Yugi sat on his bed, looking out the window at the full moon. It was a clear night tonight; all the stars in the sky could be seen clearly from where he sat. His window was open; he wanted it to be, in hopes that she would come back.

He said nothing. He didn't move an inch as he gazed longingly out the window and into the dark, unforgiving night. It was just last night that the night was dark and cold. The wind blew down his neck like a beast ready to devour him. But now, it was calm. The wind was pleasant now, as if last night had never happened. As if it had all been a dream. But Yugi knew better. He knew that last night wasn't a dream, he was sure of it.

Yugi braced himself against the wind, trying to get through the bitter cold that now challenged his strength and endurance. But the problem was he didn't have much more. It was nearly gone. He was nearly out of strength. The whipped wind lashed relentlessly against his body as he struggled to get home.

"I wish I was home," Yugi whispered. "I wish I had never gone out."

But the wind didn't care. It kept hitting and lashing. It bit and whipped Yugi until his body was numb. He soon fell to the mercy of the cold. He lay on the ground of the deserted streets. He was helpless. He could never make it home now. Snow started to crust his body as he laid there. Yugi was losing his senses. His body fell numb. He couldn't feel anything. He laid there, waiting for the end, his body shivering and shaking uncontrolably.

"Yugi?" a sweet, female voice called out to the small teen. "Yugi, what are you doing here? Why aren't you home?"

"Who's there?" his feeble voice asked, beckoning her to come closer.

Yugi couldn't feel anything. He couldn't feel the cold hard ground that he now lay helplessly on. But he could feel this gentle female pick his small, quivering figure off the ground and hold him her arms. They were warm and kind. They wanted nothing more than to help Yugi in his time of need. She looked fondly at him, as if he were the cutest thing in the world. Of course, if you asked many of the girls at school, he was. She placed a hand on the side of his face, which caused Yugi to look up at her.

She was beautiful. The most beautiful person he had ever seen. Her hair was long and elegant, and the color of a beautiful mahogany. It flowed and rippled as if it were the sea. Her eyes, they were, the deepest shade of purple and blue he had ever seen. He looked at her with exhausted curousity. She wore a white dress. A long, elegant, white dress.

"Who are you?" Yugi managed to wheeze out.

"Yugi, don't you remember me?" the woman asked soothingly.

Yugi shook his head. While she did look familiar, he didn't know where he knew her from.

"My name is Harusame Reiki Mutou," she whispered to him, as if it were a secret.

Yugi's eyes widened. He remembered his grandpa telling him stories of a woman named Harusame Reiki Mutou. But, who was she? He couldn't remember. His eyes were droopy and his thoughts groggy. He was having a hard time staying awake. However, Harusame knew that, even in her warm arms, Yugi couldn't sleep here. So when it looked as though he were going to fall asleep, she would gently shake him awake again.

"Yugi, you're so hansome," she said to the small teen as she admired him. "Still small, but very hansome. How old are you now? Ten? Eleven?"

"Fourteen," Yugi mumbled.

"Oh my, it really has been a long time since I've seen you," Harusame gasped a little.

Then it hit Yugi who this was. He stared up at her like a kid stares at a friend he hasn't seen in years.

"Mom?" Yugi asked.

Harusame nodded fondly of Yugi. Yugi's eyes started to well up with happy tears. He clung onto his mom's robe. He started to shed tears of happiness into her white gown. Harusame just stroke Yugi's forehead with the back of her soft, tepid hand.

"But what are you? How can you be here? Grandpa told me you died," Yugi looked at her, his eyes still moist with the tears that had been shed.

"I'm an angel," she told him. "I came here because I was granted the request to see you again. It is true, I did die, but my spirit lives on. I'm glad I came when I did though."

Yugi's features clouded over. He clung onto her robe still and buried his face in it. He hadn't seen her in a long time. The only thing he recognized was the aroma that she had. She always wore a certain type of perfume. Not too storng, but strong enough to be faintly noticed by someone sitting next to her.

"Yugi, what's wrong?" Harusame asked.

"Do, you have to leave?" Yugi asked.

Harusame was silent, and then she answered, "Yes, I will."

"Take me with you, please," Yugi looked at her, his eyes pleading more than his

voice.

"I can't," Harusame stated.

"Why not?" Yugi asked, his spirits hurt.

"You've got so much to live for," she smiled at him.

"My friends, Grandpa, and Yami," Yugi mumbled. "But you don't know what it's like to

be me. People only know me because of my dueling skills. And bullies are always picking on me. Even my friends do sometimes. I just laugh and act as though it hadn't hurt, but it does."

Harusame held her hand over Yugi's chest and a red crystal came out. Yugi stared

in awe at it. It was a red crystal in the shape of an orb. It had scars and scratches all over it. Harusame studied with careful consideration.

"Hmmm, I see, you do have many scars on your heart," she murmured.

"What's that?" Yugi asked.

"This is your heart," she told him, putting it back where it came from, and laying a gentle hand on his chest. "It's like a tree's rings. It keeps a record of what has happened to you. Every painful memory, every sore remark, it's all recorded here."

Yugi looked up at her, his eyes still pleading to let him come with her. She sighed.

"Yugi, I'll make you a deal," she told him. "Since we're almost to your house now, I'll still take you back. I'll give you a day to really think about it. If, by tomorrow night, that you for sure want to come with me, leave your window open. I'll get you then."

Yugi, realizing this was her final offer, agreed, and then, fell to sleep as they reached the doorway.

He woke up the next morning, went to school like normal, all the while thinking about last night. It wasn't a dream, he knew it. He could still feel the spot that the road bit his skin. And so, that night, he left his window open. He waited and watched for his mom to return, like she said she would. And sure enough she came. And Yugi smiled a little as she whisked him off his feet, freeing him from his body, and carried him into the still, majestic night sky. Up past the stars and to the horizon.

Shadu: Hey, what'd ya think? As I said, this is a one shot, but if you think there is more I could add, tell me. Give my your opinions. Give me your ideas. Or just tell me what you thought about this story.