Touched by an Angel

by Moonlit Reaper

All his life, he has considered himself a loner; growing up without any real friends. On his way home from work one night, he comes across a woman being attacked. Who is she and what are these mysterious forces she possesses? Yami/Anzu R&R

2. Mother

Hello readers, thank you all for your reviews and I am very sorry for the long wait:

Atem-Tea love 4ever
fantasia-49
CraziAznGirl
Rain on My Heart
King Severian
LivingLegends
dancers of the night
Kender20
Super-special-awesome-Pirate
tinygal
Ino-Garra
Atem's Sister Atea
Hydrotamer

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Summary: All of his life, he had considered himself a loner; growing up without any real friends. On his way home from work, he comes across a woman being attacked, but she's not an ordinary woman. Who is she and what are theses mysterious forces she possesses?

WARNING: This story is for mature audiences. Some scenes will include language, angst, violence, supernatural forces, attempted suicide, romance and sexual content. Please, for those of you who are not comfortable with any of the genres above, DO NOT READ!

Chapter 2

The night became much later after Yami found and saved the girl from those brutal, gang members that were hurting her. He had been driving for almost a half hour and there has been nothing but silence. The girl was still passed out when Yami carried her to his car. It was making him wonder why he was having such concern for some girl he hardly even knew. He didn't know the first thing about her. So, why did he suddenly care for some strange girl he has never met before? He had enough problems to deal with himself, he didn't have time or the patience to worry for someone else. And yet...as he glanced at her, Yami had to think otherwise. For all he knew, this girl could be alone just like him.

Yami immediately shook that thought from his head. Alone, like him? Impossible. He had no idea on where this girl came from, but Yami knew that she must have people looking for her. So, once he finds the place where she belongs, he would not have to worry about her anymore. However, the feeling of not worrying about her anymore...made him a bit uneasy for some reason.

Pulling up to his home, Yami parked his car in the driveway. He heaved a sigh while taking another look over to his passenger who still has not made one movement since she passed out. Upon close inspection, he noticed that the girl had scrapes on her face and her arms. Her white dress was barely holding up on her from its torn fabrics and if he looked closely, the dress was made up from a rare silk that he knew only one person would wear.

His mother.

His hand reached and touched a small part of the dress just to see if his assumption was right. Yes, this is the same silk...very similar. He would recognize this texture anywhere. His eyes went back up to her face and he stared at her for a few moments. He had to admit that she was very beautiful, of course he would not deny that. Though, it didn't mean that he will suddenly turn all lovestruck because love didn't exist in his life. He only felt loneliness and hatred...and he only had one man to thank for that. The man that he was unfortunate to have as his father. It was because of him that his life and his emotions were the way they are today. Oh, his life is fine now that he was finally away from the man, but his feelings towards him and other people, how they treated him...well, it was the reason why he wanted to take his life tonight.

Then, Yami thought back to what he almost had done tonight by the bridge...and it made him stare at the girl even more. Was she the voice that he heard that stopped him? But if she was...how was she able to reach him like that? If it was her voice that Yami heard, how did she know that he was planning to jump off the bridge? And at that exact moment when he was about to plunge into the dark waters?

Yami shook his head to stop the questions that were coming one by one into his mind. He wasn't going to get any answers by sitting here in his car. Letting out a long sigh, Yami made his way out the car and unlocked the door to his house. He then went back to carry the girl in his arms. Going inside, the house was big, but it wasn't a mansion. To Yami, though, it was home. He didn't care for anything flashy, if it's to his liking, then it was good enough for him. It was also the kind of home that his mother dreamed of having. So, for his mother's memory, he bought this house just for her...even if she was not here physically to enjoy her dream. Yami worked hard to earn the money for this house. He could have used his inheritance, but he didn't want to use any of the money unless it was extremely necessary.

After closing the door, Yami took the girl upstairs to his bedroom, all without taking his eyes off her. A part of him was a little concerned for her, since it has been a long time she has been passed out like this. He expected her to wake up after three to five minutes, but it's been a half hour and she still has not regained consciousness. Maybe there something else wrong with her than he thought. He gently placed her down onto his king sized bed and stood over her for a few moments, staring at her the way he did when they were in the car.

'Was it your voice that I heard? If it was...then why did you come to me? It would have been better if I didn't hear you...probably would have done the world a favor if I wasn't living.' Yami walked away to leave the room so that he could tend to the girl's wounds. He also had to figure out where she came from and the only way he was going to do that, was to try and wake her.

As he made his way to gather his medical supplies, Yami heard a faint sound of thunder coming from outside and stopped to take a glance out the hallway window to see that it was indeed about to rain. It didn't matter whether is rained or not, but to him, it was nice to see something other than a bright, glowing ball of fire in the sky known as the sun. It was nice to feel the coldness rush in through the partly, open window. The same coldness that he felt everyday. Yami could not remember a time when he had ever smiled in his life, he could not remember the last time when he would gladly embrace the sun whenever it shined on him.

No...he could. It was when his mother was alive. He remembered the days when it was just him and her together. His father was always in and out, it was like he was a total stranger...which to Yami, he was...and still is to this day. He would never call this man his father, he was never his father. This very rain...that he was staring at right now, that made him think back to a certain day.

Flashback

The sound of thunder could be heard all around the city indicating a storm coming its way through. Just a few minutes before, the sun was shining and a playful six-year-old Yami was playing in near his mother's beautiful garden. He loved being around the flowers that his mother had planted and she always had that certain touch whenever something was in her care. There were times when he offered to help her and of course, she automatically agreed. Yami loved spending time with his mother, she was the only person in his life that cared and loved him more than anyone else.

Just like she was right now...his mother, Chiyeko, was tending to his bruised knee. Long, raven hair cascaded down to her back like a curtain and she had they eyes as bright as the golden sun. While Little Yami was running through the spacious backyard, the sky had suddenly became a dark grey, but since he was having such a great time, he didn't notice that his friend, the sun, descended into the clouds until he heard the loud boom of the thunder. At this age, most children are afraid of thunder and Yami was not any different. The sound frightened him and because he was running, he was thrown off balance by the thunder and tripped over a rock that caused him to fall and scrape his knee.

His mother was soothing him with gentle, shushing sounds and comforting words as she was cleaning his knee. Yami was a very strong little boy, but it was no surprise that he would have tears in his eyes, of course. Every child had their moments, no matter how much they try to hold it in, when they would just cry. When Chiyeko finished wrapping the bandage around Yami's knee, she brought him over to sit on her lap while he wiped away the remains of his tears. Hearing the sound of the thunder booming in the sky again like an explosion was hitting the earth, Yami whimpered and buried into his mother as much as he could.

"I hate the thunder..." he muttered. Chiyeko smiled and rubbed his back to ease Yami's slight whimpers in comfort. "Why does it have to rain? Why can't the sun stay in the sky forever, Mother?" he asked looking up at her with tear filled eyes.

His mother continued to smile and rocked Yami back and forth to calm him down. "Well sweetie, it's just how nature works. You know how the sun disappears at night when you go to sleep? It's the same way with the rain. The rain helps the plants, the flowers and the trees...they need the water in order to grow."

"But I thought the sun does that."

"That's true, the sun has a big role also. It gives off light...but too much of it will cause the plants to dry up. So, without the rain to give moisture, the plants won't have their nutrients. Do you understand, honey?" Yami nodded slightly understanding a little of what his mother was saying. It still didn't make him think of the rain any differently...that is, until he heard her speak again. "You know, when I was a little girl and it would rain like this, I would just sit and watch it for hours. Yes, I would get a little scared from the thunder too, but at the same time, I felt a sense of peace...I still do." Chiyeko looked down meeting a confused stare from her son and she just had to smile. "You probably don't understand what I'm saying right now, but someday you will." she said placing a kiss on his forehead.

She was right, Yami didn't understand what his mother was saying. How can the rain make her feel peace? Especially when the thunder was involved. The sound was just too loud to bring any kind of peace, but if his mother says it...then it must be true. He would just have to find out what she means.

The front door opened suddenly and after two seconds, it slammed shut making Yami jerk in fright. It was more louder than the thunder outside. He felt Chiyeko hold him firmly in her arms to keep him safe should anything happen. Yami turned towards the entrance to see a man, swaying as he was walking into where he and his mother were sitting. A man who just happens to be his father. He had cold, brown eyes and his hair was spiky black with little tinge of gray streaks. His eyes met with Yami's and he gave out a grunt of disgust. He didn't say anything to either one of them and went to the kitchen where Atem could hear a clanging sound of glass bottles.

Yami looked up at Chiyeko. "Mother...why does Father have to be so mean all the time?" he whispered as if he was afraid that his father would hear his voice. Chiyeko just smiled...smiled down at her only precious child.

"He doesn't mean to be, sweetie. Just...he has very hard days at work and it gets to him sometimes." That was what she told him that day...and at that time, Yami did believe it. However, as he got older, it was very hard to believe when he watches his father come home everyday in the same mood and act the same way.

End Flashback

That day, was one of the memories that flashed into Yami's mind before he tried to take his life. During the first part, he had a serene look in his eyes, but it changed into a cold glare from the thought of his...father. No matter how far away he was, the memories would always manage to find him. They would never leave him, it was as if they happened yesterday and he could not forget. Looking at the rain...he finally understood what his mother meant by it bringing peace.

But what kind of peace could Yami get out of it? It was just drops of water falling from the sky. The only thing that the rain did do for him was just make him think of his mother. Okay, he could give it that...and it did make him forget about his life as a child. Even just for a little while, he could forget everything that put him through hell as he was growing up.

Without realizing it, Yami managed to find himself in his bathroom, where the medical supplies he needed were inside the cabinet. He learned a lot of first aid from his mother and for times like right now, really came in handy. After getting everything he needed, he returned to his bedroom where he found the girl still unconscious. Her scrapes didn't look too bad, but Yami still needed to treat them. He also needed to find something more suitable for her to wear, since the dress she was wearing had too many rips and tears in it. He guessed it was from when those gang members tried to grab her.

Taking a damp cloth, he used it to wipe her face in a gentle dabbing, to clean her scrapes and to also make her regain consciousness. He still didn't know why he was doing this, taking care of a complete stranger he knew nothing about. Yet, it still made him want to help her...maybe it was because he did not want those men touching her, or...maybe it was because he just wanted human contact with someone again. Yami has been alone for so long since his mother died, but that was what he wanted. He wanted this kind of life. The hurt, the betrayal, the sadness, the anger...built up rage from his father...what other choice did he have but to choose a life of isolation?

Yami began to rinse the cloth again in the water bowl on the night table and just when he brought it back to the girl's face, his hand touched a little of her skin making him gasp suddenly. Her skin was so soft...just like the silk dress she was wearing, the same silk his mother would always wear. His hand just lingered there...like it was suppose to stay on her face for some reason. His heart was beating like a drum...pounding in his chest. All from this small touch on her cheek? He began to breathe heavily and his hand pulled away from her so fast that he felt like it was burned. Unfortunately, his hand knocked the water bowl off the table causing it to fall and spill on the floor. The sound also...caused two unfamiliar eyes to open and a moan to escape from the girl's lips.

Paying no attention to the wet carpet, Yami watched as she began to slowly awaken and take in her surroundings. Just like in the car, he just stared at her. This time was much different since she wasn't passed out. Her body began to rise up in a sitting position, but she didn't notice Yami next to her. Her focus was more on to where she was. Her eyes managed to finally land to the right, where Yami was kneeling next to her by the bed. She was scared, the images of what happened tonight came fluttering back into her mind and not knowing who Yami was or what he would do to her, she began to scoot backwards. Yami knew she would be frightened. So, he calmly tried to convince her that he was not a threat.

"It's alright...there's no need to be afraid." So far, the words were not getting to her because she was still trembling as if Yami would attack her the minute she blinked her eyes. Yami had to mentally slap himself. He brought this girl into his home and she didn't know anything about what was happening, of course she would feel afraid. So, he tried again to show her that he was trustworthy. "My name is Yami...you passed out after you were almost attacked in the alley and I brought you here to my home." Yami saw that she began to relax a little, tilting her head in confusion, but also in fascination from him talking to her.

What was she thinking? He wondered to himself as he waited to see if she would say something, a word...anything that would tell him that she acknowledged his presence. Yami was getting a bit annoyed from the silence. He saved this girl and all she was doing was staring at him with those big blue...and yet, beautiful eyes.

It was decided, that if she was not going to say anything, Yami would keep talking until he got her to speak. "Do you have a name? I'm sure that you have someone who could be looking for you." he said. He watched as she glanced down to her torn dress. Why wasn't she talking to him? Doesn't she realize that he was doing his best to help her get where she needed to be? Why wasn't she cooperating with him?

Or...maybe the reason she was not talking, was because the whole experience still frightened her. Maybe those men did something to her before he found her. Maybe there was more to it than he thought. Maybe...maybe...maybe he should just stop all of this thinking before he gets a migraine.

"An...zu."

Yami was a little startled when he heard a soft whisper coming from her. "What did you say?" She turned towards him again, but this time, there was not just staring and there was no silence.

"My name...is Anzu." Finally, Yami was able to hear her voice and it was just like the wind was blowing in through the horizon. Her voice...it was soft and majestic, and also strange to him. No, he wasn't calling her strange...it was strange because this was the first time in years that he has talked to anyone this long.

"Okay, Anzu...is there anyone that I can call for you? You know, to...let them know that you're alright?" Anzu turned to the window where the rain was still coming down and stayed silent again. Yami patiently waited for her to speak again, he needed to get her back to where she belonged. The sooner he did that, the sooner he could get back to his life...of loneliness. He shifted a bit to bring a bit of circulation back into his leg from his kneeling position, but when he did that, he hissed feeling a slight pain from his left side.

"...The hell?" Yami never remembered being hurt, but when he looked down at his shirt, he noticed that part of it was a much darker color. Lifting it a bit, there was a gash that was bleeding very deeply. He guessed it was from the the ring leader he was fighting. The joker must have pulled a knife out and slashed him, but because of the rage Yami was feeling, he didn't realize it until just now.

A small gasp was heard and Yami glanced up to Anzu, her eyes shown so much emotion that Yami could not understand. He did see a recognition of an emotion his mother would give him whenever she looked at him sometimes...worry. Why would this girl be worried about him, when she didn't know the first thing about him? What did surprised Yami...is what she did next. And it was completely unexpected.

Anzu's hand reached over to his open wound...and the amazing thing happened that Yami thought he was dreaming. Her hand started to glow and heal his wound. Yami felt a sting at first, but the feeling passed and it was replaced with a warm, gentle, soothing feeling that just traveled through his whole body. That did more than just heal his gash. As soon as it was healed, the glow disappeared and Anzu slowly pulled her hand back while Yami was still in awe from what just happened.

"How...how did you do that?" he asked. Anzu just smiled gently, but a rush of coldness ran over her bare arms and she started to shiver. Yami almost forgot that she needed to change out of her torn dress, seeing her shivering was enough to tell him that. He stood up after picking up the water bowl that fell on the floor. Placing it on the table, he felt eyes following his every movement, but knew that it was Anzu. He didn't need to glance at her to know that she had a look of confusion as to what would happen next. "Wait here...okay? I'm going to find something for you to change into." he said.

Walking over to his dresser, Yami pulled out an extra shirt and pants for Anzu to wear for the time being. It was enough where she would stay warm and it was much better than the tattered dress she had on. He graciously gave her the clothes and she took them in gratitude. "I'll give you some privacy to change...if you want to freshen up, the washroom is just across the hall." As Yami began to walk out, he stopped for a second to turn back to Anzu. He didn't know what was going on or who this girl was...but something about her made him very curious.

Leaving his bedroom, Yami headed up to the one place in his home that he would go to whenever he needed to be completely away from the world. His attic. When he moved here, this was actually the first place he wanted to check out. He didn't want to leave it the way it was before, empty and lifeless, so with a lot of work and extra time on his hands, he redesigned it to make it look like a cozy apartment. There were times when he would just spend the entire day up here, basically thinking about his mother and even talking with her. Some would think he was crazy, but when did Yami care about what others thought about him? They had no right to say anything about what he does in his life.

Yami walked over to where a antique trunk was sitting in the corner. Inside this trunk was a simple, silk pink dress that his mother had made with her own hands. When he felt the texture of Anzu's dress, he wanted to see if it was the same fabric as his mother's. He wanted to be absolutely sure...and as soon as his hand ran across the dress, it was certain. The dress in this trunk and the dress Anzu was changing out of were indeed the same fabric. But how could that be? Chiyeko had once told him that this kind of silk was very rare and hard to obtain and ran through his family through generations. He remembered one afternoon, his mother was sewing this dress as Sakura blossoms were blowing gently in the breeze. He had just came home from school that very day.

Flashback

It was the middle of the spring season and the Sakura trees were already in full bloom. Ten-year-old Yami was now arriving to his home after a hard, dreadful day at school and he was not in the best of moods. As beautiful and peaceful as the day was, it did not match to how Yami was feeling. After opening the door, he took off his belongings and went in search of his mother. Just his mother...and guessed that she would be somewhere watching the cherry blossoms.

His assumption was right when he found her sitting in the living room near an open window. The petals were blowing along gently in the breeze and a few traveled inside next to her. She seemed to be preoccupied by what was in her hands; it was a simple, yet elegant fabric that she was sewing together into, what he guessed, a silk dress. When Chiyeko was not busy with other things, she would find time in her schedule to sit down and just sew away. It was her most favorite thing to do and it made her feel at peace. Yami would sit and watch her work in silence, or they would just talk until her project was finished.

Sighing miserably, Yami entered the room and sat down in one of the chairs watching his mother busy with her creation. He didn't say anything since he wasn't in the mood to talk...the silence was good enough for the moment. He knew that his mother could tell something was bothering him, there was no point in hiding it from her.

"How was your day, honey?" she asked looking up from her sewing.

"I don't want to talk about it..." he muttered.

Placing down her dress, she went over to sit next to Yami wondering what happened today that caused him to become so angry. "Sweetheart...talk to me, what's the matter?" she asked. Yami looked to his mother, how was he suppose to explain what he was feeling? She already had enough to deal with...she didn't need to know about his problems and what was happening in school. He wasn't going to say anything and instead tell her that he was fine, but the look in her eyes showed him that she was worried. Why wouldn't she be? Usually when he had a problem, he would always talk to his mother. She was the only person in his life that he could talk to.

He sighed and decided to tell her what was bothering him. "It's just...I had a fight with some friends...well, ex-friends today. Turns out they were never really my friends to begin with. They only used me, and treated me like a answer key for their homework." Chiyeko embraced him, giving him as much comfort as she could and more to her son.

"I'm so sorry, Yami...are you alright?" she asked.

"...I just feel betrayed, Mother. I never thought it would ever hurt this much, to think that the ones I called my "friends" would stab me in the back. But I'll never make that mistake again...I'll never have any more friends." This made Chiyeko very sad...how her son wanted to keep himself isolated from others. She didn't want him living like that, not alone in this world.

"I know you're hurt, honey...but living your life alone is not something I would want you to do. You will find other friends that will be there for you...you have such a good and kind heart, my son." Yami didn't respond, but he knew his mother was right. He just did not want any friends right away, maybe someday, but not now.

Footsteps were heard making Yami looked up to see his father entering where he and his mother were sitting. Yami used to be afraid when he would come into a room, but he broke out of that faze because he was just a small child then. Now, whenever he saw his father, he would have a hard glare pointed directly at him. He came in this house the same way he always does everyday and he was getting sick of watching it. He was getting tired of watching his mother sad and hearing her crying at night when he was either passed out on the couch or out all night long. There was only ONE reason for his father's behavior; he was a complete and uncontrollable alcoholic.

His father, who was named Masahiro, caught sight of his and Chiyeko's stares as he came into the room. "Is there something wrong there, son? You seem to be angry about something." he said in a fake, concerned voice. Yami's glare just intensified ten-fold. How dare this man speak to him like he all of a sudden cared about his well-being? He was about to respond, but his mother beat him to the punch.

"Yami just had a bad day at school...and we were just talking about it. How was...your day?" she asked.

"It was fine, same thing that happens everyday at work. I'm going out for a while. Don't wait up, I don't know when I'll be back." He started heading to leave out the door when Chiyeko stood up and stopped him before he could.

"Masahiro...you always leave out to god knows where, and you don't return until late hours of the night. Why do you keep doing this to your family? Why?" Chiyeko was getting so upset watching her husband; the man who was suppose to love her for better or for worse, leave out on her and his son every single night to just come back whenever he wanted to. She dealt with it for too long and it was time that it finally ended.

Masahiro stopped when he unexpectedly heard the sudden outburst from his wife. Turning around to look at her, witnessing a few tears stream down her face...and because of his cold exterior, they had no affect on him. Instead, he just walked up to Chiyeko until he was face to face with her. "What I do with my time is none of your concern. If I'm coming back at a certain time, then it's my business."

"It IS my concern, you're my husband! I don't know where you go and what you do, but when you return, you're always intoxicated! Does it not matter to you that you're hurting not only me, but your son?" she said as she finally released all of her feelings; all the anger, frustration and the sadness that she was forced to keep inside.

"If I were you, honey...I would stop talking while I'm ahead. Remember that the next time you decide to run off at the fucking mouth again." Getting his jacket from the coat rack, Masahiro left without another word leaving Chiyeko to stare at the door that was slammed shut. He was gone...again, and she was forced to wait until he was ready to return. She turned around to look at Yami who had watched the entire conversation with so much anger in his eyes. For his sake, she put on a smile to make him know that everything was okay.

"So, how about we have some dinner? What would you like to eat? We can have your favorite if you like." she said in a cheerful voice.

Yami could see what his mother was trying to do. On the outside, she showed her magical smile, but on the inside...she was a total wreck. "Mother...why do you let Father do this to you?" It wasn't a question, it was more of a statement; he wanted to know the reason as to why Chiyeko would actually let Masahiro treat her this way.

"Oh...your father just gets exhausted everyday from work. You know, I should be more considerate by that any-"

"THAT'S BULL!" Chiyeko was startled when Yami just yelled out like that. He never showed this kind of anger before...looking at her son, she could see that he was shaking in rage. "Exhausted from work? Father has been "exhausted" from work ever since I can remember! We both know the reason why he leaves every night, it's because he's a DRUNK! You let him treat you like nothing! He can come and go as he pleases and you have to put up with it? For years, I have watched you and hear you cry all the time! All for HIM? Why Mother, WHY? Don't you think you deserve better than that?" After Yami made that outburst, the bangs of his hair blocked his eyes where you couldn't see them, but his fist were enough to tell Chiyeko that he was extremely angry.

She slowly walked over to her son and embraced his form, doing her best to calm him down. "This is what I was afraid of...never in my life, did I ever wanted you to be exposed to this. I was hoping that you'd never noticed what was happening between your father and I. You're only a child and you should not be worried about me."

"But I DO, Mother. If I don't worry about you, then who else will?" Yami's eyes were now revealed to Chiyeko and she witnessed the first sign of tears that were beginning to trail down his eyes. The last time that Yami cried was when he was only a little boy being afraid of thunder. As he got older, those emotions shifted from sadness to anger thanks to one man responsible. She deserved to have his anger directed at her as well, because without realizing it, she was also hurting her son. Thinking and hoping that Masahiro would change his ways and finally having her happy family back, but all of that hoping and wishing never came true and her husband was never going to change. No matter how much she wished, it would never happen.

Kneeling down so that she was at the same level as Yami, Chiyeko wiped away his tears and doing her best to dry his eyes. "No more, sweetie...no more worries will cloud your mind because do you know what we're going to do? You and I are going to be happy again. If it means that it will just be the two of us, then that's just what it will be. One day...we both are going to have that life. I don't care what it takes, you my son, will NEVER have to worry ever again." She brought him back into her motherly embrace again, soothing away the tears that were leaking out. Yami hugged her back allowing his anger to be cried out.

"Neither will you, Mother..."

End Flashback

"We were a bit too late for that happy life, Mother. If we had only escaped sooner...you might still be alive today." Yami stroked the fabric with his hand a little longer, feeling as if his mother was right here in this room. He gently placed the dress back into the trunk and closed it back. Once it was sealed shut again, Yami just kept his hands on the trunk while sighing deeply from all of the memories that came to him in just one night. One entire night of memories and flashbacks.

Glancing down at his wrist watch, he noticed time flew by than expected. It was now close to two in the morning. He also remembered Anzu changing and decided to check up on her to see how she was doing. He still had some questions to ask her about who she was and where she came from.

Yami closed the door until his next visit when he needed the time for isolation again. He then went back to his bedroom where he guessed Anzu would be, since it has been a long time when he left to give her privacy. His guess was correct when he found her sitting on his bed again. The only difference was that her hair was damp and the dress she had on was replaced with the clothing he had offered to her.

As he came into the room, Anzu glanced up at him when he took a seat in front of her. Silence was all that existed for the moment and Yami knew that she was not going to speak first. She still bore the expression of confusion and a little hint of fear. Just a tiny bit, but not fear of him though. He was thankful for that at least. "Are you feeling alright now?" he asked gently.

Anzu nodded, still feeling a little chilly, but the clothes were doing a wonderful job of keeping her warm. "Yes...I am feeling much better. Thank-you...Yami-san." she said in a whisper that was as soft as a gentle breeze.

"There is no need for formalities, Anzu...just call me Yami. I have a few things I need to ask you, okay? If you can't answer them, then it's alright. I'm going to do my best to help you. Now, first thing...why were those guys chasing after you?" He wanted to make sure that that question was the first to be mentioned. In case those men ever decide to come back after Anzu, though it was doubtful, Yami wanted to be prepared again. But...would he actually have her around that long should that happen?

"I do not know...I remember looking for someone and then they had me surrounded. The leader wanted me to follow them and if I did not cooperate, then they would hurt me." Yami was silent the whole time as Anzu explained to him everything that happened before he came to save her. Apparently, she was walking all alone at night...looking for someone? Who was this person she was looking for and why was she out in the middle of the night just to find whoever it was. Did she not know the dangers after dark? "I tried to run away, but...something happened and the next thing I remember was running away."

"What happened?" Yami asked.

From the way that Anzu staring at the bedsheets, it was as if she was trying to figure out that question herself. "I...do not remember." she whispered.

"Okay...who was the person that you were searching for?"

"...I do not remember." she said again. She started to panic...what was wrong with her? Yami saw how she was beginning to look alarmed from her sudden responses and not being able to answer any of his questions.

"Listen, it's okay...we'll figure this out together. How about this...glow from your hand, how were you able to do that?"

Anzu's hands went straight for her head as she tried to think of any small portion of memory that will come to her. Unfortunately, nothing was happening. "I do not know! I do not know anything!" She looked at Yami with a tearful stare, frightened and vulnerable. For the only thing that Anzu could remember was her name...everything else, she couldn't. "I am sorry...my memories are gone. My memories...I cannot..." Anzu couldn't finish her sentence, her words were broken into sobs. Yami looked at her with such sorrow. She was all alone with no memory of what happened to her or even what these powers she possessed were. She was terrified and he had to help her in any way possible.

First, he had to get Anzu to stop crying and calm her down. "Hey...it'll be okay. Don't cry, you don't have to worry. I'm not sure what you're thinking right now...but I know what it's like being alone. When you don't have anyone to turn to." Anzu's sobbing was beginning to lighten a bit as she listened to Yami talking to her. It was then that Yami placed his hand on Anzu's shoulder making her gasp suddenly. He was about to speak again when he noticed Anzu looking a bit disoriented. Like she was in some sort of trance. "Anzu...what's wrong?" he asked.

She didn't answer...and when Yami was about to call her name again, the glow that appeared around her hand before returned, but this time it wasn't her hand glowing...it was her eyes and her entire body. The glow was so bright and strong that it caused Yami to be repelled backwards, hitting against the wall. He was dazed for a moment, but as soon as he shook it off, the sight in front of him made his eyes wide. Anzu was glowing still, but she was now floating in midair. Yami had to find a way to get her down, he didn't like how this light was around her like that. It was almost as if it was trying to consume her.

Slowly standing up, he tried his best to walk back to Anzu, but since the light was so bright, it was hard for him to see. However, that would not stop him. There was nothing that would keep Yami from what he was determined to do. It would have to take something from the firey pits of hell to keep him down.

The strong light was starting to slowly dim away when Yami turned back to Anzu, but it was also taking Anzu away, making her disappear. Seeing this, Yami took no time to think. Something inside of him burst when he watched this girl that he barely knew being engulfed by this strange light around her. He felt that sense of wanting to protect her. Which to him was very strange since this the first time in a long time that he the need to protect someone.

Quickly shaking off any thoughts in his head, Yami ran to grab Anzu before the light took her away. He jumped into the air to pull her out and held her tightly as they began to descend back to the ground. Yami twisted himself so that Anzu did not hit the floor. Once they both landed, Yami looked back to where the light was suppose to be, but it wasn't there anymore. It was gone...and had he not pulled Anzu out when he did, she would've been gone as well. That caused him to subconsciously hold her tighter.

He glanced down to that maiden in his arms seeing her passed out once again, but she was looking very pale which got him...for the first time in years, worried. What he couldn't understand was the fact that he just met this girl. Why was he having all of these sudden feelings towards her? Worry? Wanting to protect her? Comforting her? It was as if he has known her his entire life, but why?

"This has to be some crazy dream...I'm going to wake up any second now." he said.

"No, it's not a dream, everything you just witnessed was reality." Yami's eyes grew so wide from hearing another voice in the room. However...it wasn't just any voice. Another bright light appeared, but it was different from the one that tried to engulf Anzu, this light was shaped like an orb and floating downwards. The orb then started changing shape and it turned into someone Yami never expected to see again.

"Mother..." he whispered. It was indeed Yami's mother, Chiyeko. She was dressed in an elegant white kimono with sky blue flower petals that were decorated on the bottom, looking like they were floating around her. Her obi was also the same color as the petals. Chiyeko looked exactly the same way she did before she died. Every detail of her; the length of her hair, the color of her eyes, her smile...everything that Yami remembered of his mother was standing right in front of him again, but as much as he was happy inside to see her, he knew that it was not real. "No...no, I am dreaming. You're not here...it's not possible." He clenched his eyes shut, expecting to be awaken at any second.

When she was close enough, Chiyeko knelt down next to Yami and placed her hand on his cheek, the same gesture she would do whenever he was upset or was afraid. That warmth from her hand is what made Yami open his eyes again.

"My son...you know that I would never lie to you. What is happening and what you are seeing is not a dream." she said with a gentle smile.

Yami still could not believe it was real, it was a complete shock to him. "I can't believe it, how are you here? You're...you're..." He couldn't even say the word, the shock of what happened to her so long ago was still hard for him to handle.

"I know...I am dead. There is a reason why I am here to begin with, and it has to do with you...and her."

Yami continued to stare at Chiyeko as he kept his firm hold on Anzu. "Mother, what are you talking about? Do you know her?" he asked wanting to get some answers. She didn't speak immediately, instead she just reached over and moved a strand of hair that fell over Anzu's eye.

"The poor girl...she has been through so much." She then turned her attention back to Yami, who was now waiting for an explanation. "It has been ten years since my death..." She paused once more and Yami continued to wait. The sight of his mother after so many years of her being gone was still a shock to him. "Yami...I have been watching you and Anzu for quite a long time since my departure. I am so happy that you two have found each other."

"Mother, I don't understand...all of this is so confusing. You have been watching me...along with this girl I hardly know anything about and now you're saying that we were suppose to find each other? How do you know Anzu? Where did she come from?" Chiyeko smiled and slowly shook her head.

"As much as I want to tell you, my son, I cannot...because that is for Anzu to explain to you."

"She doesn't remember anything except her name. How is she suppose to tell me when she has no memory of who she is?" It was suddenly that Chiyeko took something from out of her kimono sleeve. It was a shimmering, glowing feather that she presented in her hand. "What is that?" Yami asked. Holding the feather over Anzu's chest, it magically floated inside of her body causing her to moan slightly, but she didn't awaken.

"The feather...is an important part of Anzu. There are more scattered around the city and they have to be found before it's too late." Chiyeko explained.

"But what are these feathers and why are they so important to her?"

"The feathers are the fragments of Anzu memories. If they are not returned to her, then what you have witnessed just a few moments ago will happen to her again. Anzu will cease to exist. My son, you must help her gather all of her feathers."

What was Yami suppose to do? Everything was happening extremely too fast all in one night. He felt his mother's hand on his shoulder right when he was staring at Anzu...but, when did he start staring at her? He didn't recall taking his eyes away from Chiyeko to stare down at Anzu. "How am I suppose to help find these feathers for Anzu, Mother? I don't even think she knows about them."

Chiyeko smiled, knowing how observant her son always was when it came to figuring something out. It was one of the many talents that Yami possessed. "Anzu will be able to sense the whereabouts of her feathers. She will need you by her side, Yami. Especially when she regains consciousness again, she'll need you to explain to her what is happening. You two were brought together by destiny and you share more of a connection with her than you realize." Yami, once again, turned to Chiyeko now knowing a little more about the girl in his arms, but there was still one question that was yet to be answered.

"How do you know her and what sort of connection do we share?" Chiyeko looked towards the window where a white wolf, harboring spiritual powers, was standing outside the balcony. It was a sign to Chiyeko that it was time for her to leave.

"I am sorry, Yami...but I cannot stay to answer that for you. It is something that you must learn on your own." Hearing the tone of her voice, Yami knew that his mother couldn't stay much longer. He didn't want her to leave, but he had to be realistic. So, he chose not to say anything. "Do not worry, my son...I will return again soon to check on your progress with Anzu. I wish you both luck on your search." Chiyeko's form changed into a mystical dove and she flew out of the window leaving a trail of enchanted dust.

Yami watched as his mother left and thinking about everything she had explained to him. He realized that now it was no coincidence and as much as he thinks that it's a dream...it wasn't. His gaze then turned to Anzu. From the moment he met her, things were out of the ordinary. A person in his situation would probably just forget the idea and go back to their life...but who said that Yami Moto was just any person? He was going to help Anzu and if these feathers his mother had spoken of are the keys to her memories, then he will scout the entire city for them.

---

'Do you think the search for the feathers will be successful for those two?' On top of a rooftop sat the wolf and Chiyeko in her human form watching inside as Yami sat in the same postion with Anzu in his arms. The wolf was speaking telepathically to Chiyeko. She smiled knowing the answer automatically.

"Yes, I do believe it will. My son is not only going to help Anzu...she will be helping him, too. Yami has been alone for his whole life, suffered more after my death...forced to live with my ex-husband's abuse. I hope that he will learn to open his heart." she said. The wolf, known as Daichi, glanced at her before turning back to the scene in front of them.

'You have been wandering for years, Chiyeko...I don't think Yami would like the fact that his mother has not rested once in ten years.' he replied.

Chiyeko sighed...but she smiled none the less. "I know...but I just cannot rest in peace until my son and Anzu have found their peace. Those two have been brought together for a reason and when all of Anzu's feathers are returned to her, then the questions will be answered." She stood up an turned to her friend, smiling still. "Let us go now, there is nothing more we can do...at least not right now. Yami and Anzu have a long journey ahead of them." Transforming into a dove again, Chiyeko flew away with Daichi following behind into the night.

XxX

Chapter complete...so what did Chiyeko mean when she said Yami and Anzu were connected? Where will Anzu's first feather be? And what about her past? You'll find out in more upcoming chapters. Please review on what you thought about it and I will update again as soon as I can. TL signing off.