Hooray! I'm back! Today marks the second anniversary of the first chapter being published!
So, some bad(ish) news. I won't be posting week-to-week this time around. Usually during my breaks I am able to get at least 10 buffer chapters ready. This last break life decided to not play nice, so I wasn't able to get as much done. Honestly, I'm still a bit wiped out from the past few months.
I currently have two chapter groupings ready (6 chapters total) at the moment. I plan on posting three today, and the other three in February. I'm hoping to have more chapters ready to go before March rolls around. If I manage to get my buffer built back up, I may just continue with posting chapter groupings each month.
Also, just want to give a huge 'Thank you!' to those who are still following this. It means a lot to me :)
"Finally!" Marik said as he exited the classroom. "I thought today would never end!"
"Big plans with Shae?" Imhotep asked as he came up beside him.
"Not really. I'm still trying to figure out how to top a date to the Fae realm. She set the bar pretty high with that one. I thought about taking her out for a ride on my motorcycle, but after seeing her collection, I'm thinking it'll be kinda lame.
"Wow. You two are hopeless," Imhotep commented unenthusiastically.
Marik furled his brow in annoyance. "And what is that supposed to mean?"
Imhotep glanced boredly in Marik's direction as they walked towards the school gate. "I was the one that made the Fae realm suggestion to Shae. Now I have to make a suggestion for you as well? I should not be the person giving dating advice to my mom and her boyfriend. You do realize the only relationship experience I have is watching the fragmented fallout between my parents, right?"
Marik's face fell. "I'm not exactly in favor of taking relationship advice from my girlfriend's son…but right now I'm at a loss on what to do, so I'll take any hints offered."
"Dude…my old man won her over with apples and a horse. That right there should tell you she isn't into anything big or flashy. Take her for the stupid ride."
"Calling it 'stupid' doesn't really sell it as a good idea…"
"You're having sex with her. How can you not figure out what she likes?"
A smirk formed across Marik's face. "Oh, I know what she likes."
Imhotep's nose curled in disgust. "Ew. Please don't go there."
A notification chimed in on the immortal teen's phone.
"Uhhh…that can't be good…"
He turned the phone so Marik could see the notification.
Marik's eyes went wide as he cursed loudly in Arabic while taking off at a run.
"What's going on?" Yugi asked in confusion as he caught up with his twin.
Imhotep showed Yugi the picture he'd received of the Tomb Keeper's sister standing inside the game shop.
"I'm thinking somebody is in truh-blll…." he sang.
"When were you going to inform me that your living situation had changed?"
Ishizu's icy glare pierced through Marik, who was out of breath and hadn't done more than step inside the door.
"I swear, I was going to tell you! I just…got sidetracked…" Marik tried to miserably explain.
"I gave you over a week to explain things, and I feel I know less now about what's been going on than I did before."
"Sister, I can explain-"
"Then explain!" Ishizu interrupted. "I let you come here so you could continue to aid the Pharaoh in regaining his memories. That task is done. So unless you can give me a compelling reason as to why you need to remain in Domino, you're coming home."
Marik was certain his heart had stopped and that his soul had left his body. There was no reasoning with Ishizu when she was like this.
"Wow. Somebody went from 'I'm okay with you fucking the Pharaoh's former wife' to 'bitch' real fast."
Marik's head and shoulders fell in defeat. Ishizu was already in a bad mood, and now Kat had to chime in with attitude. This was a no-win situation for him.
Ishizu's gaze turned towards the tiny elemental. "I was overwhelmed and in an unfamiliar setting. Besides, I thought for sure you were just a rebellious act. If I had shown that it bothered me, he would have just dug in harder."
"You cried."
"Like I said, I was overwhelmed. I was also reminded of my mother. I wasn't prepared and let my emotions get the better of me."
Kat casually stretched her arms up, lacing her fingers together as she brought them back down to lazily cradle the back of her head. A taunting smirk formed on her face that sent a shiver down Marik's spine.
"Whatever. You do know that you don't have the authority to tell him what to do, right?"
Ishizu's eyes narrowed. "Just because he is head of our clan does not change the fact that I am the eldest."
"Eldest, yes…but you're not his parent," Kat stated casually, her eyes twinkling mischievously.
If Marik's soul hadn't actually left his body the first time, it most definitely did now.
"Habibty, please don't…" he begged quietly.
"Relax," Kat replied, her casual demeanor remaining unchanged. "I'm sure Safiya told her."
"Told me what?" Ishizu asked warily.
Marik shook his head, his eyes pleading towards his girlfriend to reconsider what she was about to do.
Kat's smirk widened into a grin. "About her relationship with the 'Betrayer' of course."
Marik leaned against the nearby wall and covered his face as he slid down it. He couldn't bring himself to watch whatever came next.
"She told me they were friends," Ishizu stated, unshaken by what she'd just heard.
"Oh…they were 'friends' alright….with be-hmpf?!"
Marik lowered his hands to see who had been kind enough to spare him from this nightmare. Malik was standing behind Kat with a hand clamped tightly over her mouth. He did not look happy.
"I highly recommend you reconsider your next choice of words, ka-ib."
Kat jerked the hand away from her face, gasping for air. "You know, I still have to be able to breathe!"
Malik narrowed his gaze at the tiny elemental. "He doesn't want it brought up. You will leave it as such."
Kat raised a brow in amusement. "You sure are feisty today."
Malik gave a warning growl.
"Okay, fine," Kat said with a dismissive gesture. "But…" Her mischievous grin returned. "YOU still have to 'right a few wrongs'. No time like the present, right?"
Malik's face fell in dawning realization. "W-well-...I-..."
"Is there no one that is willing to explain anything to me?" Ishizu asked in annoyance.
Kat's grin widened towards her friend. "Yes, 'Vega'...you should explain everything."
Confusion spread across Ishizu's features. "Vega? My mother used to speak often of someone by that name."
Malik's scowl had returned. "Ka-ib…I am going to kill you later."
"I look forward to it," Kat replied with a taunting smile.
Malik gestured Ishizu towards the front door. "Walk with me. We have much to talk about."
Ishizu hesitated, boring a wary glare into the Ishtari. "I do not trust you."
Malik clenched his jaw. "I am not asking you to. I am simply asking for you to walk with me and listen to what I have to say. What you choose to believe, or not believe, is entirely up to you. If you wish for me to leave at any time, state it and I will do so, no questions asked."
Ishizu hesitated a bit longer then nodded, stepping towards the door.
Marik quickly stood in an attempt to stop them. "Wait!"
"It's fine. I knew I'd have to do this eventually," Malik said in a defeated manner. He waited for Ishizu to walk out first, following closely as he closed the door behind them.
Marik stood staring at the door, trying to make sense of everything he felt at that moment.
"Don't worry. Mal will be fine. He's been rehearsing what he'll say, and he's been incredibly focused lately on controlling his emotions and preventing mind breaks," Kat stated dismissively.
Marik spun around quickly to face her. "Did you ever think that maybe I didn't want her to know yet?! That maybe I wasn't ready?! Telling her should have been MY decision, not YOURS! And to manipulate Malik into having to do it when even he knew I wasn't ready for it to be known was wrong!"
Kat's expression reminded him of a scolded kitten trying to avoid eye contact, her gaze fixed on the floor as she processed her mistake.
Marik felt somewhat bad for snapping the way he did, but he wasn't going to apologize for saying what he felt.
"Habibty, you can't go around making decisions for other people," he said a bit more calmly. "Think about how you would feel if someone did the same to you."
He reached out in an attempt to take her hand as an apology for yelling, but she took an evasive step back. Before Marik could stop her, she vanished.
In case you're wondering why Kat sent the picture to Imhotep and not Marik, it's because she wanted him to transport Marik. I just couldn't figure out how to explain it without it just being filler nonsense.
For anyone confused about why Kat referred to Malik as 'Vega', check out 'Tangled Web of Fate: Backstories'. Specifically, 'The Lion and the Mouse' chapters. Like 'White Lady' for Bakura, it covers how Malik met Marik's mom.
Don't forget that I'm on Tumblr! I got a drawing tablet for Christmas, which means I can finally draw and post art of Kat! (and maybe at some point everyone else lol)