Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Gorgeous Carat (YGO version) ❯ The Dragon of Maghreb Part 6 ( Chapter 13 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Lsama-no-miko 
Anime/Manga: Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Mystery / Romance / Suspense / Drama | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 04.04.2008 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.2K | Visits: 167 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Mystery / Romance / Suspense / Drama | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 04.04.2008 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.2K | Visits: 167 | Status: Work In Progress
Gorgeous Carat (YGO Version)
By Sakura (aka L-sama no Miko)
Chapter 13: The Dragon of Maghreb Part 6
‘There’s nothing…’ the spiky haired boy thought as he sat up on the cot like bed, ‘Not a thing I can remember. Who am I?! Who…’
“Grandpa,” the strawberry blonde said, at the old man’s disapproving look.
“Nothing good comes from messing with these foreigners. I knew I should have left him there for his own kind to find.”
“But!” she protested, “You just can’t kick him out! He could die out there! Can’t he stay just until he’s all healed? Please?” she begged, tears beginning to well up in her eyes.
Her ‘grandfather’ sighed. “We’ve already brought him here, I guess it just can’t be helped,” he said, giving in and going to check on the cooking.
“Sugoroku-jiisan!” cried one of the neighbors bursting in, “It’s terrible! Ezhdar's mansion is burning!”
“What?!” he asked in shock. “Well I guess that’s divine punishment for you. We Moroccans have had our land trampled over by foreigners. That Ezhdar was part of it. It’s a shame really, he was such a good, helpful kid. It was that damned America that changed him. If only he hadn’t gone to America.”
“Grandpa! Grandpa!” shouted the girl, running in.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
She had an arm around the boy who was now desperately struggling against her hold. “He just…” The boy let out a pained moan that tore at her heart.
“Shizuka get away!” he said, recognizing the withdrawal symptoms, “I hate to ask,” he said, turning to his friend, “but could you subdue him?”
“Sure!” he said grabbing hold of the boy’s arms.
“D-Don’t!” the boy yelled, frightened out of his mind, “Let. Go. Of me!”
“Easy, son,” the man said, holding him firmly, yet gently, “Don’t move.”
“DON’T TOUCH ME!!” he screamed, finally breaking free.
“Damn it!” the neighbor grumbled, “I can’t keep a hold on him. Miss Shizuka, do you have something we can tie him with?”
“Um…” she said, nervously, not wanting to hurt the poor boy.
“Ow! Damn!” the man cried when the boy sank his teeth into his hand. “You little bastard!” He shook his hand before slamming into him and knocking him down onto the floor. He lay on top of him, pinning him as best as he could for he started struggling even more desperately than before. “Just what is with this kid?” he asked as his ‘captive’ started shaking terribly and moaning.
“He’s just some spoiled rich kid,” grumbled Sugoroku, “but it looks like he got himself hooked on opium or something. It’s pretty obvious he’s going through withdrawal. Serves him right though, you reap what you sow.”
“Oh!” Shizuka said with pity.
The old man turned to her and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. “No to worry though, it looks like he hasn’t been hooked for long so he should get off of the stuff soon.”
“Grandpa,” she said.
“Not to worry miss,” the neighbor said, taking the rope she had fetched and tying the boy’s arms so he wouldn’t hurt himself. “In spite of what he says, there are good people. Especially Sugoroku-jiisan. You may not know this, but a while back he used to take care of the kids who had no homes around here. He may be tough, but he’s just a big softy underneath.” Shizuka looked at him in surprise, having never been told of the old man’s past, “That Ezhdar, the guy with that big mansion… used to be one of those kids. I can’t believe this is how he repays him,” he said, looking around at the Spartan home. He couldn’t believe that not once did Ezhdar do anything to improve the old man’s financial state, forcing him to live practically in squalor.
Meanwhile, the boy had been listening with very little interest, but at the mention of the name ‘Ezhdar’ his eyes widened in fear. ‘Ezh.. dar?’ he pondered. Where had he heard that name? Ezh…dar…’ he mused again then began to shake from terror as a flash of chestnut brown hair and a single ice blue eye appeared in his mind, ‘W-What was that?! N…o!! I’m scared! The blue… blue eye… tearing me apart. P..please some..one… he..lp…’
As soon as those thoughts flew through his shattered mind, another image appeared, it was blurry, but he could make out spiky long white hair and harsh dark chocolate eyes. A voice rang sharply, “What are you doing?!” it reprimanded. He didn’t know who that voice belonged to, but he was sure it belonged to the one with white hair and chocolate eyes. “You’re always such a stupid ass.” The voice was silent for a few more moments before speaking again in a somewhat more kind tone, “You’re my amethyst so get over here you idiot.”
‘I remember…’ the poor boy said to himself, ‘There was a guy who always talked like that. I think he was younger than me. He was such a jerk. But… who are you?! You’re so… so far away. I can’t reach you…the way I am now.’
The boy drifted into unconsciousness, lulled to sleep by the chanting of people at the mosque as the sound drifted through the open windows.
“Oi, Atem,” the white haired man asked, as he lay on the hotel bed, several bandages wrapped around his still healing body. “Why don’t you go home? You stick out like a sore thumb.”
“I’m not some statue for you to gawk at. Shoo!” the spiky haired detective grumbled as the chambermaids in the other room couldn’t help staring at the foreigner. The maids ‘eeped’ then dashed from the room, leaving their work for another time. “I thought I’d be tracked right away so I picked this hotel since it’s for us foreigners. But it looks like it’s having the opposite effect.”
“It’d happen no matter where you’d stay,” the thief retorted, “You don’t exactly look like a local, you know.” He reached over to a thin box lying on one of the bedside tables. “Finally! Cigars.”
“That’s bad!” Atem scolded, taking it from his ‘patient’ “For your wounds I mean. Yeesh! You’re such a heavy smoker!”
“Looks like I’m stuck with you,” groused Noir, “Can’t be helped though since we had everything at Ezhdar’s. I’ll pay you back when we get to France.”
“My!” the detective cried in mock surprise, “Such a sudden change of heart. You shouldn’t worry about it. Just pay me back for the cost of taking care of you.”
“Oh I will!” spat the white haired man, “There’s no way I’m gonna be in debt to you!”
Atem then pounced on the man, pinning him to the mattress, their faces scant inches apart. “Let me see the real you and I’ll call it even.”
“What the hell are you talking about?!” he spat, pushing the man away. “Don’t think you can cling all over me because I owe you!”
“Must you be so cruel?” he asked in mock hurt.
“Bastard,” Noir muttered under his breath.
“By the way, where are Malik and Rebecca?” he asked, looking around for the two blondes. “I haven’t seen them lately.”
“They probably went to meet with the rest of my men by now. They did mention wanting to leave earlier.”
“That’s going to be a problem isn’t it? You’ve no money now and there’s so many of you.” The thief said nothing, instead he had an unreadable expression as he held up one hand. “Your ring?” the detective asked, noticing that the expressive looking ring he usually wore was no longer anywhere on his hand.
“No, my fingernail,” Noir spat, “Of course my ring you idiot! I’d didn’t want to, but I had to do it. That ring had the Courland family crest on it. I have a cousin in the shipping business and it looks like one of his ships is in Tangiers currently. I sent him a message asking for him to let us hitch a ride. That ring could have easily paid for three round trips for all of us.”
‘I forgot he claims to be from a noble family,’ the detective berated himself. “That must have really hurt,” he said with a bit of sympathy, “You’ve just gotten through a lot.”
The thief was silent for several moments. “Ezhdar’s pretty stubborn,” he said breaking the awkward silence, “No doubt he’ll follow me and he has a lot of power. I’ve got to make sure I’m prepared. There’s no way I’m letting any of my men get involved any longer.”
“Just what happened?” Atem asked worriedly, “I heard rumors that he was your best friend once.”
“I had forgotten about that long ago,” the thief said quietly.
“Yugi’s involved in all this isn’t he? Is that why he’s disappeared? You know, you’re not fooling anyone, Bakura. I can see you’re falling apart. You’ve forgotten I’ve been watching you for a long time. Call it a sleuth’s hunch. You’re thinking that it’d be better if you both die, aren’t you.”
“That’s probably the first thing you ever got right,” he said grimly.
“Wait a minute here!” cried Atem rushing to the thief’s side, pushing him back onto the bed when he tried to get off. “Don’t move so fast, your wounds’ll open!” Noir ignored the man and shoved him away. He shot up, only to stumble and grunt in pain. “Didn’t I just tell you?!” shouted the detective as he noticed a bit of red seeping onto the pristine white cloth. I swear it’s like you put yourself through one of your showy torture sessions! Go back to bed, it’s pretty obvious you can’t stand.”
“He’s… gone,” the thief said miserably as he let himself be put back to bed.
“What? I didn’t catch that.”
“Yugi… he’s gone,” he said brokenheartedly. He knew once Ezhdar decided to get rid of something, he really got rid of it. “It’s… my fault.”
Atem’s eyes widened in shock and rage. “That had better be a lie,” he said harshly, “Bakura! Tell me!”
The thief jerked his head away, unable to look him in the eye. “Serves you right,” he muttered to himself. ‘Why?! Why did this have to happen?!’ he asked, ‘Why can’t I shake this feeling. I spoiled him! That’s why he’s dead! I… I killed him!’
They looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps.
“Ma…lik?” Noir asked at the visibly shaken blond. “What are you doing here? I thought you said you were going with the guys.”
“I snuck back here,” he said fighting back the tears and failing miserably, “I just couldn’t leave you behind. I… just now, what you said about Yugi…” he couldn’t bring himself to ask the dreaded question.
The white haired man turned his head away, unable to look his most loyal servant in the eye, the guilt was really eating at him now. He couldn’t bear to see those lavender eyes look at him in anger and hate should he tell him. “Noir! Don’t do this to yourself! I won’t let you suffer all by yourself! I thought you and I were friends! No matter what, I’m never going to leave you! I’m not gonna run away anymore! I don’t even care if I end up dead like Yugi!”
Noir whirled to face him, his eyes flashing dangerously, an unreadable expression on his face. ‘Eep! He’s gonna hit me!’ ran through the blond’s head. However, no hit ever came, instead the thief had placed his hand on the boy’s cheek in an almost loving caress.
“I don’t want any of you to get killed,” he said solemnly. Malik stood stock still, too stunned to even breathe, a faint blush tinting his bronze skin.
It was several moments later when he heard Noir’s voice from the doorway, “I thought you wanted to help,” he teased. He was leaning against the frame, still weak from Ezhdar’s treatment, but there was no way in hell he was going to let that keep him down for long. “Come on.”
Malik blinked, then quickly rushed to follow his master.
Later, Atem was wandering the streets of Fez, trying to dig up more info on Ezhdar. ‘I could have sworn I’ve seen that face somewhere,’ he said, trying to remember where he’d seen the blue eyed man before. ‘It’s strange, you wouldn’t believe I’d forget such a distinctive face light that before.’
“Ezhdar?” a merchant asked, after the detective inquired about him. “You must mean that one eyed man! I don’t know him that well myself, but he’s a pretty shady guy. They say that he’s in the international trade business or something. But I’ve heard it’s not true. The stuff he trades is really cheap over here, but anywhere else, gets sold for way more. And if someone complains, he sneaks around to make sure they aren’t in the biz for long. I’ve even heard that he’s even had people killed, that he’s got this big organization or something backing him up – that they’d do anything to get things done.”
‘A big organization?’ Atem mused, “I don’t suppose you can be a bit less vague,” he asked, slipping him some more money. The merchant eyed the money greedily, but reluctantly shoved it away.
“I’m not stupid, my friend. If I say things like that, I’ll end up dead. I truly am sorry, afendi.”
The detective nodded in understanding, then thanked the man for what he was able to provide him. ‘I knew it!’ he crowed, ‘The ‘Black Hand’ is wrapped up in this! By as to why…it’s just still too hazy.’
He was so far in thought, that he didn’t pay attention where he had been going. He started when he crashed into something and a high pitched voice cried out in shock. Looking around he saw that he had practically run over a young girl with strawberry blonde hair and that she was now scrambling to scoop up the glass marbles she’d spilled during her fall.
“I’m sorry, miss,” he said, helping her. Catching sight of one amethyst colored marble that had gotten away, he quickly grabbed it then handing it back to her. “I believe this is yours,” he said, smiling warmly at the shy girl.
“Th-Thank you,” she mumbled meekly before running off into the streets.
“I didn’t mean to scare her,” he said, his ego hurting. Sighing he watched her as she began looking around frantically and calling,
“Amethyst! Amethyst!”
‘What an odd name?’ he thought, ‘Is she looking for her pet?’ He stopped suddenly when he saw that she had run over to a boy with red, gold, and black spiky hair.
“There you are!” she said, relieved, “Let’s go back ok? I wanted to show you my treasure,” she said with a shy giggle.
‘It can’t be!’ Atem said, with utter shock, ‘I’ve got to be suffering from sunstroke. Noir…he said Yugi… died. But is it really possible for there to be two people who look like me?!’
He ran up to them, calling, “Hey!” Both the girl and boy gasped at the sudden shout, the boy shaking terribly and trying his best to hide behind her. “Yugi? It is you! Thank the lord you’re alive! Everyone’s been so worried!”
The boy shook uncontrollably, visibly frightened out of his mind at the stranger’s outburst.
“What’s wrong? Are you ok, Yu…” The boy dashed off into the city streets when he had attempted to reach out to him. “Wait!” the man called after him, “What happened to you?!”
The girl ran in front of him, when she saw that he had meant to go after him. A few feet away, the boy had stopped and turned to look worriedly at the girl who now had her arms outstretched. “Don’t!” she pleaded, “Please don’t chase him! Amethyst doesn’t want to go with you!”
‘Y-Yugi...’ he thought, worriedly, ‘He… doesn’t remember me?!’
“Wait Amethyst!” the girl cried, dashing after him when she saw him running off again.
‘It’s either that… or that wasn’t Yugi.’
He ran. He didn’t know why that man looked like him or why he even scared him so. He seemed like a nice man, but somewhere deep down, he remembered someone telling him to never talk to strangers – that if anyone he didn’t know try to get him to go with them he was to run, run as fast as he can and get help. So that’s what he did. When he felt that he had gotten far enough away and saw that he had lost him, he stopped to catch his breath.
Behind him, a man with chestnut brown hair and a single ice blue eye stood smiling a smile that would have the devil himself running for dear life.
~TBC~
Sakura: Ooo lookie, I made another cliffy!
Yami: Onnnnnnaaa!!!!
Sakura: You can kill me, mind crush me or send me to the Shadow Realm, whatever you want, when I’m done with this thing pharaoh. Until then, SHUT UP!!
Orochimaru: And people said I was evil.
Sasuke: Not to mention insane and a freak.
Sakura: Teme! Do. Not. Talk. To. Your. Sensei. LIKE THAT!!!! Orochi-sama’s awesome!!
Orochimaru: Why thank you.
Sakura: It’s true! Anyhoo, I’m beat. See ya next chappie ppl! Jya!
By Sakura (aka L-sama no Miko)
Chapter 13: The Dragon of Maghreb Part 6
‘There’s nothing…’ the spiky haired boy thought as he sat up on the cot like bed, ‘Not a thing I can remember. Who am I?! Who…’
“Grandpa,” the strawberry blonde said, at the old man’s disapproving look.
“Nothing good comes from messing with these foreigners. I knew I should have left him there for his own kind to find.”
“But!” she protested, “You just can’t kick him out! He could die out there! Can’t he stay just until he’s all healed? Please?” she begged, tears beginning to well up in her eyes.
Her ‘grandfather’ sighed. “We’ve already brought him here, I guess it just can’t be helped,” he said, giving in and going to check on the cooking.
“Sugoroku-jiisan!” cried one of the neighbors bursting in, “It’s terrible! Ezhdar's mansion is burning!”
“What?!” he asked in shock. “Well I guess that’s divine punishment for you. We Moroccans have had our land trampled over by foreigners. That Ezhdar was part of it. It’s a shame really, he was such a good, helpful kid. It was that damned America that changed him. If only he hadn’t gone to America.”
“Grandpa! Grandpa!” shouted the girl, running in.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
She had an arm around the boy who was now desperately struggling against her hold. “He just…” The boy let out a pained moan that tore at her heart.
“Shizuka get away!” he said, recognizing the withdrawal symptoms, “I hate to ask,” he said, turning to his friend, “but could you subdue him?”
“Sure!” he said grabbing hold of the boy’s arms.
“D-Don’t!” the boy yelled, frightened out of his mind, “Let. Go. Of me!”
“Easy, son,” the man said, holding him firmly, yet gently, “Don’t move.”
“DON’T TOUCH ME!!” he screamed, finally breaking free.
“Damn it!” the neighbor grumbled, “I can’t keep a hold on him. Miss Shizuka, do you have something we can tie him with?”
“Um…” she said, nervously, not wanting to hurt the poor boy.
“Ow! Damn!” the man cried when the boy sank his teeth into his hand. “You little bastard!” He shook his hand before slamming into him and knocking him down onto the floor. He lay on top of him, pinning him as best as he could for he started struggling even more desperately than before. “Just what is with this kid?” he asked as his ‘captive’ started shaking terribly and moaning.
“He’s just some spoiled rich kid,” grumbled Sugoroku, “but it looks like he got himself hooked on opium or something. It’s pretty obvious he’s going through withdrawal. Serves him right though, you reap what you sow.”
“Oh!” Shizuka said with pity.
The old man turned to her and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. “No to worry though, it looks like he hasn’t been hooked for long so he should get off of the stuff soon.”
“Grandpa,” she said.
“Not to worry miss,” the neighbor said, taking the rope she had fetched and tying the boy’s arms so he wouldn’t hurt himself. “In spite of what he says, there are good people. Especially Sugoroku-jiisan. You may not know this, but a while back he used to take care of the kids who had no homes around here. He may be tough, but he’s just a big softy underneath.” Shizuka looked at him in surprise, having never been told of the old man’s past, “That Ezhdar, the guy with that big mansion… used to be one of those kids. I can’t believe this is how he repays him,” he said, looking around at the Spartan home. He couldn’t believe that not once did Ezhdar do anything to improve the old man’s financial state, forcing him to live practically in squalor.
Meanwhile, the boy had been listening with very little interest, but at the mention of the name ‘Ezhdar’ his eyes widened in fear. ‘Ezh.. dar?’ he pondered. Where had he heard that name? Ezh…dar…’ he mused again then began to shake from terror as a flash of chestnut brown hair and a single ice blue eye appeared in his mind, ‘W-What was that?! N…o!! I’m scared! The blue… blue eye… tearing me apart. P..please some..one… he..lp…’
As soon as those thoughts flew through his shattered mind, another image appeared, it was blurry, but he could make out spiky long white hair and harsh dark chocolate eyes. A voice rang sharply, “What are you doing?!” it reprimanded. He didn’t know who that voice belonged to, but he was sure it belonged to the one with white hair and chocolate eyes. “You’re always such a stupid ass.” The voice was silent for a few more moments before speaking again in a somewhat more kind tone, “You’re my amethyst so get over here you idiot.”
‘I remember…’ the poor boy said to himself, ‘There was a guy who always talked like that. I think he was younger than me. He was such a jerk. But… who are you?! You’re so… so far away. I can’t reach you…the way I am now.’
The boy drifted into unconsciousness, lulled to sleep by the chanting of people at the mosque as the sound drifted through the open windows.
“Oi, Atem,” the white haired man asked, as he lay on the hotel bed, several bandages wrapped around his still healing body. “Why don’t you go home? You stick out like a sore thumb.”
“I’m not some statue for you to gawk at. Shoo!” the spiky haired detective grumbled as the chambermaids in the other room couldn’t help staring at the foreigner. The maids ‘eeped’ then dashed from the room, leaving their work for another time. “I thought I’d be tracked right away so I picked this hotel since it’s for us foreigners. But it looks like it’s having the opposite effect.”
“It’d happen no matter where you’d stay,” the thief retorted, “You don’t exactly look like a local, you know.” He reached over to a thin box lying on one of the bedside tables. “Finally! Cigars.”
“That’s bad!” Atem scolded, taking it from his ‘patient’ “For your wounds I mean. Yeesh! You’re such a heavy smoker!”
“Looks like I’m stuck with you,” groused Noir, “Can’t be helped though since we had everything at Ezhdar’s. I’ll pay you back when we get to France.”
“My!” the detective cried in mock surprise, “Such a sudden change of heart. You shouldn’t worry about it. Just pay me back for the cost of taking care of you.”
“Oh I will!” spat the white haired man, “There’s no way I’m gonna be in debt to you!”
Atem then pounced on the man, pinning him to the mattress, their faces scant inches apart. “Let me see the real you and I’ll call it even.”
“What the hell are you talking about?!” he spat, pushing the man away. “Don’t think you can cling all over me because I owe you!”
“Must you be so cruel?” he asked in mock hurt.
“Bastard,” Noir muttered under his breath.
“By the way, where are Malik and Rebecca?” he asked, looking around for the two blondes. “I haven’t seen them lately.”
“They probably went to meet with the rest of my men by now. They did mention wanting to leave earlier.”
“That’s going to be a problem isn’t it? You’ve no money now and there’s so many of you.” The thief said nothing, instead he had an unreadable expression as he held up one hand. “Your ring?” the detective asked, noticing that the expressive looking ring he usually wore was no longer anywhere on his hand.
“No, my fingernail,” Noir spat, “Of course my ring you idiot! I’d didn’t want to, but I had to do it. That ring had the Courland family crest on it. I have a cousin in the shipping business and it looks like one of his ships is in Tangiers currently. I sent him a message asking for him to let us hitch a ride. That ring could have easily paid for three round trips for all of us.”
‘I forgot he claims to be from a noble family,’ the detective berated himself. “That must have really hurt,” he said with a bit of sympathy, “You’ve just gotten through a lot.”
The thief was silent for several moments. “Ezhdar’s pretty stubborn,” he said breaking the awkward silence, “No doubt he’ll follow me and he has a lot of power. I’ve got to make sure I’m prepared. There’s no way I’m letting any of my men get involved any longer.”
“Just what happened?” Atem asked worriedly, “I heard rumors that he was your best friend once.”
“I had forgotten about that long ago,” the thief said quietly.
“Yugi’s involved in all this isn’t he? Is that why he’s disappeared? You know, you’re not fooling anyone, Bakura. I can see you’re falling apart. You’ve forgotten I’ve been watching you for a long time. Call it a sleuth’s hunch. You’re thinking that it’d be better if you both die, aren’t you.”
“That’s probably the first thing you ever got right,” he said grimly.
“Wait a minute here!” cried Atem rushing to the thief’s side, pushing him back onto the bed when he tried to get off. “Don’t move so fast, your wounds’ll open!” Noir ignored the man and shoved him away. He shot up, only to stumble and grunt in pain. “Didn’t I just tell you?!” shouted the detective as he noticed a bit of red seeping onto the pristine white cloth. I swear it’s like you put yourself through one of your showy torture sessions! Go back to bed, it’s pretty obvious you can’t stand.”
“He’s… gone,” the thief said miserably as he let himself be put back to bed.
“What? I didn’t catch that.”
“Yugi… he’s gone,” he said brokenheartedly. He knew once Ezhdar decided to get rid of something, he really got rid of it. “It’s… my fault.”
Atem’s eyes widened in shock and rage. “That had better be a lie,” he said harshly, “Bakura! Tell me!”
The thief jerked his head away, unable to look him in the eye. “Serves you right,” he muttered to himself. ‘Why?! Why did this have to happen?!’ he asked, ‘Why can’t I shake this feeling. I spoiled him! That’s why he’s dead! I… I killed him!’
They looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps.
“Ma…lik?” Noir asked at the visibly shaken blond. “What are you doing here? I thought you said you were going with the guys.”
“I snuck back here,” he said fighting back the tears and failing miserably, “I just couldn’t leave you behind. I… just now, what you said about Yugi…” he couldn’t bring himself to ask the dreaded question.
The white haired man turned his head away, unable to look his most loyal servant in the eye, the guilt was really eating at him now. He couldn’t bear to see those lavender eyes look at him in anger and hate should he tell him. “Noir! Don’t do this to yourself! I won’t let you suffer all by yourself! I thought you and I were friends! No matter what, I’m never going to leave you! I’m not gonna run away anymore! I don’t even care if I end up dead like Yugi!”
Noir whirled to face him, his eyes flashing dangerously, an unreadable expression on his face. ‘Eep! He’s gonna hit me!’ ran through the blond’s head. However, no hit ever came, instead the thief had placed his hand on the boy’s cheek in an almost loving caress.
“I don’t want any of you to get killed,” he said solemnly. Malik stood stock still, too stunned to even breathe, a faint blush tinting his bronze skin.
It was several moments later when he heard Noir’s voice from the doorway, “I thought you wanted to help,” he teased. He was leaning against the frame, still weak from Ezhdar’s treatment, but there was no way in hell he was going to let that keep him down for long. “Come on.”
Malik blinked, then quickly rushed to follow his master.
Later, Atem was wandering the streets of Fez, trying to dig up more info on Ezhdar. ‘I could have sworn I’ve seen that face somewhere,’ he said, trying to remember where he’d seen the blue eyed man before. ‘It’s strange, you wouldn’t believe I’d forget such a distinctive face light that before.’
“Ezhdar?” a merchant asked, after the detective inquired about him. “You must mean that one eyed man! I don’t know him that well myself, but he’s a pretty shady guy. They say that he’s in the international trade business or something. But I’ve heard it’s not true. The stuff he trades is really cheap over here, but anywhere else, gets sold for way more. And if someone complains, he sneaks around to make sure they aren’t in the biz for long. I’ve even heard that he’s even had people killed, that he’s got this big organization or something backing him up – that they’d do anything to get things done.”
‘A big organization?’ Atem mused, “I don’t suppose you can be a bit less vague,” he asked, slipping him some more money. The merchant eyed the money greedily, but reluctantly shoved it away.
“I’m not stupid, my friend. If I say things like that, I’ll end up dead. I truly am sorry, afendi.”
The detective nodded in understanding, then thanked the man for what he was able to provide him. ‘I knew it!’ he crowed, ‘The ‘Black Hand’ is wrapped up in this! By as to why…it’s just still too hazy.’
He was so far in thought, that he didn’t pay attention where he had been going. He started when he crashed into something and a high pitched voice cried out in shock. Looking around he saw that he had practically run over a young girl with strawberry blonde hair and that she was now scrambling to scoop up the glass marbles she’d spilled during her fall.
“I’m sorry, miss,” he said, helping her. Catching sight of one amethyst colored marble that had gotten away, he quickly grabbed it then handing it back to her. “I believe this is yours,” he said, smiling warmly at the shy girl.
“Th-Thank you,” she mumbled meekly before running off into the streets.
“I didn’t mean to scare her,” he said, his ego hurting. Sighing he watched her as she began looking around frantically and calling,
“Amethyst! Amethyst!”
‘What an odd name?’ he thought, ‘Is she looking for her pet?’ He stopped suddenly when he saw that she had run over to a boy with red, gold, and black spiky hair.
“There you are!” she said, relieved, “Let’s go back ok? I wanted to show you my treasure,” she said with a shy giggle.
‘It can’t be!’ Atem said, with utter shock, ‘I’ve got to be suffering from sunstroke. Noir…he said Yugi… died. But is it really possible for there to be two people who look like me?!’
He ran up to them, calling, “Hey!” Both the girl and boy gasped at the sudden shout, the boy shaking terribly and trying his best to hide behind her. “Yugi? It is you! Thank the lord you’re alive! Everyone’s been so worried!”
The boy shook uncontrollably, visibly frightened out of his mind at the stranger’s outburst.
“What’s wrong? Are you ok, Yu…” The boy dashed off into the city streets when he had attempted to reach out to him. “Wait!” the man called after him, “What happened to you?!”
The girl ran in front of him, when she saw that he had meant to go after him. A few feet away, the boy had stopped and turned to look worriedly at the girl who now had her arms outstretched. “Don’t!” she pleaded, “Please don’t chase him! Amethyst doesn’t want to go with you!”
‘Y-Yugi...’ he thought, worriedly, ‘He… doesn’t remember me?!’
“Wait Amethyst!” the girl cried, dashing after him when she saw him running off again.
‘It’s either that… or that wasn’t Yugi.’
He ran. He didn’t know why that man looked like him or why he even scared him so. He seemed like a nice man, but somewhere deep down, he remembered someone telling him to never talk to strangers – that if anyone he didn’t know try to get him to go with them he was to run, run as fast as he can and get help. So that’s what he did. When he felt that he had gotten far enough away and saw that he had lost him, he stopped to catch his breath.
Behind him, a man with chestnut brown hair and a single ice blue eye stood smiling a smile that would have the devil himself running for dear life.
~TBC~
Sakura: Ooo lookie, I made another cliffy!
Yami: Onnnnnnaaa!!!!
Sakura: You can kill me, mind crush me or send me to the Shadow Realm, whatever you want, when I’m done with this thing pharaoh. Until then, SHUT UP!!
Orochimaru: And people said I was evil.
Sasuke: Not to mention insane and a freak.
Sakura: Teme! Do. Not. Talk. To. Your. Sensei. LIKE THAT!!!! Orochi-sama’s awesome!!
Orochimaru: Why thank you.
Sakura: It’s true! Anyhoo, I’m beat. See ya next chappie ppl! Jya!