Hey again looks like I am back with yet another story eh heh heh, naw just that Spirited Away reawakened my writing juices so huzzah! This is Anzu centric fic (yay) and possibly a crossover (not sure yet) so please enjoy
Do not own Yu-Gi-Oh
Like always….
The small delicate petals fell as an ever-falling snow, blanketing the ground in a growing deep carpet of pink. Yuugi twirled his pencil, as he looked outside, unable to stay focus on his school task.
"Ever since…Mou Hitori no Boku…. Returned to the after life…"
The pencil twirled, never missing a cycle as the youth continue to dream, looking to the bloom of the Sakura outside. It had been almost a month since he had returned, since yuugi won the ceremonial duel and all the Sennen items were returned to the darkness. Since then life had become quiet…too quiet.
It was like, Atemu, the puzzle…everything had never happen, and it was nothing but a dream, which slowly cascaded back and forth. He sighed, all things must move on he supposed and slowly but surely they began to.
But he could not…not yet anyways…
"Muto-san!"
Yuugi looked up and an embarrassed blush came to his face as his teacher Mrs. Kikuyu glared down at him, her arm crossed as she tapped her foot. "Yes?" he began. Before she could chide him for not paying attention to her lesson, the bell signifying the end of school came in it's glorious yet homely tune.
He sighed in great relief as he speedily escaped from the clutches of his teacher.
"Yuugi wait up!" Yuugi turned seeing Jou, Honda and Anzu walking up to him. He waved to them, a faint smile on his face.
"How have you been holding up?"
Yuugi did not respond. Anzu gave a worried look. "Yuugi?" she ask. Yuugi blinked a couple of time before looking to her "Huh?" he ask. Anzu grimaced "You've been out of it a lot lately" she said. He looked to her before his eyes gazed away "Sorry…I haven't been myself lately" he confessed.
Jou gave a sympathetic smiled and pat the boy's back "None of us are…we're just starting to heal…" he try to comfort. Yuugi nodded "Yeah"
"Hey why don't we hang out at the game shop!"? Honda suggested.
Yuugi smiled at this but today he really felt like he needed to be alone. "I don't feel like it right now…" Yuugi spoke. His friends understood "All right some other time" Anzu said. As the quartet began to split up Anzu look to the short boy as he walked away.
The wind blew leaving a chill and she hugged herself "yuugi…" she only thought.
Yuugi walked with a sad pensiveness around him, his feet only leading him to an unknown location. Everything felt different…empty. He looked up "Mou Hitori no Boku…." he spoke to himself. He should be happy that his friend was now in peace but somehow, he couldn't, it was another part of him seemed to be missing. Despite his friends best intentions he felt that maybe this was something that would heal over time, with the sanctity of isolation.
He hope so.
Yuugi…
He looked up "Whom?" He said aloud. That's when he noticed he was no longer in the safe suburbs of domino city. "I guess I must have wandered all the way out to the rural" he sighed. He remained silent for a moment before continuing his journey.
"Strange…I feel so calm alone just with nature…" he smiled, maybe getting away from the daily tedious routine of the city was a good thing for him. Forests untouched by human hands stretch like an emerald green ocean, a wide smile came to his friends "Sugoi…" he said with appreciation.
Yuugi…. Kocchi…
'That voice again…' he thought looking around. 'Strange…I'm the only one here…am I?'
Yuugi…
"It's…. coming…. From the forest?" he spoke to himself. Curiosity got the best of him as a surge feeling through him told him he had to follow the voice, to see if he wasn't truly losing his mind. He walked as in a trance taking no notice of his surrounding or of where he was going. After what seemed like hours he found himself at a shrine, ancient from the changing's of the world.
He looked around; did the voice come from here? He step closer to the shrine, it had turned weathered and it's once furnish wood stood slowly decaying. The gates were closed, keeping the secrets of it's purposes hidden. 'Hm…I wonder if it's a shrine to a forest spirit…or to protect people from them,' he thought. The thought of evil spirits sent a nostalgic chill down his spine; he had his share of the specters to last a lifetime.
As he continued his explorations, he noticed a strange flower crowing around the radius of the small shrine. "Ara?' he said aloud, he kneeled down to examine it.
"Strange…I didn't think this type of flower could be grown in this country…' he thought gently touching the petal of a marigold (1). He sighed, he wouldn't get his answer here 'I…better go home before Jii-chan has a heart attack' with a sigh of defeat he stood up and began to leave this strange place not knowing if it was to revere or to protect from unknown forces.
'Creeaaaak'
He froze hearing the sound. Slowly he turned around and let out a breathe of relief; the hatch from one of the doors came loose. "Ha…I'm getting too paranoid' he laughed. He stopped when the doors slowly began to open, as the spread open a light blinded all around him but not himself. Yuugi stood agape as it burst with such warmth…such energy.
He couldn't turn away from it, and slowly he walked to it, the twilight growing with each step, his hand stretched out trying to touch the eerie aura. The wind suddenly blew its powerful gale blowing leaves into the sky. He continued to walk…until his form couldn't be seen anymore. The light slowly faded away and the chilled moans filled the sky once more and there stood the shrine silent…unfazed.
It had been two months since his disappearance; it shook the foundation of those who knew him. How could a good student like Yuugi disappear without a trace? Police and volunteers searched tirelessly and with vigor but alas couldn't even find a clue to where he had gone. The scenario of being kidnapped seemed the most likely; he was after all the game king so it was natural that he would have enemies.
So the hunt and tiring interrogation of all duelist defeated by him came to play, it's act only to finished with a prolonged ending. They as well did not know of his whereabouts.
"So what do you think happened to Muto-san?"
"Yeah they still haven't found him yet…"
"I say his body is probably in a dump by now"
The gossiping girls stop when they noticed one Anzu Mazaki staring at them with not anger but hurt, not wanting to be under her penetrating gaze they walked away and perceived to continue what idle chats they found interesting. Anzu said nothing but resting her head on her desk. Two months…two months…
First Atemu and now Yuugi…
It was her fault! Why did she leave Yuugi by himself!? She should have stayed by his side…then none of what was happening would have ever occurred. She closed her eyes tiredly…she hadn't had a well-rested sleep; Yuugi's disappearance left her wide-awake not granting rest to the weary. She was so tired and her appetite had receded dangerously but she didn't care.
Jounouchi and Honda looked to their friend with great worry; they knew she had gone into a depression with Atemu's and now Yuugi's disappearance. "Damn it…" Honda cursed. Jounouchi nodded in agreement "Yuugi…where did you go…?" Jou whispered. He clenched his fist…first he couldn't help Yuugi now Anzu!? No he had too for her and his own sake. Putting up a brave front he went to her desk.
"Hey Anzu!" he replied cheerfully.
No answer.
"…." He tried again "We're going to the park today, come with?"
Still no answer was given to him…
"Come on Anzu, I'm sure it'll do you good!" Honda chimed in.
Silence -3
Honda and Jou-0
"Anzu…you need to pull yourself together…" Jou began. Anzu finally lifted her head up and he grimaced. She looked so pale; her eyes didn't have the usual sparkle in them as dark bags under them shown as a second shadow.
"…I really don't feel like it…" she replied. Jou growled and suddenly slammed his hand on her desk making her tired eyes snap open.
"Anzu! You need to snap out of it! What good are we to Yuugi if we get depressed!?" he exclaimed. Anzu didn't reply.
"Geez Mutt could you be anymore annoying..." was the snide remark of Seto Kaiba. Jou shot a glare to him "Don't you dare start" he threatened. Kaiba only snorted before taking something from his school bag. He walk to Anzu's desk, ignoring the various threats the blonde gave him, casually he threw some papers on her desk.
"It's from Mokuba; we did a country wide search tracking his duel disk from his cell" he began. Her eyes suddenly lit up "and!?" she said. Jou and Honda too began to feel hope flow in their veins.
"Nothing…"
Anzu felt her heart break. Jou and Honda glared at him, Kaiba couldn't care less and continued "Duel disk, cell phone, anything electronic he had with him at the moment…seemed to have electrical disturbances in them…or died"
"It's like he never existed…" she suddenly spoke.
Jou and Honda looked to her with pained eyes "Anzu…" Jou began. Seta Kaiba said nothing but properly returned to his seat.
"Don't worry; knowing the midget, nothing will keep him from his group of dorks" he said. Jou gave him a glare 'I guess that's as close as we get from reassurance from him' he thought. He turned to Anzu, who remained silent the whole time; she was not even showing any reaction. She suddenly stood up, taking her school bag; she headed out of the class.
"Anzu wait!' he called out. She paid no heed until a pale hand gently grabbed her arm "Please Anzu…don't do this to yourself " the albino pleaded. She did not face him she couldn't "please…let go…" she manage to speak before pulling her arm away and walked away from the classroom.
Jou growled "Dang it; Anzu wait up!" he said running after her.
"Don't you get a clue mutt? She wants to be alone" Kaiba remarked. "Like you would know!!" he snapped. "I…think he's right Jounouchi…" Honda chimed. Jou looked to his friend incredulously "We need to be with her!" he almost yelled. Honda sighed "but not every second…we may be smothering her; lets give her some time to breathe" he reasoned.
Jou remained silent.
Her legs felt tired, she felt tired so tired. She dragged her feet closer to her home. She…she couldn't do, say, feel. It was when she reached the patio she collapsed. Her whole body began to rack as the sobs rang out. Fat tears rolled down her cheek stinging her eyes. She let the repress feeling of grief she had contain in school flood out.
She knew they wouldn't bring yuugi back, but a part of her wished that he would just come walking behind her and reached to embrace her telling her that her worries and woes would be no more, he was back. The dream only received more tears.
She heard a bell tinkle; it came from behind. She quickly turned around; was it yuugi!? But much to her disappointment it was nothing but a small basket. She looked to it; has someone drop it? Was it for her? Pulling herself up she walked to it and knelt down to examine it. Opening it she found the contents to be some rice balls, and a flower she never seen before.
"Who…?"
She looked to the food, her hand grabbing one of the rice balls and examined it. She made a face; she never seen food like these before, so eloquently detailed with spices and sugars. It didn't look poison or tampered with. Slowly she took a small bite, curiosity getting the best of her. She slowly chewed it before taking a giant bite, and began engulfing it.
The tears didn't stop but after eating the last one, she felt a little better. Maybe Jounouchi had sent these to her? Then she remembered he couldn't even cook instant ramen.
Then who?
Honda?
Then a thought hit her, could it been Ryou? Lately he had been very concerned for her health, so it wouldn't be a far guess that he goes out his way to do something so nice.
"Arigatou…Ryou-kun" she whispered. Picking herself up she held the basket in her arms, and took out the flower "It's pretty…I wonder what it is" she thought. She suddenly felt a presence and quickly looked to the sky, nothing but the lovely puffs roam onto the blue plain. She looked to it only for a few more moments before retreating inside.
'Yuugi…please be safe…wherever you are'
DUN DUN DUN!!!! Where is Yuugi? Did Ryou really give her that basket!? Read/review to find out!
1) the marigold is said to allow spirits find their way to the living world
Bye!
fOX