Chapter 23- Vague Invitation Problems
Luanne ran to the lobby, and she had just missed Bryn as he took his bicycle to the road. She ran after Bryn as best she could. Bryn stopped as he stepped on the break hard.
"What do you want, bruh?" Bryn asked.
"What is this examination that is taking place?" Luanne was worried.
"No clue… Hey Lu! Look!" Bryn tried to distract Luanne. Luanne looked around, but there was nothing. Bryn then quickly stepped on the bicycle by surprise.
"I see nothing!" Luanne shouted.
"Just go back to Abbey and Gissi; forget what I said!" Bryn didn't turn back; he had to be loyal to Marik.
Luanne went back instead but stayed in front of the door where they were meeting. The Rare Hunters have seen her being dominant before when their bodies swapped. Marik can create a house of horror in this meeting.
"Excuse me, do we know you? Aren't you the mistress of Master Marik?" One of the Rare Hunters asked. He was hooded, but the tendrils of shadows could not make out what the figure was. Was she hallucinating?
"I have to go…" Luanne went back outside.
"You think our Master will always be kind to you?
You have never seen him at his worst!" Her bracelet beamed, and the entity was gone. When she turned back, the Rare Hunter vanished, creeping Luanne out as she didn't know where to go.
Then she went back in and pounded on the meeting door. Then the door opened, and Kjetil peeked. "Are you looking for something?"
"I-I- lost my way!" Luanne acted normal.
"Are you looking for our Master?"
She shook her head, "Kind of… It's not Hunky Dory if you've noticed creepy things happened."
"BOO!" Kjetil teased her, and then she screamed.
"AHH," The tough Rare Hunter wheezed in laughter, so he quickly closed the door and went outside with her.
"Shhh! I mean, there is a meeting…" Kjetil said.
"Why are you down here anyway?"
Luanne shrugged, "Me? I was getting fresh air, you know…" As she looked at the weather, it was grey and windy. The thick puffy clouds were gathering, and she could only panic slightly.
"Master Marik had a strict order to keep you from this meeting. Even Odion, how should I put it, set a booby trap on the passageway on that door." Kjetil warned her.
"Oh! Great to hear, perhaps I should go back up…."
"Is something troubling you, young girl?" Kjetil asked.
"No, no… why do you ask?"
"I used to have a daughter, so I know. Those Bastards killed her right before me while we saved our Master..." The Rare Hunter started sobbing.
"Oh… My condolences, sir Kjetil."
"Bryn, how did he… beat you." Luanne was shocked.
"He's our Kung Fu Master! AHAHAHA!" The tattooed man was a friendly Rare Hunter.
"So things must have been exciting before I came along?" Luanne arched her brow.
Kjetil laughed again; what would look like an innocent conversation was all the more confusing. Ken Doll is bossing around a criminal syndicate that has a long history of cultism. She was not in the right mind when she consented to crash their party.
"Good evening Luanne; our Master wishes to see you now." Odion appeared.
Luanne felt a dozen butterflies when she heard as Marik needed her presence. "I'm okay; I will hang out with the girls."
"You can't keep our Master waiting." Kjetil chuckled.
Luanne sighed, feeling slightly anxious about attending an important meeting. "You guys just tell him to see me later…."
Lady Verda with Di Ja Lien appeared with a cold-blooded look on her. She was wearing a black dress. In comparison, Di Ja Lien was wearing a latex satin suit. "Marik does want to see you, and any further delays, he will not be kind." She warned Luanne.
"What will he do if I do not attend?"
"So this is the girl Marik was talking about. The duelist is awaiting her time bomb." Di Ja Lien smirked as she scanned her from top to bottom.
Luanne stepped back as she was utterly confused.
To stay with Abbey and Carissa or to join these ladies as Marik knows them. "What duel are you talking about?"
"Why didn't he tell you? I would have thought. Pity, I thought Marik would break the news soon." Di Ja Lien chuckled; she looked cunning, including Lady Verda. Luanne wasn't afraid, however, as she knew little about the criminal industry.
"I had to work on my writing and journalism; I barely had time to unravel those matters. I'm Luanne, by the way." Luanne pulled her hand out, but Di Ja Lien refused to shake her hand. Then Lady Verda spotted Luanne's bracelet. Did she have it on the whole time? The bracelet that she wore when she was a young Verdant Leader.
Kjetil pushed her to the meeting door. "Master Marik is still waiting; go…."
As Luanne entered, the room was eerie, and the only thing that she was holding was her bracelet charm. The men were all in military stances, unlike the time in Sagrada Familia or in Egypt. All hooded and formally expressionless. The only light illuminated was Marik's Millennium Rod. She closed her eyes as she remembered last night's duet was very different. In front of her was a body, it was Bianca. Why is she sleeping?
As she stood still, Lady Verda and Di Ja Lien stood on the left side of Marik, and Odion stood on the right. Kjetil stood next to Odion. The room was dead silent, and Marik wanted it that way. Was it an intermission?
Luanne was over it; the haunting vibe made her nauseous, so she deliberately missed the meeting. She isn't important anyway, and whatever they had planned to reveal to her, she would rather die.
Feeling lonely as ever, not even talking to duel monsters will fill the void of loneliness now. The brunette short haired lady with a stroller, then smiled at Luanne.
"Oh, Hello there, you must be Lucy?"
"Luanne, pretty close…." Luanne said.
"My sincerest apologies; come over to my hotel room."
"Wait, how do I know you're not just some stranger?" Luanne said to the lady.
"My bad… Yes, name's Abbey Leigh, Bryn's older sister."
"Abbey Abbey Abbey!" Bryn ran to his sister and hugged her. Then the toddler Huxley said, "Oh bubble bubble bubble!"
Luanne watched Bryn and Huxley's parents play with him. Carissa was preparing her following fashion clothing line, but Marik was absent. She was starting to understand Marik's need to have his own space.
"The gig got cancelled, so I will be here." Bryn sighed.
"So, how often do you play?" Luanne asked him.
"When there are opportunities here and there, I will go, but sometimes I can't 'cause Master Marik wants me to do stuff."
"I think it's good that you guys have something to keep occupied other than stealing valuables and kidnapping people. Just saying…" The whole room went awkwardly quiet, as Luanne commented.
"Hmm, I disagree, Lu… Master Marik allows us to have a work-and-play balance. See stealing as a preempted contract rather than a crime, and you will feel better." Bryn was serious this time. He seemed more tense and focused.
"It's just that I do not like what you all are doing. It's very unethical." She tried to conceal her emotions.
"Jesus! Talk to the hand, Luanne! I'm sick of trying to explain to an outsider who we are. You've tagged along, and all you do is write about our shit, hoping you can accomplish high school journalism? Do you even have a family that cares about you regardless of their state of mind? I'm going to see Master Marik!" Bryn was pissed, and he slammed the door. Bryn lacked quipping for work ethic debates. Oliver paused as he sensed Bryn's uneasiness. This organization meant everything to them, and to be questioned about ethics by an outsider was a sign of defiance. At least those that had fallen before the inquiry of ethics.
"I know you're not officially part of us, and you've only joined in observing us, but you must understand that it is more than just an organization, Miss Khait. Rare Hunters are our family."
"I understand… look, I just don't want my family to be in danger, that's all..."
"Bruh… what if I was the dangerous one?" Bryn disparagingly suggested.
"I would beg for your mercy… in which case, if I win in the game of 'Articulate', I will ditch this criminal lifestyle of yours." Luanne watched as Bryn turned from a calmer persona to disgust.
Bryn stared at Luanne like she still didn't get it. He wanted to throw some shades at Luanne, but someday she would.
Oliver stepped in and pushed Bryn onto the couch with Huxley. On that note, a wild spur of toddler scream lightened their mood for Bryn.
"OH MY GOODNESS! WHEN WAS THE LAST YOU'VE BEEN CHANGED?!" The half-Napali boy averted his nose and detected a pungent smell from Huxley's direction. Huxley laughed, too, as Bryn changed a clean diaper. Huxley was holding it.
"Thanks, Uncle Bryn!" Oliver teased his brother-in-law.
"HNNNN! FINE!" Bryn carried Huxley to the washroom. Luanne laughed a little, but she refrained from embarrassing Bryn further.
"I'll help too." Luanne follows Bryn.
As they entered the washroom, Bryn helped Huxley to climb up the diaper change table. Huxley said, "Poo Poo Lu Lu", pointing to Luanne.
Bryn laughed incessantly, "Not a dull moment after all…."
"Indeed!" Luanne clapped her hand in laughter.
"Since you're not interviewing now, could you pass me the wet wipes?"
"Sorry, Bryn, I didn't mean to question the Rare Hunters. They are all men in this organization, but I didn't know girls could join, and this criminal thing is beyond me."
"I know… and you don't have to apologize 'cause I've heard enough tarnishing in our name. I'm happy to answer you."
"Okay…"
"Lu, you know people have been following us, right?" Bryn suddenly tried to change the topic.
"It is possible because I have seen my twin brothers in trouble," Luanne remembered once when teenagers were giving them a deck.
"Then I'm curious about that. One of our guys, Reid, is on a mission, and he bought a litre of food colouring before this mission with corn flour." Bryn pondered.
"You are an idiot… that guy is plotting something… against Marik with foul play," Luanne sighed.
"You do have the brains of a Rare Hunter…." Bryn showed his teeth as he grinned.
"Seriously, Bryn, don't mention that."
"And one more thing… Did you and Marik go through a role confusion by any chance?"
"What do you mean?"
"It's okay, don't answer that. Uncle Bryn loves you, oh yes, I do." Bryn cooed to his nephew, and the toddler giggled loudly.
Luanne went flush red as a reminder of the switched bodies. Has she been Marik?
"I don't mind calling you Mistress Marik. Hey, you wanna watch a crime unfold with me?" Bryn asked.
"Bryn… that sounds very wrong, bruh. Nope-"
"Tonight we are heading to Nepal… no, no, just joking! I mean, we need a boat and stuff to go there."
"I get what you mean; you want me to come up with a plane ticket so suddenly." Luanne blankly said.
"No, no, no… we have all those in Rare Hunters, but would you like to come with me?" Bryn asked.
"To fulfil your deontological duties, maybe. Is your Master coming?"
Luanne felt empty again, knowing travelling with Bryn meant they had to seal another secret.
Deontology is an ethical principle she held closely. Did Bryn want to show Luanne something she never knew about Rare Hunters? As they cleaned up the diaper table, they returned to the lounge room where Oliver and Abbey were, but they had gone somewhere while Marik ordered them to.
"Time for bed now, Huxley!" Bryn kissed the toddler on the head.
"NOOO" The young Reinhart kicked the air rigorously, trying to fight for his right to stay awake.
Thirty minutes later, as they read two children's books each, the boy fell asleep. Bryn and Luanne smiled at each other. As they came out, Marik was standing at the door with Odion.
"Hi Master Marik… and Odion sir." Bryn whispered carefully, not to wake Huxley in his slumber.
"You two will not be going anywhere I wouldn't know of." Marik casually stated.
"Oops, he already knows…." Bryn sighed aloud.
"Danielle's games, I would presume, are our priority." Marik frowned.
Bryn glanced at Luanne, and Luanne shrugged.
"Oh, Ellie's game…."
"Mistress Di Ja Lien to you. While your sister is here with Oliver, I need them too." Marik scowled.
"Have you met Huxley, Master Marik? I mean, I have a nephew now." Bryn squirmed.
Marik smiled, "Not yet, but I don't want to."
Luanne was patting Huxley on the couch. "Yeah, maybe the over-majestic creep may scare a toddler…." Luanne rolled her eyes.
Marik pushed the door, "Indeed, I may make Huxley the youngest Rare Hunter. However, a menacing toddler can hardly steal a card."
"Mind control a toddler… that's low…" Luanne muttered.
"You are not going to repeat sidetracking again, Bryn…." Marik warned him and left the three alone. Bryn poked his tongue out.
"I'm sorry, but I don't want to be in Spain anymore," Bryn said without thinking.
"What you want is none concern, Bryn. And Luanne missed our meeting." Marik growled.
Luanne stopped patting Huxley and carried Huxley to the toddler bed.
Marik came in, cornered Luanne, and looked down at her and then the toddler. He smirked as he reached for her cheek with his tanned fingers. "Pity you missed the official invitation, so I made an alternative invitation. I hope you don't make this a cordial habit of your refusal to be my duel par.." Huxley then stretched and then started to wake from his siesta. Then when he saw the platinum-blonde teen over him, she began to cry—holding on to Luanne and hiding his face on Luanne's shoulder. He suddenly hit Marik as a protest of waking up. Marik was surprised as Huxley slapped him, the leader of the Rare Hunters. Bryn laughed so loudly that Luanne even forgot what Marik was talking about while trying to comfort Huxley.
"Did Uncle Master Meany Mariky wake you?" Bryn offered to carry Huxley from Luanne. Marik folded his arms as Huxley refused to leave Luanne. Luanne shyly comforted him as this was very awkward for Marik.
"Okay, go back to sleep, Hux, shhh." Luanne soothed the child. She had childbearing experiences. Marik gave the child a death glare, and he sobbed harder.
"Why don't you introduce Marik to Huxley?" Luanne asked Marik.
"Mummy… Daddy…" Huxley held Luanne tighter.
Marik walked towards Luanne's back as his face softened forcefully. Huxley then glanced into Marik's eye. "Popol Popol!"
Marik nodded and said, "That's right, Purple Eyes, very clever." Feeling somewhat awkward mixed with sarcasm as he had never interacted with toddlers in his Ranks. Huxley reached for the gold chains on his Rare Hunter cloak and started tugging it.
"No, do not touch!" Marik said sternly with his fingers pointing and growled at the child. Huxley felt it, the words that felt like a sting to his egocentric. He nipped Marik's finger, followed by another hit, and Marik dodged him. "Bad boy!"
"Hey, come play with some LEGO Huxley." Luanne shook her head at Marik and redirected the child to a box of LEGOs. However, Marik could hear the teen girl correct the toddler too.
"Gentle hands Huxley and biting is ouchie, so no biting." Huxley sat on Luanne's lap as they played with construction.
Marik sat beside Luanne, smiling as he approached Huxley. As he picked up the LEGO from the box, Huxley wanted to snatch the same piece as him. "MINE!" The toddler screamed.
"Not anymore…" Marik taunted Huxley. "There is another piece just like that." The Egyptian boy showed Huxley common sense.
Luanne then said, "Let's build a castle in Huxley. Where Uncle Bryn, you, me, mummy and daddy can live." Luanne gathered the pieces fast and built a significant structure.
"Where I rule in the castle…." Marik whispered in Luanne's ear.
"And… we are keeping the evil wizard with purple eyes from invading the castle," Luanne said mischievously.
"Yes… I suppose I'm the evil purple-eyed wizard…." Marik smirked at the imagination Luanne was illustrating. "And you're the fairy… who is mesmerized by an evil purple-eyed wizard and decides to serve him."
"No! Stop it; why does it always have to be about you." Luanne laughed. Bryn and Odion smiled at each other as both Marik and Luanne were having their imagination played out.
"Or what?" Marik teased Luanne.
"Or else the Fairy will marry Huxley instead." Luanne allowed Huxley to lay on her lap.
Huxley then reached for Marik's chains again but this time he welcomed the child. He then held the child in his arms.
"Aww". They all said at the same time.
"I'm Master Marik. Say Master." Marik tried to introduce himself to Huxley.
"Mushda Mawic." Huxley then cuddled Marik playfully into a peek-a-boo game and laughed. Luanne smiled as she continued building the Lego castle.
"Very good!" Marik rolled his eyes and played along. "And you're Huxley right?"
"Huxy!" Huxley giggled.
The next day was cloudy as Marik set off alone as he remembered Danielle's games. Should he stay, he had matters to attend to and didn't need to meet Danielle again. A long time ago, they participated in the amazing Kenosha Race. Although he could redefine his long time ago as a pretty eventful revolution to the world of criminology, he found Bryn to be his most valued Rare Hunter alongside Odion. He eyed an oncoming crimson vehicle pulling up on the opposite side of the street. His Rare Hunters were prompt in their next task. They better be. They were holding what seemed like a body bag. It was quite dark enough for crimes hidden under the carpet.
Was this operation up to his standards? He already knows all. His fist was a counter indicator of his infamous smirk, which could mean various things. His Millenium Rod did him service as the men approached him with the elements of the operation.
"So you have what I've been looking for?" Marik's cold interrogative voice echoed through the alleyway. However, he noticed one had been stabbed early from their operation. The stab wound was tedious enough to see with the white street lights. He placed his resolve behind him; there was no time for caring for his subjects.
"Yes, sir, except Ishizu had sent a professional assassin after us." Marik chuckled. The subordinate froze in his speech as he wondered about the question's intention.
"Well then, hand it over to me now. I don't want to wait until you die with your wound so deep; I don't think it will be long until you meet your last breath."
"You must be careful of this object, sir." The Rare Hunter was shaking as he retrieved another rare bunch of decks. Indeed, if they could easily retrieve the deck, the Obelisk the Tormentor was more than a hurdle. However, someone snatched the deck. It was Bryn as he approached from behind.
"What are you doing?!" Marik demanded an answer from Bryn.
"Master Marik, tracking is inevitable again if I weren't here." Bryn drew a peculiar card with a tracker microchip.
"Well, if that's the case, you must prove it's from a mole of my sister's company." Marik challenged Bryn, but Bryn knew this Rare Hunter was faking his stabbing to sympathize.
"Master Marik… really… This guy bugged this deck and thanked Lu Pee Wee's intrinsic speculation." Bryn honoured the girl that was wise enough to remind him about the unease thought of their own trying to frame them.
"I already knew that Bryn… but this time, I was unaware," Marik admitted.
"This chip here would have killed you…." Bryn immobilized the mysterious chip. Reid was stabbed, though, instead of his hoax. "There are snipers there, which Odion has taken care of the situation." The boy was brilliant as his elite to safeguard Marik.
"Where is she now?" Marik asked Bryn.
"Still at the hotel, most likely trying to fix some technical hiccups with her report." To Marik's relief, he sighed, feeling the weight of his shoulders lifted whenever Odion and Bryn were with him.
Marik would love to punish Reid, but he will wait another time. Perhaps stipping Reid of his ranks would be ideal. The harm of Ishizu to his ranks has crossed the line. On such short notice, his men have served or betrayed him well.
"Take Reid Ellis out of my sight and wait… I will welcome him to the shadow realm." Marik chuckled.
"Again… I almost soiled myself there." Bryn snidely jokes.
"I knew that…." Marik maniacally laughed as he sent Reid to the Shadow Realm.
"If you make a census of the total population, you've made a community there; you can be a president or something." Bryn laughed.
Marik glared at Bryn as he had enough of his jokes. He looked at the Matador sign that Spain proudly displayed but banned with activists protecting the animal from slaughter. A few metres away was the gate as people were waiting for the long line. Bryn's eye brightened as he saw Marik's attention on the event. Bryn tried to show it, but Marik could sense the little runt's enthusiasm. The few minutes passed very quickly in Barcelona, unlike Madrid, it was a smaller city with richer customs.
"Only for a week… hmm…." Marik insightfully prompted Bryn.
"You could go with Luanne, though," Bryn suggested.
There is nothing here to see, and Marik knows. The year was new, and many people were crowding around for more entertainment. Marik checked his wallet, knowing he had to use this to enter the competition. However, Bryn wanted to go on this expedition. Bryn cared about the animals and didn't want them killed for sports.
"There is a catch Bryn… if I let you go in, would you pay for the expenses in Asia?"
Bryn then received a call from Carissa. "Yow! Bryn here."
Bryn then looked at Marik, thinking of bringing the two girls with them. However, Marik shook his head, knowing they didn't have time for extra people to join them.
"Master Marik wants to go to…." Bryn tried to answer Carissa.
"The library… by myself." Marik sighed to himself.
Bryn said, "It is best that you and Luanne stay out. It is nighttime, and we all have fun while Master Marik remains in the library."
"No, send her here to meet us at the Biblioteca de Catalunya." Marik didn't want to be alone. What was he thinking? Bryn laughed, triumphantly setting Marik up for another day with Luanne. Carissa already hung up the phone, so Bryn put it in his pocket.
Bryn then asked Marik who was figuring out the direction they were supposed to go. "So, why are we going to the library again?"
"I thought we agreed you were having little fun with Carissa without me?"
Bryn was embarrassed to say it, but whenever he did spend time with the Marik, it can be stressful but at the same time complete.
"Frankly, I think nothing of the sort… I need the job done, Master, and if I'm lucky, I could get away with a little time for fun."
Marik was tired of sitting at the side, and sometimes an on-the-job experience gets his adrenaline pumping. At least he knows what Bryn, as his elite, goes through. "I see… then join me in this spontaneous expedition…."
"What kind of fun do you think I get up to?" Bryn suddenly asked.
"I know what you do normally, so you don't need to ask that question. However, I will tell you. Your band is a waste of time.."
"But you still let me play?" Bryn asked nervously.
"It helps you with stress, so the purpose of your free time is essential," Marik said without a second thought.
"Oh. And…"
"I proudly want my elite Rare Hunters to express their individuality and dignity of free will."
"Ooooh, I like that. So what are we looking for, Master?" Bryn cautiously asked as Marik strolled to a section versatilely secured. With Archives of past duels were located in the restricted area too.
However, they need an authorized librarian to do so to get in.
"This is what I'm looking for…" Marik surveyed the locked vault door and took some steps back.
"But you haven't planned an ambush yet," Bryn said.
Marik smirked, "I think if we ever want to find more cards, this will be the place to give us clues. And no, I don't plan on stealing anything here." He then looked at Carissa.
"This way…" she was swiftly breaking out of locked doors, leading Marik and Bryn to a restricted section.
"Not for the general public, Master Marik…." Bryn pointed to the sign. Marik smirked, "Rare Hunters are not the general public, so it is mine to take whatever is valuable."
Bryn stole many things for Marik but something different from this. Marik reached for Carissa's arm as she edged for a laser light. "Careful!" She nearly sounded the alarm.
The laser around the room surrounded the glass centrepiece of storage. Those cards were rare, and Marik fixed his eyes on the prize. They are his, nothing more, nothing less. It's not like it's mission impossible, but they had to plan a great deal of ambush. Marik only goes to missions like this if the task is too difficult for a Rare Hunter.
Not long after, the lasers turned off. All three looked around and saw the familiar fluffy-haired girl and a group of those Rare Hunters outside a CCTV footage. "What in the world?" Bryn tried to hide the screen from Marik. The power outage was Luanne's doing but not part of his plan.
Marik growled as he shattered the glass anyway with a priceless artefact. "TAKE ALL OF THEM NOW!"
Bryn and Carissa wasted no time and took the cards with them. Enraged with Luanne's advanced plan to take the cards was a mystery to him. Where and why did she plan to aid them?
As such an event, there was also a fire seventy metres from the library entrance, so it must be her ploy to make it look like an accident.
Hence this was now a random ambush and a successful one. As Marik's eyes met with Luanne's outside of the Library, the Rare Hunters were confused about why their Master was there. The order was from Odion; Luanne was the hacker, and yet their Master took the prize they were assigned? Wasn't he meant to be waiting for them?
Immediately the Rare Hunters seized Luanne as they sensed something was displeasing Marik. "No, this is a misunderstanding!" Bryn tried to stop them, but Marik pushed and stopped the boy. Some of the cards dropped from Bryn's hands.
A moment later, Bryn felt a pang on his spine as they reached the hotel. He knew this was not the time to anger Marik any further as he was on a throne, and Luanne was now his subject. Silence in the room was unnerving as all the Rare Hunters involved in a random ambush were to face some treason. The crowd of Rare Hunters knew this was not a mission of theirs. "You brought to my attention that you abruptly disrupted my mission, Luanne."
Marik signally let Luanne speak, but she had no words to say. Instead, Luanne tried to wriggle her way out of the Rare Hunter's grasp. Marik used his Millennium Rod to tighten the grip on Luanne's arm. "It was… a trap to begin with."
"DO YOU THINK I WOULDN'T KNOW THAT?" Marik screamed at Luanne. Luanne flinched as she glanced at Odion holding a stack of paper.
Bryn knew what Luanne was talking about. The authorities had been planning to capture three of them. They wouldn't have made it out successfully if it hadn't been for Luanne's intervention. With that thought, Marik's mind reading relaxed in his realization. Yet he wanted to torment Luanne more. Luanne saved the three of them. The stack of paper Odion held was images of Marik in his last ambush. "Why, Luanne, have you divided my ranks to prove your charitable side?"
Luanne scoffed, "no!"
"HOW DARE YOU SHOW YOUR INSOLENCE"
"Luanne is not to be blamed, Sir." Odion appealed.
" SILENCE! I. Knew. That. Those that went to this mission were aware of the setback that an imposter may have set those traps, but I disapproved OF THIS INTERVENTION!"
Luanne dared not to say anything.
"Let's say I'm best at finding your weakness in making you grovel over your stupidity," Marik interjected.
"So ungrateful of you.."
"Oh, I'm more than grateful, my dear… I wished for you to be deprived of your rights now." Marik smirked.
Luanne growled.
"Indeed, and I love tormenting you as my subject." Marik enjoyed debating and tormenting people. He stood up, challenging Luanne personally.
"Then I know what kind of personality you have…" Luanne suddenly spurted out but was now embarrassed.
"Then who am I…" Marik is now curious about these strayed subjects.
"You, Marik… you're an ENTP." Luanne labelled him a code.
"WHAT?" Marik spat. Bryn laughed as this was a strange turn of events.
"Well, my mom says you're extraverted, intuitive, thinking and discerning. And you like to argue, taunt people likewise." Luanne finished. Although Marik was amused at this, he just stared at her.
"Then what does that make you?" Marik read her mind. You're Introverted, intuitive, feeling and judging. Don't tell me you spent your free time researching MBTI… and then 'rescued' me."
Marik stood up and smiled as Luanne was embarrassed to reveal further something he already knew. "Since you did willingly join me in pursuit of this mission, I shall thank you for this time. And since you have established a rapport with me, with your witty banter, how about we discuss more this MBTI stuff?"
Luanne hated being the centre of attention. Does that mean she secretly wanted to be near an ENTP? She knew her mom was a psychologist and had discussed many Briggs Meyer with her.
Marik enjoyed this new topic. Does he even like INFJ? "Tell me more about Briggs Meyer…." Marik inquired.
"Well, Bryn is an ENFP, and Odion is an ISFJ. So you use a lot of introverts in your ranks as pawns." Luanne said as a matter of factly.
"Who says I use introverts…? They came to me!"
"Every time you try to be witty, I ignore you… but was drawn to your wits."
"Honestly, I don't see you as boring at all. I do need someone to help me get in touch with my feelings. And I hope I'm not too chaotic to you…."
"I like your chaos…." Luanne whispered.
"Didn't you say you hated chaos? The one who wants to save one's father from messing up Egypt?" Marik smiled.
"Oh…"
Marik focused on her new scar that had not been there before on her Rectus Femoris. Crimson liquid seeped through a yellow dress. "Did you have an injury before you interrupted me? You were so focused on your feeble psychology that you forgot you had a cut from the truck. Then again, no one would even care if you lose your whole leg."
"Oh, this…" Luanne turned her attention to her injury. The Rare Hunters beside her panicked as Marik knew they had been careless. He carefully examined the Rare Hunter's mind with his Millenium Rod and found the answers. "It isn't me who likes psychology; it was my mother."
"Girl, while you're still concerned about MBTI, let's deal with your wounds first. As for you…" Marik turns to either of the Rare Hunters. Both men were thrown backwards by an invisible force. Bryn was shocked at the scene as he hadn't gotten used to the concept of sending souls to the shadow realm.
Luanne also screamed as she felt the push of the Millennium Rod, but it wasn't for her as she stayed put. Marik quickly dismissed the meeting and brought Luanne outside.
"Where are we going?" Luanne asked.
"Leaving you in the streets of Madrid to die…" Marik said sarcastically.
"NOOO!" Luanne screamed and slapped him on his back.
"Repeat your action, and I will throw you off the motorcycle!" Marik threatened. "To the hospital, you nitwit… I need your scarf!" Marik ripped out her scarf and tied her left femur skillfully and securely.
Luanne remembered what happened previously now. The authorities had already tracked her. Was she already part of the case for the charges?
"Marik, could you make a fake ransom from employing me?" Luanne asked.
"No, to put this simply. I have better plans to take someone hostage. And why would you think I would make you my ransom? You're too worthless in my goals…."
"You'd probably swap my body with you and exploit it to the black markets, right?" Luanne said without thought. Marik feigned disbelief as he grasped his mouth.
Marik smugly smiled as he pondered, further rattling her. "Hmm… perhaps our roles have reversed in mind reading, and indeed, black markets are an ingenious plan…."
Luanne growled, "I just thought you'd be more serious with me and start mistreating me. Right?"
"Why would you ever ask that? I already knew the authorities had kept an eye on me, so they tracked Bryn with a chip I had taken off from him." Marik reached into his pocket, and there was a chip. "It's still active, and they are still under their surveillance."
Luanne gasped with disbelief. Perhaps he knew it was a secret agent's work, but who would plant it in Bryn's attire? Marik dropped the chip and watched it flash for a nanosecond. He crushed the device with his boots satisfyingly.
As they arrived at the hospital, Marik didn't lead her. Instead, he waited for her to find help with her wound. Luanne hesitated, fearing he would leave without her.
"I'll wait here, go Little Lulu."
Luanne searched for the clinic where the nurses immediately cared for the patients. One of the nurses came to Luanne and offered proper first aid. "You better be careful of that wound; losing blood is very critical", The nurse informed Luanne. The dressing was secure around her thighs. Not that Marik was any worse, but she had all her vital signs checked.
"Sure, ma'am, I will try my best to keep my wound covered," Luanne said in awe of the woman's skills.
"You also must be careful of this area. There are dangerous gangs, and coming here at night by yourself will only attract attention." The nurse said.
"Why would you say that?" Luanne inquired.
"All of our patients in the last twelve hours are gang-related." The nurse whispered into Luanne's ear. Luanne wasn't surprised as she was part of the Rare Hunters, but not really.
"Thanks for the information Uh-"
"Nurse Sienna Marquez." The nurse showed her her identity.
Luanne limped out of the clinic, satisfied by the service and not heeding what the nurse said had previously warned her.
Soon a gang of men were checking Luanne out and stopped her as she was at the entrance. "I wanna play with this girly…." The leader of the gang taunted her. He was wearing a leader's vest with a gang symbol. With all the piercings and full body tattoos, he reeked with cocaine.
The gang paced around Luanne like Hyenas on the prowl. They had spiked baseball bats tampered with and embedded into the equipment, and some members were holding a jackhammer. Luanne screamed, and the bystanders turned to what they were about to witness. However, they knew the gang were too dangerous to intervene.
Marik could sense her fear, so he entered the men's minds. He turned to Luanne's predicament as he had known this gang years ago. He slowly paced towards them. The gang captured Luanne: The Serpentine Veil.
The time they slowed down. Of course, the natural leader of the gang isn't here. Eon Suharto. This man is only a patsy of Eon.
Marik ran to see Luanne in danger, so he used his Millenium Rod to control the captor's mind to let Luanne go. "Where do you think you're going?" Marik entered the man's mind. Marik was controlling five men. Luanne at least found a foldable chair to hit the two men. Marik flinched as he felt that pang slightly.
"WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME?!" One of the men wailed as Marik took over his mind.
Marik wasn't sure what to do with the five men under his mind's control. So he decided to manipulate their thoughts about one another. "Your leader Eon Suharto is only using you… He only wants to send you to your demise, so he has. You shall enter the Shadow Realm if you so please or submit to me, and I will spare you and make you all my mind slaves."
He tested his new mind slaves as they were helpless in this form. The hospital is unaware of this activity. Marik has sealed a barrier around Luanne, him, and the five new minds, enslaved people, to deter attention from outsiders. However, those side effects that Luanne used seemed to have perished. Whenever he used his Millennium Rod near her, she would suffer some unknown causes.
Marik fixated on using Luanne once more. He pursed his lips. Could he control a weak human like Luanne as he had initially planned? Luanne turned to Marik like she could read his mind. She furrowed her brow in immense doubt about Marik.
Soon a van pulled over, and Odion, Bryn and Carissa came to aid Marik. "Welcome aboard, my new slaves." They let the five Mind Slaves inside the van, and Marik chuckled evilly.
"Stop… Do not come in!" Luanne whispered. Unexpectedly, the men stopped in their tracks as Luanne uttered. Marik's smug smile faded as he witnessed another phenomenon.
"You can command my slaves…?" He grabbed Luanne's chin. Luanne froze, realizing that her words were not to interfere. A new phenomenon had just occurred as their bonds had acted peculiarly before.
"I-I mean n-nothing… I didn't know I could." Luanne tried to loosen Marik's grip. He was amused with the new situation.
"First of all, there was a side effect when you signed our contract, second, I'm unable to control you, and we managed to swap our boxes, and now you can use my powers without welding it. Tell me how, in this predicament, can I use you how I wish?" With frustration, he uttered, but Marik finally smirked at Luanne.
"Perhaps unbound our contract…?"
"That wouldn't be prudent of you to cancel our precious contract… I contemplated that match with one of my acquaintances that you stay silent while I have my powers active. Otherwise, we will have a serious loss in our little tournament."
"But why me? How come all of your other Rare Hunters don't have those side effects?!" Luanne was eager to find out."
"The reason for you to be in a blood contract and not the others was…." Marik softened but was cautious not to give too much away.
"All of the Rare Hunters have their initiation. On the other hand, you're skilled in your diplomacy, so I found you easy to manipulate." Marik regretted what he had just revealed.
"Then am I an experiment for you to use since you have never had a blood contract with anyone else? And for you to say that you would manipulate me because I'm a politician's daughter, that's very condescending and inconsolable."
"Oh please, now you're very emotional, dear. And when I say it is consolable, I will make it possible. In my organization, everyone's welcomed." For some reason, his words were comforting, except for the last sentence. Luanne finally felt drained as tears emerged and tears dripped down. Marik wiped her tears with his hand.
"No blood contract shouldn't interfere with my powers… But those that have had blood contracts have been done away with, shall I say, for their incompetence in their display to the Shadow Realm."
Luanne yanked Marik's hand out. "I promise I won't interfere with those commands. If I weren't your blood colleague, I would have been your guinea pig by now. I'm glad we cleared that up."
"Oh, you're not just my guinea pig; you're my employee and a loyalist…." And I appreciate every moment since we met. Marik's intentions may have shifted, but he will continue seeking revenge for the Pharaoh. "If anything, I need your honesty and transparency."
Luanne nodded.
Marik continued to use the newfound enslaved person, still unsure if sharing the Millennium Rod's power with the girl he had desired to exploit was a good idea.
As the van started moving, Luanne sat with some shut eyes and felt slightly peckish. Indeed, this was how she saw the blood contract; she is a disposable employee and nothing more.
Authoress Endnote: I'm back; writing needed some hiatus. Yeah, I don't know what I'm writing sometimes. Yes, I'm working now, so I get only the weekends to work on this.
