She turns a corner and doesn't know where to go any more. She knows it's the truth deep down, but has refused to admit it, until this, the very moment of admission.

She is running from a vision of jagged white locks, deep brown skin, and a frightening tint of purple. The colour reminds her of orchids, a colour of peace, but he embodies chaos.

Even when he slumbers, he still reminds her of a frightening monster. When he shifts from his side to his back on the bed beside her, his hair splays around his head like a halo, and reminds her of the monster he once was.

The monster who nearly killed her, entrapping Mai in a coma for hours, and nearly sending her friends to an early grave. In that moment as he peacefully slumbers, she feels the cold sting of fear as it crawls up her spine.

She holds her breath while waiting for it to pass, though it does not. Her heart races, mind frantically searching for a tidbit to calm itself down, through rationalization she intends to beat her fear.

She thinks of the time that Ryou's dark side returned to his body, despite the fact that he has been sent to the Shadow Realm time and time again. She wonders what will keep Malik's dark side from returning to his body.

Her phone rings and it startles her as she stares at the dark brick wall of the alleyway. It is nearly morning, and he must be awake, because this is the third time he's called her. The first ten minutes ago, then five, then now.

She doesn't answer, instead losing herself in her fear and paranoia. He is going to return to kill me. And then, a new thought strikes. Protection. Will she be forced to have his child? No. She will face that road when she arrives.

The phone rings again. It's been less than two minutes since the third miss call. She pushes talk and hears his voice ring out in the dark alleyway.

"Anzu.. Anzu, where did you go? It's 4 in the morning, I just woke up, only to find you left. I know you don't have work tomorrow, because you told me so last night, and you promised to take me to see your friends tomorrow and apologize, because I think..." He pauses here, unsure what to say.

Anzu steps on a twig, a crackling noise which gives away that she is still on the other line and still listening. She's unsure now whether or not it was for her own good. Malik takes it as a sign to continue, drawing a deep breath, and rambling forth.

"I think I need their permission to go out with a beautiful girl such as yourself, and after last night, well..." he chuckles here. She is sure there is a broad grin on his face now, and the numb feeling spreads. If she can picture his reactions, no good can come of this.

Her hands are shaking as she brings the phone to her lips. "Stay away from me.." she growls as menacingly as possible, then swiftly disconnects the call.

She got drunk last night, stupidly, after an argument at work. She thought it would calm her down. She forgot how poorly she took liquor, and was only reminded of the absence of a significant other in her life. He swiftly charmed her, and intoxicated, she allowed herself to be charmed, into his arms, into his room...

Into her pants. This was perhaps the biggest mistake of her life.

What was left now? He would find her of course, with the remnants of his black magic. He was a frightening man and now that he was interested in her, she feared there was no escape.

A 24 hour ATM around the corner from the alley shows her bank balance at just over 1,000,000 yen. She withdraws nearly everything and leaves the card sitting in the ATM.

Malik arrives 30 minutes later, eyes wild and hair dishevelled. He finds the card sitting on the ledge of the kiosk and picks it up.

Anzu Mazaki is imprinted in gold letters beneath a map of Japan. A white background.

He wonders why on earth she would leave her bank card here. She either wanted him to find her, or.. it hits him. He inserts the card into the account and enters the year of her birth. He is rewarded with her bank balance of 20 yen.

The machine emits a high pitched noise as Malik slams his hand into it. She's gone. She's gone, somewhere, a place he doesn't know and won't know without the help of mind control, which is useless after a certain distance.

He draws a breath in to steady himself. He is Malik, good, reliable, sweet Malik. But when he smiles, there's a crack in the facade, precisely because he is Malik and he remembers Marik. Marik is still there, trapped.

He has tried to think it is a good thing to be in control for once, but nothing has gone right. Now she is gone, and it is Marik's fault, because Marik destroyed his hopes at finding something within these people, frightened them away.

His face is cracking now, smile twisting from cynical to an evil smirk. Marik has returned fully permissable. He and Marik shall be one now. Anzu is rightfully his, she will return to him and carry on the Ishtar name. Because he is Malik, Malik who calls forth Marik. No one runs from Marik.

She will realize that he is the one for her, that all is right with him. It may take a while, but soon everything will be right again. He laughs, maniacally, because the solution was never to push away, but to relent and be consumed.

He may never rule the world, but one girl seems like a start. From there, he will take what he can.

Not even Anzu can run from the devil.