Chapter One –Secrets + liberation-
"I'm sick of the secrets
Stood on the edge
Tied to a noose
You came along
And you cut me loose"
- Amsterdam, Coldplay
By PretJb4eva.
Summary: Every heart contains a darkness that threatens to consume it. Anzu was no different.
Some experiences cannot leave a person unchanged, certain holes cannot be filled, specific events in a person's life will make or break them,
Following the brutal murder of her father, Anzu learns a secret about her heritage and her destiny which will change her life and force her to question everything; her existence, her morality, but foremost, her true nature.
Author's Notes: I know this all seems very hazy right now, but this first chapter will show you where I'm going with this story. For the moment, let's say Anzu will no longer be an innocent, happy-go-lucky, cutsie teeny-bopper. Same girl, major attitude change.
It is not an AU, but it does not have much to do with Duel Monsters; as usual, it is mainly an experiment with the characters, and how I can pair them.
Last thing: this IS a Seto/Anzu pairing, and all you rabid Seto Fangirls (like me) will enjoy Seto's new skills :winks :
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or anything else. Seriously, I don't even pay for anything, if I can help it.
Warning:Violence and sexual innuendos abound in this baby... but not 'til
later. : winks :
It was 11 O'clock on a Thursday night when Anzu Mazaki lost all faith in mankind.
In a way, even Anzu herself had seen it coming; the point in time when she realised that the world was not all as it seemed, that compassion existed only on the surface, that each heart has a darkness in its core, a murky secret which is kept away from the light.
It is a lesson that everyone learns at one stage - the cruelty of humanity - it just so happened that Anzu learnt it later than most.
It is a lesson learnt only through experience.
On her eighteenth birthday, Anzu would learn a lesson that was never to be forgotten.
Anzu Mazaki stared out of the window at the full moon, wishing she were there, up in the sky, or somewhere instead of on the ground, in the sweaty, crowded club.
Anzu would have preferred to hang out with the gang on her birthday, but the girls from dancing had insisted on taking her out.
Needing to leave the club and her drunken girlfriends, Anzu claimed her thick coat and stepped out the door.
Ignoring the catcalls and inappropriate propositions, she wandered over to an ornamental bridge and leant on the railing. Preoccupied, she gazed once more at the huge moon, partially obscured by grey rain clouds that looked ready to burst at any moment.
It was curiously still outside; only the distant thumping of the club's music could be heard.
"Like the calm before the storm." Muttered Anzu, shoving her hands deeper into her pockets, and took a deep breath of the smoke-laced air.
If only she had known just how right she was.
Anzu kicked a pebble into the river beneath her and pondered her current melancholy disposition.
It was her birthday, she shouldn't be feeling so desolate, but her life was falling apart around her, causing her normally sunny nature to turn sour.
Anzu picked up another pebble and skimmed it across the surface of the water,
Her father had been secretive and moody lately, her mother had been depressed, her schoolwork seemed pointless, she barely saw her friends- her pillars- anymore due to the amount of study she had, work at the burger joint was simply unbearable, and even dancing seemed to have lost its appeal to Anzu these days.
It was all getting to be too much to bear, Anzu needed to break free of the bonds that were holding her down, preventing her from soaring to the moon as she wanted.
Still, thought Anzu sensibly, I have it better than a lot of people. Who am I to complain?
The argument seemed weak to Anzu.
Currently, her existence was centred around making it through the day, taking step after wearisome step, staying awake- indeed, alive- long enough to get home and flop into bed,
waiting for sleep or death to take her.
It was all too much, and Anzu prayed daily to a deity above for a break in the never-ending monotony.
Perhaps if she had known what the cost of the end to her restlessness would be, Anzu would have forgone the prayers.
A single, fat droplet of water fell on the tip of Anzu's nose, making her smile; she had always loved the rain, tears from the heavens,
Maybe, things aren't so bad after-
"Anzu!" Rei, one of Anzu's more sensible –and less drunk- friends broke through the girl's thoughts.
Anzu looked up, wiping the water from her face,
"What's up, Rei?" Asked Anzu carefully, wary of her friend's distressed expression,
"Oh, Anzu, thank goodness I found you," whimpered Rei, "Anzu, you need to go home. You Mother just called me; there's been an accident."
Anzu felt herself pale,
"Who?" she asked evenly.
"Y-your father," Rei's voice cracked, "he was…"
The dancer started to cry, and Anzu could get no more from her.
Fishing her keys from her clutch, Anzu ran to her car, mentally thanking the gods for her intolerance of alcohol.
Starting up the car, Anzu sped off into the night.
>>
In the dark parking lot, a figure dressed in all black ran two fingers over the edge of an elaborate katana.
A single drop of blood fell and mingled with the crimson already staining the blade. Beneath a black hood, in the centre of a deathly pale face, a pair of steady grey eyes watched the car speed off into the night. A small mouth twisted into a satisfied smirk,
"It has begun." Stated the figure softly.
Slowly, steadily, the figure brought two bloodstained fingers to a small, red mouth. A tongue flicked out and licked the blood away,
"Good luck, Mizuki." In a sweep of jet black cloth, the figure was gone.
To say that Anzu was worried would be a most severe understatement. She was bordering on hysterical, wondering what grievous harm could have possibly come to her father that would cause Rei- calm, collected Rei- to break down so.
Frantically, Anzu stabbed her home number into her cell, her car swerving to the right, (a/n that's right, people, my disclaimer: I don't condone mobile phone cell phone usage on the roads.) trying to settle herself as the phone rang in her ear.
"Hello?" Her mother's voice calmed Anzu somewhat,
"Mama," breathed Anzu, "Thank goodness, Mama, Rei said papa-"
"Anzu," interjected her mother, voice cracking, "Please, baby, come home quickly."
Anzu felt the pace of her hertbeat quicken dramatically,
"Mama, please tell me papa is okay," Anzu pleaded, Her heart couldn't take another blow, "please, Mama, lie, I don't care, just please tell me papa is alright."
There was a brief silence on the other end,
"Mama?"
A dry sob,
"Come home, Anzu. And hurry. There is a lot you need to know."
click
Anzu let the cell drop to the floor as she pulled into her suburban childhood home.
Her mind was blank as she stepped from the car, leaving the door open,
keys in the ignition, she though only of her destination- the dark
house in front of her.
That night, when Anzu Mazaki ran through the rain, moonlight dancing across her soft features, she ran straight into her destiny.
Haruka Mazaki scowled at the tall man in front of her- aged -yet still bright- blue eyes flashing in barely withheld anger.
"You will not drag my daughter into this business," snarled Amaya, "You people killed my father and my husband. You will not take my daughter, too."
The man sat in shadow, he was wearing a dark suit, and only the whites of his eyes, and his pearly teeth were visible on his dark face,
"Haruka, Haruka," chuckled the man, "what makes you think she will not come to us willingly. Our business is a thriving one, and very suitable for a woman such as Anzu. Have you not noticed her restlesness of late? She is just like her father...and her mother, Amaya"
Haruka hissed and stood,
"That is not my life anymore. I am Haruka, not Amaya," she said brusquely, "It is time you left. Before my daughter returns. I wish to tell her of her father's death alone."
The man stiffened and stood,
"She has already arrived." he stated simply.
Haruka blanched and turned to the door,
"Anzu. You can come out now sweetheart." she called...
Anzu opened the door and slid through. She honestly had no idea why she was trying to be quiet. It was an instinct thing.
Wincing at the sharp click of the door, Anzu surveyed her surroundings.
Her home was dark, the only faint light coming from the dining room - used for special guests only - and Anzu could hear two voices talking; one female voice, definitely her mothers, and one male voice, which was so soft, Anzu could barely make it out. Her father. Certainly, it had to be her father.
Anzu breathed a sigh of relief at her conclusion, and made towards the light. As she got closer, however, she noticed the male's voice was too deep, too soft, too clipped to be her father's.
Anzu resumed her sneaking, pressing herself against the wall by the doorway that connected the kitchen to the dining room.
The moon's silver, inconstant light shone through the kitchen window and played across the chrome appliances and white tiles, clashing with the steady artificial light from the dining room. Anzu strained to hear what the voices were saying:
"You people killed my father and my husband. You will not take my daughter, too."
Anzu paled, forcing back the darkness that was eating at the edges of her vision; the beginnings of a faint.
"Haruka, Haruka," chuckled the man, "what makes you think she will not come to us willingly. Our business is a thriving one, and very suitable for a woman such as Anzu. Have you not noticed her restlesness of late? She is just like her father...and her mother, Amaya"
Anzu's mind was swirling, a giant mass of confusion. Amaya? "Business"? Who was this man?
"That is not my life anymore. I am Haruka, not Amaya," replied her mother curtly. There were sounds of someone moving about "It is time you left. Before my daughter returns. I wish to tell her of her father's death alone."
More noises: cloth against cloth, shoes on polished floorboards, a rush of air.
"She has arrived." the man said. Anzu stiffened.
Shit.
"Anzu. You can come out now sweetheart." called her mother.
Shit.
Anzu slipped into the dining room, not bothering to feel ashamed or sheepish for eavesdropping.
"Mama." she whispered. Haruka let out a strangled cry and pulled her child to her arms,
"Anzu," she sobbed, a tear falling down her cheek, and landing on Anzu's nose. Tears of relief.
"Mizuki." muttered the stranger, his voice losing it's previously cool tone.
Both women looked up, remembering there was a strange man in their house.
"What?" asked Anzu, brow furrowed in ever-increasing confusion, Haruka scowled,
"I have told you, she will not join you. I don't care what you say, it is not her destiny to kill and be killed."
Anzu was started to get annoyed. Neither of them were making any sense, who was Mizuki? It couldn't be him, Mizuki was a girls name. Anzu nearly giggled at the thought of this tall, intimidating man being called Mizuki.
And what of her father? Her mother had said he was dead, Anzu felt sick at the very thought.
The argument continued between her mother, and the man her mother referred to as Katashi. Anzu lost her cool,
"Would one of you please tell me what is going on?" She demanded furiously. The adults spun around to look at her,
"Anzu..." started her mother, but Katashi cut her off with a deadly glare,
"Mizuki," he said, ignoring the irritated noise Haruka made, "your father is dead. You must take his place. It was his dying wish, and it is your destiny."
Anzu really felt like being sick now, and her heart was in her throat, she squashed the dread and replaced it with exasperation,"Destiny, dying wish, take his place," she snapped, "What does all this mean? How did daddy die, and who are you!" she finished, pointing at Katashi,
The man chuckled,
"She has spunk, Haruka, she reminds me of you."
"Oi, mister," barked Anzu, "you're talking to me. Tell me what's going on. And I want to see my father."
Haruka had had enough,
"Anzu, I will explain everything to you, just sit, and calm down." she soothed. Katashi coughed,
"I shall take my leave here," he said with sharp, curt bows to both women, "but I will be back in three days."
Haruka scowled and turned away, sitting Anzu down and waiting until she heard the front door close.
Anzu placed her head in her shaking hands and took a deep breath. Her father was dead. Dead. She was no stranger to death; only three years ago, she had lost her little sister to leukaemia, leaving Anzu an only child, but it seemed all the more tragic that she and her mother would have to lose her sister and her father.
She started to cry.
Holy crap. That was hard.
I was going to extend this chapter (to include Seto) but I felt I needed to post, so next chapter shall start with him!
This
chapter goes to Josh, who helped me with some serious lyric hunting!
Thanks! (Thanks also to Vanessa who helped me with the summary)
Tell me what you think, it gets more interesting, especially when you find out about Anzu's Destiny!
Flames will be used to burn my sadistic teachers who enjoy giving me bundles of homework waaay too much! XD