Chao- Chao can't believe Chao actually did this!
YChao- What? Write a Tragedy combined with Friendship?
Chao- Chao doesn't like tragedies! They're so sad! Especially ones dealing with death and stuff!
YChao- Even if it's with a character you don't like?
Chao- Ye—hmmm…
Disclaimer: DarkChao1663 does not own Yu-Gi-Oh!
Summary: Post canon. Yugi had always secretly kept a promise to Tea. What will he do when she leaves for New York but never comes back? One shot!
Warnings: Character death
Pairings: None
"Talking."
"Thinking."
The Vow
In his diminutive bedroom alone, Yugi lied cheerlessly on his bed facing his green ceiling. His hands were loosely placed behind his head resting on his flat pillow. His left leg lingered over the side of his mattress topped with unkempt orange sheets, his toes in white socks touching the blue carpet. He stared upwards ruminating as the sun graciously advanced across the sky, reflecting through the frosty glass onto the ground. He had yet vacated his room since breakfast, hardly speaking to any family members at all, inactively making eye contact with anyone.
Without thinking, his hand freely transposed towards his upper body. He expected to grasp a pyramid pendant for reassurance, but instead only air flowed.
Sighing dolefully, he picked up his foot and rolled himself on his side, facing his green wall. Even though he no longer wore that thick, silver chain around his neck, one of his best friends resided downstairs sweeping the tile floor.
Closing his eyes, Yugi mulled to himself, "I know it's not true… but it feels like exchanging one friend for another…"
Flashback
Domino Airport was immensely crowded. People in fancy suits or typical shirts and faded jeans waited in long lines whether it was at a few places to grab a bite, purchasing plane tickets, passing through security, or looking for information. The benches inside the busy building held little vacancies; they were stacked with tired bodies and large luggage.
A group of friends had gathered to see one member go off into the world, leaving Domino and traveling to New York, a dream that a young adult has always held in her heart since childhood. Each one gave a caring farewell and a wish of good luck, expecting a safe return and possibly a few souvenirs.
The smallest member had done the same, truly matching everyone's words, but his heart remained sundry. He didn't know when she would have a chance to call, send an email, or even just a typical letter sealed in a paper envelope with some sort of Dark Magician Girl themed stationary.
Yugi was pushed forward. Caught off guard, he stopped himself from falling to the dusty tile floor. He glanced back towards the guys, seeing each one looking in another direction, completely unaware of being observed. Yugi sighed annoyed. Ignoring his mischievous male companions, he faced the one exiting his world.
The girl smiled, her heart beating anxiously for where she was about to take off.
Yugi wanted to speak, but nothing came out. He only smiled back.
He sadly wrapped his limbs around his childhood friend one last time.
He wished she didn't leave, but he knew he must allow her to finally attain her dream.
After pulling away, he could only watch both wistfully and joyfully as his tall friend wheeled her purple bag to achieve her lifelong goal, not knowing he would never see her alive again.
End flashback
"I was so amazed the first time she told me about her dream. She willingly broke the rules to work at Burger World and earn enough money for her trip. I honestly wanted her to go after that dream. But it didn't click that with her heading to New York, she would be leaving Domino...
"I couldn't believe she was ever my friend. While everyone called me names, she called me by my name, my real name. I can still remember some of those insults, like Puny Muto, and they still hurt. But… when she smiled at me… it made the pain go away…
"I know Joey, Tristan, and Yami are still here for me. They have been ever since the accident, but… What's gonna happen now? Tea has given courage to everyone, not just me. I know she's helped Yami in many ways, too. So…. What's gonna happen now?"
Deep in his heart Yugi had always valued what his childhood friend had encouraged him—to be himself and to remain strong in tough times. Experiencing difficult passages defines people through their chosen actions whether they contain selfish intentions or a heart for the benefit of others.
Taking another sigh, Yugi closed his large eyes in great distress.
Though the death of a friend had been tough, dealing with questions rendered the whole situation arduous.
"Maybe if I had said something, maybe if I told her she should stay in Domino, she would still be here…
"Would it have been wrong to have stopped her from chasing her dream?"
The door to his bedroom creaked open. While holding a clear glass of clean water, Yami entered the teen's bedroom. Knowing his friend had been grieving, he brought a drink to help re-hydrate him. He soundlessly shut the door before silently walking in, not daring to disrupt his partner's fragile heart. He carefully sat on the disordered bed, but Yugi had already detected his partner entering.
"I brought you some water." Yami gave for an opening line.
The young adult slowly shuffled his body up. He sat on his bed with his now longer legs over his mattress. Yami slowly passed him the cup, and Yugi passively drank the water. His body recovered from his loss of water, but everything emotionally remained the same.
The two sat in silence; not much more could be brought up since Yami had done all he could to help out his hurt light. A spirit who once resided in an upside pyramid was now free. He had been given a second chance at life. He had seen the girl off just like everyone else, and he had pushed for his once partner to have some private time with his childhood friend one last time.
"I know Yugi's heart is drowning in sorrow and grief; everyone and I became surprised with how much initiative he took in handling funeral arrangements. He insisted to use his money he earned from his last tournament to help pay for not only the reception held after the service, but also the grave in which his childhood friend was now buried in (even if that does go against tradition). I suppose he wanted deeply for everyone to see her."
Despite his great heartache, Yugi strongly believed the caring girl was not fit to be sealed away in a jar and kept on a shelf hidden in an empty home. Tea was a spirited girl who made herself known through hard work, dedication, a sweet smile, and caring heart.
"Did you want to visit her grave?" Yami offered sincerely and tenderly.
Thinking about the thoughtful proposal, Yugi drummed his fingers against his given glass between his palms. He had gone to the same depressing sight with his friends, Tea's family, and his own family. He had seen her by himself as well, sometimes after school and on weekends. He'd go around at two in the morning if Yami didn't force him to sleep or the gates had been locked.
Feeling a strong hold in his heart, he nodded.
His heart always yearned to be with friends.
The two stood up and made their way to the door.
Yami stopped and looked at Yugi's cluttered desk. Next to a wooden picture frame of Yugi and Tea in their school uniform was a stack of cards, the top one holding a red background with a gold border and a black oval in the center. The deck had not been touched since the unfortunate incident.
He grabbed the sacred cards and packed them away in his pocket.
Xxx
Standing alone, Yugi stared lugubriously at the headstone covered in snow, his hurt heart pulling further and further down into him. The plane Tea had boarded crashed into the ocean. No causes for the accident had been discovered. Her body was one of the few uncovered from the deep sea.
"No matter how many times I see this, it's hard to imagine she's actually gone…"
Though Yugi mourned every day since that unfortunate event, he knew others grieved, too. From that missing plane some had lost a relative, a lover, a coworker, a colleague, or a friend. Perhaps a few were waiting on the other side with signs and flowers, while others were just like him, saying farewell to a love one only to hope for an email or await a time when their paths would cross over once more.
"She always had the dream to go to New York…"
He pondered if he had stopped her she would turn depressed, mad, or regretful, but she would still be alive. Perhaps she would have been grateful she had not boarded a doomed plane. But Yugi understood he couldn't believe that; the girl may no longer carry her greatest desire to travel after seeing such a tragedy.
He always held a fear that his friend would find new people and forget about her old ones. Yet he didn't want her to undergo such alarm as well. To never board a plane would mean to never dance on stage.
"I know I wanted her to be with all of us forever, but I couldn't break my promise…"
Flashback
Holding a small sunflower in his hands, young Yugi walked along outside his school. The student council was selling flowers as another one of their fundraisers, and Yugi had purchased one. He intended to give it to a girl as congratulations for her oncoming dancing recital. He didn't have the courage to perform in front of others as she did, yet he was glad that he could be happy for someone else. He also intended to give the flower as a sign of gratitude towards her as she had stood by him after he had been picked on the previous week. He wanted to give it to her as soon as possible, but she had vanished quickly.
Searching for her around campus, Yugi spotted the girl sitting on a bench. He was about to call out to her when he grew surprised finding his caring friend crying. He had seen her eyes filled with perky determination and joy, but never with tears of dejection. A pain grew in his heart; he didn't feel right seeing someone so happy appear so down. He quickly rushed over to see if he could help out.
As the girl continued to sob, Yugi took a seat next to her.
"Tea, what's wrong?" he asked kindly.
"I just got done reading the list for dancers in our recital."
"What happened?"
"I didn't get the part I tried out for!"
Yugi grew shocked. He wanted to comfort her but didn't know what to say.
"Maybe I'm not good enough to dance on stage." Tea concluded. She had worked hard aiming for the part, working long days at home and at the studio. Yet she had blossomed the wrong results.
"Wha?" Yugi replied, his eyes widening. He had to assure the girl of her talent. "That's not true!"
Tea looked at her friend.
"You are a good dancer!" Yugi encouraged whole heartedly. "You're a great dancer! You pulled so many hours practicing!"
Tea appreciated the kind words, but Yugi's knowledge about the art was limited. Certain roles required more talent than others. And the teacher, the holder of each role, decided who was assigned what. And there was always the chance of the judge playing favorites. The typical issue of her teammates existed as well. She closed her eyes and sighed.
Yugi surmised he needed a different angle. He at least knew what it was like to carry passion and why it's important to pursue it no matter what.
"I know I don't know everything about dancing," he began. "But it can be a little like playing videogames."
"Videogames?" Tea questioned, looking at Yugi.
"Yeah. When facing bosses, sometimes you have to play against them multiple times to beat them. But before that, you learn from your mistakes. You can even ask other people for advice. And then you try again."
Tea was silent as she studied her friend.
"I know parents want kids to put down the controllers," Yugi added, eyes looking down at the ground. "But in videogames, you can't move on until you defeat that boulder in your path. Anything you are passionate about, it's hard to move forward until you win. That's why I'm up late playing them and Grandpa yells at me that I'm up past my bedtime."
Tea took in her friend's words. She saw his passion in his own eyes. She stood by his side in the past because his view on something he loved was pure, and she admired that about him. Even while others teased him, he continued to do what he loved, hoping to make true friends in that manner.
"I see what you mean," Tea nodded.
Yugi looked at the girl, who continued, "I know I may not have gotten the part I wanted this time, but I should still give my best in my performance. It's my own passion I should be concerned about, not what others say."
She smiled, "Thanks, Yugi."
The boy smiled back, happy to have the girl form a smile because of him. He always enjoyed seeing it, and he wanted for it to keep on playing.
He gave the girl her sunflower as congratulations for her production, and she gladly accepted it.
End flashback
"From that day on, I promised myself and secretly to her that no matter what happened, I would do everything I could to make her smile. I went to her recitals, we studied together so we wouldn't fall behind in our grades for school. I even distanced myself away from her so others wouldn't tease her… But now…"
Lost in his inconsolable heart and dejected memories, Yugi dropped to his knees, sobbing. His wistful cries echoed through the deserted area. His only company was those beneath the cold ground.
"I'm sorry I failed you, Tea.
"But I… I can't keep my promise… now that you're gone."
He held a flower in his hands. He always brought one for each visit, not to decorate the landscape, but to highlight the personality of the body underneath. He released the plant and buried his face into his palms. The flower landed on the wet earth, the petals remaining intact.
Yugi opened his watery eyes to ensure that his gift was not damaged. He never wanted to desecrate the grace of his friend with an unprepossessing view. Caught from his gaze, he studied the sight in front of him. He loved the way the vibrant yellow petals contrasted against the gloomy atmosphere. The scene reminded him of his beloved friend. He soon saw something strange.
Upon a bright light flashing, he covered his eyes for protection He did not sense any threat, only the atmosphere of his heart walloping with bliss. Curious of the event, Yugi looked straight up. His eyes expanded.
In his sight floated someone in a light pink strapless top and a maxi white skirt that calmly flowed down to her ankles. There was also a pair of mini white wings. The most recognizable parts were her dazzling blue eyes and soft smile.
"Tea!?" Yugi gasped stunned.
"Hey, Yugi." she greeted casually.
The small teen grew speechless at the scene. He at once rubbed his eyes, trying to ensure he wasn't hallucinating. He looked forward and asked, "Is that really… you? Tea?"
"I dunno." the girl giggled with heart. "Do you know any other brunettes with wings?"
Yugi didn't know how to respond. Countless emotions conglomerated inside. His heart pulsed with exultation upon seeing an old friend once more, yet he was disconsolate because of the circumstance. Unsure of what to do, he gazed away hurt.
"Yugi," Tea called, aware of her friend's habits.
Yugi didn't know if was squandering a gift. He felt fortunate having his once partner come back, and now he was graced with the presence of another who had passed away. He wanted to smile and show his greeting, but his face muscles remained dower.
"I'm sorry." he mumbled.
"Yugi," Tea addressed, her tone much sweeter than before. "I know things have been hard, but you shouldn't be too hard on yourself. You still have Yami, Joey, and everyone else with you."
"I know…" the teen acknowledged.
"They've been helping you out, as what any friend should do."
The relationship title swept through Yugi's alloyed heart. His one wish had been granted, and he was always grateful for those he had. He committed kind acts towards others because they were fair-minded, yet he stood by his friends to demonstrate his support. He had plans to one day visit the girl he cared so much for, perhaps by participating in a Duel Monsters' competition. He longed to show her his appreciation.
"Look, Tea." Yugi called, unsure how long he would be blessed with his friend's company. "We all have different relationships with each other, like mine and Yami's or with Joey. And ours is different for other reasons. I was always glad our friendship stayed after we entered high school."
Tea listened attentively.
"I… I just wish… I could…" Yugi trailed off, unable to reveal his truth, his vow.
"You don't need to repay me." Tea tittered. "You've done enough for me and everyone else."
"But you've done so much for me!" Yugi cried in deep angst. "You were my friend before I solved the Puzzle! You stayed with me even before we knew about Yami and the Shadow Games! You never left my side during a Shadow Game and you always cheered me on!"
"And I always will," the girl insisted. "But I can only do that if you keep doing what you love."
"But my promise!" Yugi yelled. "I promised to keep you happy no matter what!"
He at once gasped realizing what he had blurted. He stared at the floating spirit shocked. He kept his pledge to himself to give him strength; he never wanted to embarrass the girl. He gazed at the girl and spotted Tea's demeanor expressed grace.
"You've kept your promise." she smiled honorably. "And you still need to keep it."
"Huh?"
"You have kept me happy all this time, but you also need to keep yourself happy as well."
Yugi glanced away in grievance. He had denied his pure heart playing such games because of all the painful memories associated with them. He asked hesitantly, "But how can I do that… when you're no longer by my side? Giving me your words and encouragement and smiling at me…?"
"By playing Duel Monsters again."
Yugi stared bewildered. He wanted to speak, but no words came to mind.
"My passion was dancing," the spirited adolescent stated. "Yours is games, like Duel Monsters. And you need to continue pursuing that."
She smiled adding, "Cheering for you in all those matches have always made me the happiest."
Yugi took in his friend's kind words. He always grew impressed with how she always inspired him to perform his best. Duel Monsters was a game that had brought problems, like the Shadow Realm, but it also brought great elation. His group always enjoyed playing the game, and he gave his best in tournaments. He loved playing games, and Duel Monsters required his talents, his passion. He understood his friend.
Smiling, Yugi vowed, "I promise."
He closed his eyes as he tightly hugged his childhood friend one last time.
Xxx
"All right… See you soon."
Yami sat in the driver's seat of the Muto's family car, understanding that Yugi needed some time alone. He had called to create an arrangement of spending the rest of the day at the arcade with Joey and others. He figured even if Yugi was still depressed he would at least be among friends.
"We all do miss her…"
He drew his head away from the steering wheel hearing the sounds of crunching snow coming in his direction. He unlocked the vehicle to allow Yugi admittance. He kept his eyes on him as Yugi took his seat and positioned the seat belt over himself. Unsure of what to say, he spotted Yugi's eyes seemed different; the soft violet appeared joyous and animated.
Yami didn't know how to respond or greet his companion. He only mutely sat in his place watching Yugi adjusting the belt around him, settling himself in.
"Could you pass me my deck?" Yugi suddenly requested.
Yami was thrown off by the appeal; he didn't know that Yugi knew he brought along the cards. Keeping quiet, he pulled out the stack from his pocket.
Yugi flipped through what he had, happy seeing the familiar faces once again.
"I have been afraid to look at my deck ever since she left… There's just so many memories from all these games… But now I know it's ok to play again."
Yami watched his friend, and he noticed Yugi appeared different from all the other times he had gone to visit her grave.
"I've arranged for us to meet Joey and the others at the arcade." he brought up. "Is that all right with you?"
"Yeah, that sounds like fun." Yugi smiled brightly. "Did Joey say he was bringing his deck?"
"I believe so." Yami nodded, glad to see his friend in a festive mood.
"Good." Yugi smiled. He positioned his focus eyes forward as he mumbled happily, "I got a promise to keep."
The car drove away smoothly, leaving a grave endowed with a sunflower on it.
The End
Chao- (loading up bazooka) Hope you all had fun reading this. (packing away extra missiles) It was a little sad to write, but at least there was a satisfied ending. Tea was a much better character in the manga; she actually did something in the beginning of the series.
YChao- (wiping down nunchucks) You're such a complainer; it's not like you wrote someone dying WITHINthe story.
Chao- (aiming bazooka for practice) No, but Tragedy is a genre Chao prefers to avoid.
Yugi- Um… what exactly are you guys doing?
YChao- Preparing for a battle that will hopefully entail death.
Yugi- What!? Against who!? I thought you both never wanted to kill me!
YChao- …Wow, sometimes you can be vainer than Yami.
Yugi- …..
Chao- (cocking bazooka) Well, that's the end for this fic. Now while you kind readers leave a review, Chao is off to kill Dartz for being a sorry excuse for a villain. See ya! (disappears into the night like a ninja)