Hi everyone! Hehe, sorry for not updating in a very very LONNNG time... But what do you know, I'm alive and out of my hibernation.
Soo, what made me not update in so long a time? Um, well lately I've been devoting all my time to costumes for anime conventions... I am now an official cosplay freak. ANIME CONS ARE SOO COOL! I went to one in J-town in San Francisco(I dressed up as Summoner Yuna from Final Fantasy X; check my profile for links to my pictures!), and I was SOO close to meeting Azurite! TT Oh well, there's always next year.
Oh, and if anyone is going to the FanimeCon '06 in May this year, TELL ME! Because I'm going with my friends on Saturday and Sunday. 3 Look out for a Hinata Hyuga from Naruto, k? That's who I'm gonna be. X3
Alright, enough about my life, let's get on with the story.
This following chapter isn't too long, but it's not extremely short, either. I'm content with how it came out, although it could definitely be better. It was fun writing it (over such a long span of time... --u)
BTW, "Itadakimasu" means "Let's eat" in Japanese. I think. And there are a lot of honorifics used... Like "-san" (Mr./Mrs.), "-chan"(used affectionately for girls) and "-kun"(used for guys). I use a lot of FANGIRL JAPANESE X3 lol... "Fangirl" Japanese(since it's not my first language and all those technicalities) in this chapter, so beware.
Plus... I've decided to use Japanese names for all of the characters since our two protagonists have their names already in this language. Sudoroku-san is Yuugi's grandpa, BTW. If I misuse any of them (I'm not very familiar with the Japanese version), please tell me. Thanks!
Big thanks to A Devil in Heaven for correcting the Final Fantasy glitch for me. :) How embarrassing, considering that I'm (now) a huge Final Fantasy fan... Especially of Rinoa. And a big thank you soo MUCH to mischiefmagnet, JAL and Azurite for beta'ing for me! I don't know where I'd be if it wasn't for you three:cheers:
Special Note to mischiefmagnet-- Sorry for not waiting for your final beta, I was too eager to post this! But you helped me along the way, so you've done more than enough. Thanks:hugs:
And if anyone else wants to help beta Chapter 8, feel free to contact me!
RECAP: It's six years after Battle City. Anzu Mazaki, now a model and dancer who recently returned from New York, has accepted a job at Kaiba Corp as their poster girl. She thought she'd barely see the great, annoying, egotistical(at least that's how she remembered him) Seto Kaiba during her job, but she was proved oh so wrong. And now, Anzu had been thrown into a dinner party with him in celebration of the release of a new chain of Kaiba Corp products... How will this turn out?
Disclaimer: I don't own anything here but my insanity.
Anywhere But Here
Ch 7: Itadakimasu!
Anzu sat upon a beach in the moonlight, the quiet ripple of ocean water and foam lazily lapping at her bare feet. The white sand was perfect-- clean and not sticking to Anzu's warm skin.
A little gull elegantly glided to her side, cawing softly but persistently. Anzu smiled faintly and almost reached out to touch it, when it snapped at her and jerked back, yanking an azure amulet from her hand. She hadn't noticed that she held it until now, but then realized that it was... Very important to her. She had to get it back!
The seagull flew inland. Anzu scampered after it, running to catch up. The beach softly melted into black behind her as the sound of the waves receded, but she did not noticed. She could only think of that stolen amulet.
They entered a tropical forest. The bird was quite far away, but Anzu could still see it. Oddly, her feet did not hurt, despite her fast pace.
The gull disappeared right as Anzu broke into a clearing. Instead of that annoying bird, a white cat sat calmly, licking its paw. It acknowledged Anzu's presence slowly by staring at her hard with his penetrating, azure eyes. With an almost-human huff, it got up and lazily walked into the line of trees, melting into the darkness.
Anzu followed suit, passing through a wet veil of leaves, to find herself in a large, grandeur room that looked nothing suspiciously like a ballroom she had been to in New York. It was in quite an uproar, with the many people inside, running around... It appeared to be a huge, chaotic feast. There were people scampering about with baskets of exotic breads and fruit atop their heads. Children with long, black hair were laughing and playing everywhere, adding to the confusion. Anzu could almost smell the excitement and simple joy of what seemed to be a party...
Yet she could feel something lurking somewhere. At the corner of her eyes, Anzu could sense something watching her, yet when she turned, there was nothing but the twinkling of bells and laughter. There were some things that were off... Like strange shadows and the lack of them, and tingling sensations she felt on her skin. She felt a mix of feelings... It was like a contrast, hot pink and cream, dazzling city versus a silent storm...
...Yes, that's what it was. A silent storm was brewing, yet she didn't know from what or why. And she turned.
Amid the brouhaha, there was a silent, dark throne at the head of the room. It was occupied by a man, with shadows dancing upon him. He sat coolly, watching everything with a calm eye. There was a mysterious glint in those pools of dark azure... A cryptic smirk rested upon his long face. Handsome black silk covered his build and elegant body. Gold embroidery graced the black; it was weaved into intricate designs that were works of art by themselves.
The man's eyes caught Anzu's, and his dark smile widened. Anzu fidgeted nervously, braving herself to not cower from his intimidating gaze. She thrust her chin higher and stared right back. They continued to stare at one another, blue locked with blue, for what could have been a mere moment or an hour or more. Finally, the man gave the briefest little raise of his chin toward Anzu, which was, apparently a signal to all the people swarming around. Without warning, they all rushed up to her simultaneously, and she was immediately crushed by the smothering arMs. and limbs. She gasped at the impact, but was rewarded with an elbow in the mouth, and she jerked back in surprise. The shorter people crowded around her tugged at her clothes, and everyone else nudged her frantically in one direction as if they were on a time limit. She stumbled along at their urges, trying to hold onto something for support but finding nothing. She felt their skin against her, and tried to peek about the bobbing heads, but the only thing visible was a massive sea of shouting humans.
After some time, Anzu was roughly set down in a chair. She had lost sense of direction... What the heck were they doing? Someone immediately tightened her chest with a corset, and Anzu looked down to notice for the first time that she was now wearing a black dress-- not the kind for a funeral, but one for some formal event. It appeared so innocently elegant, but on further inspection, the dress was made of a tight black leather. Anzu realized that it was not a dress, but rather held only the appearance of one-- the part below the waist flared out into ripples, and was actually a cloak over tight black pants that were squeezed neatly between her bare skin and tall black boots. The top of the 'dress' was also skin-tight, and held no real design, although the complete black fabric came to a low cut while the upper part of her chest was covered with a material similar to fishnet. Sleeves that began above Anzu's elbows drifted out in lazy curves, that would give the costume a carefree ambiance, yet tight black arm-belts prevented this dreamy vibes from being let out. There was golden embroidery in the designs of a dragon running up the side of the outer cloak... And they matched the man's.
That man. He sat in that great throne of his... Why did he have a throne, anyways? Anzu thought hazily. It's not like he's some king or whatever...
Then it struck her. Of course he was a king! In all his silk finery, his powerful throne.. Wait, but did that mean-?
The people flocked off to sit down at their tables and return to their merry feasting while some danced off to get more food. They spoke excitedly in some foreign tongue, pointing and waving at Anzu. A few ushered the woman to her feet, gently but firmly pushing her toward-.Toward the man.. Wait, but did that mean... No! That did that mean she was QUEEN-?
Anzu woke, her face beaded with sweat. The clock glared a blazing red 8:43 AM. Slowly, she sat up, putting her head in her hands sleepily. What had her dream been about? She couldn't remember at all. Something very chaotic and random... Hmm. And a cat, she recalled. Yes, there was a blue-eyed cat. Like Yoshi! She grinned.
An image of a dark throne flashed in her mind. A throne...? Oh yeah, there was a dark-haired man on the throne... Anzu thought hazily. Maybe it was Toya... Or Honda, maybe. They both have dark hair. Kaiba?
Anzu paled, but quickly reassured herself that it couldn't him. After all, even though they had been definitely seeing more of each other lately because of her job, it didn't mean that the two were friends of any sort. She groaned and lied down again, flopping her hand onto her nightstand. She winced as her knuckles clashed with the wooden surface and hissed in frustration. Finally, she stumbled out of bed.
Then who was it? Anzu pondered as she washed her face in the bathroom. An image of Kaiba flashed in her mind once again, and Anzu threw her towel into the sink. She sat down on the edge of her bathtub. This was getting frustratiing... It wasn't him, it's NOT HIM! she silently screamed. With that, Anzu stormed out of the bathroom, face-towel forgotten.
"Lovely as always," Mai said admiringly as she slowly scanned the various photos of the model set out on a desk. For once, she wasn't complimenting yourself.
"Thanks, but no," Anzu retorted as she sat down to relax, downing a bottle of water. They had just finished an exclusive photo shoot that Brad Languino had insisted on. When Anzu had first seen what was to be her party dress, she had been utterly speechless. Brad wasn't famous for his work for nothing. The dress was even more breathtaking than the sketch Anzu saw; moreover, it had been custom-made to fit and match Anzu. She and that dress were quite a pair, she had to admit. They had designed it a few days ago completely on the spot, after Anzu had stumbled upon the pattern when she had been choosing a dress for the party. It was a complete replica of the ballroom dress worn by Rinoa of the video game Final Fantasy VIII(AN: I don't own it, shut up) that was very popular in Japan at that time. Brad had previously gotten permission from the company producers, Square Enix(AN: Not mine) to make the dress, and Anzu had been given the honor of showing it off to the world. The dress was quite simple-- a cream halter top dress with a satin hem and an modest azure stone set where the straps connected to the dress in the front. It flowed quietly to Anzu's knees and swished whenever the girl moved.
"Marvelous," Brad said with a flourish of his hand while playing with the edge of yet another one of his colorful scarves around his neck with his other. "This first set of pictures are being uploaded onto a computer as we speak, so we can look at them in a few moments..."
"Hey, would you mind if I looked at them later? I kind of have an urgent appointment to go to. Sorry," Anzu said in a rush.
Brad looked up. He put on a show of exaggerated disappointment. "But Anzu, we still have a few more pictures to take!" he exclaimed in his heavily accented Japanese. "That appointment cannot possibly be even more important than this!" Anzu sighed. Brad was also famous for his stubborn streak.
"Brad..." Anzu looked at Mai helplessly.
Mai gently took Brad to the side. "Hun, Anzu's appointment is solely for preparing for the party and it's with me. And you know how impatient I can be..." she purred, her eyes flashing dangerously.
"Why, of course, Mai," Brad said hastily. He turned to Anzu, who hadn't heard a single word. "You go now and change, dear." And with that, he flew off to look at the photos.
"What was that all about?" Anzu said curiously.
"Hm?" Mai said innocently. "Oh, nothing. Now, go change, just like that gentleman said."
Anzu thought she heard him swear under his breath in Italian.
Yamashita-san was a... unique man. He was obsessed with the color purple, as was apparent in his completely violet attire. He was tall and broad-shouldered, and had long, dark brown hair that was probably curly(although it looked like the man had tried to straighten it with no avail), because, when he tied it into a ponytail(which was always), it busheled up to the middle of the man's back like a squirrel's tail. A very fat squirrel's tail.
The man was in his early thirties, and was the head of some minor department in Kaiba Corp. He claimed to take his job very seriously, but rumors begged to differ. Many young women called him a pervert, and nobody(not even him) denied that. It was no wonder rumors went around that Seto Kaiba was planning to fire him soon... The only reason Yamashita-san had such a high job in the first place was because of his clever mind, which he obviously used for the wrong reasons on too many occasions.
It was he that planned the constant parties, and it was he that seemed the most upbeat and enthusiastic about this most recent one.
"Hello, hello," the man exclaimed happily as the guests entered the "Ice Crown" building. It was loud and crowded as usual; the party planners(I mean, party planner) never bothered to rent the whole building, because it'd cause too much disruption for other people that visited the club. Also, the people there never gawked at the guests, unlike the typical Domino citizen, who never got tired of screaming idiotically whenever they saw a famous -albeit local- figure. The clubbers had gotten used to Kaiba Corp's presence in the building.
Instead, Yamashita-san usually rented the entire restaurant, since it was only other guests on the same floor that could disrupt them, since the clubbers were all on the first floor.
The dinner parties themselves actually took place in the small restaurant that the club had created. It was surprisingly high-class, and overlooked the dance floor from the second floor balcony. The rest of the restaurant was shut away from the club by a translucent glass wall, and was relatively quieter than the floor below, although the muffled music did pound a little upstairs. It was quite questionable on why the restaurant had been built on top of a club, but knowing the ideas of modern Japanese designers these days...
The "Ice Crown" building was actually built on a hill, so at the back of the building, there was another, smaller entrance to the restaurant, and eventually the club. It was here that Anzu Mazaki made her entrance to the party.
"Why, good evening," Yamashita-san visibly brightened when Anzu came through the doors. "Mazaki-san, it's a such a pleasure to meet you. You're more beautiful in life than in pictures... And that dress is astounding..." Anzu noticed uncomfortably that he didn't bother to disguise his blatant gaze roaming all over her form-- undoubtedly he was imagining what she would look like without that 'astounding dress' on. She blinked. Did he just lick his lips? Oh god... Anzu smiled tightly at him, and then said stiffly, "Nice to meet you too, Yamashita-san," but he grabbed her arm as she attempted to walk away and whispered in her ear, "Just call me Hubert."
Anzu nodded and said, "I see. Well, um, that's a very... nice name." To her relief, he stood back... Then grinned slowly at her.
She walked as fast as she could away from the disgusting man. He was horrible... Well, no shit, Sherlock.
Anzu threw away all of her formalities once she sighted Itoe Niimi, her friend. "Does Hubert sound like a very sexy name to you?" she murmured with a straight face while sitting down casually beside her.
Itoe coughed and looked disdainfully at Hubert. "Eww, Anzu-san, you don't like him, right?"
"Don't worry, I'm not," Anzu laughed. "But I mean, he's such a turn on..." She almost choked on her words as she feinted lust.
They both craned their heads around to catch a glimpse of Yamashita-san. He caught their looks and mistook it for lusty gazes and returned it hungrily. The two girls quickly turned back around.
"Loser..." Anzu mumbled and they burst into fits of uncontrollable laughter.
"I can't believe Ken Takigawa mistook that immature little excuse of a girl as possible working material for Kaiba Corp," a cold voice sneered behind them. Itoe gawked when she saw whom the voice belonged to, but Anzu didn't need to look to know that it was Seto Kaiba. She also didn't need to think hard to know that he was referring to not both of them, but only her with his little insult.
Anzu turned to face him anyway. "Well, this immature little excuse of a girl got the job, didn't she? Moreover, this immature little excuse of a girl just happens to be one of the most well-known people in the-"
"-Male world, I know," Kaiba interrupted evenly.
Anzu blinked. "Excuse me?" she exclaimed, her voice rising.
"You heard me." He feigned indifference, although he strangely felt bitter at the thought of Mazaki's popularity. He ignored that feeling easily. "Flaunting yourself around, hoping for some attention. Frankly, it's pretty pathetic."
He was pleased to see that she was red with fury. It was amusing to watch a flushed and speechless Mazaki. Some things never changed.
"Well, just because you're ignored by males doesn't mean that you should take your frustration out on me," Anzu scoffed, trying to mask her fury.
"Don't try to hide it," Kaiba went on in a cold voice as if he had never heard her implication that he was gay. He smirked. "Not that you even bother to. After your little... scene with that man yesterday at the coffee shop... I never knew you could sink so low."
"Don't spit out bull and make up that crap," Anzu shot back. Kaiba definitely was crazy. "because I have no idea what you're talking about ."
"Of course you don't," Kaiba said sarcastically. "You were just standing ever so close to that man because your intentions were so innocent, putting on a show for everyone to see, weren't you?" Her vision blurred a little with tiny, unnoticed tears when her eyes unexpectedly clashed with his steely gaze. Anzu fidgeted nervously, bracing herself not to cower from his intimidating gaze. She thrust her chin higher and stared right back, despite her embarrassment from his previous comment.
Whoa. Where...?
Where is this from? Where is this from? Anzu thought frantically as she suddenly broke eye contact with the tall man. It was almost like deja vu. Wait, it was deja vu! The dark throne... The cryptic smirk... But that meant her dream this morning had really been about-
"So it is true," Kaiba muttered. Anzu looked up. She'd figure that all out later.
"What?"
"Oh, nothing. Just your habit of undressing men in the public, that's all," Kaiba said in an icy voice. Anzu's jaw dropped open. Before she could reply, Yamashita-san's voice interrupted as he butted into their little conversation. "The party will be beginning shortly... Why don't we take our seats? They're up on the second floor, overlooking the dance floors." He walked to Anzu's right as if to escort her, but Kaiba was in the way. Itoe trotted up to Anzu's left side. To her relief, Yamashita-san had nowhere to go to be near Anzu. He huffed a little and walked away to their reserved tables. She was shocked to find out that she was also relieved that Kaiba stood beside her... She rathered Kaiba stood next to her than Yamashita-- and that was sayingsomething.
Kaiba wasn't walking with the two girls, but it just happened that they were walking along side each other to their area. Even with the loud music roaring in the background, there was an awkward silence. Not that they were expecting to talk anyways, but it was still weird.
Immersed in their own separate thoughts, Anzu remembered the last insult Kaiba had shot at her. Oh, nothing. Just your habit of undressing men in the public, that's all. Unlike his other remarks, he had been quiet in that one. Did that mean that Kaiba actually cared?
Heck no. He's incapable of that, Anzu assured herself. The thought never crossed her mind again.
As they approached the table, Anzu saw that there was a medium-sized group of people standing around and talking in a semi-casual manner. There was a stout man that she recognized to be the head of a company that distributed Kaiba Corp's products, who was conversing with anther person with some powerful title, probably. Three young women flocked around a man who seemed to be still in his college years. Anzu smiled. He certainly attracted many girls and probably even had his own fangirl club in high school, with his boyish face and jet black hair. The man looked quite classy in his black suit with gray stripes and a lavender tie tucked underneath.
He turned around. "Ah, older brother!" the man said, his face brightening. "I thought that you weren't going to come tonight... But here you are."
Kaiba, letting a long, drawn-out sigh escape. He ran his hand through his chocolate-colored hair. "It's not like I want to be here..."
The raven-haired haired man smirked. "You sound like me when I was younger."
"I'm not complaining."
"Of course not!"
Anzu was slightly surprised, but she didn't allow this to show on her face. This man had called that block of ice 'older brother'; this was Mokuba! What had happened to the adorable little boy that she remembered from years ago? He had been replaced with this- this- ladies' man!
Not that she minded.
Anzu shook her head to clear herself of her weird thoughts.
"And who is this beautiful lady you escort?" Mokuba asked, suddenly averting his attention to her. Anzu raised an eyebrow, clearly amused.
"I'm not escorting her-" Kaiba began.
"-But even then, I'm insulted that you can't recognize me," she interrupted.
Mokuba also raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"Does this face not ring a bell?" Anzu asked, feigning hurt. "Have I changed that much from Battle City?"
Mokuba narrowed his eyes, realizing who she was, yet he began to play along. "Jounouchi?"
"Mokuba!"
"Ok, ok, I know, it's the one and only Anzu Mazaki, isn't it?" He grinned, not waiting for an answer. "It's been a while, Anzu, but of course I'd remember your face; after all, it's plastered on too many magazines and all over the internet."
They launched into an animated conversation about college life as the foursome walked toward the table where they were supposed to meet. Itoe smiled politely and commented where she could; Kaiba stood tall, stiff and silent.
Mokuba was, indeed, attending a university, at Tokyo U, where he was about to start his sophomore year. "I skipped ahead a few years," he explained. However, he still fit working at Kaiba Corp into his busy life time; he had a choice of either becoming Vice President directly for the Kaiba Corp company or President of another major department. Either way, he was spending most of his time studying or working.
"...So it's always a pleasure to find time to go to fun parties and such..."
"Pft, you always go to parties," Seto muttered. It was the first time he had spoken in the conversation.
Mokuba ignored this and went on. "...And I was lucky enough to have time to attend today." He smiled at Anzu.
Everyone seemed to be settling down and drifting toward the three tables, which had thirty-some seats. The plates were all square and clear, which was quite unnerving since the table was also translucent. Navy blue napkins folded in the shape of a crown sat on each plate, and various utensils of both European and Asian origin. Each plate had a little card with a name on it, indicating where each guest sat.
Anzu found her name at the seat by the head of the table; Itoe was seated next to her. Anzu looked out of the corner of her eye at the seat to her right, which was the head. Please don't let that be Hubert's seat, please don't let that be Hubert's seat, she prayed. She watched in relief as Yamashita-san sat down at the opposite end. The seat next to Anzu was then suddenly occupied by none other than Seto Kaiba.
A light ringing noise filled the air; it was a wonder that anyone could hear it, considering how the club music was pounding downstairs. But miraculously, everyone heard and swiveled their heads in Yamashita-san's direction.
Hubert was pleased with the sudden attention. He cleared his throat and stood up importantly. As the conversation politely settled, Hubert enjoyed taking his time gazing at each of his invitees. Or more like their chests.
Not the men's chests-- Just the women's.
The silence stretched on.
"If you have nothing to say, Yamashita-san..." Kaiba growled finally. The other guests nodded their heads in agreement.
"Welcome," Hubert said quickly, in what he probably supposed was a deep, grand voice, "to the celebration of the release of the Duel Disk: Unleashed. Today marks the day in which this new device has been released to the world and market.
He shot another long gaze at each of his guests (or at least those with breasts anyway) "With this in mind, I would like to invite you all tonight to enjoy yourselves" he paused for a moment, licking his lips as he gave Anzu a particularly lusty smile, "And please join me as we celebrate all of our fine work."
Anzu raised an eyebrow as she heard Kaiba scoff beside her. "Our fine work?" she heard him mutter quietly.
Ignoring his boss's obvious disinterest, Hubert continued, "So let us dine tonight in honor of our success, and let's toast to Seto Kaiba," -here, Hubert lifted his already filled glass- "for his watchful guidance of the present Kaiba Corp and its future." Everyone lifted their glasses, formally toasting the CEO. The clinking sounded like bells underneath the loud storm of the music downstairs, and the glasses were set down.
There was a small silence and then some of the guests politely clapped.
Everyone began to take the name cards from their plates and open them, so Anzu followed suit. The card listed the courses for the dinner. Her eyes widened as she read the complex descriptions of each dish.
"What's Fragolino Bianco?" Itoe whispered to her, pronouncing the foreign word slowly.
Anzu shrugged her shoulders and whispered back, "I'm not sure, but I think it's some wine from Italy." Anzu peered at the cup she had toasted Seto Kaiba with and pointed.
"I think it's that." Itoe glanced back at the card, looking even more confused.
"I don't even know what I'm drinking," she mumbled in dismay. Anzu quickly stifled back a giggle at Itoe's laments.
"Our chef today is the famous chef and manager of the Ice Crown Restaurant..." Hubert continued. This time, most people tuned him out. Their attention was focused on a man in a classic white chef's suit who had walked to the end of the table near where Kaiba sat.
"...Sim Kung Woo himself," Hubert finished. The Korean man smiled kindly and took a step forward. He had a small dish in his clean hands; it was made of glass and had subtle, pale etchings on the plate's face as design. A small crown made of real ice sat on it, and four jumbo shrimp were artfully arranged in the crown, with red sauce and other additions decorating this first appetizer.
"The Classic Crown", the chef declared in a heavily accented voice. He put the little dish in front of Kaiba and stepped back. Then, servers simultaneously walked forward to place identical dishes in front of each of the other guests.
Everyone turned politely to Seto Kaiba, who murmured formally, "Itadakimasu."
Anzu glanced sideways at Itoe to see if she was confused. Sure enough, Itoe was frantically looking at each utensil, unsure of which to use. "Anzu, which spoon?" Itoe hissed from the corner of her mouth. Anzu looked at her oddly. She herself was originally going to use a fork... It was normal to be unsure of which fork to eat shrimp with, but a spoon?
"Um, I don't think you eat shrimp with spoons, Itoe," Anzu murmured. Itoe looked at her friend. "O-ok, then..."
Anzu took a quick scan over the other people. They were all using forks; Kaiba was eating with black chopsticks which was a daring feat, considering that the shrimp were naked/raw/skinless and dripping with sauce. Anzu narrowed her eyes, having an urge to stick her tongue out at him.
Kaiba, sensing that someone was staring at him, looked up and glared right back at Anzu. In an infuriatingly calm voice, he said, "It's not nice to stare, even if you can't help it. Eat your food."
Anzu blinked. Did he just say that-that- "Agh!" she fumed in a restrained voice. And with that, she picked up her chopsticks and began eating with them with s much force and grace she could muster.
"Whatever," Kaiba said in that same bored tone, sending Anzu into an even greater fury. She began chewing faster and with more ferocity. Wait, no, slower, Anzu, calm down. He wants to trip you up... Be more elegant and teach that show-off a lesson. You're a dancer, you have that elegance! Anzu ate slower and carefully; it was a miracle that nobody had noticed her split-second frenzy...
She turned her head to the left to check if Itoe was now all right in the- 'oh my god'.
Itoe was eating with her hands!
Which is actually fine...
...But not at a dinner party!
"Itoe, what are you doing?"
"Not eating with a spoon!"
"There are forks!"
"This is easier."
As this incredulous conversation went on in whispers, Anzu concentrated on the horrors of Itoe's etiquette. She didn't even notice that her chopsticks were losing their grip on a piece of shrimp. She didn't even notice that the chunk was hanging precariously over her glass of water. She didn't even notice when the shrimp plunked into it with a splash.
She did, however, notice the water splashing onto her face... which had immediately turned crimson.
Yet nobody noticed. Everyone continued eating and still conversing... Anzu looked at her glass to make sure she wasn't hallucinating. Sure enough, the shrimp tail sat at the bottom of the glass, ugly as ever. She looked around again. Nobody was looking at her-- Hubert was staring at some woman, Itoe was still embarrassing herself and Kaiba was smirking at her glass. 'Wait.'
'Damn.'
He gave her an innocent look. Well actually, it wasn't "innocent" (Kaiba's physically and mentally incapable of that), but rather mockingly blank and clearly saying, "What?"
It was pure luck that the servers and head chef came out and swiftly collected the dishes and glasses, because Anzu was about to throw her glass at Kaiba. The water glasses were replaced (thank goodness) and then Sim Kung Woo introduced Appetizer #2.
This dish was clean and simple: tofu. But not just any tofu, mind you. As Anzu read from the card, this dish was made from the best materials in all of Japan. The taste of tofu all depended on the quality of the soy and water used, which made these two ingredients extremely vital. Both were bought at a high price, but worth their cost.
"Kyoto Tofu," Chef Kung Woo announced. He and the servers set down the dishes, and everyone began eating. Anzu picked up her chopsticks (Itoe reached for a spoon) and lifted a bit of tofu to her mouth. It had a light, nutty taste; "a pure delicacy," she heard one of the guests compliment the chef, who smiled and bowed.
After everyone finished, the first course was soon given: "East Meets West", a plate of soba cooked in Italian fashion. Bright sprigs of different herbs decorated the plate and noodles, while other colorful additions added to the flavor of this dish.
Their glasses were also soon filled with a clear wine. "Fragolino Bianco," Yamashita-san said in an almost smug voice. "It's illegal to make in Venice because of its high level of methanol, but we acquired it from a secret source. Most people wouldn't even dream of drinking this stuff. Nectar, it is." Anzu stared at the innocent-looking glass incredulously, and tentatively sipped it. It was gently sweet and delicate, so she drank some more. It actually wasn't half bad.
Anzu picked at her noodles with her chopsticks slowly. She took a small bite and rolled the food deliberately on her tongue. The aroma was complex and fresh-- she could still sense the faint, traditional Japanese fragrance of the noddles resting beneath the French dominance of everything else.
"So rumor is that this new product will bring top sales in the market," a plump man conversed leisurely before taking a delicate bite of his noodles.
Kaiba took his time before answering. "We'll see," he replied simply.
From then on, conversation was issued between the guests and Kaiba about business matters, polite and almost distant. Because she was not an experienced businesswoman, Anzu did not participate very much in the exchange of words. She smiled and nodded when expected, and spoke only to thank the people serving her food.
After first course was cleared from the table, the second was introduced. "Kobe Salmon," Sim Kung Woo voiced. The Yukon River Salmon was world-renowned, because it was arguably the butteriest, richest salmon in the world. The Japanese city of Kobe was one its major customers for the purchase of the fish, but a small fraction of it was sold to the rest of the world. Anzu briefly wondered how much this must've cost Kaiba, and concluded that she did not care.
The servings of every dish were quite small, and she eventually finished her food.
Anzu must have been mentally dozing off, because desert was immediately served. The center of the tables was cleared, and silver fondue pots were placed at the convenience of each guest. A soft gas flame gave off a ambient glow under each pot, warming the metal. The servers slowly poured rich, melted dark chocolate into each bowl over the flame, and Anzu inwardly sighed at the fresh aroma. The servers set two scarlet plates on each side of the table, full of colorful fruits, including some odd white ones in the center. On closer inspection, Anzu realized in curious fascination that they were strawberries. "Frutillas Blancas," Itoe dared to whisper to Anzu. "Interesting."
"These," Sim Kung Woo said with a modest gesture at the platters, "are what we call the White Strawberries of Puren. As you know, strawberries legendarily come from Chile, where they were originally snow white. After mixing with a red berry to produce the acidity known in today's strawberries, this fruit was given to the world, and the red dominated the white. But in a little town in Chile, a small handful of farmers still grow these white strawberries, which exist without any acidic taste. I invite you all to taste them yourself either in your chocolate fondue or alone."
Everyone instinctively reached for the peculiar strawberries, gasping a little at the delicate sweetness. Anzu wanted MORE, but since she didn't want to be... rude, she chose another piece of fruit instead, carefully dipping it in the chocolate. She made sure not to let it fall into the bowl, like what had happened with her shrimp.
Anzu had never particularly liked her fruit with any kind of fondue, and stopped dipping it in after that. She quietly nibbled on some honeydew, glancing around the table at the other guests.
She leaned back a little. Her situation was interesting, the woman mused. Here Anzu was, sitting at a table at a dinner party with CEOs and other high-class men and women that dominated the world economy, hosted by none other than her own high school nemesis. And here he was beside her, eating. It was amusing to ponder over the strange thought. The only bit that Anzu really knew about this man was the smirking, sneering side of him that made arrogant, snide remarks back in high school. But now, she was quite aware of the fact that their/her present situation was forcing her to see him in another light: as her boss. 'Funny how life changes.'
"Eep!" Itoe squeaked. Anzu turned and jumped a little. In slow motion, she watched as Itoe's starfruit(it's a fruit) fell from the skewer. Instead of plunking into the fondue bowl, it hit the tablecloth. The girls breathed a sigh of relief. We're so childish, Anzu mentally giggled to herself as she stealthily prodded the starfruit, attempting to get it out and away from the fire. Itoe closed her eyes.
Anzu softly swore as the yellow fruit tumbled toward the candle. She almost lit the metal fork itself on fire, but quickly drew back, luckily drawing no one's attention. But the starfruit was too close to the flame. To Anzu's horror, the fruit's yellow flesh burst tongues of gold as the candle flame pounced down to it.
Itoe shot straight up, and everyone turned to stare at her. Anzu wanted to put her head in her hands and die. "The tablecloth's on fire!" Itoe practically screamed.
This, of course, made everyone alert and rivet their eyes at the object being accused. Sure enough, little flames darted around the tablecloth as the starfruit quickly burned up.
Anzu frantically waved at it, only making it worse. Everyone else rose to their feet, watching the woman as she poured her glass of water on the fire, which was now extinguished. A wave of relief passed through everyone(actually, it was just Itoe and Anzu, really), and both girls felt drained. By the time they had sat down and realized what they had just done, it was too late to take back their actions.
After some awkward amusement and hasty apologies from the staff, the dinner party went on with ease (and smirks form a certain CEO). Anzu tried to make herself as invisible as possible by shrinking down while keeping as much dignity as possible.
Then her phone rang. Normally, Anzu would have been even more humiliated by this, but strangely, she was relieved. After excusing herself (much to Itoe's dismay), she went to the restroom, sinking down onto the couch in the room in front of the actual washroom. Snapping the phone open, she greeted, "Hey, Anzu here."
"Hey, Anzu-chan!" a familiar voice exclaimed.
"Good evening, Jounouchi," Anzu weakly replied. She decided not to tell him that she was at an important party.
"Soo... I was wondering whether you'd like to meet up sometime tonight with the gang," Jounouchi suggested in a friendly tone. "We're gonna go downtown."
I am downtown, Anzu thought to herself. However, she thought quickly, and took the great opportunity to escape, saying out loud, "Sure, I'll come later. Might be late, though."
'Because it might be hard to get out of this party.'
"Great!" Jounouchi grinned, and hung up, just like that. Anzu blinked.
Now for her cover-up story. After coming back to the table and apologizing, Anzu took a deep breath and bit her lip. She slowly walked up to Kaiba, and bent down low to whisper into his ear, "I need to go. There's been an unexpected... crisis, and I really have to leave now." She mentally cursed at the pause she had taken. Kaiba smirked.
"And who are you to excuse yourself like that?" he hissed in reply, cocking his head back toward the girl's head. "Have you humiliated yourself too much so you need to run away?"
Anzu was shocked at his frankness, and immediately shot back, "That's not true!"
Although it kind of was...
Kaiba gave her a piercing gaze and drew out the silence into uncomfortable territory. "Leave if you wish."
Anzu didn't show her surprise, but she was shocked at how easy it was. It didn't seem real... But she had to withdraw. Without another word, she quietly ran out of the building.
As she dashed away, Anzu silently cursed. This was so unlike her... She was never one to back down from a challenge, or anything, at that. And here she was, scrambling away like the little coward she had turned into. What had happened to the Anzu her friends knew and loved?
What the heck, the point was that she had to get out.
She dashed toward the entrance of the restaurant, but it appeared to be very crowded, so Anzu started for the doors on the first floor/club. Bad choice.
No matter how many times she went up and down them, Anzu never got used to the transparent stairs that linked both levels of the club. That was why she always opted to go for the elevators, but she had completely forgotten their convenience in her disarray. She was almost near the end of the ordeal when she tripped-
-And landed in the arMs. of a certain someone.
HUBERT.
Anzu jolted as she inhaled the suffocating cologne, and tugged herself away from Yamashita-san's searching hands. "Hmm, what are you doing down here alone?" he asked in a soft voice. Oh god, save me, Anzu prayed to whoever was out there in the clouds. She shot up, trying to smile and shake off the dismay that his hands had stained her beautiful dress. "I'm sorry," she apologized in a tight voice with as much annoying kindness pounded in as she could muster. "I'm leaving now."
"Where to?" Yamashita-san continued in his disgustingly husky voice, attempting to lean closer to her.
"AWAY," Anzu choked. In other words, anywhere but here, she thought to herself. "Now excuse me." And with a final yank, she tripped her way to the doors.
A blast of hot air hit her, and then she was free-- amid the lively colors known as downtown Domino.
This is a fact: the streets of modern Asian cities are busier in the hours of night than in day. Many little shops and bars opened long after normal work hours, and the city-wide party lasted until the first hints of dawn breaking the next morning. But for now, life went on in bursts of loud sounds and flashing lights.
Anzu slowly traveled in a dazed state through this city she adored. New York was nice, but she had grown up in Domino, America could never replace that.
Strangely enough, she was still hungry. Apparently, the food at the dinner party was really good, but just didn't fill her up... The girl entered an old and popular ramen shop, Ichiraku. She walked up the ramp between a clogged maze of motorcycles parked in the front of the shop, whose whole front wall opened up like a huge door. "Welcome!" a loud, hearty voice rang out before she even sat down. A stout man cheerfully lumbered over, and Anzu grinned. "Hey Ichiraku-san," she greeted her old friend. "I'll have the usual." Mr. Ichiraku briskly nodded his head, accepted the money, and yelled to the metal counter, "One miso ramennn!"
"Yes!" another energetic voice piped. A few other guests came into the shop, and after giving Anzu an apologetic nod for not staying to talk, the man quickly went to greet them. Business was still obviously going well, she could see.
Within mere minutes, a huge bowl of steaming hot ramen was carefully placed in front of Anzu by a waiter, who quickly rushed off to help some other guests. "Itadakimasu," she whispered, snapped her chopsticks, and dug in. The soup was hot with just enough saltiness... That was what ramen shops were renowned for: their broth. And Ichiraku's was by far the best, even against all of the five star restaurants she had eaten at in the past.
After having a few hearty bites and a reasonable amount of ramen, Anzu sat back, putting a hand to her head. She felt so light-headed... It must have been that wine drink back at the party. She silently cursed, and got up, only to sit back down again, her hand against her head beside the huge ramen bowl. That stuff was strong... This was her last thought before lapsing into darkness.
It was almost cute to watch Anzu run out of the club, Mokuba thought as he watched her disappear around the corner. The younger Kaiba looked at his elder brother, who seemed to not even care that Anzu had left. In fact, he looked reasonably better. Itoe looked lost and out of place. Why had she even been invited to the party in the first place? Oh yes, Mokuba recalled, her uncle was the president of some company that Seto was trying to set a deal with. That's why they had given the klutz a Kaiba Corp job when she applied for it, even though there were also other strong candidates for the job to assist Anzu Mazaki.
...And his idle thoughts had trailed back to the girl once again. How she had changed over the past six years! Mokuba had seen her on covers and on the internet, but it was always different in person. After all, her vibrant life could not be entirely captured in a photo. Mokuba's crush on the brunette, which had blossomed and died back when he was younger, became a memory that he reminisced about for a while during dinner that night.
It was quite a far-fetched and absurd idea, but Mokuba believed that the Mazaki could be good medicine for his brother. He seemed so weary of most of the people around him; everyone always just agreed with everything he said, asking no questions and presenting no obstacles. There wasn't any adventure or excitement in life anymore; Seto was not one for a boring life, Mokuba knew. Arguments of ethics and wit were good for the man, and he had been deprived of them lately. And Anzu seemed like the only person around (besides him, of course) who could actually push his brother around, if she really had the motivation.
Soon the dinner quietly dissolved, and was replaced with nonchalant lounging and conversation, interspersed with some dancing. Seto bowed out, as he was obviously not the type to be interested in dance. His brother, in contrast, was much more social amongst the guests. But after ten minutes, even Mokuba's fuse had quickly burnt out, and he became quite bored of the formalities.
And so, with casual spontaneity, Mokuba walked out of the club and restaurant, without telling anyone or giving any reason of his sudden leave. Mokuba Kaiba was an impulsive man-- if he had even the slightest desire to do something, he did it. In a way, manners meant nothing to him. And certainly no one would deny the Kaiba's access to something if he wanted it. It apparently ran in the family.
The man plowed slender fingers through his coal black hair, then slipped his hands into his pockets. Domino. He hadn't been here for a long while... College life at Tokyo U took him away from time and this city. Yet here he was, in the town he grew up in. The place of familiar tastes and smells, with people who had molded into him to become what he knew as friends.
Mokuba decided to pay Yuugi a visit.
Kame Game Shop had moved to the center of downtown Domino recently. Originally, it had been at the edge, but with the rising popularity of Duel Monsters, Kame had to move to the more crowded streets of Japan to keep up with the booming business. Yuugi Mutou and his grandpa(Sudoroku-san) now lived above the store in a small house, as was quite common in Asia, even in less populated areas, too.
The front of Kame Game Shop was like most other family-owned shops in Japan-- modest and clean. A few plastic chairs and a table were set at the front of the shop, under the upper canopy to block occasional rain and hard rays of sunlight. Mokuba shunned away a few stray dogs, and his face lit when he saw Grandpa Sudoroku sitting in the front, reading a book. "Hey, Gramps!" he waved. Sudoroku looked up, and his mouth crinkled into a smile. "Hello, Mokuba, long time no see," was his greeting. "Are you here for Yuugi? They're going out, I think."
Mokuba was about to reply, but was interrupted by a "Gimme dat back!" and a large thump and crash. Honda and Jounouchi tumbled through the doorway, fighting over some object that Mokuba couldn't see. A girl with long, auburn hair stepped out from behind them, giggling. Shizuka's face brightened as she recognized Mokuba, and exclaimed, "Mokuba-kun!" She came over and hugged Mokuba affectionately. Otogi rushed over and gently pried her off of him, mumbling something about protecting her, then smiled and said hello to Mokuba. Ryou, who had been watching TV with Otogi, got up and came over also. Lastly, Yuugi walked down the stairs, greeting Mokuba with surprise and delight, immediately inviting him to go with them for a small dinner. It had been a month since the last time they met up, since that was the last incident in which Mokuba had been in town. He noted some people were missing, and Yuugi explained that Mai was on a business trip. "And Atem?"
Yuugi hesitated, and Jounouchi roared in the background, "HAA! MINE!" and popped the object in his mouth. Then he took a little victory lap around an invisible circle. "Duel Monster chocolates," Otogi explained, rolling his eyes.
"Anyhow," Yuugi softly went on, "Atem left a few weeks ago, shortly after Anzu got back. Said he had to see someone in Egypt."
Isis.
"Oh." Mokuba didn't know what to say. Everyone, including Honda and Jounouchi, quieted noticeably. He knew Anzu had been in love with the Pharaoh, which was even more evident once he and Yuugi got their own bodies a few years back. But... But after meeting Isis at Battle City, Atem seemed... Different. Perhaps it was because she sparked up a memory of his ancient life, or maybe it was the sense of familiarity she gave Atem, since she was from Egypt herself. Mokuba hoped that the brunette had gotten over her crush, because it'd only shatter her heart in the end if she hadn't.
"Are we waiting for anyone else?" he quickly changed the subject. Yuugi immediately looked relieved from the awkward tension that had built up, and Mokuba let out a breath of air he didn't notice he had held in. "I called Anzu some time ago, so she'll be coming soon," Jounouchi responded. He peered outside. "Odd, she should be here by now. Anzu's usually prompt." This is strange, Mokuba thought. He put together the pieces, realizing that Anzu's interrupting phone call back at the party must have been Jounouchi. And it was perfect timing for her to get away from the dinner party(after her little drama act with the other girl, Mokuba thought with an amused smirk), and escape, explaining her sudden leave. 'Aha.'
Jounouchi made a few phone calls to Anzu, and eventually left a message, telling her that they'd be out for a late dinner at a certain ramen shop. The group put on their jackets and left in Otogi's car without her.
It had begun raining. But Seto welcome it with open arms, because he was FREE from the dinner. Finally. Yamashita-san had planned the worst party yet, and the CEO was just glad to be out. He took his limo to Milano's, the only coffee shop the Kaiba bought from. Heck, he could buy the whole store chain if he really wanted to.
This was almost a routine to Seto-- after a particularly bad experience (namely Yamashita's parties), he'd purge himself of the negative stains of the event with a cup of good coffee. Luckily, the store was almost always open, and even if it wasn't, it wasn't hard to get what he wanted by pulling the manager's strings a little. If Seto wanted something, he got it. Always.
"Welcome!" a cheerful voice piped as the gang entered a crowded ramen shop they all visited frequently A pretty young woman gave them an apologetic smile, saying, "Sorry, the tables are full right now. You can wait... Unless you'd like to share one of the larger tables with another party?"
"...All right, then," Otogi answered. Mokuba scanned the crowded shop, and sure enough, no tables were empty. A stout man walked over, saying, "I hope you wouldn't mind a sleeping woman at your table, she just feel asleep... I can't wake her up, so I just left her and her ramen there. Can't disturb my guests." He laughed. "Anzu's such a bright woman, I think she's been just stressed out lately or something... Or just busy. After all, she does have one heck of a job."
The group reacted as one, turning incredulously to their table-to-be and a sleeping form cloaked in a cream dress slumped on the surface. "Anzu!"
Seto felt reasonably better after buying the coffee, and relaxed as his limo inched through the city traffic. It was always busier at night, which was why Seto tended to avoid working in the evenings in the Kaiba Corp building, but oftentimes it was inevitable. He hated flashing lights.
The limo was barely budging, and loud honks resonated through the city sounds. The nearby shops on each side of the winding road were all full of people out for a late snack, and the clubs pounded out music so loud that Seto could feel the vibrations.
They eventually reached Ichiraku, a ramen shop that he and Mokuba used to always go to. A few minutes passed, and the limo was still in front of the shop. Being as impatient as the ice block was, the Kaiba finally got out of the car, planning to get some ramen take-out for his brother, who had so kindly disappeared from the party. And anyways, Seto wasn't exactly full, since the dinner servings at the party were so minuscule.
"Welcome!" a cheerful voice piped as Seto entered a crowded ramen shop A young woman gave him an apologetic smile, saying, "Sorry, the tables are full right now. You can wait... Unless you'd like to share one of the larger tables with another party?"
"No, that's all right," Seto replied. "I'll just come next time when it's not so full." After all, Seto did have his own cooks at home who could probably make ramen as good as Ichiraku's. He got back in the limo, which eventually left the city for the Kaiba home.
"I'll bring her home," Mokuba immediately offered once they sat down.
"No," Yuugi protested. "You should have to miss dinner just because of this... Here, I'll do it-"
"I'll be fine," Mokuba insisted, waving at the air, "and I've already had dinner. I'm a bit tired, anyways." After Mokuba's persistent stubbornness, the gang finally agreed with reluctance. "Take care of her," Jounouchi called. Mokuba nodded and left, with a sleeping Anzu in tow.
Mokuba took the taxi back, since it was faster than calling his own limo. When the taxi driver asked for their destination, he realized with a jolt that he didn't know where Anzu lived now...
Which meant that there was nowhere for the poor girl to go. Hmm. Anzu could always stay at the Kaiba mansion for the night... There was nothing wrong with having a guest, right? After all, she was a family friend.
Hehe.
The mansion was quiet but not dark when he (or rather, they) got there. In fact, most of the lights were on, and maids bustled about, cleaning the house in a tidy manner. Mokuba took off his shoes and put on house slippers, careful not to drop Anzu during these one-handed actions. She was surprisingly light, the man noted, although that was obvious from the fact that she was a dancer and had a slim frame.
After explaining to the maids who the woman was ("Seto's guest"), the staff gave Mokuba a pair of slippers for her, and some silk sleeping garments that Mokuba never knew they owned. He gave everyone specific instruction to treat the woman as an honored guest ("Seto's orders") and to not disrupt her. Then, he brought her sleeping body upstairs, and lay her gently on a dark blue bed, setting the neat covers over her. Putting the clothing and other accessories neatly folded beside the bed, Mokuba quietly shut the door, and pranced away like the little girl we all know he is deep inside. (AN: I didn't say anything.)
It wasn't the guest room.
YEAAAHHHH! AFTER SO MANY MONTHS OF WRITER'S BLOCK, I HAVE FINISHED CHAPTER 7! Okay, it's kind of clichéd, lame and non descriptive, and I don't really like how it turned out... Plus the second half is quite rushed(written in a few hours XD)... But hey, I'm updating. :runs in circles screaming: I cannot believe it. WOOT.
Oh, and BTW, I did the repetitiveness through the scenes on purpose. I'm so annoying, ne? XD
Because of that recent no-review-replies-on-your-story rule, I will be posting chapter reviews on my fanfic livejournal. Go to my bio for the link.
I highly encourage you guys to visit my livejournal... It's lonely out there. :sniff: My only friends are mischiefmagnet and Azurite. I update frequently, so visit for sneak peeks, suggestions and other stuff! If you've also got one, leave a comment on mine and I'll get back to you. And still comment, even if you don't have one. Thanks!
Sooo... Please review! Don't scold me too much on my lateness... :sob: Compliments will be treasured, constructive criticism encouraged and considered, flame cried over. Please be honest, though. If it sucks, tell me. And anyways... Thanks for reading! On to Chapter Eight now...
So... Until next time, ja!
Now & Forever,
Ambiance-Dream