Faded Memories
Chapter 1
"I'm telling you, Duelist Kingdom is real! And Battle City, and that Grand Prix!"
Nephthys waved her tan-skinned hand absently. "Jonouchi, I'm not so sure you're on the right train of thought. You know Duel Monsters is just some silly game. I've told you time and again there is no Kaiba Corporation. Seto's just in your year."
"But—"
"But nothing." Nephthys looked at her friend in a concerned manner, pausing in indulging in the cereal she had gotten for breakfast. Not much hot breakfast at school was tolerable, so it was enough to stick with the safe cold cereal. "Look, you worry me sometimes. These visions and stories you create—"
"I'm telling you it's real! It has to be."
She focused her hazel gaze on his brown ones. "Your English improved a lot over summer."
"What does that have to do with the situation at hand?" He rubbed both hands through his messy blonde hair, mussing it even further. "Argh! Forget it." He stumbled through a rant in his native Japanese.
"Woah, wait. You're in Los Angeles, Joe. You're not in Japan anymore." She opened her carton of orange juice. "Though to make things even, I'll start ranting in Coptic."
"You scare me, with those hieroglyphics. Oh no, Neph, don't throw the curvy stick at me in words!"
She quirked a brow, amusement in her eyes. "You've forgotten already it's an ankh, a symbol of life. Always seen on Anubis."
"Ah shut your trap, I know." He took a bite out of the sausage wrapped in pancakes. The newest breakfast trend, though it was just a morning version of a corndog. "These aren't bad, actually. Could use some syrup."
"I'll stick to cold stuff. Lemme see your schedule." She made a grabbing motion for the crumpled paper by his tray.
"Why? You're a year under me; there won't be many classes we have together again." Even so, he handed her the paper, which she smoothed out on the table in front of her.
Her face brightened. "Well I'll be seeing you in fifth period every day. History of the Ancient World. Ah, and Statistics in 7th."
"What a pain… you're helping me in that math course, I hope you know."
She laughed through a raspberry. "Bull I am. I'm as bad at math as you." Her attention was caught as she glanced over Jonouchi's shoulder, seeing a teen around her age leaving the cafeteria. Sure his semi-tight black clothing caught her eye, and his tousled red, black, and blonde locks didn't exactly blend him in with the crowd, but it was his skin that caused her to stare. "That's odd. Who's he?"
Jonouchi turned around and his jaw dropped. "It can't be."
"Can't be who?" Another girl said as she sat beside Nephthys. The Egyptian clearly flinched, making Jonouchi stifle a laugh.
"'Morning, Anzu," Nephthys said through clenched teeth. "And how many friendship speeches will I be expecting this year?"
Anzu huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. Her clothing was still the same top of the line and always in style stuff. A nice pale yellow blouse covered her chest, while short-shorts covered her until her mid thighs. She hooked a leg over the other, showing off her platform shoes and calf-high socks. "I still believe it was our trust and confidence in each other that got us to pass. We've got a special bond that just can't be broken."
Nephthys covered her head with her arms. "It's too early for your spiels." She looked at Jonouchi, who was gazing back at where the curious looking boy had left moments before. "Joe? Do you know something about him?"
Jonouchi shook his head. "It'd tie in with what I've been trying to get through to you guys for a year now. I guess everyone's either lost their memory, or it was one trippy dream."
"My money is on the dream." She pushed her tray away and put her black hair up in a ponytail, hiding the purple streaks that broke through the monotonous lack of shade. "Honda's late. I thought he started driving that bike of his."
"He did," Anzu said, picking off the remains of Nephthys' breakfast. "Traffic might just be jammed up. First day back and all. Friends trying to find other friends, you know how important that is to close friends…"
"What'd I just say about spiels?" Nephthys only tolerated Anzu because Jonouchi and Honda were her friends. She sighed. "Anzu, let me have a look at your classes."
"Sure."
Nephthys took it, and put her face in her palm. All over it, the classes were highlighted in luminescent colors, and hearts decorated the ones that she had with her friends. But after looking over it, she did a double take. "Seems like we're not in the same class. Any of them." She snapped her fingers, adding in a sarcastic damn.
Anzu seemed to believe it as a real show of disappointment, for she said, "Well look, we at least have the same lunch period."
"Oh joy."
As soon as the words left her lips, the cafeteria doors burst open, allowing a winded Honda to enter the building.
"Oi, Honda-kun. You're late," Jonouchi said, smirking. "A little sad if I can beat you here in the morning."
"Oh hush up." Honda slammed his helmet down on the table. "My old man made me stay up late last night doing chores. I slept in." And it showed. His white button-up shirt was half tucked in his jeans, and his hair was windswept with a mix of helmet hair and the breeze from the bike.
"That's my usual excuse."
The bell rang, signaling the beginning of their next block-schedule year.
"Ah, off to creative writing for me then," Nephthys said, putting her bag on and picking up her tray. "Joe, I'll see you in 5th. Honda, I can't look at your sched now, so we'll see if you pop up at all. Do you remember what lunch period you have?"
"Second, I think."
"Alright, you have the same as us. Same meeting place, right?" Each nodded in agreement. "See you all later then."
"Sayonara," Jonouchi said, waving at her as she dumped her tray in the trash.
She smiled. There's still a few English things he needs, but he's doing fine. As are the rest of them. She'd never admit it right out to his face, or any of them, to be honest, but she had had a crush on Jonouchi. At least for awhile. But after a bit of time, she grew out of the crush, finding herself interested in boys that were more like her.
Nephthys found her classroom with ease, it being her second time in the course, just on a different level. "Good morning Mr. Reming."
"Ah, Miss Sethk. Will we be seeing more of your Mythological romances this year?"
She blushed, taking her usual seat. "I decided to scrap that project. It just got too cliché. I want something new. Hoping I can figure out a new topic soon."
Mr. Reming smiled, having it reach up to his blue eyes. "You have a creative imagination. I'm sure you'll discover a muse soon enough."
"I hope so."
He moved on to greet some other students, allowing her to take out her sketch book and start designing a new character. Maybe I can get a story out of my creation… Before she knew it, she had a rushed and rough sketch of a male. Though the rest of it made her blush and flip the book over. It held a striking resemblance to the things she had seen on the boy from earlier. Nonsense.
The late bell rang, signaling that everyone should be in class by then.
"Well then. If that's all." The teacher sat on the edge of his desk. "My name is Mr. Reming. I see some new faces mixed in with the old. Here, I will not stunt your creativity. Your mind is your limit. Just, ah, please keep your volunteer pieces PG-13. Don't need the principal to walk in while someone's reading off a steamy romantic scene. Like last year." His gaze flicked to Nephthys, who shrunk in her seat a bit.
She had gotten in a bit of trouble for that, being accused of writing pornography. Some people just didn't know the fine line between porn, and romance. Luckily, her parents were away at the time, so she was able to erase the message on the answering machine, saving her hide from utmost humiliation with her family.
Mr. Reming was about to continue, when the door swung open. Though the occupant of the doorway made Nephthys' jaw go slack.