All rights to Yu-Gi-Oh© are reserved to Kazuki Takahashi

Reunion

By NamiC


7 years ago, the evil was locked away for eternity along with the light that sealed it away. One wheel has stopped turning…but another continues. An older and larger wheel keeps turning and the others are forced to turn with it. Nothing can be at peace until old mistakes are mended…


Chapter 1: 7 years

It's already been 7 years huh?...

Anzu stepped off the small jet onto the dry soil. The air was hot and dry and the sun shone brightly even through her sunglasses. She flipped her long brown hair which was tied in a high ponytail off her shoulder as she reached down and carried her luggage to the waiting taxi.

It's been 7 years since the Pharaoh returned to his resting place. 7 years ago, Anzu had been accepted in a dancing academy in America. 7 years ago Honda, Jounouchi, and Yuugi went to different colleges. And as they grew apart, they didn't break off. A promise…every summer to reunite.

Anzu fulfilled her dream of being a dancer. She's now a part of a prestigious dancing group in New York. Honda spent 2 years in the military and is now serving as a police officer. Yuugi and his grandfather went to Egypt right after graduation for an excavation. Jounouchi and his friend look after the Game Shop while they're away. This year it was Yuugi's turn host everyone.

Yuugi…he still hasn't let go has he? After all…the digging sight is there…where we last saw him, isn't it? she thought as she looked outside the taxi window. I mean sure it all took us a while to adjust…but Yuugi…I don't think he'll ever let go…

The taxi dropped her off by the port alongside the Nile bank. There the cruise ship was waiting for it's passengers.

It's just like 7 years ago…the last time we traveled with the Pharaoh…

"Yo Anzu!!! Stop staring and get on!"

Anzu snapped out of her trance and looked up to see that Jounouchi and Honda already on board waiting for her. With a warm contentment in her heart to see her old friends again, she grabbed her luggage and climbed aboard the ship.

"Grandpa!" She cried in exclamation as she saw the kind-faced old man there to greet her. The man wasn't really related to her but she felt as he was really her grandfather after all the years they had known each other.

"My my, Anzu. It's certainly been a while. Your hair is long now. What a pretty length."

She bent over and embraced Sugoroku Motou. Just seeing him made her feel like part of the family again.

"It's been way too long Grandpa…" she said. Looking up she saw Jounouchi and Honda running towards her to greet her as well.

"Jounouchi…Honda…I never thought I'd ever say this, but it's good to see you two…" she joked, letting go of Sugoroku.

"Hah! You hear dat Honda? Miss dancing princess here actually missed us!"

The three looked at each other before busting out laughing as if their last meeting was just yesterday.

"Alright you kids, as heartwarming this reunion is, Anzu needs to put her bags in her room before we start the voyage."

"Leave that to us. A princess shouldn't hafta carry her own luggage," Honda teased as he picked up one of her bags. Jounouchi followed his suit as Anzu tagged behind them to find her room.

They entered the small cozy room. The boys dropped the bags and collapsed on the floor as Anzu sat down on the small bed.

"Daang Anzu. What did you pack? Your entire dance studio?" Jounouchi complained as he massaged his shoulder.

"Always complaining eh Jounouchi? It's your duty to do your task without protest," Honda said.

"Always the proud strict prick eh Honda?" he mocked, punching his arm.

"Where's Yuugi?" Anzu interrupted.

The boys looked up to Anzu. Honda just noticed how much Anzu had grown.

We see each other every year but…this is the first time I saw the difference between now and 7 years ago…

Jounouchi saw it too. Her blue eyes which used to be so lively were now calm and held maturity. Her posture was confident but also held some grace. Her voice which used to be so proud and projecting was now calmer and almost sweet. He looked to Honda.

He's still strict and dedicated to whatever he puts his mind to but Honda is different too. He's not as goofy and clumsy as before…

"Hellooooooooo?! Jounouchi?"

"eh?" He snapped out of his thoughts.

"Geez! You haven't changed a bit have you? Still so inconsiderate that you won't answer my question?"

Stab 1…

"I mean seriously, you're still such a kid…"

Stab 2…

"When are you going to grow up?"

Stab 3…

And with that Jounouchi collapsed in his own failure. Honda laughed.

"Don't blame him Anzu. If he grew up then he wouldn't be Jounouchi anymore."

"Whatever. All I want right now is to know where Yuugi is," she said, irritated that they wasted so much time just to answer a simple question.

"They don't answer Anzu because they don't know," Sogoroku replied appearing in the doorway, "They asked me the exact same thing and before I could answer, you arrived."

The boys who were currently wrestling each other on the floor stopped and looked up at Anzu, grinning sheepishly.

She sighed out of exasperation.

They could've just told me that instead of staring at each other and me blankly…

"So Gramps, where is the short guy anyway?"

"Yuugi sends his regards but wanted to stay back to finish his work at the excavation before taking the next 2 months off. You'll all see him tomorrow night."

"What?! You're kidding me right? He can't even get away from the site one day early to even greet us? Some friend…" Jounouchi complained.

"Relax Jounouchi. So he didn't want to join us for a boat ride. It's fine. We'll see him tomorrow," Honda said.

"That's not the issue and you know it!"

The room fell silent with the awkward tension as Jounouchi fumed.

"It's not just this. But this whole thing! You wanna know how expensive our plane tickets cost us?! And dragging Gramps out here! He's getting on in years! He should be enjoying his retirement! Not digging some collapsed tomb in this heat out in God-knows-where!"

"Calm down Joey. We didn't mind paying for the tickets," Anzu tried to reconcile.

"And the work makes me feel young. Better then rotting away on some couch," Sogoroku said.

"That's not the point!" he slammed his fist down on the floor. "Yuugi needs to move on and we all know it. It's been 7 damn years! It wasn't easy for any of us but we've moved on! We're leading our own lives and here he is chained to some figment of the pas-!" Jounouchi was cut off short by Honda's hand patting his head.

"That's enough Jounouchi…" he said calmly. Jounouchi's breathing was the only thing heard in the room. It slowed down and his fist relaxed. Once Anzu saw that Jounouchi had regained peace again she decided to tie up some loose ends.

"It's not that Yuugi won't let go…It's that he can't…"

Jounouchi, Honda, and Sogoroku all looked up at Anzu, clearly interested in what more she had to say.

"Yes it's been hard for all of us…When Atem left, we all lost a very dear friend. I mean personally I didn't even feel right dating another guy…I mean it was kinda stupid since nothing happened between us but…something just wouldn't let me let go. But eventually, however long, that feeling faded away in all of us. But for Yuugi…he lost more then a friend. Even more then family. They shared a body, a mind together. Nothing was kept secret between the two. Yuugi, in a sense, lost part of himself. The part that gave him the confidence to make friends, the courage to protect, and the strength to fight. And then he left as quickly as he came. For Yuugi, I don't think that feeling will ever fade away…and I don't think it ever should either…"

"I agree with Anzu," Sogoroku said, "Within the small amount of time that Atem was with us, he became closer to my grandson then all of us. Even me. Losing him is something I don't think Yuugi could ever get over."

Honda nodded in agreement with the two. What they said made sense. It was hard to accept Yuugi in the spaced out and somewhat solemn person that he has become but none of them could even imagine what he was going through.

If I had lost someone that close to me I think I would go nuts. Yuugi is actually taking it pretty darn well…

He looked over at Jounouchi. He was slouched over entirely interested in the carpet fibers on the floor in front of him.

That's the first time I ever saw him actually think hard about something…

"I guess you guys are right…" Jounouchi finally spoke, "It's just hard to see Yuugi like that an' all and know that you can do nothing about it…"

"Well seeing you guys again will definitely cheer him up and take his mind off of things for a while. But it's getting late. You kids should be getting to bed now."

The 3 friends smiled at each other. Tomorrow the gang would be reunited just like old times. Everyone bidded Anzu goodnight before leaving to their rooms. Anzu took out her sleeping clothes and changed.

It's the exact same as when we sent Pharaoh to his tomb…except now, instead of breaking apart, we're traveling to join. I don't know why but it feels like this time, something is going to happen…


Hey guys! I hope you liked it so far. As far as characters go, I definitely think the original japanese versions are a LOT better then the 4Kids version so I try to stay as faithful as I can to them. However it's kinda hard. Oh and btw, I promise that that will be the ONLY inspirational speech full of cheese and camel doo-doo you will ever see ever! I HATED writing it but it was necessary and important but I swear that's the last of Anzu's crappy friendship speeches EVER. R&R 