Open Doors

Chapter 3: Once in a Lifetime

Malik sighed as he looked out the window. It was late at night but he couldn't sleep. He needed to figure out a way to get out of here before he got too attached to the locals. He sighed and looked at the sleeping figure next to his futon. He figured he already had. He'd spent one night talking to the girl and they were already immediately friends. He knew one thing though. She wasn't that naïve.

He stood up and went out. His footsteps were silent among the wood floor. He really needed to find a way back. Otherwise he'd have to get a job and rent an apartment or something. He then remembered he could summon his motorcycle. No one was around. He muttered a few words and his cycle was in front of him. He was about to go when he felt someone standing at the doorway. He turned to see Yukina. He probably woke her up.

"I'm sorry did I wake you?" he asked and couldn't believe the words coming out of his mouth. She merely smiled at him and shook her head.

"No, Malik I just wanted to know where you are going," she answered.

"Out. Want to come?" He cursed himself the thousandth time since he got there. She smiled.

"Sure!" she said enthusiastically.

He was taken back the second time since he'd been there. The girl's personality has surprised him more than once. But then he figured she'd never ridden in one before being a demon and all and just staying around Genkai's temple. He really needed to find a way out or just wait for one of the guys to take him back, which should be soon. His sister would make sure of that. He smirked at the thought. Ryou was so in for it. Big Time! Too bad he wasn't there so see Isis yell and somehow abuse him to make him work faster into getting him back.

He imagined Ryou chained up and Isis as a dominatrix, cracking her whip at Ryou if he stopped. He chuckled a bit at that. Usually it was more fitting with Mai. But then if he got back, Isis might do a lot worse for losing a game and even volunteering for one of Ryou's try-out spells. First she wants him safe. Then she wants to kill him. How delightful.

He saw that it was almost close to dawn. He saw the sun over the horizon. Never mind make that it was dawn. Yukina came back dressed. He handed her a helmet and noticed that she just looked at it. She questioningly looked at him. Then he remembered about her being a demon. How does he always forget it?

"It's supposed to protect you from the wind or air getting in your face and dirt in your eyes or in case you meet an accident so your heard won't be in pieces," he explained. He put it on for her and made sure it was secure in case they get into an accident. The imp might chop him to pieces with the sword of his or even better send the fire dragon after him for a snack for getting his sister hurt. He went on and motioned her to do the same.

"Hang on." He told her while sliding down the visors, starting the engine, and went fast down the steps. Yukina didn't have time to react to that and immediately wrapped her arms around his waist tightly, crushing him. She buried her face on his back.

"Don't squeeze too hard." She loosened her hold a bit making it easier for him to breathe.

"Sorry," Yukina apologized.

"Don't worry about it. I suffered with the game king before so don't be sorry." He said reassuring her. Ra, he's so confused.

Genkai looked towards the direction they left. She woke up because of the noise. And chuckled a little.

"He better run fast." She muttered before making herself some tea. Usually Yukina might do it but then she isn't there at the moment.

Yukina was amazed. She didn't know riding this motorcycle would be fun. She actually enjoyed it. She considered learning to ride one. Right now they were at some diner getting breakfast. Malik was talking with the owner about something and he told her to wait there and eat, so she did. He said that it'd be only a minute and she was starting to get worried because it's been some time now. Plus she was almost done with her piece of pie.

She sighed in relief as he came out unharmed and everything. He sat at the chair across from her.

"If you don't mind me asking, what took you so long?" Yukina asked just wondering.

"The owner was being a pain in the ass. Sorry." He answered.

"That's okay. I hear Yuusuke-kun say it all the time."

It was silent.

"Malik-kun?"

"Hm?"

"Um…can you…teach me how to ride the motorcycle?" she asked timidly.

"Sure I guess. Your brother won't mind?" he asked making sure. He didn't want to die just yet. Not like he would be able to anyways. (A/N: Yukina already knows Hiei is her twin brother.)

"I'll take care of that."

"Alright then lets go."

He grabbed her wrist and proceeded to run out of the restaurant. He used the millennium rod to erase some memories of them there. Hell he didn't want to pay, he probably has no cash in his wallet and the credit wouldn't work here. He never bothered to check. He thanked Ra that his shadow powers still work.

Yukina was confused. She was sure that they had to pay for the meal. But then she just figured Malik paid the owner.

Malik took them to an abandoned parking lot. There wasn't much around there so it was good. He saw it on the way into the city. He didn't have a permit to teach but she's not human so it doesn't count.

Back at the temple…

Hiei was at lost. His sister wasn't around, which was very unusual. Kuwabara was also at lost, wondering the same thing. Finally Hiei asked the question they both have been meaning to ask.

"Where is she?"

"Out," Genkai answered, "She should be here around mid-afternoon."

Kurama sent her a questioning look. She nodded knowing his question. The two didn't take notice of the missing blond Egyptian. Kurama chuckled. 'He better run fast.' He thought.

* * *

Back at the Ishtar house…

Ryou sighed. Isis forced him to stay at their place until he found the reversal spell. Or rather, a way to send someone to the same dimension and retrieve him. Or maybe he figured Malik was just in the same world just in a different country or city. He hoped it was that otherwise it would be very hard tracking him. He heard a knock on the door and froze up. He could hear Bakura laughing in his head. He is so going to get him back since Bakura's supposed to be helping him.

"You're not slacking off now, are you Ryou?" Isis said evilly from behind the door.

"No ma'am!" Ryou said immediately.

"Hop to it!"

"Yes ma'am!"

Ryou sighed in relief as Isis left him alone. He is so dead if something doesn't come up soon. He shook it off. There was no time to think about it.

* * *

Yukina was excited. She was able to get the hang of it. Of course she messed up the first few times but she got it. Malik was a great teacher. She zoomed around the curves of the parking lot and soon made a stop in front of Malik. She took off the helmet.

"How was that?" she asked.

"That was great. We better head back before they send a search party after you. You don't mind driving do you?" Malik asked because he totally forgot where they went.

"No, I can really?"

He nodded but before they could go anywhere, they saw a group of thugs standing ten feet from them. Malik groaned in annoyance. He didn't need this right now. He counted the group, seven people. 'Lucky number seven. This'll be fun,' he thought. He moved in front of Yukina.

"We got trespassers, boys. I think it's time we taught them to not cross paths with us," the leader said, which Malik assumed.

"How about we play a game boys. A simple shadow game," Malik said smirking, the eye of Ra visible on his forehead. He was imitating the pharaoh but it was a great way to intimidate people. The lot soon started to grow a bit dark with the purple haze. The thugs looked nervously around but the leader stood his ground.

"What kind of game?" the leader asked.

"A simple one." Malik pulled out six trap cards and one magic card from his dueling deck. A table magically appeared in front of them. He showed the leader the cards.

"There are six traps and one magic. You get six tries. Should you flip the magic one you're all save and you could do what you want with us but should you not, you and your group shall pay the price. Refuse you lose automatically." Malik shuffled them and placed it in a straight-line face down.

"Your friend's lives are on your hands. Pick carefully." Malik sensed the fear coming from the ice apparition. But he didn't feel like fighting and he hasn't used the shadows in a while. So this was a fast option. No one can win in this game, except the millennium item holders. It's called cheating but hey, who could help it?

The leader flipped a card over. It was the wrong one and he heard a scream come from one of his group. He disappeared. He didn't care since he didn't like that particular person. It turned out he lost five times. It was the last one.

"Sorry you lose." Malik said as he saw it. The leader tried to cheat and thus must suffer.

"What are you talking about, punk? I won!" he argued.

"You cheated, for that you and your friend will spend an eternity in the shadows."

He let out a blood-curling scream as his soul was ripped from him. Yukina covered her ears at the noise. Soon the purple fog disappeared, as did the thugs. Malik tapped her to get her back. Yukina slowly opened her eyes and saw that they were back in the lot and sighed in relief. She didn't like that shadow place. It seemed too forbidding. It scared her.

"Are you okay?" Malik asked in concern, something you don't hear everyday. He couldn't help but be nice to the demon. She looked up at him.

"Yeah, I'm okay." She answered.

"That's good. I do not wish to have the fire demon, with a sister-complex, burn my ass for scaring you."

Yukina laughed, forgetting about what happened moments before.

"Well, shall we go?"

"Yeah."

At the temple the occupants heard an engine sound at the front. They all went to investigate. Genkai just stayed. The reikai Tantei gawked, the girls stared in awe, and…nothing. Yukina stopped in front of them. Malik got off fast because he didn't want to anger the fire demon. Probably already has. Yukina got off and took off the helmet and ran up to Hiei.

"Hey, onii-san, I can travel as fast as you now!" she said excitedly. Hiei and Kuwabara just stared at her in disbelief. "You can watch me when I race Kori a week from today at the center. She said she'd give me something if I win. She was so nice. She even gave me some clothes. Do they look okay?" she asked twirling around to show. Malik happened to choke. The clothes were the problem. Apparently Kori, their newfound friend that they met while clothe shopping, decided to pick out tight black leather pants, combat boots with the buckles that reached under her knees, and a plain black shirt that clung to her figure. Hey, at least it was decent.

"She told me that I had to wear it otherwise they wouldn't accept me in. Is it okay?" she told them again since she heard silence.

Kuwabara looked in Malik's direction and glared. 'Oh shit,' Malik thought as the orange haired baka grabbed him by the front of his shirt and put his face in front of his. Malik stared at him annoyed. You could see some stress marks on his forehead.

"Hey, make-inu, if you're done staring at me, please I would appreciate it if you let got. I may be that good looking, but please, I'm sure there are a lot of others who'd be willing to go with you guy or girl. Now let go. I'm tired of looking at your face."

"Don't call me that! I'm not like that! You're probably one!"

"I prefer the term bi, actually. Heck, I wouldn't mind going for the foxy redhead," he said making Yuusuke let out a possessive growl, "But I can see he's already taken. Now why don't you LET GO before I lose my TEMPER and feed YOUR sorry ASS to my DRAGON! Screw it! You're not worth it." Malik found his pressure point and squeezed making his grip loosen. Kuwabara dropped to the ground in a heap, his limbs useless. Malik then walked into the temple, into the room, and slammed the door shut.

Shizuru looked at her brother's form. She dragged him inside.

"Is he going to be alright? I know it's his fault but he should've never provoked Malik-kun like that," Yukina said worriedly that Kuwabara might make Malik kill him.

"Don't worry, he'll be fine. Maybe you should check on your friend before he blows up," Shizuru suggested. Yukina nodded and went to check on Malik.

She found him asleep. She walked over and drew the covers up to his shoulders. She knew he didn't sleep well last night because of nightmares. She then stood up and left.

Malik opened his eyes and lied on his back. He sensed her but didn't pay it mind. He figured she'd leave. He slapped himself lightly on the forehead letting the hand rest there.

"This is crazy," he muttered.

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