Title: Closure

Summary: When Rua is away for a few months at Overseas Duel Academy, Ruka becomes awfully lonely. When she returns to the Spirit World, it opens a secret box of emotions her parents and others have shut up for a long time. Can they get her to return?

Notes: Set apart from canon. This chapter was written long ago (before I even made my account, I think), but only recently touched up and published. So, please forgive any errors.

Rating: K+

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds

Ruka swallowed hard as she watched her brother's plane take off into the sky. Aki squeezed her shoulder comfortingly and Yusei watched her with concern on his face. Jack, Crow, and Bruno held back, leaning against the wall. Ruka looked at her fellow Signers then turned to glance at the plane once more. Her parents weren't even there, 'important business' as always. But still, you would think they'd come to say bye to their son one last time before he took off to overseas Duel Academy for six months.

Ruka turned back sharply to the others and said quietly "Come on, let's go home." As they began walking away, Ruka remembered what had led to this…

The twins' mother, Kana, gave them a strange, wide smile, her husband Kouhei sitting next to her as the twins entered their living room. Ruka had been surprised, almost shocked, to see them. They were usually gone weeks at a time on business trips, and whenever they returned it would only be for a week or so at most. Even when they were away, they usually only called once every few days with remarks like "Did the maid come by on time today? Did you go on the computer to print out your homework?" (That question had disappeared when they finally started attending Duel Academy).

"Mom? Dad?" Rua exclaimed in surprise. "What are you guys doing here?"

Kana gave a small, strange laugh and asked, "Rua, what do you mean?

Ruka spoke up. "He means, weren't you on a business trip? You're always on a business trip."

Kana answered "Oh, um, yes, but we wanted to tell you kids about this!" Kana gestured for her children to sit on the couch across from her and her husband and slid them a brochure over the glass coffee table.

Ruka picked it up and read aloud "Overseas Duel Academy…Professionals in the making?" Rua leaned in as she turned the page. A picture of a large building, obviously the academy, flanked by a stadium, dorm, and track for turbo duelists.

Kana began talking excitedly, "Look, Rua and Ruka! Wouldn't that be nice? You guys want to be professional duelists when you're older, right? Like your friend, um, what's his name, Yusie?"

"His name's Yusei, Mom" corrected Ruka, not bothering to tell her that it was just Rua who wanted to be the professional turbo duelist.

Kana kept talking, her husband next to her nodding his head at everything she said. "You stay there for around half a year, you can only call once a week though, and they're so focused on learning. I heard from a client that Jack Atlas actually went there as a child! Isn't that amazing, Rua?"

Rua said slowly, "It sounds cool…" He ignored his mother's incorrect assumption about Jack, who actually grew up in the Satellite. Of course, Satellite and city were now one and the same…Kouhei finally added something to his wife's chattering. "Rua, your friend Tenpei's parents are also sending him there start of September." Kouhei paused, and then continued "So…we have already enrolled you."

Ruka dropped the brochure in surprise. Rua gaped at his father with mixed emotions. On one hand, the Academy sounded amazing and he'd be going there with one of his best friends! On the other hand, he was uneasy at the thought of leaving everyone else behind…Ruka was going too though, wasn't she? But why hadn't his parents asked him first before paying tuition?

Kana jumped in again. "We could only enroll one child at a time, but tomorrow, Ruka we're going to go on the website again and…"

Ruka, who had been deathly still, muttered something unintelligible. Her gaze was cast downward.

"What did you say, Ruka?"

Ruka lifted her head. Her eyes looked a bit glassy and panicked. "I can't go. I – i- have to stay with the other Signers! Yliaster is still out there and…"

Rua looked slightly alarmed. Going overseas, not seeing anyone for six months…without his twin?

Kana, who had only understood half of what Ruka had said, sighed, "Oh Ruka…don't you see what a great opportunity this is?" This was really backfiring…

But Rua was turning it over in his head. He saw Ruka was right; she had to stay with the other Signers. He turned to his dad and told him, "I'm sorry, but if my sister isn't going I can't go either. You have to pull me out!"

Kouhei stared back at his son with sadness, and before Kana could jump in he replied, "Rua…all enrollments are permanent. It'll only be six months."

Six months away from Yusei and the others. Six months not at home. Six months without your twin…

After she and the others returned from the airport, Ruka sat in her bedroom hugging her stuffed bear. The house seemed very big and empty, which of course it was. She turned to her nightstand table next to her. On it sat a framed picture of her, the other Signers, Bruno, and Rua in front of Yusei, Jack, and Crow's place. She remembered Jack's good friend, Carly Nagisa, had been passing by and had taken the picture with her camera. The frame next to that one contained a whole class picture taken not so long ago. The last picture was one Ruka had taken herself; she remembered Carly pointing out to her how to work the professional camera. The picture was taken in the boys' garage: Carly was talking to Jack. Crow and Aki were watching as Yusei and Bruno were tuning up on Aki's Duel Runner, and Rua was nearby, pointing at Ruka herself behind the camera. The weight of the camera in her hands had been strangely satisfying; maybe she'd be a photographer when she was older?

She squeezed the bear tighter; Rua had given it to her when they were three, when she was recovering from being in that coma…she couldn't stop a sad sigh that fell from her lips.

The first week after Rua left wasn't too lonely for Ruka. She tried to avoid staying in the house, with its empty hallways and lack of family; she busied herself with the other Signers and friends at school.

"Aki – neesan?" Ruka said tentatively to Aki one day. The two girl Signers were walking up to the Academy in the morning, other students walking by, chatting and laughing. Ruka continued, "I know he's only been gone one week, but…I miss Rua." Ruka sighed and looked up at the sky.

Aki felt sadness tug at her heart strings. Looking towards Ruka, she replied, "We all miss him, Ruka…I mean, of course I imagine it's harder for you since you guys are always…were always…" Aki tried to get off track of her awkward way of comforting Ruka and changed the subject. "Well, we all get to call him right after Duel Academy today, right? His one call a week, except for emergencies, you know."

Ruka brightened a bit, and still facing skyward wondered aloud. "How do you think that school's going for him so far anyway?"

Half way across the world, Rua was excelling in his classes for once. The classes were helping him draw out his full potential. Of course he missed everybody back home, his twin included, but his academy kept its pupils busy twenty – four seven. Yet, he found after a long day of lessons, dueling, and riding his duel – board, as he flopped down on his bed to go to sleep, he could almost imagine in the silence he was in his own house. As if he turned his head to glance at the room he'd be able to see the large window showing the streets of the busy city. He imagined when he turned across the room he'd be able to see his sister there, though when he actually did, all he could see in the bed across the room was Tenpei snoring loudly, his glasses askew.

Slowly but surely, Ruka slowly began missing her brother more and more the longer he was gone. A call once a week was thin gruel compared to always being together, inseparable, two halves of a whole…that's what siblings, twins especially, were, right?

Of course, all her friends noticed and strove to lengths to lift her spirits. Aki introduced her to more plant type cards, seeing how Ruka had worked well with the cards Spore and Bird of Roses so far. Bruno and Yusei tuned her Duel Board to work faster and more efficiently. Even Jack and Crow tried to perk her up. These tactics worked, but only to an extent…the melancholy would settle on her shoulders hours later like a cold snow.

After Rua had been gone for around a month, Ruka walked home from Duel Academy up to her family's penthouse. The sound of one pair of slow footsteps was incredibly lonely. She reached the elevator and began ascending to the top floor. As the elevator came to a stop, right before the doors opened Ruka could hear a pair of voices she immediately recognized as her parents.

Kana was speaking to her husband in a distraught tone. "The plan didn't work out the way we wanted, they were both supposed to leave, or just Ruka at least…so we wouldn't have to worry…"

Ruka froze as the doors opened, revealing her parents deep in a conversation, who stopped at once when the saw their daughter. Ruka stepped out of the elevator and the doors closed behind her.

"Ruka!" exclaimed Kana, giving her a quick hug. "We were just leaving for another trip, we –"

Ruka interrupted her mother. "What were you saying just then?"

Kana turned an embarrassed pink. Kouhei stepped forward and placed his broad hand on his daughter's shoulder, deciding to come clean.

"Ruka," he began in his deep voice, "we originally planned for just you to go to the overseas Duel Academy. We hoped you'd be happier there…well, we thought we could have a lighter conscience leaving you and your brother alone all the time. I know your mom and I aren't here much, and maybe we don't understand everything that goes on with you…" The Dark Signers, being a part of Team 5Ds, Yliaster, why she fell into that coma when she was three and that babble about seeing duel spirits…"At first, it didn't seem necessary to send Rua there, but he's…different too and he'd want to be with you…I'm sorry, but it's a lot to –"

Kouhei was cut off as the elevator doors slid open once again. Standing in the elevator was Aki, a puzzled look placed on her face when she saw Ruka's parents. None of the Signers had ever met the twins' parents.

She addressed the younger Signer, "Ruka, I'm sorry if I dropped by suddenly, but you forgot your deck at school; your teacher gave it to me. I could just put…"

"No, Aki – neesan. Its fine, my parents were just leaving." Ruka said in a cold, flat voice. She stepped backwards, out from under her father's hand and towards Aki. "Weren't you, Mom? Dad?"

Looking helpless, Kana opened her mouth to speak. Before she could, Kouhei shook his head and walked into the elevator as Aki stepped out. He motioned for Kana to follow him and told Ruka "Ruka…we'll call you later and –" He was cut off as the doors shut suddenly, and the twins parents were gone.

Aki looked at the youngest Signer, who was wearing a strange, distant look. "Ruka?" Aki said cautiously. She knew only too well about parent troubles. "Ruka, here's your deck." Aki placed the small, square pink case containing the Fairy deck in Ruka's outstretched hand. The psychic asked gently, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Ruka stood quietly, facing the floor. She remembered what Aki had told her long ago, at the Arcadia Movement…

"When was the last time you saw your parents? They know something is different about you, and that scares them."

Back then, Ruka had denied it. But she now knew Aki's words had been true.

Ruka's head suddenly snapped up and she looked Aki in the eye.

"Actually, I feel like having a duel right now. You have your deck, don't you, Aki - neesan?"

A bit taken aback, Aki replied "Yes, but Ruka, you…you really don't like dueling. Because, you know, when you get tired…"

"Aki – neesan, please…I'll tell you everything later but…"

Dueling. Reminds me of my brother. My parents – you were proud of me when I was prodigy, weren't you? Well, watch me.

The two Signers began their duel outside by the pool, where Yusei had dueled Rua quite long ago. Aki was still puzzled what had suddenly brought on Ruka's desire to duel.

Ruka had gone first and had summoned, predictably, Spore. Aki had just summoned Witch of the Black Rose and, her mind still half somewhere else, attacked Sunlight Unicorn. Ruka didn't even blink. Her face was still blank, and it scared the redhead. Aki's turn ended and Ruka drew a card.

Kuribon. Ruka remembered another time she had drawn Kuribon. The duel against Professor Frank during the Fortune Cup. He had sent her, once again, to the Duel Monster Spirit World.

Back…I want to go back…

Aki watched as Ruka suddenly collapsed in a heap, her Duel Disk shutting. Frantically, she ripped off her own Duel Disk and ran to the young girl who had become like a little sister to her.

"Ruka!" she yelled, grasping the girl's shoulders and gently shaking her. She didn't stir. Aki felt panic flutter in her stomach.

Did I do something? The horrid thought struck Aki's mind and planted itself there. But I controlled my powers long ago! R-right? She thought frantically. Had she harmed Ruka? She must have, why else would she collapse mid-duel? Aki's mind reeled.

She was brought back by a sharp pain in her arm. Her mark of the dragon glowed bright red, as did Ruka's mark. "Ruka!" she called again, "Ruka!"

The pink cellphone in Aki's pocket – her parents had given it to her a few months ago – vibrated. She picked it up, knowing who it would be.

"Aki?" Yusei's voice sounded slightly confused. "My mark…and Crow and Jack…what's going on?"

Aki glanced at Ruka once more and swallowed. "Yusei," she said. "I'm taking Ruka to the New Domino Hospital. Meet me there!"

Yusei sounded even more confused "Wait, what? What's going on Ak–"

"Just do it! I think I might have done something!" Aki sounded panicked. "Ruka collapsed while we were dueling, so just meet me there!" She hung up the phone and lifted Ruka into her arms with some difficulty.

"Hang in there." The seventeen year old muttered. What had she done?

She hadn't done anything. It was what Ruka had done.

She was in the Duel Monster Spirit World.

Author's Note: So…this is my first real multi-chapter story. I have another one (a few other ones, actually) in the works, but I wrote this a long time ago and wanted to finally publish it. The next chapter should be done around next week or sooner ^_^ This story will probably amount to three chapters. Please review!

I really dislike the title, but it works. I know the word 'closure' usually means emotional conclusion to a traumatic event (more or less), but here it really means just an emotional conclusion to many events. You'll see.