Chapter 10-Ryou
Tomoeda was a grave contrast to our town. It was a lot cleaner and the houses were less old and ragged. There were less bullies around and great many decent people. I realized immediately why Duel Monsters never came to this place; everyone here has a life and they do not need the game to keep their lives going.
People knew where the Kinomoto's lived so it wasn't hard to find. It was a yellow house, large, with a blue roof on the top. If it had been in any other shape or size the yellow color would have looked digusting, but because it was bright and vegatarians grow fruitfully about them it actually looked quite decent.
We rang the doorbell, hoping that the Kinomotos wouldn't hate Syaoran that much as to kick us out. We didn't expect anyone to like us-I expect Yugi and I look like ragamuffins compared to the people who live here. There was a rush of steps and the sounds of the lock slowly being unlocked. The door opened and out peered...
He looked a little like Seto Kaiba, that I'll tell you. The same dark eyes, although they were brown this time, darkish, but there was the same flicker to them. Same mop of hair, a little messier though. Tall, lean figure that was both strong and intimidating. Yugi perhaps was thinking the same thoughts I was.
" Ano, konnichiwa, is this the Kinomoto residence?" I asked nervously.
" Hai," He eyed me and Yugi before asking, " Who are you?"
" We're...friends of, Li Syaoran," Yugi said uncertainly, " We've come here for your
help..."
The Kinomoto eyed us warily and then straightened, beckoning us to come in. We
entered timidly, a little awed at how clean and bright the place is.
" Please make yourselves comfortable-your names are...?" The Kinomoto asked.
" My name is Ryou Bakura." I bowed. " And this is Yugi Motou."
" Alright. Please make yourselves comfortable. Would you like some tea?"
" Ano..." We were a little unused to this kind of formality. " Hai?"
" Green?"
" Hai, domo arigatou."
The Kinomoto left and went to the kitchen. Soon he appeared with a tray of three teacups, and a teapot in the middle. He poured all of us some tea including himself, and we sat down on the couch together while he sat on another. We sipped our tea for a minute.
" You can call me Touya." He continued. " How's the little guy doing?"
" Who, Syaoran?" Yugi blinked. " Ano, he's...healthy, physically, I guess."
" I've heard you and he don't get along well." I blurted. Shoot, my big mouth.
Touya laughed. " True. In the end, however, it's all lame nonsense. And jealousy, I
guess." He suddenly looked mournful. " You specified physically."
" Hai. He's not...fitting in very well." Yugi swallowed.
" No wonder. Where did you come from?"
" Ano..." Both of us were suddenly ashamed. " Not a very good town."
" I see." Touya nodded. " Poor child. He left without even seeing me. I guess if he
came here he would have stayed."
We were silent for a minute.
" He's very scared." I told Touya.
" Undoubtedly." Touya nodded, sitting up. " So what did you come here for? No
doubt you have a bit of magic, I do sense them. That's an interesting puzzle you're
wearing, Yugi-san. What does it do?"
" Oh, ano," Yugi was caught by surprise. " Actually, I don't really know, the best
person to ask is...Yami."
" Yami. No wonder. I thought it felt dark. But you speak of him as a person. Who is
Yami?"
" My darker half," And then there was a bright glow. Touya did not seem surprised
when Yami appeared, nor did he seem surprised when Akira did either. But he was
a little tense.
" Curious." He said thoughtfully. " Very curious."
They all sat down, and Touya placed his teatray on the table, and then sat back.
" I'm hoping that you do not have permanent hard feelings for Syaoran," Yami said
cautiously.
" Oh, iie, iie." Touya shook his head, just as serious. " What do you need? Just ask."
" We found out that Syaoran is living a parallel life with a person many many years
ago," Yugi explained. " My Yami was a Pharoah of Egypt several thousand years
ago. That person had gone through the same sequence of events that Syaoran has
so far, and we are hoping that you can somehow help us prevent the outcome."
" What does his fate look like now?" Touya asked.
" It seems like this." I began. " According to his past life, Syaoran is going to run
into some trouble with the game, Duel Monsters. We probably would be attacked
by the twelve immortals that...I'm sure you know of. Right now Syaoran is very
depressed, the first thing that sparks the end of his life."
" I see." Touya interrupted. " This new game, Duel Monsters, is more than just a
game, isn't it?"
" Nani?" We all blinked.
" I'm right then." Touya nodded. " Your items. They are made of magic. No doubt
they have something to do with Duel Monsters. The twelve immortals are still alive.
Syaoran is depressed. I'm not really sure how I can help you on this one, but I will
try. Syaoran was not a likable child and was not easily won over. He's very loyal,
however. I would suggest you try to bring his faith back, hmm, it would be hard."
He didn't sound like a brother who has lost a dear sister. It was more of because he still has someone else to save. Or perhaps it was because he had finished mourning, or some other reason.
" One way is for him to face his fear and overcome it." Touya suddenly broke into
my thoughts. " Did he mention anything he's afraid of? I'm hoping it doesn't have
to do with the immortals."
" Iie." My yami answered. " He was not afraid of them at all. He said something
about not fearing anything except...the past?"
" The past!" Touya stood up. " Good. Then I can help you. If it's the past he fears,
then the past he'll overcome and the past will be his weapon. Wait here." He rushed
up the stairs. We waited, a little uncertain.
Touya came down again, carrying with him something wrapped in a pink cloth. He gave it to me.
" You must not open it." He instructed. " It belonged to Sakura some time ago."
Here his voice began to crack. " It belonged to her and we never found out until she
died. But I'm giving this to you because it might be the only thing that can save
Syaoran. And I'm sure the kaijuu would want him to have it."
" Kaijuu?" I asked.
Touya smiled bitterly. " It's a nickname I called her." He sighed.
" So, would you like to stay for dinner?"
" Huh?" We all blinked.
" Dinner. Otou-san!" He called. A tall man came out of the room. " We got
company. They're friends of that Li kid."
" Oh." The tall, rather handsome man descended down the stairs. " Konnichiwa. I
am Kinomoto Fujitaka."
" I'm Yugi Motou, this is...Yami, Ryou Bakura and...Akira."
" Oh." Fujitaka bowed. " Do stay. I would like to hear of what happened to that
youngster."
So we stayed for dinner. Touya kept us company while his father cooked dinner.
And a mighty good cook he was! We told them of how we first heard of Syaoran
and how he had been faring. They looked at each other sympathetically.
" Now, to explain why Ryou-san met Syaoran in a coma out of all places," Touya answered our question, " We found Syaoran in the park along with the others. We thought he was dead, but the EMS told us that he was still alive. That time I was crying for Sakura but when I heard the gaki was still alive it cheered me up a bit and brought both of us some hope."
" He lingered in Tomoeda Hospital in a coma for quite a while, three months or weeks, I cannot say. We didn't know whether he will wake up or not...so we executed the funerals. Several days later Syaoran woke up. Neither of us were there. When we went to the hospital to ask how he was faring the nurses reported that Syaoran was gone. I thought that he probably went to his apartment, too scared to linger in the hospital, because I was dismissing the idea that he was kidnapped. I probably should have thought of that, but when I went to his apartment, I realized it was unlocked, and some cards were taken. Oh, which reminds me," Touya went upstairs again. We looked at Fujitaka in question. Fujitaka just smiled. A few minutes later Touya appeared again.
" This belonged to Syaoran. He forgot to take it with him. It's called a lasin board, and only he could use it. I think it would be of use to him." Touya handed it over.
It was a board, most definetely, almost like a game piece, with about eight or so corners shaped like a star. There was chinese characters for earth, fire, wind and water. It was mostly black and white, and if we hadn't known better we would have thought it was just a piece of colored metal.
" Arigatou...but I'm not sure how Syaoran would take it. It's already hard enough I
guess...to take Sakura's book," Yugi began,
" Iie, iie, I insist." Touya smiled. " Better to hold on to something that you still have,
then to despair over something you don't. And you do want to help Syaoran, don't
you?" Touya looked kind and friendly, a lot different from Syaoran's description of
him. " Perhaps sometime I would visit him when he's ready. I doubt he is now."
" He isn't." I said bluntly.
" I thought so." Touya nodded. " Anyway. Give them to him. He'll need it."
After many goodbyes we parted. We went through the dark streets of Tomoeda. It
was late. We caught a bus home. It was so quiet, so late, and yet we felt no fear for
ourselves. It wasn't because our yamis were there. It was because Tomoeda was
such a peaceful town. Like a small paradise in a corrupted world. How could
Syaoran leave this place? But we both knew, deep in our hearts, that even this
paradise has been tainted. Amidst the peaceful night, a shadow sleeps. This town is
what Syaoran dreaded. His greatest and only fear dwells in Tomoeda, the keeper of
his bloodiest memories...
