I know it's a few day's past the 4th, but just want to take a moment to say thank you to Kazuki Takahashi for creating something that is loved around the world decades later. He created such an amazing and welcoming fandom. It's only been a year, but he is still missed. The world could use more people like him.

"You are not wearing that."

Kat looked down at her usual all black ensemble.

"Why not? It's practical and-"

"And it hides blood, I know," Marik interrupted. "Remember what I said about focusing on 'you'? That means don't think about those things. Find something 'fun'."

Kat groaned like an annoyed child. "I'll be right back…"

She walked over towards the armoire, opened the door, climbed inside, then vanished.

Marik walked over and glanced inside. From where he stood, it looked empty. He peeked his head in further, only to discover a vast room filled with tall clothing racks. He quickly brought his head back and looked around, taking note that he was still in Kat's room. He leaned forward again, only this time he climbed through just as his girlfriend had.

"Whoa. I need something like this," he said aloud to himself.

He looked around, trying to discern which direction he should start looking for his girlfriend. The sound of hangers shifting a few rows away helped him choose. He proceeded down the row he'd appeared in, taking note of the immense amount of black. When he reached the end of the row and rounded the corner, he found even more.

The sounds came from a few rows further down, where Marik could see the apparel shifting to shades of red. He walked the short distance and peeked down the row, easily spotting his girlfriend walking down the row, occasionally stopping to look at a shirt or two in deep concentration before putting them back and continuing on.

"It's like I walked into clothing Narnia," Marik commented to no one but himself.

Kat glanced back over her shoulder. "I'm trying not to take too long, but, as you can see, my options don't tend to lean towards the idea of 'fun'."

Marik jogged down the row a bit to catch up to his girlfriend, then craned his neck down past where they were standing.

"What about at the end there? I see shades of pink. Pink is supposed to be a 'fun' color."

Kat appeared to sulk as she walked towards the section of pink, then proceeded to shift through the few options that were there. She hesitated on a few, each time passing on them.

"Hey wait, go back to that last one," Marik indicated towards an oversized sweater with a marbled pastel pink pattern.

Kat pulled it all the way out, curling her nose. "Seriously?"

"Why not? It has a cute little blue koala on it."

"That's Stitch."

Marik blinked in confusion. "Uhhh…not sure what a 'Stitch' is."

"Stitch is…ah, hell…I'll show you later," Kat said in exasperation.

"Did I say something wrong?" Marik questioned, wondering why Kat seemed irritated with him.

Kat sighed heavily while shaking her head. "No. It's just that Mkhai bought me this sweater as a joke. Once you see the movie, maybe you'll get it."

She snapped her fingers and the skirt she'd been wearing switched out to a pair of black skinny jeans. Her usual black halter stayed in place.

"Why didn't you just do that back in the room?" Marik asked.

"I have to picture the item clearly in my head. If I don't have an idea, or can't see it clearly, then I can't summon it," Kat explained as she pulled the oversized sweater over her head. The neck opening was a bit too large, causing the sweater to hang off one shoulder.

"Makes sense. Looks like Mkhai bought that a little too big."

"No. He bought it big on purpose. It's to emphasize that I'm 'small'."

"I think it looks cute."

The look Marik received told him that she didn't agree.

He raised his hands in defeat. "Okay, if you don't want to wear it, then don't. 'Doom and Gloom' it is."

Kat heaved a sigh, then took Marik by the hand and began leading him back towards the 'exit'.

"Wearing the stupid sweater won't kill me. It would be a miracle if it did," she grumbled.

"You never know, " Marik said with a chuckle as a thought entered his head. "It might be the only thing that can kill you."

"Nah," Kat said casually. "Now the embarrassment at being seen out in public with it, that will be what kills me."

"I'll make sure to display the sweater at your funeral so all can bow down before its power," Marik mocked.

"If it's my funeral, have someone stand in front of my casket with a jack-in-the-box. Have them turn the crank slowly so I can time opening the casket lid and popping out at the same time as the little clown."

"That sounds very much like something Bakura would do."

"Where do you think I got the idea?" Kat giggled as she climbed up into the armoire that matched the one in her room.

Marik made his way downstairs while Kat finished getting ready. He spotted Malik leaning half-asleep against the wall beside the door, an aluminum can almost ready to fall from his grasp.

"I'm guessing you didn't sleep?"

Malik blinked a few times while standing up straight and rolling his shoulders and neck to stretch them.

"Nothing unusual for me," he replied, sounding exhausted and worn.

"You don't have to go with us today if you'd rather get some rest."

"I'll manage. Such is the life of an Ishtari."

"Except you're not exactly Ishtari anymore," Marik pointed out.

Malik breathed out a half-hearted chuckle. "I suppose that is true, however, it does not change what was ingrained into me. Some habits you never let go of."

"Like not sleeping?" Marik stated dryly.

"Bah. Sleep is overrated. Besides, if it was such a necessity, then why were energy drinks created?" Malik replied while brandishing the can in his hand. "I have to admit, I am absolutely loving this stuff. The mango one is my favorite," he added before taking a drink.

"You know those are bad for you, right?"

Malik looked at the can in his hand. "Gods, I sure hope so. Maybe I'll get lucky and it will spare me from my eternal misery."

"Mal, catch!" Kat shouted from above, causing both Ishtar's to look upwards.

Kat leapt towards Malik from where she had been perched on the railing, transfiguring mid-air, and landed with a 'thwump' on top of Malik's head.

Malik lightly shook his head in exasperation at the small feline perched on top. "I see you are feeling much better, ka-ib."

Kat released a small 'mau' as Malik lifted her by her scruff and brought her down, placing her on his shoulder instead. She rubbed her forehead against the side of his face and beneath his chin, making little 'mrrr' sounds as she purred happily.

"Yes, I can see that," Malik answered towards something apparently only he understood.

"You can understand her when she's transfigured?" Marik questioned.

"We are both feline in nature. I guess you could say it's a base-language thing. Think of it as the various Arabic dialects. Same concept," Malik explained.

"Ah, I see," Marik said in understanding. "So what's she saying?"

Malik rubbed behind one of her ears, which she pressed into as her purring became louder.

"It's not so much words as it is an expression of thanks while simultaneously offering me reassurance that she is feeling much better. There are things she can more easily express to me this way because there isn't a proper equivalent with a human body that doesn't come off as appearing sexual in nature, which it is not."

"So it's mostly body language?"

Malik nodded. He then scowled and stopped rubbing her ear as she began to gnaw on the collar of the leather jacket he was wearing.

"Stop that! This is brand new!"

Kat jumped down to the floor, transfiguring back and placing her hands on her hips as she stood.

"I was only testing the quality," she said defensively.

"You and I know that it's top grain by the appearance and thickness alone…you don't need to chew on it. I swear, you're as bad as the Runt."

Kat pursed her lips. "Am not," she pouted.

Malik rolled his eyes and grumbled something about 'this is why I can't own anything nice'.

Marik shook his head in exasperation as he pulled on his own Harley jacket. "We're not getting anywhere at this rate."

Kat heaved an irritable sigh. "Just let me get my boots on, then we can be on our way."

Nothing witty here. Been a long week.