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"No!
MIA!"
Anubis cried out as he opened his eyes and
sat straight up. He quickly
discovered himself on top of a bed--his bed to be more precise.
He was no
longer at the bottom of the lake, obviously. Breathing heavily,
he glanced
down at his body to find himself still in his subarmor. His long
red hair was
dripping wet.
"How did I...?"
"You awake now?" a gentle voice inquired.
"That's good. I was afraid I
didn't make it in time."
Lifting his head, Anubis discovered a familiar
looking woman standing at
the doorway of his bedroom. Her long, blue hair was tied up in
a ponytail
held up by a silky blue ribbon. She wore a white and black kimono
with a gold
sash around her waist, holding the outfit closed over her petite
body. Her
deep blue eyes were regarding Anubis in concern. She held in one
of her
hands, the mystical staff of the Ancients, an object Anubis himself
used at
one time.
"Lady Kayura," Anubis greeted.
The blue-haired woman nodded once and smiled
warmly. "Anubis, are you
feeling well?"
"No," he answered, almost snarling;
he lowered his head. He was wet, his
muscles ached, his head was throbbing, and his beloved wife, Mia,
had just
been kidnapped by a mad man. Sure, everything was just fine.
"Would you mind telling me what exactly
happened?" Kayura asked, sensing
Anubis' distress. She remained at the doorway, holding the staff
firmly in
her grasp.
***
Mia felt
something smooth and velvety rub against her cheek. She turned
her head to one side and opened her eyes. She found someone holding
a
beautiful red rose over by her face. Her eyes trailed from the
rose, to the
hand which held it. Her eyes then averted up to the owner of the
hand. She
gasped and immediately sat up, a look of shock written on her
face.
"A-Adrien...?" she whispered, unable
to believe what she saw. "Is that
really you...?!"
Adrien smiled as he pulled his hand away and
sat beside Mia. She glanced
down and found herself still in her clothes and on top of a bed.
It looked
like one of those 17th century types of bed with the delicately
crafted bed
frame and posts. The blankets were a sort of creme color and made
of silk.
The room she was in looked unfamiliar. It was a bit dark and she
couldn't see
anything beyond the bed posts.
Mia turned her attention back to Adrien. She
studied him with her warm,
greenish-blue eyes. He wore his long dark brown hair back somewhat,
his bangs
just barely covering his ebony eyes. Black subarmor covered the
rest of his
body. Its design looked similar to that of the Ronin Warriors
and Dark
Warlords. She gasped when he lifted a hand and cupped her cheek
with it.
"Mia love, it is me, Adrien," he
insisted in a friendly tone. Some of his
dark hair fell from behind his ear and fell beside his pale cheek.
"Do you
not remember me?"
"Adrien," Mia whispered in a soft
voice. She shook her head. "I just... I
can't believe it's really you..." She felt her eyes water
slightly as
memories of Adrien began to flood back into her mind.
At the tender age of fourteen, Mia had met
Adrien back when she was
living with her parents. Her grandfather, the late Dr. Koji, had
introduced
him to her and it was instant chemistry. The next thing anyone
knew, Mia and
Adrien were together almost constantly. Adrien was like no boy
she had ever
known in her entire life at that point. He was a warrior and a
very skilled
one at that. While he was staying with Dr. Koji, Mia would go
over and watch
him practice. She would be in awe whenever he performed his training
exercises using his hands, fists, and feet. She would go beyond
admiration
when he would start to practice his weapon skills.
Adrien was an enigma. He was one of those "tall,
dark, and mysterious"
type of men. The boys Mia went out with then were more open and
friendly--but
then the relationships did not last long. And Mia did not really
like to go
out with them, but had to because of her parents. They would introduce
her to
a boy from a rich family they would get to know. She would then
have to spend
time with that boy to get to know him and that ordeal. But it
never worked
out. Her parents hoped too much. Perhaps that was why Mia was
so interested
in Adrien when he first arrived.
He was a loner, did not like to socialize,
and was bent on doing things
himself. Of course when he was with Mia, however, he lightened
up--to say the
least. He treated her with such tender and care, unlike his profession
at the
time. He was a true gentleman to her. He allowed her to show him
the sights
of her city and try out new things. It was so wonderful, Mia thought
she
would spend the rest of her life with him... that is, until he
left one day.
No note, no phone call, no letter--nothing.
Anger suddenly filled Mia and she shoved Adrien
away, moving herself off
of the bed. She stood behind him, glaring.
"What happened?" she asked, trying
to remain calm yet asked the question
in a firm tone.
Adrien smiled sadly as he turned around and
faced her. "Mia, I'm sorry. I
really wanted to tell you--"
"You left without even saying good-bye!"
she snapped. "The least you
could've have done was somehow inform me or grandpa what was going
on! We
looked for you for months! I thought you were dead...!" Her
voice quivered at
the last sentence but she cleared her throat to cover that up.
"Mia, I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to
hurt you. I just didn't want you
to get killed because of me..."
He advanced towards her but frowned when she
took a few steps back, her
arms folded across her chest. He sighed heavily. "Mia, please.
Allow me to
explain."
The young woman fixed her incensed eyes upon
him. She stated, "You were
the one who spoke to me in the forest earlier, weren't you? You
were the one
who sent those horrible creatures to kill me."
"Not to kill you!" Adrien exclaimed
lightly. He squeezed his fists at his
side and said, "I just wanted them to bring you to me safely.
Do not worry, I
personally destroyed those who harmed you."
An uncomfortable silence filled the strange,
cold room. Mia had turned
away from him and was thinking to herself. She had to get back
to Anubis. But
what about Adrien? Shouldn't she be glad to have him back? He
WAS her
boyfriend and they had been very serious when they were younger.
But she
loved Anubis now and forever. Nothing would ever make her question
that. She
had to get back to him. But how?
"So... how have you been, love?"
Adrien asked, obviously trying to
lighten the mood.
"Please don't call me that," Mia
replied in a distant voice, her back
still facing him.
He looked very hurt. "But... I... I always
called you that, remember?"
She sighed. "Adrien, I've moved on with
my life. And I have found someone
to love."
Strike one.
"I love him very much as he loves me."
Strike two.
"And I'm a married woman."
Strike three.
***
Lady Kayura
had finished listening to Anubis' tale of woe. The two of
them were in the front room sitting on the couch. Anubis was sitting
at the
end of the couch with his head buried in his hands. Kayura felt
so helpless.
She never realized how much he loved her. Kayura did not really
understand
love when it came to romance. She never loved anyone like that.
And her
responsibilities as the last of the Ancient would keep her pretty
much
occupied--no time to look for that special someone. Perhaps one
day...
"Anubis," Kayura called out gently.
"Please..." She lowered her head in
shame. "Forgive me. It is because of me that Mia is gone."
"What?" Anubis lifted his head and
glared at Kayura. His eyes were almost
seething at that point, just like when he once fought the Ronin
Warriors as
leader of the Dark Warlords. "What do you mean?"
Kayura replied, "A few days ago just after
your wedding, I sensed some
kind of negative force dwindling within the Nether Realm. I was
too late in
preventing it from coming here, the Mortal Realm. I came here
to warn you all
but... I was too late. I arrived only after I witnessed you being
consumed by
the waters of the lake. I only caught a glimpse of a man in black
but that is
all. Please forgive me, Anubis... I failed..."
A warm, gentle hand rested on her shoulder.
Kayura's head rose and she
found Anubis sitting next to her, his eyes composed once more.
"You mustn't
blame yourself," he said quietly. "You are still learning
the ways of the
Ancient One, correct? Your powers are still in development. And
you didn't
exactly fail. You saved me, didn't you? If it wasn't for you,
I would have
been doomed."
"I suppose you're right." Kayura
smiled. "Thank you, Anubis. I don't
deserve such kindness..." Her face harden. "But I promise
you I will help you
find Mia and defeat this negative force."
He nodded. "Thank you, Lady Kayura."
***
"You
are... married?" Adrien stammered. This was very unlike him
to do so
but it seemed as though Mia was the only person who can ever get
him to act
in this manner.
Mia sighed and turned to face him. Her arms
were still folded across her
chest but she no longer looked as stern. She was smiling sadly
at him. This
made him happy somewhat.
"Why did you leave?" she asked softly,
moving away to her personal life.
She had been wanting to ask this question for so long, it was
the first thing
she should have asked when they started talking.
"Talpa's top assassins, had found where
I was. Two years and they had
finally pin pointed my location. There was no time to waste. If
I hadn't left
abruptly as I did, you and Dr. Koji would have been either captured
or
killed. The assassins literally followed me everywhere--Talpa
really wanted
me to suffer after what I had done to him and you remember why,
right?
Anyway, to make a long story short, I ended up back in the Nether
Realm and
fought against assassins myself. I barely survived, having been
out of
practice for so long, but I managed to destroy them all. Mind
you by the time
I returned to the Mortal Realm, I had discovered that you and
your
grandfather had gone to this city called Toyama for some kind
of armor
research. I know how you really enjoyed studying mythology and
I really
wanted to return to you but something kept me from going to you...
I don't
recall what happened to me afterwards but the next thing I know,
I find you
here... happily married...?"
"Yes, happily married," Mia stated.
She placed her arms at her side once
more and shook her head. "Adrien, I'm sorry. When you disappeared
I feared
for the worst..."
Adrien smiled. "Well, I'm glad you are
no longer mad--eh?"
A ninja materialized a few feet away from the
two. It got down on one
knee and said, "Master, forgive me but we sense a powerful
force from the
Nether Realm in the area where we kidnapped Miss Koji."
"Excuse me," Mia interrupted, slightly
irritated. "But I'm Mrs.--"
"Powerful force you say?" Adrien
inquired, cutting Mia off in
mid-sentence. He took a step forward and held a shaking fist in
the air. He
looked rather annoyed at the moment. "From the Nether Realm?
It must be that
fool Warlord of Cruelty but why would he be wanting to get involved?"
Now Mia was really loosing her patience and
that was something she rarely
did. Normally she was relaxed, self-possessed, and clear-thinking.
But ever
since she had been kidnapped, her fuse had just about blown. "For
your
information Adrien, that fool Warlord is my husband!"
Adrien's world had just shattered to pieces.
It couldn't be--! Had he
heard right? Anubis was really Mia's husband? The man he thought
he had
destroyed in the lake? THAT was her husband? Former leader of
the Dark
Warlords? So, Anubis did not lie to him after all.
The Master of Cruelty and my precious Mia--together?
Lovers??? He snarled
and then fixed his eyes upon the ninja. "Go and obliterate
this powerful
force. Do not take it lightly. Hunt to kill, understand?"
The ninja stood up and nodded. "Heeheehee!
Yes master!"
It vanished into the darkness, leaving Mia
alone with Adrien once more.
She grabbed his hand and pleaded, "Don't! Please Adrien,
don't do this!"
She searched his cold, black eyes for any sign
of compassion and mercy.
There was none to be found.
Wordlessly Adrien placed a hand under Mia's
chin and leaned forward. His
other hand went around her waist, making sure she would not go
anywhere.
"Please understand love, that I came back for you. I won't
let anyone
intervene in our relationship ever again!"
"Adrien it's over between us!" Mia
objected. She tried to turn away but
she could not. Adrien had a tight grip of her so she forced herself
to look
at him once more. "I appreciate what you did for me, but
I love Anubis now!
I... I'm sorry..."
"I'm sorry too, Mia."
Adrien's eyes glowed eerily and this made Mia
gasp. He never did anything
like this before. "A-Adrien? What... What are you...?!"
"Mia. My poor, poor Mia. That Anubis has
deceived you. He does not love
you nor do you love him. It's all just an illusion."
"How dare you say such a thing!"
Mia snapped angrily, tears of
frustration running down her cheeks. "You're crazy! You're
not the Adrien I
once knew! What's wrong with you?!"
Adrien closed his eyes and slowly shook his
head. He then opened his eyes
and leaned a little bit closer until his mouth was only a mere
inch away from
hers. He whispered, "I would have thought you'd be happy
to see me again,
love."
He closed his eyes and kissed her, cold lips
against warm, delicate ones.
Mia's eyes widen and she felt absolutely sick to her stomach.
Since she knew
that trying to push or kick herself free would prove useless,
she did the
next best thing--she bit down on his tongue hard.
Adrien's eyes flew open and he drew away, snarling.
He placed his hand
over his mouth and was surprised to find blood coming out.
Mia on the other
hand, stumbled back a bit and was panting. She wiped her mouth
with her
sleeve and stared wide eyed at him. Now she knew something was
definitely
wrong. The Adrien she knew was never this forceful! But Adrien,
this Adrien,
sent shivers down his spine. Why was he acting like this?
"You are NOT Adrien!" Mia cried,
still panting. "Who are you really?"
Adrien's eyes glowed dark red. He soon regained
his composure and removed
his hand from his mouth. The blood was still there but he ignored
it. He
slowly approached Mia, each step echoed throughout the strange,
dark room.
Mia tried to move but suddenly found herself paralyzed. Something
was
preventing her from moving her body! But she quickly knew very
well what that
something was--Adrien.
"But I am Adrien," the armored warrior
proclaimed as he stood before Mia
once more. He chuckled before placing a hand over her forehead.
"You will
see... You will no longer want to be with Anubis and you know
why?" He leaned
over under his lips were beside her ear. He whispered, "Because
it will be
YOU who will kill him for me."
Tears slipped from Mia's eyes and down her
cheeks. The next thing she
knew, darkness had consumed her.