Hearts Cry
By: Tora Macaw
Warning: Sap between Yugi and Anzu.
Disclaimer: Me no own… weeps to self in the corner
Author Notes Decided to use the Japanese names for this one.
Yugi stood as if carved from stone, a lonely, solitary figure, drawing ragged heavy breaths. The dull roar of engines coupled with the chop of powerful propellers cutting the water didn't penetrate the young man's turbulent mind any more than the humming of the deck beneath his feet let him feel the vibrations as the boats engines settled into a rhythmic thumping as the vessel pulled calmly away from the dock.
Yugi's right hand automatically reached for the chain around his neck, feeling about in utter confusion as he encountered not heavy silver links, but thin air and the fabric of his own shirt.
The boat had gain the safety of the central river by now and Yugi's heart gave a sudden great scream of anguish as the valley of the kings slipped away behind him. Yami-Atemu. Yugi had left him there. Left him to his destiny, his own time. They had duelled, the pair of them, a titanic battle to determine Yami's fate. Yugi had won.
Little Yugi, the once shy teenager whose only true talent lay in his card deck had become a confident young man at the battle's climax. Yet now, as the full realization that Yami was truly gone from him, Yugi found himself reverting to his former, frightened self.
"Yugi-kun?" Anzu's softly spoken words somehow pierced through the solid wall of pure sorrow that threatened to fully engulf him. The tears glimmering in Yugi's violet eyes shone like stars as they streamed from his eyes. Out of a few years of habit, Yugi's mind called out to Yami. There was no answer. His heart gave a frightened call, his mind desperately searching, but all in vain. Yami would never answer again.
"Yugi- kun... Yugi... are you alright?"
Starring down at his feet, Yugi hardly recognized the sound of his own voice as he spoke a single bitter word.
"NO!"
Anzu moved closer, to stand at his side. Laying a gentle hand upon his shoulder, she softly asked "Anything I can do?"
"Not unless you can change the past."
An aching cry suddenly tore from Yugi's lips. It howled up out of his throat from the very depths of his soul, drowning out the boat's engines, making Anzu shudder, her own tears flowing to match her friends. Yugi dealt the rail a frustrated slap then whirled about to storm past the startled young woman, wanting the solace of his room.
- - -
"Yugi! Say man, what..." Jounochi never got to finish his sentence as Yugi brutally pushed past his best friend, then reached his cabin door, wrenching it open, then slamming it forcefully shut behind him. Jounochi dashed a tear from his eyes as he too keenly felt the loss of Yugi's soul brother.
- - -
He lay face down as he cried, it felt as though his heart was shattering like a broken puzzle. His Millenium Puzzle, its familiar weight had been a part of him for so very long, already that Yugi felt its absence as a painful void in his soul.
"Why?" His mind screamed "Yami! I knew what must happen, I thought I could cope with your leaving me! But Yami, I can't! Yami, Atemu, Pharaoh, Whatever you are! I need you! Come back! Please, come back!" Howling, Yugi twisted on his bed, fists flailing as he pounded on his pillow, the knowledge that Yami was gone forever was like a jagged knife tearing him apart. A loud pounding at his door at last flittered through his grief fuddled senses, and at its persistent hammering, Yugi finally dragged himself upright. He slowly creaked open the door, only to collapse sobbing into Anzu's open arms. Tenderly, she embraced him before leading him unresisting back into his cabin. Sitting on the bed, Anzu lovingly stroked his hair, her voice caressing his tortured, broken soul.
"It's alright Yugi. Truly it is. Grieve for him and release your sorrow."
She held him against her heart, rocking him gently while humming a soothing tune. Her own tears made salty floods on her cheeks, mingling with Yugi's soft hair as his heart broken sobs rent the air around them. Anzu too had loved Yami. Her own heart was breaking over his loss, but, as long as she could love Yugi, she felt she would eventually recover.
"Poor Yugi." She thought, "My poor, little Yugi, it will take him a hell of a long time to get over this. I wonder though, if he will truly recover? He has lost the other part of his soul!"
"Anzu," Yugi's soft voice, broken by deep ragged breaths made her look tenderly upon his raised, tear filled face. "Oh Anzu! I miss him! I was so proud that I had won our duel, so happy to have been able to help fulfil his destiny! Why Anzu? Why do I now feel so empty? I've lost him! I've lost part of my soul"
A second great cry tore from him and Anzu felt helpless in the face of his extreme despair.
"Yugi...Yugi! Listen to me! You are never alone! You have us Yugi! You have Honda, Jounochi! You have ... you have me! Yugi... ... I love you! Oh god, I finally said it! Yugi, I'll never leave you! You don't have to live your life alone!"
"Anzu... Thank you. I too... I... I... love... " He trailed off to clutch Anzu against him, his sobbing now quieted as his grief ran its course. Lying down, the two held each other, neither taking nor asking of each other's emotion. With Yugi lying peacefully in her arms, Anzu lovingly stroked his hair.
"He would do that." Muttered Yugi after several minutes, new tears streaming down his face.
"Truly? Oh Yugi! I know I can't replace Yami... No one can! But please, try to relax. Its very late Yugi." Pressing her lips gently to his brow, Anzu tenderly kissed him. Voicing a little sigh, Yugi sniffed several times, then slowly felt himself slipping into sleep.
- - -
He dreamed. The door of memory floated before him, seeming to emerge from a thick white mist. It creaked from a thick line of radiant golden light spilling forth. So bright that it made Yugi throw his hands before his eyes. Squinting, he could just make out the outline of a bushy haired, lean figure, loose purple cape flapping around his body, great amethyst eyes glowing like jewels. "Yami!" Yugi reached out with a despairing cry. For a moment, he saw Yami's tender smile, then the Pharaoh strode towards him, attempting to take his hands. The millennium puzzle loomed up, a giant menacing presence that suddenly drew Yami within it. Yami let out a single pain filled cry and the puzzle vanished into the earth, taking the Pharaoh Atemu with it. Screaming, Yugi ran blindly through the darkness that was left calling. Endlessly calling.
"Yugi! Yugi wake up! It's alright Yugi, I'm here beside you!" Shaking, Yugi awoke to find he was gazing into Anzu's clean blue eyes, eyes that were overflowing with loving concern.
"Anzu. It was Yami. I saw him Anzu!" Crying, Yugi leaned against her, fresh waves of sorrow breaking over him, slowly drowning him. Sighing, Anzu held him in the dark cabin, but then stared in amazement at a glowing, golden light that suddenly appeared in the air above the bed. Slowly it descended, growing ever brighter as it stopped to hover directly above Yugi's chest.
"Yugi! What... What is it?" Yugi's eyes had gone huge and round as he stared at the apparition hopefully. A long chain suddenly snaked out, to drop lightly around Yugi's neck. Gasping, Anzu gave a little jolt as she cried out in recognition. Yugi beamed up at her as he breathed, "It's a miracle!" Holding the glowing millennium puzzle against his heart, he cried out "It can't be!"
"Can't it Aibou?" Yugi's head snapped up, his entire body seeming to light up with joy as he realized his greatest wish had just come true. Yami stood before him, looking just as he had when he and Yugi had first met all that time ago.
Head to one side, one eye closed in a saucy wink, Yami told him, "I'm back Aibou. This time forever."
But I saw you! We all did! The door of memory opened, you stepped in and became Pharaoh once more! Then, after you disappeared, the door closed and the stone holding the millennium items broke up only to fall through the floor!" Anzu, her arms still around Yugi, spoke up. "The puzzle was swallowed up with the rest of the items! Yami, how come you are back?"
"Does it matter?" snapped Yugi suddenly as he held the puzzle firmly. Standing up, Yugi rushed to Yami, who warmly embraced him.
"I... I found I couldn't stay away! You see Aibou, I felt your heart cry. All my priests, the friends I had left behind 3,000 years ago told me my task still not done. Yugi, there is more we must do."
"More? But Yami, all the items are gone now... Aren't they? Surely there is no more danger from some maniac wanting to take over the world with them?" Yami folded his arms, his eyes briefly closing in gesture Yugi had come to know so well. The sight sent his sprit soaring, his heart singing a warm welcome at his soul brother's unexpected return. So what if more dangers, more life and death duels lay ahead of them? With Yami, Anzu and the rest beside him, Yugi felt as though he could fly.
"Eighth item."
"What?"
"Yugi, you of course never knew and I had forgotten about it since the memory was connected to my past, but there is still one millennium item somewhere out in the world."
Yugi was thunderstruck. Trading a nervous glance with Anzu, Yugi tentatively asked, "What is it?"
"The eighth item is the final link in a very powerful chain. It vanished before I was born Aibou, so I've never seen it except as a carving, and from what my father told me Yugi, it's a large coin of power. The Millennium Coin! It's infused with all seven powers of the other items. It is very powerful Aibou and also very dangerous."
"Then, anyone could find it, and use it's magic?"
Yami shook his head, a sad little smile playing across his lips. "Only the blood of the Pharaohs or those very close to one may safely touch it. Yet, while it is out there, it seems I must remain in this world after all."
Blinking back happy tears, Yugi smiled into Yami's eyes. "I'm so happy you're back. I... once I realized you were truly gone..." Yugi broke off to drag his arm over his eyes then beamed with uncontained joy over the miracle of Yami's return.
"Aibou, hold up the puzzle with both hands. Now, do you fully accept my return? For if you refuse me then I will have no choice. The other world will draw me in once more, this time, with no chance of ever returning."
Yugi met his sprit brother's serious eyes with equal gravity. He knew what Yami was saying, knew that here and now, he could remain forever free of the Pharaoh Atemu, Yami, as he wished to be known. Listening to his singing heart, Yugi knew what Yami already did.
"I fully accept you my soul's brother. Return to the puzzle, and let us be one again."
Turning to face Anzu, Yami quietly asked her "And you Anzu? I see now that you and Aibou are close. Perhaps you two are planning a life together. That life would include me."
Anzu didn't speak, but her smile, her shy nod told Yami all he needed to know. "Then Aibou let us be whole once more." Yami's body glowed golden as the sun. In a gentle shower of glittering stars, Yami's soul flowed within the puzzle, his mind lovingly intertwining with Yugi's once more. Thus both once again bound body and soul, he and Yugi prepared to face whatever the future held... Together.
Endless