Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter out. I was persuaded to go back to my hometown for the holidays, which meant no time to write or post anything.
The Thirteenth Grave is a Zombie card from the LOB set, atk 1200 def 900, and depicts a skeleton carrying… well, I'm not sure what he carries but the caption at the bottom says "A zombie that suddenly appeared from plot #13 - an empty grave."
Choice
By: CrystalinElf
Chapter 9: The Beginnings of Goodbye
Her eyes were so apologetic when she told me… so full of sorrow that I couldn't bring
myself to be angry over the situation, and a brighter blue than usual as they
glittered with unshed tears.
"I'm sorry Ryou, but I think it's best if we broke up now, and went back to being
friends…I just can't settle for a long distance relationship." Her voice was softer than
usual, a bare whisper really, and I accepted her words with a smile, and a hug, and
reassurance.
I understood, of course. Her family was moving back to America, and her father will be
working for a company in Hawaii. And relationships were hard enough to maintain
without adding that distance between us. At least I know she won't be all alone
there.
She has friends there waiting for her, so she won't be lonely. But she says she'll miss me,
and I know I'll miss her. She's a great friend, and a beautiful girl… I honestly don't
believe that she'll be 'alone' for long, even though she cares about me. She's to
good to be alone, and I just know that she'll find someone new, and forget her romantic
feelings towards me.
Somehow, that just doesn't make me as sad as I believe it should. I know that I'll miss
Rei, but…
Oh Ra, she's leaving and hardly feel sad at all! Not like I've lost a girlfriend, or a
significant other…nor do I even feel as sad as I would if it were Yugi, Anzu, Jou, or
Honda who were leaving. But, aren't she and I close friends? Shouldn't I feel worse than
I do?
What's wrong with me then? Why I don't I feel more of a sense of loss than I do?
She's leaving in three days, and most of her things are already packed, a good chunk of
her family's possessions sent ahead. Anzu suggested that we throw Rei a going
away party, and I let her plan one since she was so instant. I can't quite bring myself to
get involved in the planning, beyond picking her out a gift and telling Anzu what
her favorite foods are.
Bakura has been amazingly silent on the subject, so I guess he's letting me deal with
things on my own, or until I ask for his help. And silently gloating, of course. Father
came home yesterday and broke up with Minako, and she actually managed to move out by
this morning.
Guess she didn't like long distance relationships either, and found someone to spend her
time with when she went out. And she had lots of free time, with Ooshige taking
care of the house, and Bakura and I refusing to spend any time with her. Father
didn't actually seem to upset, so I guess he fell out of lust with her while he was
away.
There certainly wasn't any real love between those two, and I don't want to think to
closely about the relationship they shared…Bakura would definitely laugh at my shyness
of that area, but I just don't want to think of my father as having an intimate life.
Nope, don't want to think about that at all.
I suppose I should go and find a present for Rei now…
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Bakura leaned against a wall, watching his aibou wrapping up a box of duel monster cards in
Pita Ten wrapping paper. Still an odd combo…
// Aibou? Are you sure you want to give her cards? //
/ Yes Yami, this is fine. She loves dueling, after all… //
// Well, alright. //
He lapsed back into silence, contemplating the unexpected sense of calm that radiated from his
hikari. He'd anticipated more sorrow and tears from Ryou, and had expected to be called
upon to comfort his aibou. Ryou's easy acceptance of the breakup with Rei, and the girls
impending move to another country, confounded the ancient Spirit more than almost
anything else could. And I won't think about those very few things that could baffle me
more.
He could, however, surprise his Hikari. "Ryou? When you're done with that, could you wrap
my going away present as well?"
"You got her a present?" Ryou's voice was every bit as surprised as Bakura could have hoped,
and he suppressed his smile as he nodded gravely.
"Well, of course I did aibou. Do you think I shouldn't have?" He asked curiously, wondering
what Ryou's answer would be.
Ryou raised his hands up, negating the thought. "No, I think it's really nice that you got Rei a
gift… I just didn't expect it, and I'm sure she wouldn't have either." He smiled, pleased
that his yami was being so thoughtful.
"Well then, at least it'll be a pleasant surprise." Bakura stated calmly.
"Yami… what kind of unpleasent surprise were you planning?" Ryou asked, a little nervous at
Bakura's statement.
"I would be very unhappy if she hurt you aibou." He smiled slightly, "but I wouldn't have done
anything to terrible Aibou… just scared her a bit."
Ryou watched him for a moment then relaxed and nodded, accepting the answer at face value. Pushing his
yami further for a more elaborate answer wouldn't have done much good if Bakura didn't
want to tell, and Ryou wasn't entirely sure he wanted to know what his yami would have
planned.
"I know it probably seems off Yami, but I don't really mind at all. I know that I should be
upset, but I'm not. I don't feel as close to her as a did a month ago…" Ryou mused, speaking
the things he had been thinking earlier.
"Oh?" Could one word really pack so many questions?
"I can't explain it well Yami… but after I stopped being afraid of losing her to my friends, she
became more of a friend, and less of a 'significant other'. I'll still miss her, but not as much
as I would have before." He sighed, the answer sounding pathetic and banal when spoken.
Bakura shrugged and tossed a small box at his hikari, and continued the conversation as Ryou
caught the box and set it down on some wrapping paper. "You're a perceptive individual
Ryou. Perhaps you unconsciously began letting go of her when she fit in with your friends.
I can't really venture to much of an opinion, I've never fallen in love or been interested in
girls."
"Why would I do that?" Ryou opened the box and peeked hesitantly inside to see what Bakura
had picked out for Rei. He smiled slightly at the contents. All Pita Ten stuff… image cd,
first OST, the entire series, and manga… definitely not something I would have
expected him to do.
He closed the box and taped it shut before proceeding to wrap the box up, adding a pretty bow
and some ribbons beside the gift tag. "Interesting choice Yami… though she probably
won't believe you bought her the Pita Ten stuff. She'll think we mislabeled the gifts."
Bakura shrugged and smirked slightly. "I know, that's why I picked it out."
Ryou looked at him incredulously before shaking his head. "I should have known…"
The spirit laughed softly. "Yes Aibou, you should have. And now, shall we head to the party
and wish our friend well?"
/ Our friend, Yami? /
// Ryou, she was a good friend to you, so I'll consider her one as well. Just don't tell her, ok. //
/ Of course not Yami, of course not. /
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Crys: To Be Continued, and yes I know this is a dreadfully short chapter. But I promised to
post by tonight, and I wanted to write the party and goodbye to Rei seen separately…
Rakka: Actually, she's just tired and wants to go to bed.
Crys: Rakka! Don't say such things!
Rakka: * murmurs * Of course Crys, whatever you say Crys…
Crys: * sigh * Honestly, I was just having a hard time keeping her in things… and keeping
Bakura out-of-love with Ryou. waaaaaaa!
Rakka: Oh Ra… why did I have to be your muse? STOP WHINING CRYS! Do it later, an in
private.
Crys: * whisper * Yes Rakka, whatever you say Rakka.
Rakka: And stop mimicking me. However, nice readers, we're starting a new story soon, as of
yet untitled, where a yami disappears after 'doing it' with their hikari. This was partly
based on someone's author notes, though I can't remember whose, and Hikaru No Go, where
Sai disappeared in ep 61, and the final two episodes of Pita Ten.
Crys: We're taking votes on which yami/hikari pair it should be, possible titles, and whether or
not the ending should be happy. I.e., whether or not the yami in question would return to
life somehow by the end of the story. One shot if unhappy, more than one chapter if it's a
happy ending.
Rakka: Please vote minna, and leave a nice little review ^_^