Hey, I know that my other story The Sunset That Turns the Sands Blood Red isn't even finished. But I just couldn't help but make this one! This story was just burning a hole in my head!

Warning: If any of you readers totally hate Anzu, then don't read this. This fic is not an Anzu-basher. In fact, this story mainly bases around Anzu and her thoughts, but it is not in her point-of-view. And if you have a flame, I totally accept it.

Disclaimer: Everybody knows that I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. And it's kind of pathetic saying this every chapter, but oh well. I, the authoress, do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters that I may borrow for this story. Please note that... Blah. Blah. Blah...

Now, onto the story!

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Tainted Memories

Chapter One: Encounter

Anzu slowly walked her way to school, a frown plastered onto her face. She gazed up into the autumn sky as she walked through the gathering, fallen leaves. A small smile appeared on her face when the feeling of the sun's rays overcame her body. The warmth, it was so welcoming...enticing. It wasn't like the coldness she always had felt inside. The rays kept her body warm, alive. It gave her a sensation that she had never felt before. With the sun's rays, she felt complete. With it, the gaping hole inside her was filled, but not with true happiness. It was filled with concrete happiness. It was not the same as natural joy. It was just like stucco. It's there to cover something, but it was hard and rough... rough enough to scratch someone.

" Hey Anzu!" A greenish-haired girl called as she came up to Anzu. The brunette girl broke away her gaze from the sky and looked at her classmate.

" Oh hey!" She greeted back, giving a fake smile. The other girl bought it. How pathetic.

" Anyway, I just wanted to ask if you would like to join up with me and my friends over at Burger World after school! We really want to have your ideas and comments about the upcoming School Festival!"

" Ummm... Sure!" Anzu replied, unsure of what to say. ' Oh shoot! What about Yugi, Jou and Honda? Oh well, I'll just have them come with me'

" Great! I'll see ya there at around four!" The other girl jogged forward so that she would reach the school earlier.

Anzu watched her classmate vanish into the crowd, then glanced back up into the firmament once again. A gentle breeze blew softly against her, causing her hair dance gracefully with the wind. She gradually closed her eyes and inhaled a big whiff of the clean, fresh air. 'Cleanliness. Purity. How can something so untainted exist in a world like this?'

It was about five minutes later when Anzu finally reached her destination. School. The brunette-haired girl entered her classroom. She paused at the front of the door. Her blue eyes automatically numbered the amount of students present before her. There had to be at least fifteen. Yugi, Honda, and Jou were chatting over at the far, back, right-hand corner of the room, right next to the large windows.

Anzu somewhat beamed before sitting down at her one-seated desk. The sound of Honda and Jou's playful bickering reached closer and closer to her. Anzu looked up to see Honda bestowing Jou a noogie...again. She gave off a fake laugh. From the outside, she looked happy and as if nothing's wrong, but she knew that inside was the opposite. Totally opposite, but still, the scene was somewhat amusing.

" Heheh. It's so nice to see both of you playing with each other! But you guys better stop before someone gets hurt," she told both boys in her phony, perky voice. She gave a great sigh. Friends like Yugi, Jou, and Honda were the only ones who gave her the will to live, that's why she was so caught up in the importance of friendship. Having friends made her happy. Her friends filled a partial part of the empty hole within her soul.

" Yeah, both of you better beware." Added Yugi, who was sitting on top of another vacant table right next to the girl. The boys didn't even seem to hear anything Anzu and Yugi said.

" Hahahahahaha!!! S- Stop it! That Tickles! Hahahahahaha! HA!" Honda begged. He was sprawled all over the floor with Jou tickling his belly! " Stop it! Stop it I said!"

" Heheheh. Beg all you want, I'll jus-" Jou's body stiffened at the feeling of a tap on his shoulder. Honda stopped his noisy hysterics and Yugi immediately sat down on his seat. Jou, little by little, twisted his head around and saw the teacher, who was looking very pissed off at him and Honda. " H-hey?" He stuttered and lifted his hands off from Honda.

" Uh.... I'll be going back to my seat now." Honda straight away got up off the floor and stumbled his way to his desk.

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(After school...)

" Hey guys, I kind of told Miho that I'd meet up with her and her friends at Burger World to help out with the festival. Is it okay if we go there instead of the park? Hey, maybe you guys can pitch in some thoughts! " Anzu asked the others while all of them exited the school gate.

" Umm... Okay! I was getting hungry anyway!" Jou agreed, rubbing his stomach continuously and drooling at the thought of food.

" It's fine with me." Honda shrugged.

" I agree! Plus, I have all these new ideas for games to play at the festival!" Yugi added in.

" Great! We'll go there now!" Anzu said and hesitated before giving off a lively giggle. Giggling made her sick.

She and the rest of the boys walked their way towards the restaurant. Honda, Yugi, and Jou chatted about the project their class was going to do for the festivities.

" I say we should put up a game using the looks of hot girls!" Jou sniggered a couple minutes later. " It'd be called 'The Real High School Girl Cabaret!' Heheheh."

" Very funny Jonouchi." Anzu said as she opened the door to Burger World. " I don't really think that anyone but the boys would want to have that." All of them stepped into the eatery.

The four of them searched the seats looking for Miho and her friends. At the farthest table from the counter was where they spotted them. Miho was waving her arms to catch their attentions. Miho then pointed out to a group of seats close by her spot. Her pointing meant " sit here!"

Anzu, Yugi, Jou and Honda soon afterwards sat down at the available seats.

" You actually came!" One of Miho's friends said in a giddy tone. The rest of Miho's friends giggled afterwards. This made Anzu really feel sick. She felt sick enough to barf. It's not that she didn't like Miho and her friends. It's just that too much happy things and perky tones made her cringe. But of course, Anzu would never show it. She gave off a laugh to blend with the group.

" Umm.... I suddenly need to use the C.R." She said and stood up and started to walk towards the Women's Restroom. She didn't really need to use the comfort room. She just wanted to get away from all the laughter. " I'll be back in a jiffy!"

Instead of actually going to the restroom, Anzu stepped outside Burger World to take in a deep breath...A very deep breath. She needed to filter out the anger that she felt was starting to build up in her. She wasn't really angry. She was just ticked off at all the giggling. She giggles too, but that was only to shield her true inner self from being seen.

She lifted her pale wrist to glance at her watch.

It was 4: 31 in the afternoon, five minutes since she took a step outside.

" Huh? That time already? Guess I better head back inside." She once again pushed the entrance door open and headed to where her friends were.

" Hey Yugi." She automatically said when she passed by a figure that looked like Yugi. " I guess he went to buy the foo-" She came to an abrupt stop about two steps away from the person. " Yugi?" She turned, noticing the sudden change of outfit of her friend. Yugi now wore a black, sleeveless shirt with matching black leather pants. Several belts rested on his waist. Gold and silver bracelets were wrapped around his wrists. The somewhat taller boy didn't respond. His back was still faced towards her.

Anzu took her two steps back at her friend. She felt this strange sensation within her, a sensation far different from the sun's rays licking her skin. It felt so serene and composed, yet with heartrending grief and sorrow, though she completely ignored the feeling. " Yugi, when did you change out of your unifor-"

" Hmm?" The boy sounded, slightly turning his head so that he could see the girl. Anzu bolted her mouth tight. Embarrassment overwhelmed her body, but not so much that it shadowed over the tranquil ness and the distress within her. That wasn't Yugi!

" Oh, heheh." She stammered. " Sorry, I thought you were someone else." The boy fully turned his head so that Anzu could see his whole face. He looked liked Yugi, yet his eyes were so much different. His eyes were slanted, filled with anger and despondency. They were the color of bold violet. It seemed so bold that it could've been mistaken for the color of spilt blood. Yugi's eyes, on the other hand, was violet like the spring flowers, filled with happiness and innocence. It was of an innocence so strong; he could've seemed like the purest being on the planet.

Anzu gaped at his unusual eyes. She looked really stupid just standing there, staring at a some stranger's hues.

" Anzu! Come here!" She heard Jou call. She immediately broke her gaze and responded to her friend's call.

" Be right there in a minute!" She yelled over her shoulder, seeing a small glimpse of Jou dropping himself on his seat. By the time she twisted her sight back to where the stranger was, he was already gone. It was as if he disappeared into the atmosphere.

TBC...

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So, what do ya readers think? Good? Bad? So embarrassingly terrible that it should be used for firewood? Tell me what all of you think!

And I won't continue until at least I get two good reviews!

Ja Ne!