you," Isis went on. "Each person to draw power from the stone can have only one other form. Even then, it's hardly advanced. Quite simply, you select a disguise, 'set' the stone, so to speak, and toggle between it and your usual appearance."
"Wow," Anzu breathed. "It's just like having transformation rods… except it's a rock instead."
"Something like that, I suppose," Isis smiled softly. Looking around the table, the smile grew just slightly. "I thought you'd like hearing about that."
"But didn't you say something about a strength boost?" Mai questioned.
Isis took another sip of her tea and nodded.
"The change is minimal, however," she shook her head slightly in disappointment. "A little stronger, a little quicker- hardly even noticeable, actually. Therein lies the problem."
"What good's a superhero transformation if you still aren't super?" Mai sat back and finished.
"Precisely," Isis agreed before taking a bite out of her pizza.
They ate in silence for a while, all clearly wondering about the predicament at hand.
"It's not like we're all totally helpless," Mai said absently between bites. "Anzu, Yugi mentioned that you dance. You have to be in pretty good shape for that, right? And didn't you say you used to beat up Honda and Jounouchi or something?"
"Yeah, but that was a while ago," Anzu replied just as absently, mind elsewhere.
"I can swim really well," Shizuka offered quietly. "And I know a little gymnastics."
"Mm," Isis acknowledged.
"I could kick people with my heels on," Mai suggested, half kidding. "And Isis could get them in that stare of hers."
"Oh?" Isis turned to Mai, fixing her with just such a stare.
"I didn't mean it as an insult," Mai muttered, turning her upper body away from Isis.
"Maybe we could-" Shizuka started.
"Weapons!" Anzu suddenly exclaimed excitedly, snapping her fingers.
She said this loud enough to be heard all over the restaurant, however. Conversations stopped mid-sentence, bites of pizza were left half-chewed and plates being cleared were halted mid-stack as all eyes turned to the girls' table. Anzu turned red and the other tried to find something fascinating to look at.
"Heh heh," Anzu smiled awkwardly at the crowd. "I was just, uh…"
Half-standing, Mai suddenly snapped, "Why don't you people mind your own business!"
Sentences were completed, bites of pizza were chewed and swallowed and plates were set noisily onto trays.
Anzu sighed in relief and smiled sheepishly at the rest of the group.
"Oops?" she offered.
"I don't suppose you want to explain that little outburst?" Mai asked, tone somewhere between angry and amused.
"Oh, yeah," Anzu leaned forward, eyes gleaming, and beckoned the others to do the same. "I know how to solve the problem! We just have to get weapons!"
"Oh, is that all?" Mai rolled her eyes and finished off her drink. "Well, how difficult can that be?"
"Not difficult at all," grinned Anzu, holding up her cell phone triumphantly.
As the other watched with varying surprise and confusion, Anzu selected a button to sped-dial. Holding it to her ear, she almost giddily announced that it was ringing.
"Hi, it's Anzu," she greeted when the line was answered. "Listen I -" she began. Then she noticed the others leaning in to hear. Rolling her eyes with mock annoyance, she got up and walked towards the door, saying, "Yeah, I'm here. Some people are just so rude. Anyway -"
The rest was cut off when she went out the door.
The other girls glanced at each other and, as a single body, went after her, Mai dropping a few bills on the table.
Outside, Anzu was standing with her back to them, already finishing her call. "Yeah… yeah... Oh, that would be great! Thanks... You too... Bye."
Snapping the phone shut, she turned and jumped in surprise at finding the others so close. She smiled and announced, "Okay, girls, we have a supplier!"
"A supplier for what?" came a girl's voice from behind them.
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Marshmallow/dancing around/ Malik got rejec-ted! Malik got rejec-ted!
Bunnydust: Fangirls are gonna be all over you for that
Dustbunny: Oh, well. I have different plans for Malik D
Malik: 0o'
Marshmallow: Now that you've read, review!