บท 15: In A New York Minute (Part 1)
DIMENSION: MANGA (The One That Saves the Day)
America
Anzu kept her eyes alert. She had to get home from work, but the sun had already gone down. She had to stay longer to keep her boss happy or she would be looking for a new job and that wasn't an option. Anzu's car had broken down and she had no means to get it fixed, looked at, or to even buy a bike yet. Until she got better money saved, it was walking. Not so bad in the day, but she hated the night.
She stopped and reached into her pocket, looking at her Dark Magician. It wasn't the real thing. She kept a copy of the Red-Eyes Black Dragon and The Dark Magician, to help remember better times. She didn't keep a real deck anymore, nor could she ever afford the original cards she once had to sell. If only she had waited a little longer to sell those precious cards. Life would be a little more different.
After duel monsters only gained in popularity, the prices just kept going up and up. Even copies marked copy on them cost twenty dollars. They were glittery and more foil so no one could be deceived of their value. Something for those running non-legit games with just friends. She pocketed them again and kept going.
It was getting into the colder season. Some Christmas lights were already adorning so many houses. It also helped the cold journey home. People loved to decorate many of their own homes with such full light displays.
Happy thoughts. Those were hard to come by, so she concentrated on them. Bright and warm twinkling lights. It helped but when she tried to say something, the illusion had been destroyed. "P-pretty l-l-lights." She could even see her breath in the direction she spoke.
///Satiah: They adorn the houses with a cheerful glow. Does it help to warm you up?///
///Anzu: Not really but they make me feel better./// Anzu didn't stop and speak to anyone she saw, tried to stay on the main roads, until she was almost home. It was not that bad either, always having someone to talk to. Over the years, she had grown used to hearing Satiah. It felt like another person to talk to.
She heard a scurry behind her. Barely caught a shadow. ///Anzu: Paranoid, Anzu? This is nothing, a bump in the road./// She had to stay positive. She was still in her twenties, and something would come up for her, if she just kept looking and going. The only thing? Age, maybe. Being separated from friends for so long. That peppy girl she once had been, a cheerleader spirit that felt like anything was possible . . . that felt like it was ages ago. Like she'd been a whole other person. Growing older and growing up. People always changed so much.
Now, she doubted she could ever stop to listen to herself long enough before running away. ///Anzu: Impossible dreams. Impossible goals. You make friends and lose them. You make dreams and break them. That's reality, Anzu. Face it. You'll be lucky if you ever get that car fixed.///
"Anzu, Hey!"
Anzu looked just ahead of her. Someone from her new place of work called out to her, stopping with their car in the street. He'd been there for about two weeks now. "H-hi."
"You want a ride home?" He insisted. "I've got extra room in my car."
It almost felt like a relief, but then again, Satiah didn't seem comfortable with it.
///Satiah: You hardly know him. Do not enter his car.///
///Anzu: On the other hand, I work with him. Everyday for two weeks.///
///Satiah: Bagging groceries. You hardly know him, so do not enter his car. Do not be foolish.///
Anzu smiled politely at him. "I'm a-almost th-th-there, it's fine. Th-th-th." Oh forget the thanks, she already sounded like a chipper.
"Oh come on." He parked beside the road and got out. "Don't be like that." He opened the side door for her. "I know you had to work late tonight. It's cold, it's dark, and what if it starts raining? Even if it's not far, it's not a problem. Get in the car, Anzu."
///Satiah: That's too demanding.///
///Anzu: I agree. I don't like the way he's acting./// Anzu shook her head, trying to keep her chattering down. "M-my place isn't f-far."
"Okay then. I'll just wait right here to make sure you get there." He waited by the passenger door.
Anzu didn't like that either. The gesture was nice, nothing seemed wrong on the surface, but her mind just kept rebelling about everything.
///Satiah: Go, Anzu. Go. Remember the self defense class you took, be careful and go.///
Anzu didn't say anything as she started to walk. As she walked a few steps she heard the car door shut. ///Anzu: He's probably leaving.///
///Satiah: He's following.///
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Yuugi had been tapping his hands on the steering wheel, watching Anzu's building. He'd already arrived, but Jounouchi wanted to talk to her first. He was at least going to watch and make sure her place was fine in the meantime.
Jounouchi didn't always trust his instincts. He did in fighting, but in this case, he didn't know. He was getting out there as soon as he could with Mai, but Yuugi took the first opportunity to get to America. It wasn't a skip and a leap. With no phone or internet, Yuugi didn't want to risk anything for his friend.
Time moved slow and fast, his mind divided between the possibilities. What if someone tried something before Jounouchi talked to her? Sure he'd be there soon, but couldn't he simply go up and tell her about the potential danger and not mention the coming back to Japan that Jounouchi wanted to talk to her about? That seemed like a doable option. It was getting late and he needed to decide. "Please come back, Anzu." Oh, how he wanted her to come back.
At the same time, how cruel was that to wish for? All Anzu had been fighting for was to dance in New York. She was in America, just down on her luck. ///Yuugi: If I was a real friend, I'd just lend her some money to get back on her feet. That was Jounouchi's first idea. But. How much would it take for that new start, would it make her any safer and . . .///
He started to watch her come toward the building. She had been on her way but she stopped to talk to a guy she apparently knew. ///Yuugi: Okay, Yuugi, time to think. I could go and warn her about people following her. I could take us out of here to a nice hotel. Safe and sound. Or, do I wait for Jounouch-///
While he thought, he watched that same friendly person she spoke to following her. She looked back, probably asking him something. He didn't like it so he had to do it. He got out of the car and headed after her.
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"I wanted to make sure you made it home safely, remember?"
"I don't n-need . . .," Dangit, the chattering. Anzu gestured to her apartment building. She wished she was only pointing a block away. It was two blocks, on the edge, but visible.
"Oh. That's good, so within viewing distance of the car?" He asked. "Great. I will go back to the car and take off as soon as you're there." He started to step backwards so Anzu walked onward, still feeling paranoid.
///Satiah: Oh no, it's him. Fuck.///
Anzu immediately went on her guard. ///Anzu: Who, the guy again?///
///Satiah: No, worse.///
///Anzu: What?///
///Satiah: The vessel.///
"Anzu!"
What. That voice. Unmistakable. Anzu turned and smiled involuntarily. The person dashing toward her. Yuugi. How in the world he'd been there was the second thing on the mind. The first? "Yuugi!" Just greeting him. He popped over toward her, like he'd been doing it every day of his life. "Yuugi. It's so good to see you."
"Well, it's been a little while since the last visit," he said as he took off his jacket, placing it over hers. "It's extra cold, take that. Your place is just a couple of blocks, right?"
It was cold. Her jacket was nowhere near new. Now he'd be cold, but arguing would only waste time to warmth. After all, he did that real quick so he didn't offend her over hers. ///Anzu: Yuugi./// "It is."
She walked with him, getting the basics of why he was there. "You mean there are potentially people after me that Jounouchi put away?" Who? Yuugi wasn't being very descriptive.
"We can get to that later. Let's just get inside your place and wait for Jounouchi."
Jounouchi was coming too? There must be some terrible people after her. She looked back toward the car that had been watching her. ///Anzu: He apparently lost interest./// She watched her co-worker practically storming off at a high speed right by them.
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