Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Ragnarok Solstice ❯ Ever-shifting Sands ( Chapter 1 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Ragnarok Solstice 

By Healing Spirit     Hey guys! Hope you like chapter 1! It took me a while, so please take the time to read it again! Please! ^^Thanks guys!   Dedication: To my best buds Yuuki, Susan, Sarah and Aileen. You all are the best! (Blows kisses) Thanks guys!   Disclaimer: We don’t own it! So what?! (Sniffle*Sniffle) I want to that’s what!       Ever-shifting Sands     Ashen white. Nothing but the endless chaste appearance that was mountains and mountains of snow penetrated his mind except that visionary of snow. It was almost amazing how someplace could be so white.   “Professor Hawkins! We’re ready sir!” A youth called from outside the trailer. The professor nodded, feeling excitement build up inside of him.   “Excellent. Proceed immediately,” his mustache curled into a smile as he slipped on his heavy winter coat and opened the trailer door. “Watch that monitor!” He called back to his assistant who was working the machine. Stepping outside, he was immediately bombarded with a fury of harsh ice cold winds slashing at his flesh. Winching and carefully stepping onto the slippery artic ground blanketed with the white substance, he made his way to his two students, each about the age of 30.   “Careful with that,” he cautioned to the one monitoring the snow penetrater. It was a complicated machine with an oversized drill used to dig into the snow. The younger of the two who was about 28, didn’t really seem to know what he was doing. “I am Mr. Hawkins,” the bitter temperature made his voice come out sere and raspy as he gripped a strong hand onto the handle, prepared to drill.   Just when he turned it on, the machine went out of control. “Ahhh!” the youth anxiously tried to find the button to shut it off. “You idiot!” The older scientist scowled and tried to help. “No! Don’t touch it!” Professor Hawkins cautioned nervously, casting his attention to the breaking sound below his feet.   “Oh no,” he whispered as his two bickering assistants also noticed the strange sound. “The ice…” A line started to snake its way through the deserted terrain of the artic, the rush of freezing waters not far below them. Their eyes widened in stunned apprehension as the realization dawned on them, spelling immediate doom. “The ice is breaking into half…”   ~   It felt as if you were right in front of me once more. Your amethyst eyes dejectedly turning away from mine; the silence between us was suffocating. I thought to myself:  Why is this sudden memory coming back to me now? Is it the forlorn clouds? Is it the ever-shifting desert sands? What was it? I can still feel your unearthly presence protecting me, helping me and consoling me. This was the first time that I had ever felt that way towards a person, or anyone for that matter. But that was three years ago.   When we drove to the tomb that one faithful day, I didn’t think you realized that each time you turned to me with those incisive orbs, you tore at my heart, but yet, you walked away without hesitating to stay. As you walked away, you didn’t hear my tears, my empty cries, and my everlasting love. Please don’t leave me, I wanted to say, but I was a moment too late, you were gone. I’m not afraid anymore. Just come back, I don’t want this moment to be over. But then I realized it already was.   I had no chance with you, I knew. But I am so alone. When you went, my whole world shattered like stained glass right before my eyes. But I did not even bother to pick up the pieces. And even now, 3 years later, the memory of you is still plastered into my aching heart. Why do dreams still haunt me? Why do the stars seem to arrange themselves into the shape of your face? Why? Because I’m… still… in love with you… My heart can never let you go. You are like an eternal flame burning steadily inside my heart. And as long as that blazing flame is still alive, I will always love you… my Pharaoh…   ~ * ~   “It’s so hot,” I gasped at the severe heat radiating from that wretched sun overhead. My large T-shirt was glued to my sweaty back, and I was scorching in my tight Capri jeans. My long auburn hair was sticking to my perspiring face and I fidgeted gawkily in my seat, preparing to remove my sunglasses. The woman sitting next to me blinked several times and squinted her beady eyes at me. Uh oh! My heart skipped a few beats too many. Do they even have ballet in Cairo? Hopefully she doesn’t recognize me.   “Uh, I’m sorry,” I mumbled, trying my best to disguise my voice. “But I don’t like people staring at me. Can you,” I shook my hand in her face, “turn around please?”   The woman, who was wearing a white headscarf called a hijab, flared her nostrils at me and looked away as she had smelled something utterly revolting. Great. But still, I cautiously did a clandestine arm pit check to make sure. I suddenly remembered part of the long lecture Ishizu had given me about the dos and don’ts about Egypt. “Don’t insult the women,” she had said. “They are very sensitive.” Sensitive?! I sweat dropped as a deep sigh escaped my lips.   Why did I agree to this? I could be on a grand tour of Paris but instead I’m stuck on a stinky bus ride to Cairo sitting next to a woman who gets insulted as fast as… Jounouchi!   Ever since that day when this famous dance instructor from New York came to my dance performance and saw me perform, my dream actually came true. But being famous is not always what it seems. You never ever get any privacy and it always seems like people are staring at you. But I love it, it was my dream from the start and I have achieved it.   The bus is now bouncing down the busy downtown Cairo streets of offices and modern buildings. I haven’t seen the rest of the gang for about 3 years and I’m really looking forward to seeing them again.   Shizuka and Kaiba have been going out for some time now; they’re probably going to get married as soon as Serenity finishes high school! Ironic isn’t it? Seems like Kaiba has a soft spot after all! Nobody’s sure just how they got together, but they claim that they’ve had their eyes on each other for some time now and never got the guts to admit it to each other. However, I can tell that he really loves her and cares about her, so I’m really happy for them. Besides, they make the most adorable couple! (Kaiba really hates it when I say that!) Jounouchi seems to be taking it pretty good actually, despite that Kaiba still calls him a bonkotsu.   I heard that Jounouchi and Mai are engaged! I’m sooooooooo happy! Jounou’s turning 18 very soon and they’re going to have their wedding in Domino City! Even Kaiba got in the spirit and offered to pay. But Jounou refused and quoted, “A man makes his own money and pays for his own wedding.” The whole gang is invited and I’m very excited! Mai insisted that all she wanted from me is my autograph on a photo. But I’m still trying to think of a suitable gift for the going-to-be wed couple. I always knew that Jounouchi had his eyes on her. (Hence all the times I’ve pulled his ear for being a jerk to her, nudged him to go after her, etc.) And I knew that Mai always had a soft spot in her tough attitude for our lovable puppy Jou!   Yuugi fell in love with this really pretty blond named Christie. He met her in his senior year at high school and I think that they make the cutest couple! She wrote me letter telling me how she is my biggest fan. She seems really nice and I’m looking forward to meeting her when I arrive. Hopefully Yuugi is still my same old Yuugi and nothing has changed about him. He’s my oldest friend ever since elementary, we’ve been through everything together! Before I left, he revealed to me a secret that lay behind the smiling mask he always wore whenever I’d mention my leaving to America…   Flashback*   “Anzu-chan, ” I turned to look to Yuugi, who sat beside on the soft grass. It was the same place where we went to before for a time alone together; that same hill that overlooked the trees and buildings of Domino, with the shining moon overhead. But even with the beauty of this night, I knew that both of us were suffering from my upcoming departure.   “Yes Yuugi-chan?” I smiled gently at my old friend. But when his large, innocent eyes unfurled to meet with mine, I almost gasped at the sadness and pain nestled inside them. “Why are you leaving too?” “Wha-What do you mean Yuugi?”   He cast down his gaze to his feet and hands, deliberately avoiding my eyes. After a few minutes in silence, he burst out. “First it was Mou Hitori no Boku and now you! Why are you leaving us?” Silent tears ushered out of his eyes and it pained my heart to see them but also the mention of a certain someone. “Yuugi…”   End Flashback*   When I left, he wasn’t there to say goodbye. I knew that he was hurting, and I was too! But I didn’t want to believe that I was part of the cause of his pain, apart from the other whose departure pained all of us. However, we made up over 3 years of letters and phone calls to each other and once again we’re best of friends. However, I felt that he was hiding something from me, but I never looked too much into it.   Miho and Honda are also girlfriend and boyfriend but they both want to go to college and then get married. Miho was always the one who wanted a good job and a bright future. Honda is just the one who wanted to marry Miho! It was always so obvious in high school when he’d stare at her all day long during class. What a fairy tale come true for him huh? Otogi married Vivian Wong when they met again at a tournament and they had twins! One’s Harry and the other’s named Sam! They are just so adorable and they call me onee! Even though aunt would be more appropriate then sister, they’ve already got it in their heads that I’m their older sister, which is fine with me! I guess we all are like a big pile of brothers and sisters!   As for me, I was pretty depressed when I found out I had to leave Domino City, but they insisted that I go to America. I attend Columbia College in Manhattan, even though I barely have any time. Luckily, summertime came around and I finally got a big break. I met a friend there named Yukari, who I just nicknamed “Yuuki” for short. I met her in the college, and I asked her for instructions to my designated room. Not only did she tell me, she even came with me when noticing my confused expression. She’s also from Japan, and she’s extraordinarily smart. It’s almost scary! She’s surprisingly shy but very sweet. At first, she seemed a little afraid of my outspoken personality, but then we became really close friends.   Flashback*   Whoa! This place is huge! It’s a wonder that I don’t get a neck cramp by staring up at the high ceiling all day! “Oh wait,” I looked back at my schedule with my classes and room numbers. “Where am I supposed to go again?” While walking down the crowded hallways staring at my agenda, I didn’t notice a person walking up to me.   “Ouch! Sorry-“ “Arigatou!” I opened my eyes upon bowing to the person whom I’d bumped into. She was pretty, with shoulder length black hair with bangs that framed her face and midnight eyes that reflected her innocence in the bow she was also performing. ‘Cool, she’s Japanese!’ I thought to myself. Usually in Japan, when you bump into someone, you bow when you apologize.   “Um, sorry for bumping into you,” she said timidly. She shyly tugged on her navy blue uniform skirt while I straitened up and smoothed out the wrinkles in my skirt. “It’s all right! No problem!” I smiled nicely at her and prepared to continue walking when I stopped. “Can you help me?” I asked her softly. “I’m lost.” She seemed a bit surprised but quickly regained her composure and her mouth formed a small smile when she realized what I was trying to say nonverbally. “Sure.”   End Flashback*   Ever since then, I knew that I had made a new friend. After that, we hung out a lot more when I realized that we basically had the same schedule. I had to say, Yuuki-chan is the best!   I also made a friend named Sarah, who came from Korea only a few years before I did. I met her in my new dance class when I first arrived. She was the first to come up and offered to show me around. She’s an awesome dancer and we often went on tours together. Her sense of fashion is really cool and I often ask her to come along when I go to the mall. I love it when we dance simultaneously and when she laughs. It’s light and airy, like a soft hearted chuckle.   Flashback*   Taking in a deep breath, I entered my new dance studio. There were already a lot of dancers inside and the teacher seemed displeased when I came in late. “Ms. Mazaki!” Her voice rang out above the scattered whispers of my new classmates. “Tardiness is not tolerable in my class! Do not let it happen again! Understood?”   “Yes teacher.” I had forgotten her name and wasn’t prepared to have her yell at me again. Quickly changing into my dance uniform and taking my place among my classmates, I tried to keep up with the music. Moving step by step, matching movement by movement, we flowed along like a river, gracefully tripping over stones and rocks. Until I accidentally tripped on my foot and came crashing down onto the hard wooden dance floor.   “Ouch!” Stinging pains shoot up my leg and I clutched it in pain. As I opened my eyes, I saw someone reach out their hand to me. I look up to see a pretty Korean girl smile down at me. Her long ebony black hair was left resting on her shoulders while a cute smile adorned her face. “Hey, need help?” Grinning back at her, I gratefully took her offered hand.   End Flashback*   After that, she offered to show me around New York along with Yuuki-chan, who also came here only a few months earlier then me. She grew up in New York and so she knew almost all about it. Her street sense and kind nature makes her a fun person to hang around with.   Susan is my Chinese friend who came here the earliest out of all four of us. Our first encounters were somewhat humorous when I think about it. She often tells about her homeland and loves to sing. Loyal and nice, she’s truly a remarkable person to be around. She’s almost as loud spoken as me and we two often scare Yuuki and Sarah when we get really hyper. We go everywhere together and I wish they could have came to Egypt with me.   Flashback*   “Michael Miller.” “Here.” “Kiera Harrison.” “Here.” “Anzu Mazaki.” “Here.” “Yukari Ito.” “(In her usual quiet voice.) Here.” A long pause… “YUKARI ITO!” “Ahem. (Louder) Here!” I tried to stifle a giggle as Yuuki flashed me an embarrassed smile. “Susan Chen.” Again, a long pause. The teacher put down his attendance pad and glared at us. “Where is Susan Chan?!” Some shrugged while others just sat in silence. Besides, what can we do about it if someone’s absent?   Suddenly, the door came crashing open (scaring the wits out of everyone) and a Chinese girl with flowing black hair came bursting through the door. “So…sorry I’m late!” She gasped for breathe, making her way up to the teacher’s desk. Although the teacher looked extremely annoyed, she nodded and shooed Susan off to find a chair. I waved enthusiastically over to her, referring to the empty seat beside me. She smiled back at me and took the seat, setting her gigantic load of books down onto the desk.   After the teacher finished taking attendance, I leaned over to her and said, “Hey. My name’s Anzu.”   End Flashback*   At that moment, I knew that we were going to be great friends. Upon seeing her dramatic entrance and unflustered attitude, that just proved that we were very similar. We both had very outspoken personalities and we both like adding a lot of ‘life’ to our outings with Yuuki-chan and Sarah. At those times, I’m so glad that I met them three. They are just the best!     My manager, Izumi, is really nice. She’s only 25 and sometimes comes along with me, Yuuki, Sarah and Susan when we go out, but mostly she just stays by herself. I just hate having to mention in all my interviews that I DON’T have a BOYFRIEND!   I have a feeling they just like hearing me say that. Another default is that security follows me around EVERYWHERE! They even used to have cameras in my bathroom! I refused to pee and shower with a camera videotaping me so I complained to Izumi and they took them out. But for this trip, I begged Izumi not to make my bodyguards come along. I mean, Richard and Ham are cool and all, but I’m 17! And I want to feel normal for once. I don’t want to fly to Cairo on my huge private jet and then get raided by reporters and make a huge scene!   Ishizu, Odion and Marik invited all of us to come along with their Dig Egypt! Team to help uncover another mysterious, just discovered tomb. They haven’t even found out who it belongs to. Ishizu called me when I was in the middle of a tour of Paris and I was excited to go the reunion and flew from France to Egypt.   Flashback*   Paris is so magnificent! The streets are so beautiful and I marveled at the lovely houses and stores as we drifted down the local river on my large private tour boat. Ham and Richard were not smiling with me, as usual. I rolled my eyes as they glanced right and left behind those dark sunglasses they always wore and constantly spoke super low into their microphones attached to their collars.   “R3 to motherboard. Come in motherboard.” “Motherboard here, proceed.” “So far so good. No one seems to recognize her. Though there were suspicious characters on the east board side. We best be on our guard.”   Ugh! I wish that ‘motherboard’ a.k.a. Izumi would give these two a break. I mean, I understand security but this was going too far! Besides, this is a tour, a relaxed activity where you relax and admire the view.   I didn’t notice that I was staring at them until Ham asked me, “Are you all right ma’am?” Geez, don’t they ever loosen up? I nearly jumped out of my skin when the piercing tone of my cell rang and poor Ham and Richard pulled out their guns on reflex causing our French tour guy to scream a high pitched scream before falling head first into the water.   “Gomen nasai,” I apologized sheepishly as Richard and Ham fished the French guy out of the water. I picked my aqua blue cell phone and answered. “Hello?”   “Hey Anzu! Do you remember me? It’s Ishizu!” I nearly screamed with delight but then remembered what happened the last time my cell rang. “Ishizu! Of course I remember! I can’t believe that it’s you!” “It’s been a while, but that’s why I’m hosting a reunion! I, Odion and Marik invited you to come along with our Dig Egypt! Team and uncover some artifacts in this tomb that we discovered. Plus, we get to be together!” “Really!” Nothing could describe how excited I was. My heart was nearly bursting with joy. “Can you come?” I was about to say yes, when I thought about my strict manager. “Well, I have to ask Izumi first, but I’m coming whether she likes it or not!”   End Flashback*   Immediately after, I called up Yuuki, Sarah and Susan to inform them that I won’t be spending summer in New York. Even though I was disappointed that they couldn’t come along, I promised to bring them some souvenirs when I got back.   This place still seems proverbial, even the strange spicy scent in the air, which I implicated was just the scent of Egypt. My thoughts took me back to when we all flew here from Domino City, 3 years ago. Then I thought of the person who broke my heart, and left me standing here all alone… my heart slowly shattering with every piece sounding clearly as they hit the ground…   I shook my head vigorously, as if shaking those memories away. He’s gone Anzu! Gone to the afterlife willingly and you’re never going to see him again! Get a grip already! I felt my heart squeezed severely and my eyes shimmered with rising tears. “Oh great,” I whispered harshly to myself as they plopped onto my Gucci bag set on my lap. 3 years and I’m still in love with him…   How pathetic can I get? I sniffed inaudibly, hoping that no one noticed. Suddenly, the bus jolted forward and my bags slid off the seat and crashed onto the floor. I gingerly rubbed my sore nose where I had bumped onto the back of the seat in front of me. “Itai,” I groaned, wondering what made the bus stop so suddenly. I looked towards the front and saw a guy in a long black-and-white robe was dragging a donkey across the street. How nice. What a sec…. Donkeys!   Oh no! I had gone from industrial modern Cairo to something out of an ancient mummy movie! I scolded myself, how could you have missed the hotel? Now I’m lost in the middle of nowhere! Now what?! Okay, get a grip Anzu. You’ve been in worst scenarios before. Remember when you were strapped to a metal chair watching Jonouchi and Yugi duel with their lives on the line while a few thousand tons of crate hung above you? Yeah.   I breathed in and out, trying to get some clean oxygen into my brain so that I could think clearly. Okay, I better get out of here before I end up in the pyramids or who knows where! So I’ll just get out and walk back the way I came. All right, good plan. I hoisted up my three thousand pound bag and swaggered awkwardly down the aisle and then down the steps. Swinging my duffel bag strap over my shoulder, I jumped out of the way when the bus started forward, coughing as the diesel fumes swallowed me in a blue-gray cloud of haze.   The lady that was sitting next to me in the bus pushed past me, rudely shoving and causing one of my bags to fall onto the dusty ground. “Hey!” I grumbled exasperatingly as I bent down to pick it up but then my ringing cell phone fell from my open Gucci bag, along with a few other appliances. “Oh perfect! Just great!”   I’m lost in Egypt, land of internal sun! It’s so hot that I’m afraid that the sun will melt off my deodorant, my hair is officially ruined and I don’t speak Arabic! Tilting my head up towards the sky, I squinted under the white-hot Egyptian sun. “What else is new?!”      ……………………̷ 0;………………………… 230;…………………………& #8230;……………   Should we stop here? *Readers throw a bunch of rotten tomatoes at them* All right! I’ll continue! How do you guys like it so far? The beginning is like a ‘prolong’ to the story and you’ll see how it affects them later on. Don’t worry! The excitement is coming up in just a few more chapters! (Besides, we’re still only starting the story!) Since part of this story plot is from the movie “The Day After Tomorrow,” (Awesome movie!) That’s where the beginning is from. If you have no clue whatsoever about the beginning’s meaning, don’t worry! You’ll understand when the read the next chapter!    …………………R 30;…………………………&# 8230;………………………… …………………   The old scrungy buildings that lined the streets were a solid mass of open-fronted stores overflowing with everything from leather bags to big brass things, wooden walking sticks, brightly patterned clothing and colorful scarfs, jewelry, food, wicker baskets filled with who knew what and a gazillion other things that caught my eye. After wandering around aimlessly for a few minutes, chatting with my friends for company, I stopped in my tracks, almost dying of exhaustion.   Is it just me? Or had my bags gotten heavier? The heat was making my sight go all foggy and obscured the people walking past me. “Ugh, not doing well on the constant heat wave. I think that I’m coated in sweat because I feel all disgusting and would do anything for a bath right now! Anything!” I talked into my phone, desperately hoping for my friends to think up some brilliant idea to cheer me up.      “Ha-ha Anzu! Nice job!” I growled jokingly at Susan and her lack of concern. “Susan! What kind of cheering up is that?!” I could hear Sarah and Susan fighting over the phone and it made me smile. “Anzu-chan?” I heard Yuuki ask in her usual soft spoken voice. “Hey Yuuki-chan! What’s going on over there?” I couldn’t stifle a giggle when I heard a crash and a shout. “Sarah! Get back here!” Susan’s shout rang loud and… very loud! As accustomed, Susan was always the loudest one, besides from me of course!   “Stop fighting, err, girls!” I raised an eyebrow at a recognized mature male voice. I grinned slyly. “Yuuki, is Takashi over, again?” I could just see Yuuki’s furious blush as she tried to cover up for herself. “No! He’s just over to help me with my…my… math homework!” I giggled at her lame excuse, shaking my head playfully at her embarrassment. “Right Yuuki-chan, since when did you need help in math?”   Silence. Well, as silent as it can get with Susan, Sarah and Takashi anyway. Takashi Hashimoto is a 2nd year college student, also one of the cutest boys in our class. He’s also Yuuki-chan’s ‘boyfriend’, even though she doesn’t admit it. It’s just sooo obvious that he likes her; I mean who can blame him? On Valentines Day, he sent her a humungous teddy bear the size of her, a gigantic box of French chocolates and three batches of flowers! Being the shy and innocent girl she is, of course she doesn’t think much of it. Her frustration when we make fun of them about is just irresistible!     “Oh my gosh,” Yuuki gasped delicately. “What? What?” I was getting annoyed at being left out. “What’s happening?” Yuuki laughed softly, while she explained that Susan and Sarah had joined forces and were now both bombarding Takashi with pillows. “Yukari! Come help me here!” His regularly mature voice held a sense of vulnerability and I laughed and urge Yuuki to go help him. “You wouldn’t want your boyfriend to get beat up now, do you?” I teased her playfully, knowing that by now she was as red as a ripe tomato.   My stomach growled as I continued marching down the streets, taking in wonderful smells of cooking meat, baking bread and other spicy smells that makes my toes curl. Remember Anzu. Izumi put you on a diet! Do you want to be a skinny pretty dancer? Yes.   I held in my breath when I passed a food store selling these delicious looking pastries. “It’s not fair!” I complained to Sarah, who was taking a break from the pillow fight. “Here I am in exotic Egypt and I can’t eat anything!”   “Anzu, why don’t you just eat something?” She asked frankly. “Because I have to stay skinny!” I sighed to myself. “Okay, here’s the deal,” I said, preparing an excuse to say to Ishizu if I managed to make it back to the hotel. “Do you think Ishizu will believe this: I was in the bus when it got a flat tire.”   “Lame! That was so lame! No way will she ever believe that!” “Susan! Who asked you?!” But I knew she was right. That was truly the lamest excuse I had ever heard in the history of lame excuses.   “All right. How about this: Um… I really had to go to the bathroom, so…” “No! She would think that you had diarrhea or something!” She has a point there. Why does Susan always have to be right?   “This is not my day,” I complained to them. Now that I think about it, maybe I should have bought Ham and Richard along with me. At least they can block out this annoying sun for me. I’m like…melting here! They should rename Egypt the surface of the sun!   “Anzu, its fine. Just ask for directions!” Susan said bluntly. “She’s right Anzu,” Sarah added on. “Why don’t you ask a food vendor or something?” While contemplating their idea, I realized that my long hair was now glued to my face and I held it up away from my neck with free hand. Unfortunately smart Anzu forgot to bring an extra scrunchie! I groaned in frustration. Just when I was about to give up, I spotted a man leaning against a wall. He wore a long purple cloak and his hood hid his face. I wondered if he could help me.   “Guys, I think I found someone,” I told them excitingly. “Great, go!” Susan urged. Hold on, Ishizu had said to not talk to the men. “Never mind,” great, now how am I going to get there? I slowly strode past, hoping that he wouldn’t notice me. I froze when he shouted something to me in Arabic.   If I ran, would he chase after me? I wasn’t prepared to find out. “Um,” I decided to seize the chance and ask for directions. What harm could come to me? “Do you speak Japanese by any chance?” He didn’t respond. Of course Anzu, nice one. You are in Egypt, why by any chance would he understand Japanese?   I tried my best to remember some simple Arabic Ishizu taught me. “Bititkalimi ingleezi?” Maybe he speaks English? He shook his head. This guy’s hopeless!   “Can you help me? I’m lost!” There. I said it straight out. I hoped and prayed that he understood me. To my joy and utter surprise, he nodded! “Great! Do you know where the Luxor hotel is?” That kind man pointed behind me, down a narrow sidewalk. I wanted to hug that guy! But I better not.   “Arigatou!” I happily skipped down the path while explaining my success to them, although my heavy 100 ton bags keeping me from skipping much longer.   Regular Pov.   The stranger looked after the merrily skipping girl, and his eyes glowed an inexplicable golden. ‘I found her.’ He slipped into the shadow of a towering building, careful not to make a sound as he pursued after her, following the footsteps she left in her wake.   Back to Anzu’s Pov.   I was putting away my cell (after saying ‘bye’ to the guys) when I heard the roaring of a motorcycle behind me. Huh? I turned my head to see… “Marik!” He climbed off his motorcycle and took off his helmet, revealing his spiky blond hair. As I ran to him, he stretched out his hands welcomed me into his arms. “I was so worried about you, we all were!” he ran his hand through my hair as he spoke, I held onto him even tighter.   “I’m so sorry! I missed my stop, and then I was lost and… and…” I stopped for tears were choking my throat and I started to cry uncontrollably.   “Shhh…it’s all right now. Come on. Ishizu sent me out to look for you. Let’s go,” he wiped away my tears and lifted me onto the seat behind him on the motorcycle. After taking my bags and tying them down onto it, we were ready to go. “Hold on tight!”   At first, I was uncertain about holding onto his waist, but then the speed and fear that I’ll fall off left me no choice. When he smiled back at me at a traffic light, I felt a blush rise to my cheeks. He’s so sweet. Makes me wonder if he really was the same guy that was terrorizing me and the gang a while ago.   We rode silently, I was staring at the beautiful lights that now engulfed Cairo and the sun had finally started to sink slowly beneath the ground. Before long, Marik informed me that we were almost there. But just as we rounded a bend, I heard Marik curse softly.   His eyes were wide and he mumbled. “Oh Jonouchi…” “Nani?” I asked curiously. But before he could answer, a wave of reporters nearly pulled me out of the motorcycle and immediately I was getting choked by the annoying questions and “can I have your autographs.” Thankfully, Kaiba’s bodyguards started pushing them back from me and I stepped back a step and stumbled. After a few moments, I felt Shizuka, Miho and Mai help me up and led me inside the hotel…   …………………… ;…………………………R 30;…………………………&# 8230;……………....   That’s it! This was also pretty long! I hoped that you enjoyed it! Don’t worry! It’s going to get really good! Trust me! The beginning was only a little taste of what’s yet to come! And also of course, lots of romance!              ;            &n bsp;             ;            &n bsp;             ;            &n bsp;             ;            &n bsp;          ~Healing Spirit