Summary: Music unites the best people together- in this case Aki and Yusei, by the arts of violin and piano.
Warning: No swearing in this one, but I do use musical terms. If you do not play an instrument of some sort or know these terms, I would recommend looking them up.
Time: It takes place in the six-months between 5D's seasons two and three. Sorry, no Bruno in this one!
Disclaimer: Not mine. But I do play the violin and piano.
~(-)~
He hands her it.
A beautiful, nicely fashioned instrument now lies in her hands- perfect for her, the shoulder rest attached lying just right in her palm. The fine, only slightly damaged wood shines in the lighted upstairs room of Yusei's apartment like a glow, and the four strings upon it are glorious and smooth. A red ribbon is tied upon the top of the neck, contrasting with the surface of the violin. It's not the best quality instrument ever, but in it shows just how much Yusei is willing to do for her.
She looks up at him, eyes glimmering.
"How did you know?"
He blushes.
"Ruka mentioned something about you being nostalgic about music when she first started singing. And when I asked your parents about it, they said you used to play. And- well- Zora has some good friends."
"Thank you."
Something in her eyes shows a new serene sense in her. Memories of days long gone switch on and off in her mind, a flash of good times and bad.
~(-)~
"Mommy, look!"
A young girl of either five or six eagerly pulls her bow across the strings of the violin. The sound coming out is gorgeous and unscathed- and even though the girl's bow isn't as straight as it could be, her skill is undeniable. More notes follow the previous, and soon she has finished one of Bach's minuets. And the child isn't even looking at music- the aspiring female musician has memorized her piece.
There is precision in her movements. Even for a youngster like her, the notes are in tune and the rhythms are accurate.
From behind the woman, the young girl's mother, a man comes out, smiling. He stoops down low near the ground, arms stretched in ready for a hug. The little girl carefully deposits her instrument on the ground then hastily runs over into his arms.
"Daddy! You're finally home!"
"And I'm here to stay for a few days, sweetie. I'm looking forward to hearing more of your pieces. Our little Black Rose is skilled in both Dueling and music!"
The girl only hugged him tighter in delight.
~(-)~
Now the notes are feverish and quick, not matching the slow, melancholy beat at all. The metronome is ticking off in vain. There is no control present- she cannot seem to handle the violin, her bow or even her arm itself, for it has a mind of its own. Bow hairs on the bow are flying everywhere, having snapped in her dreadful performance. Few strands have been left unharmed by the force of her playing.
She angrily drops the violin and bow on the floor, where its fall is cushioned by the carpeting. This feeble act of destruction isn't enough for the small tyrant, however. The magenta-haired girl grabs the metronome and throws it onto the unfurnished section of floor, where the weakly put together contraption falls apart into bits of wire, buttons, and mechanical odds and ends. Seeing what she has done, the girl falls to the ground next to her violin, sobs escaping her throat and tears running down her face onto the scarred wood.
"Why can't I do it anymore?"
Her voice is weak and scratchy. Eyes look outward onto the delicate strings of her violin. In her eyes something has broken. There is no will to play anymore.
"Why can't I control this anger?"
Uncertainty rings in that last question, as the to-be duelist tucks her face into her knees and cries until there are no tears left.
And her mother watches in the doorway, one solemn tear glistening on her cheek, and she stands helpless to her daughter's sorrow, rage, and power. Her husband, Hideo, isn't even home- he is busy doing his job.
~(-)~
Now they play together, the two of them. Instead of studying her Physics, they now play together on the art of music, making long elongated notes hang in the air like beautiful rainbows of sound.
Her skills are better than before. She has refined posture, and the notes coming out of her chosen instrument can either be long and never-ending legato or chipped staccato or even a mix of the two. The violin's quality is not great, but Aki makes it sound good to the point where she even smiles. No, she doesn't miss that expensive one that she had so long ago. This violin is better because there are no bad memories involved with it. And it is evidence of how much Yusei cares for her.
He doesn't play the violin, however. In his days at in the Satellite, Martha brought him up as a good boy by teaching him the art of piano- using a raggedy old keyboard. Crow never got on no matter how hard he tried, while Kiryu and Jack were simply uninterested. But this 'Shooting Star' duelist excelled at it, and his skills had not dissipated with his youth. With the little money he and his two teammates earned from Crow's business, they bought a barely affordable little keyboard, previously being owned by children and thus with little stickers all over it. Once removed of those distracting nuisances, the raven-haired young man had been able to play it like a master.
And the two together was a match made in heaven. Their skills were pretty much even, and they each in a concerto had their fair share of solos. They were balanced. No one wanted more than the other, and it was this peace that made the two compatible. When they performed for everybody, Jack tried to hide his awe, Crow clapped loudly, and the twins went up to Yusei and Aki to express their enjoyment of their shared performance. Yusei would smile and thank them while Aki blushed and stammered.
But in the end, it was Aki who got the final cheer. Yusei came up to her when the others were gone, Luna and Leo to their house, Jack and Crow to the garage to bicker. One single red rose was given to her, its petals perfectly formed around its center, and its sweet aroma making the air around them smell even fresher.
Yes, reader- music unites the best people together.
Fin.
~(-)~
Cute, sweet, and fluffy, huh? =) That's what I was aiming for.
As a note, I am not saying that Aki plays the violin, Yusei plays the piano, or that Ruka sings. That was just me using my imagination.
Please review! I just love to know what you people like and don't like about my stories, so please tell!