THIS CHAPTER HAS ADULT WARNING FOR ADULT THEMES!

ANY UNDER 18 PROCEED WITH CAUTION!

. . 18+ OR OLDER ONLY RATING M . .

Episode 4

As if she could sense his nearing presence, her hand rose shakily from the cape she had been clinging to, his own gently grasping it as he carefully lowered himself onto the bed so as not to jostle her. She'd been unable to cling to consciousness long but the few times that she had it was enough for her to hear the voices of her friend and his grandfather. The whole magical circuit thing was a bit much for her to understand but if what they had been talking about to stop the pain she was all for it. "It…hurts…" she whimpered, tears gathering in the corners of her clenched eyes as his other hand brushed a few locks of hair from her face. Her breath caught as a ripple of warmth cascaded over her being when his skin brushed her own. Something even warmer brushed against her forehead, softer than a feather yet she could still smell cinnamon and sandalwood. It trailed downward until it met the crook of her neck and the familiar feel of linen brushed against her hands as someone hovered over her. No, she knew that scent anywhere. "…Pharaoh…"

His breath caught, earning a soft whimper from her when his motions stalled, but she was quickly soothed by him humming in response. "I am here," he whispered, his motions gentle and slow so as he removed the stained cape from around her being. The power within him was swelling, burning the images of her smiles and echoes of her laughter into every cell, as his continued to brush his nose against her skin in almost a nuzzle-like fashion. It had been cold to the touch initially but it was beginning to grow warm as he passed the mana into her being. His curiosity of how she knew his name earlier would have to wait. As if answering his unvoiced question, a memory slipped between their joined hands of an all too familiar tale that had been his life with the addition of a childlike voice that said she would choose a name for the prince in her mother's story so he wouldn't be sad. The smallest of smiles caused the corners of his lips to twitch as he took a moment to rest his forehead against her own. "What a kind master I have." He had kept the flow of mana between them very small so as not to flood her but the blood still coming from the wounds that were attempting to close made his worry grow. "Master, I ask your permission to continue." Amethyst eyes grew wide as her free hand rose and cupped his cheek, her fingers brushing against his tanned skin that lightly buzzed with the mana he attempted to hold it back. He allowed her hand to bend his head, bringing him closer so that their noses were nearly close enough to brush.

"I-I understand…" her whisper was accompanied by a faint dust of rose to her cheeks as her eyes fluttered open just enough for him to see glazed cerulean. There were hints of fear and pain within their oceanic depths but the emotion that shone the most was trust. They drifted closed when he gave an assuring smile and she shivered as his head lowered, the fine hairs across her body feeling electrified as his lips met her throat. Each time they met her skin it felt as though her being was being filled with a golden stardust, the pain within her chest slowly ebbing away as something entirely new took root. Never before had she felt so delicate and yet so cherished at the same time. Every breath of his that wafted her skin made the strange new feeling flare brilliantly in a way that caused her heart to hammer. Her breath caught in a gasp as one of his hands removed the remaining pieces of lace and his warm fingers ghosted over the sensitive skin between her breasts where the pain was worse. "A-ah…" her back arched as she groaned in pain, causing their bodies to meet.

He stifled his own groan as her much softer being molded against his own, fighting to keep his focus upon the way her beautiful features were twisted with pain as he pressed her back into the mattress. Her hand moved from his face to wrap around his neck as he was about to move away while the other clung to his tunic. With a flex of his brow, he caused the portion covering his upper torso to dissipate while carefully removing what was left of the ruined uniform top from her own figure. Though the wounds were now closed there was internal damage that needed to be dealt with.

The second the soft material had vanished from beneath her fingers was when she felt as if she were touching the sun itself. His tanned skin radiated with heat that threatened to cause her to sweat and the lean muscles underneath felt as though they could carry the weight of the world. Her fingertips traced the planes of his chest as he adjusted, one knee on each side of her hips, as he kept his full weight off of her with an arm resting atop of a few of the pillows. A coil began to form within her when his lips reached the same spot that had caused her to arch but this time instead of pain a wave of bliss cascaded over her being. Lips trembling, she fought to keep her breath steady as the coil below her stomach tightened. No doubt her skirt's hem was reaching higher than it should, a thought that would originally cause her to be embarrassed, but instead it caused the heat within to grow tenfold when her thigh brushed his own. The hand against his chest trembled as it rose to cling to his shoulder while the other rose to entangle itself within his hair. It was even softer than his cape, earning a soft sigh of content that turned into a blissful gasp as his being pressed against her own. "Ah…Pharaoh…"

Sweat was beading upon his brow as he fought to keep himself sane as her body moved against his own. The wounds were nearly healed yet her circuits were refusing to allow passage of the necessary mana she needed. He internally cursed at how husky his breaths had become, suppressing a shiver when she clung to him in response and clenched his eyes closed as her hips brushed his. His head rose, darkened amethyst eyes slightly hazed as he nuzzled her neck. They slipped closed as she arched against him, drawing out the groan he had tried so hard to swallow as pressure grew within his lower abdomen. His teeth bit harshly into his bottom lip as her legs suddenly maneuvered themselves around his waist, making him painfully aware of the situation at hand…or specifically the hardness between his legs that was straining against the remaining piece of the tunic. For both of their sakes he had to find someway to transfer the mana before it drove him mad.

She could feel him trembling as their hips slowly ground and her eyes that had cracked open spotted the concentration written across his handsome features. He was trying so hard to help her yet the blasted 'magical circuits' within her was making it difficult for him. Trust wasn't something that came to her easily but it was growing as he remained respectful of her body, his hands limiting where they touched to her face and shoulders. Not once had they drifted towards the cream flesh mounds she had caught several other's gawking at and he had made no move towards her most sensitive area that was now begging for attention. What could she possibly do in her half crazed state? Never had she experienced such things before, this was all new to her, and yet she felt as though she couldn't imagine anyone else bestowing such affection upon her. An absurd idea caused her already burning face to heat more and her being to shiver slightly, causing his motions to cease and his eyes to meet her own. They were filled with worry and concern as he cupped her cheek within his hand but her heart warmed when she found something within their amethyst depths that she had only read stories about. Swallowing the lump in her throat, her hands rose to his own cheeks and with a fierce tug she crushed her lips against his own.

His eyes widened with shock as her lips molded against his own. They were soft, just like the rest of her, yet were slightly clumsy as they moved every few seconds. Her body beneath him had tensed upon their contact but he could not blame her. Never had he been in this kind of predicament despite him being a former prince. Most kings of ancient times had brothels or even personal concubines that would entertain them when their queens were not up to the task but his father had lead him to be honorable, to not allow any sort of woman take him to bed that he wasn't fully prepared to take by his side as a partner. That would explain how he was struggling to keep a sane mind as their bodies moved by instinct, the flames within his being roaring to feel more of her and to hear her scream his name. He would not act upon them though. Not only was she his master but also a scared girl who was struggling to grasp at what was happening around her; the world as she knew it was never going to be the same. Debating on stopping now was ringing at the back of his mind but her mana levels were still far too low. If he ceased now she would surely fall into unconsciousness for several hours if not days and he would be left to suffer the repercussions of the mana that threatened to tear himself apart from the inside. It was far too much now, thanks to his own's quick recuperation, so not only was his own swirling within but that of the young mage who held feelings for the girl. Maybe that's what was stopping him, the lingering feelings of the one called Yugi, but he knew that was only part of the problem. He himself was not helping matters. Inexperience in such delicate matters made him unconsciously tense, which affected his own magical circuits from opening fully, but what could he possibly do that would cause them both to relax enough to accomplish what now seemed nearly impossible? He blinked as the tension in her being lightened slightly as she hummed softly when the hand upon her cheek slipped back slightly, combing a few tresses of her chocolate hair. Not only had he felt her relax slightly but had also felt her circuits vibrate in response to the mana he was passing. The lids of his eyes slowly lowered as he leaned back slightly so as to soften the pressure against her lips but didn't pull away fully as she gasped for breath, the blazing fire within him raging as she attempted to reconnect their lips by raising her head. Instinct was growling within his ear as her body moved against his in an almost impatient way, brining to his attention that their motions had ceased, and finally shushed the slight annoying voice of reason that he had dutifully followed his entire human life then allowed the golden flames to overtake every thought within his being, eyes closing fully as his lips met hers once more.

She hummed softly as his lips moved sensually against her own, the hand that once rested upon her cheek now entangled within her hair as he tilted her head slightly to the left. It felt as though the coil within her was nearing its limit as his hips suddenly thrusted against her own and elicited a soft cry from her when something incredibly hard ground against her clothed core. Something warm within that moment brushed her upper lip. Her tongue shyly peeked out from its home that was her mouth and felt a surge of pride well as he groaned lowly when her appendage met his lower lip and another grind of his hips. A mewl of pleasure slipped up her throat as his other arm fell to wrap around her slim waist, bringing her form even more flush against his own as his own tongue tentatively brushed against her lip. She eagerly parted her lips, allowing him full entrance, and became locked in a sort of battle as their tongues first met hesitantly then collided against the other as they moaned in unison. It felt as though she was being electrocuted with how her body buzzed in response to his movements and yet she wished it would never stop. Her hammering heart quickened when the coil within her gave a violent shudder as a white light rushed to meet her, the scream crawling up her throat becoming swallowed by his devouring lips.

He startled slightly, eyes wide as he took in the scene around him. It's walls were lined with mirrors and the floors a dark stained wood. Was this…a dance studio? The pharaoh felt slightly out of place amongst the scattered images that were taped up against the walls and blinked when a small figure darted past that slid to a halt before one of the larger, less covered mirrors. Large cerulean eyes glittered as she picked up the roll of tape on the floor and carefully tore small strips that held the image against the glass. Curiosity got the better of him as he approached and bit back a chuckle when he spotted the almost crude drawing. His breath caught when the young child version of Anzu straightened the picture, her lips in a frown. "Little one, why do you seem so sad?"

Large tears gathered within her eyes as she startled, looking around with such a sad sorrowful gaze that his heart gave a painful beat. "My mommy lied," she sniffled, using the hem of her peach colored dress to wipe her face. "when she got sick she would tell me stories about the prince in the desert and promised me that my own prince would help me to not feel lonely anymore." She pointed to one of the other pictures, a recognizable yet even cruder drawing of Yugi. "My friend's nice and all, but I don't feel the thing."

His teeth latched onto his bottom lip in an attempt to hold back a smile. "Oh?"

"Yeah. Mommy said that when I met my prince I would be knocked off my feet when he comes crashing into my life like a meteor!" His gaze rose to the ceiling as she plopped herself down upon the ground. It was almost scary how accurate the woman's prediction had been. The pharaoh lowered himself so that he was sitting next to her, ensuring that the distance between them was acceptable as his gaze found her reflection in the mirror as she whimpered softly. "Mommy got sick and went somewhere far away. Daddy is always busy with his business trips that he doesn't have the time for me and is almost never home."

Understanding filled him as she wept. He pivoted slightly so that instead of facing the mirror he was able to regard her fully. She looked so small and frail in this form, much different from the young woman he had come to know. It was as if he had been hit by an epiphany as he watched her curl into a tight ball. "You're friend, how long have you known each other?"

"Since I was smaller than I am now but as we get older the adults start talking about 'kisses and 'babies' and something called 'marriage'. Mommy taught me to make my own decisions and to not let anyone boss me around but everyone is so much bigger than me that it's hard to tell them to quit teasing me." A large tear trickled down her cheek. "He's a close friend, a great friend, but no one wants to know how I feel."

So his suspicions of the young mage's feelings being one-sided were correct. He supposed that he should feel sorry for Yugi but at the same time he felt a strange satisfaction. Inhaling through his nose, he refocused upon her as she began to rock back and forth. "If you do not feel the 'thing' with him, why do you think that is?"

She shrugged, her eyes remaining locked on her own reflection and not looking at him. Not once had she glanced his way during their entire conversation, almost making him think that she could not see him, but there was one way to find out. "My prince will come. Then all those stinky adults will have to take back what they said." His hand appeared under her chin earned a slight hitch of breath, her head tilting upward for the first time to look directly at him. This person was unlike any she had seen before, though his hair looked oddly similar to her friend's, but his tanned skin and sharp eyes took her breath away for a moment. The tears returned as she reached up and grasped his hand. "Will you be my prince, mister?" Her eyes swam with loneliness as she crawled up into his lap, her little hands clinging to his tunic as the largest tears he had ever seen trickled down her cheeks. "I don't want to be alone anymore, please say you will."

There, within her tears, he could feel the obstacles that kept her magical circuits from opening fully to allow the passage of mana. His chest ached with each that she shed yet he could not bring himself to remove her from himself. Instead, his hand met the back of her head and brought her forehead down to rest against his chest. "Someday you will find someone more suitable to become your prince," he whispered lowly. "Someone who will chase away your every fear and protect you better than even I can." His eyes slid closed as she openly sobbed. "I'm sorry that I cannot be your prince, Anzu Mazaki, no matter how much I wish I could be it would not be fair to you if I were. I have no future outside of the Holy Grail War and you deserve so much more than what I can offer. I do not wish to hurt you if it can be helped." Her frail little arms wrapped around his neck as she adjusted against him, her face burying into his shoulder as he held her close. "What I can promise is that I will do my best for you for so long as I am here. Rest assured that when you fall, I will catch you; when you cry, I will wipe away your tears; when you are in pain, I will be there to heal you." His hold upon her tightened as she nodded, a bright white light growing around her being as the mana flow between them grew nearly tenfold in size.

. . . .

"Since I am human, your Noble Phantasm will have no affect on me so do not waste my time, Avenger."

Bakura sneered while approaching his master. "That's where you are half right. You are not a Servant, therefore you have no Alter form to revert to." He reached the mage and began to circle him, dark hued eyes raking across the toned body of his master. "However it may have the opposite affect upon the things you lack. There is only one little drawback since you are such a special case."

The Overseer's eyes narrowed as it was explained that there would need to be a sacrifice, preferably a mage who was currently a Master. "Rider's Master is still unknown, as is the Master of Castor and Ruler."

A truly evil sneer lifted the lips of the King of Thieves. "Only one person would be capable of summoning him and that is the wretched woman who was once by his side a millennium ago." His hands formed into fists at his sides as hunger and lust swelled within his being when her image came to mind; the sole daughter of two members of the mighty Pharaoh's court. Chocolate hair that reached her mid back, skin a honey hue that was flawless, the glittering gems that were her eyes that made even the palace's treasure seem dull. She had been the closest friend of the young prince, each seeking the other out when possible, their bond so sweet it threatened to make him sick. Such a pure and delicate desert flower she had been that it was all the more enjoyable for him when he finally managed to get his hands upon her. "I think it's time for a little reunion."

. . . .

A sneeze wracked her being, causing her to flinch at the sudden brightness of the sunlight coming in through her window and turned away to snuggle into the warmth next to her, humming softly as the scents of sandalwood and cinnamon filled her nose. A dull bell sounded from somewhere within her exhausted mind when the warmth molded against her own as she attempted to return to the pleasant darkness. With a hum, she forced her eyes to open slightly when a breath of air met her ear and tiredly raised her head. Her eyes shot wide open when their lips met, forgetting to breathe as he softly hummed and the arms she hadn't noticed until now that were wrapped around her tightened slightly before his head fell to nuzzle her shoulder. Heat exploded across her being in the form of a full body blush. Not only was he painstakingly handsome but he turned into a cuddly teddy bear when asleep that her heart could almost burst with happiness as her hands found their way into his hair, earning a soft sound of content from him as her fingers massaged his scalp. Her blush intensified as she discovered that he was without the decorative jewelry and the top portion of his tunic. He looked much more normal, more human, more reachable. His amethyst eyes were always mysteriously glittering in a near hypnotizing way but she could never get enough of them. Countless times she had caught herself glancing his way just for the chance that their gazes would meet.

Yesterday's events came rushing back to her as she thanked whatever higher power had led her to the situation she currently found herself in. On second thought, maybe she should curse them instead. A glance downward confirmed that she was still wrapped within his cape with no support for her chest to be found anywhere and the ache that covered her from head to toe was beyond any she had felt even after dance practice when she was little. Gratitude swelled within her chest as she recalled the voices of Grandpa Mutou and Yugi, she would have to thank them in person for the mana they had donated, but her mood darkened slightly as her thoughts screeched to a halt at her best friend's name. She had dodged his advances and questions for long enough. It was time to tell him the truth.

"I am relieved to see you awake," his deep whisper earned a shiver of her skin as he inhaled deeply before rising up on one of his elbows so they were eye level. His amethyst eyes looked shadowed, as if he was still tired, but they glittered brightly as he raised a hand to brush his fingers against her cheek. "You do not need to worry about your magical circuits anymore. I managed to clear away the obstacles that were preventing them from maturing."

Sadness welled within her chest as she gazed up at him in silence as he went on to explain the things she might be capable of now that they were open. His words came to a halt when her finger rose to rest against his lips, halting any other words he had been about to say as she struggled to swallow the lump in her throat. "I wasn't imagining it, seeing you in my mind and asking…" Her shoulders slumped as he nodded. She debated on pulling away when his own rose, the look in his eyes making her feel smaller than a bug, but remained where she was when their skins touched. "I'm a smart girl who knows how the world works, I'm not one who makes rash decisions and just follows every whim and I don't just fall for random guys who come crashing through my roof. I know shouldn't, " Her breath hitched as a tear managed to slip out from the corner of her eye. "But I can't help it." His heart gave a painful squeeze at the dejected tone within her voice. She tore herself away when he remained silent, shame filling every fiber of her being as she crossed the room and disappeared into the walk in closet. It turned into anger as she stared at her reflection in the full length mirror as she quickly undressed then headed to the connected powder room. Seeing that it was only her skirt and underwear that were unaffected by the fight did little to soothe the raging emotions within her. The gentleness, not to mention that incredibly respectable, that he had showcased moved her in ways that she had never been before. Their odd situation though could not be ignored and she would have to come to terms with it sooner or later. That didn't make it any easier for her to nurse the now broken pieces of her heart.

The cold marble under her feet that normally earned a shiver felt lacking to the ice within her chest. Nothing in her life was fair. Mother had passed away when she was young, father was absent so often that she no longer looked forward to his visits when possible, the disappointment she faced when her grades or studied weren't high enough, even when she looked in the mirror the image that was reflected back was not what she wanted. School was important to her for one reason: a certificate would help her get a better paying job in the future and maybe, just maybe, she would find herself fulfilling the childhood dream she had locked away in that little room in her heart that held her mother's memory and yet it always seemed out of reach. No matter how many small jobs she took, how many good grades she earned, it never seemed enough. And now here she was falling for someone who not only caused her to fall faster than a rocket but also harder than a meteor.

Steam filled the room as her hand turned on the water faucet, applying a few sprinkles of the bath salts to the water that steadily turned the water a deep mahogany as the scents of pomegranate and blackberries swirled around her as she closed the door behind her. The click of the lock was much louder than usual, she simply chalked it up to the lack of music she would normally have playing, and sighed while slipping into the water. Her eyes slid closed as the water enveloped her tired being, every sore muscle slowly unraveling as her fingers traveled over her body. The ghost of a blush dusted her cheeks when she carefully examined where the wounds had once been and recalled the feeling of his hips upon her skin but it dissipated with a shake of her head. "No fairy tale ending for this girl," she huffed, rested the back of her head against the tub's edge. "such is the sad life of Anzu Mazaki." Eyes locked on the ceiling, she attempted to fight off the tears that filled her eyes but failed, the salty droplets cascading down her face to mix with the bath water as her lips trembled.

"My fated one who brings the light isn't coming…" The water rippled as her broken voice reverberated off the tiled walls, something shifting within its depths as she took a deep breath. A shiver shot down her spine as something took hold of her body, something invisible and caused the hairs on her being to rise. What was happening and why were there words coming out of her mouth that seemed to be coming from nowhere?! And the voice, it wasn't hers! "A broken heart, a lonely soul, I beg he who darkens the sky to stop my fall…" A scream slipped up her throat as a force suddenly pulled her under the now bubbling water.

. . . .

He watched her go silently, dragging a hand down his face as a knock sounded. The completely destroyed uniform top and undergarment lay about the room where they had been tossed, nearly every piece stained a red tint from her blood. Each looked out of place from the pristinely clean bedroom and he doubted that she would be thrilled to see the mess so his golden ribbons made quick work of collecting each then disappearing in a shower of sparkles along with his cape. A wave of his fingers caused his being to become fully clothed and decorated as he descended the staircase in time to see the front door open. "Isn't it a bit early for unwelcome visitors?"

"Like you're one to talk, you're the one who crashed through her freakin' roof." Yugi cast him a glare as they faced one another. The young mage had wanted nothing more than to purge the images and nightmares that had plagued him all night but they always resurfaced. "I encountered Rider's Master last night. He's pleasant." He recounted the entire interaction with the stoic man known as Seto Kaiba, head of the largest company in the world, and cast a sideways glare at his servant when they appeared upon the couch with a cackle. "And you weren't helping matters! Why were you provoking him?! I'm surprised he even let us go in the first place!"

One of his tanned hands rose to massage his temple as the two started to bicker. So much noise so early in the morning was a bit much, even for him. "Was there another reason that you decided to shatter this once peaceful morning or was causing a headache your only motive?"

Castor cooed softly, his eyes locking on his master as the young mage's being stiffened. "Allow me to divulge, my ally, I am more than happy to relay the tale that would even make you blush!" He vanished then reappeared behind Ruler with a snap of his fingers, face so close to the pharaoh's that their cheeks nearly touched. "There my master was, woefully pacing about his room as he muttered to himself about how it should have been him instead of you. Hormones and lust entwined within his youthful body in the form of frustration, nearly driving him mad if it weren't for yours truly."

One of his brows rose as the young mage's face flared red but remained quiet until the Toon Magician's tale was finished, a hand sweeping away the unnecessary toon conjurings that acted the story out. "Don't strain yourself. It's not as you fear." His words earned a doubtful frown. "What you fear is not true. Nothing of the sort occurred. I was as respectful as I could possibly be."

Yugi's temper, which was normally easy to control, flared. "So you're trying to tell me that you two weren't upstairs, nakedtogether, all night long? Don't insult me."

It was the Nameless Pharaoh's temper that flared then. "You doubt my words?"

"Oh, please, as if I didn't know that the passage of mana is the most successful with sex. You're just lucky that my grandfather made up the excuse that it was better you than me to be the one she was with."

"Are you truly that conceited and selfish?" He hissed. "If it had been yourself, she would be in much worse shape that before. Your jealousy and distrust will be your undoing if you aren't careful, young mage. You obviously have not considered the possible consequences if it had been you." The smallest hint of satisfaction filled him at a revelation. "Besides, she is the one who initiated further contact than the border I chose to draw. It was her idea to pass it and I, as her humble servant, was unable to deny her."

"Whatever, as if she would force herself upon you…" Yugi huffed, crossing his arms as an image he rather not wanted to think about formed in his mind and earned a fierce blush upon his cheeks. Then again he wouldn't mind being the one who was under siege. He quickly shook his head, ridding himself from the naughty image in time to spot Castor and Ruler giving him mirror looks of 'we know what you were just picturing'. Clearing his throat, he took a deep breath and refocused upon the pharaoh. "You don't even know the first thing about her and you jump at the chance to sleep with her!"

A snap was heard as a shadow overtook the Ruler's facial expressions. How he wanted desperately to teach the ignorant teenager a lesson but swallowed the urge when he heard footsteps coming from above. "It's not my place to divulge that truth to you," he sighed, turning his back so that he faced the stairs. "After all I am only a visitor to this time and place."

"My, my, well this is certainly a surprise."

Heat seared across his being when he spotted a figure at the top of the stairs. Their skin was darker than his own, covered in scars, but his focus was upon the crazed eyes that stared down at them. How had he not noticed such an ominous and malicious presence slip through the barrier?! "No," his voice had dropped even lower as anger and loathe darkly swirled within his chest. "It can't be…"

"Ah, but it is! Long time no see, Nameless Pharaoh, it's been much too long!" Bakura licked his lips, a portal opening as he snapped his fingers. "Formalities will have to wait until later but I could not pass up the opportunity to see the look on your face when I announce that you are no longer needed. Your presence in this Holy Grail War is no longer required so you may as well crawl back into whatever hole you came from! Before you go though," he held up a hand to the portal, a unified gasp from Yugi and the pharaoh sounding as a slender hand rested upon his own. "I'll give you a moment to say your goodbyes!"

Ice slipped down his spine as his master stepped out from the portal. Her skin was fair but it had grown darker and was now tinted with red by the cracks upon it that glowed with a eerily light that pulsated with very shallow breath she took. He made to rush to her side when their gazes met but became rooted to the floor: the pain and loneliness within her glazed cerulean eyes was almost too much to bear when she pressed her naked form against the King of Thieves.

Bakura sneered as Ruler's expression flashed briefly with an emotion he thought was impossible for the once monarch to feel. "Is that fear I see? I must say, I like it on you!" His hand rose, trailing his fingers from her lips downward between her breasts then came to a stop just below her navel. "Such a beauty and yet you never noticed."

"Fiend! Do not touch my master with your filthy hands!" The pharaoh seethed, a wave of heat passing over him when she did nothing to deter the man when the loathsome King of Thieves licked her earlobe. "Master, what has he done to you? Why do you not fight back?"

Her head tilted. "My mother is dead, father doesn't want me, closest friend wants more than I can give, and the prince has denied my feelings. This is the only person who doesn't make demands of me or make me feel inadequate."

Yugi was nearly taken aback as he forced his gaze to remain upon hers. He hadn't heard her mention the fictional prince her mother had told stories about for ages, they couldn't have been more than four if he recalled, and that had been just after her passing. His pale lilac hued eyes widened when she rose on tiptoes and brushed her lips against the servant's cheek. She was never one to openly display affection, or her body, yet here she was in her birthday suit and kissing some random stranger right in front of him! And her voice, why did it sound so off? "Anzu, this isn't like you. Your dad is a busy man but he has your best interests at heart. Just like I do."

"I've been meaning to tell you something, Yugi, but I could never bring myself to."

The pharaoh's eyes widened. "Master, no! Not like this!"

"I don't love you." Her eyes narrowed when a strangled gasp sounded from the teen. "Even when we were kids and you forced me to play house with you, I couldn't stand the thought of living that way. Your parents, the other adults, they just made me feel worse about the feelings I could never return." One of her hands rose to her chest. "And then we entered high school. Did you even think of my feelings once, that I may not like you in the same way, that I had my own dreams that I wanted to pursue? You know me the least, Yugi Mutou, and yet you still claim to love me in a way that none can hope to match." The pharaoh blinked when her cold gaze locked on him. "Who would have thought that the stories mother told me were about you. I thought of you highly, I even used to imagine what you would be like. Never had I dreamed that you, the person I longed to meet, would shatter my heart like you did. I've waited to meet you my whole life and that is the reward I get." A tear slipped from the corner of her eye, the skin beneath the salty droplet becoming vermillion as it traveled down her being until it evaporated near her right breast.

"There, there, my dear," Bakura soothed, his hand combing through her hair. "He cannot hurt you anymore than he already has. To think that you not only rejected her once but twice! Think back, Pharaoh, you were not alone within that dark sacred chamber."

Amethyst eyes widened as the girl smiling up at him flashed within his mind. "You lie." Dread filled him as he took notice of the lack of mana connection between himself and his master. He hadn't noticed it until just now. Why?! "I was alone at the moment of my death."

"Were you really?" The portal reopened with a wave of his hand, an all too familiar scene to the pharaoh as his former self writhed upon the ground. Toffee eyes gleefully glittered as amethyst widened in disbelief when a slim figure entered the chamber and rushed to his side. "Who would have guessed that your little friend had followed you across the desert?"

The Nameless Pharaoh fell to his knees as the figure's profile was revealed by the smallest rays of sunlight that filtered through the ceiling of the chamber, his eyes filling with tears as his childhood friend wept over his unconscious being. "Teanna?" His heart gave a painful squeeze as his gaze slipped to the girl who regarded him with a blank yet cold stare. "But how does that…"

"Did you say 'Teanna'?" Amethyst glanced over his shoulder towards Yugi, who looked as though he was struggling to process what was going on. "That's Anzu's middle name; her full name is Anzu Teanna Mazaki!"

"Fate is such a cruel mistress, wouldn't you agree?" Bakura howled, his arms wrapping around Anzu's slender waist from behind as he roughly bit into the skin of her shoulder and raised one of her hands. The command spells upon her skin that once looked similar to the Eye of Horus now were black and looked more like a serpent entwined with a skull. "Behold, she is no longer your master, Ruler, she has signed a new contract with yours truly!" He directed her towards the portal as the image vanished, whispering lowly within her ear as a cloak of darkness covered her being. "Now if you'll excuse us, we have places to be."

"Wait!" The pharaoh made to dash up the stairs as they disappeared through the portal but collapsed in a heap when his body failed him. Without a Master, he couldn't remain in this world! Not only that but his Master was now in the clutches of his long ago rival who was responsible for the plagues that had fallen upon his father's kingdom. He was the reason his father, the pharaoh at the time, to fall ill in the first place! She was in untold danger now that she was within those destructive and malicious hands. "How could I have been so blind?!" His clenched fist met the carpeted stair above him as his tears spilled down his cheeks.

Castor, who had been watching in silence, glanced to his master. Normally a display such as the one they had just witnessed would earn a poetic recount by his toons but the seriousness hanging in the air was too great even for him. "Master," he began. "Will you allow this Servant to simply vanish from the world? A Heroic Spirit is fated to disappear without a Master supplying them mana. You are a kind young man who cannot ignore the suffering of others, yet do you intend to allow this ancient pharaoh to drown in his suffering as he returns to the plane where time stands still until he is summoned once again?" The for once level tone caused the young mage to startle slightly, his lilac eyes though remained upon the weeping pharaoh before him as their being began to disappear. "He was simply performing his duties as any Servant would by putting the wellbeing of their Master first. Do not allow your personal feelings to cloud your judgement in this moment. You once ordered me to view him as an ally, to protect him, and here you stand watching as he is about to depart from this plane."

Yugi's lips parted then closed as he bit back a retort. The Toon Magician, his Castor Class Servant, was right. His eyes closed briefly as he took a deep breath and steeled himself as he walked up the stairs. "I thought that I could chase away her sadness and loneliness by staying by her side no matter what but I never thought that it would hurt her more." His hand grasped the Nameless Pharaoh's, earning a gasp as wide amethyst eyes met lilac. His mana circuits opened as he tightened his hold. "I, Yugi Mutou, hereby form a contract with this Servant! You will help me defeat the one who has taken my friend!" The Ruler's head nearly fell back as his being was slammed with mana, his teeth gritted as it penetrated every fiber until he was abuzz with power. He was about to reel from the sudden onslaught of energy if Yugi's hands hadn't steadied him. "Now tell me everything you know about that guy so I can kill him for taking Anzu!"

See you next time!