I don't own Yugioh.

Chapter 14

***Dream***

The shadow creature looked up at his quarry, "Are you going to talk, or are you still going to play dumb?"

Sugoroku winced and looked up, "I will…never allow you…to hurt Yugi…"

"Damn old man!" the thing hissed, "This is not a game!"

"I know," Sugoroku replied grimly, "It's not a game.  Just like how the Shadow Realm you can tap into…is not a game."

The thing growled, "You tell me right now…how do you know about the Shadow Realm?!"

"I won't answer," Sugoroku whispered, "I won't put anyone else in danger."

"Tell me!!" the fiend cracked the whip again.

Sugoroku winced, but didn't say anything.

"That is no matter," the creature regained his composure, "It means nothing in the conquest against the Gaian."

"Don't…," Sugoroku whispered, "…haven't you hurt them enough…?"

"I follow orders from my lord and master," the fiend glared at him, "You don't tell me what to do!"  It cracked the whip again, causing another wound on the man.  "The only reason why we keep you is for bait.  Nothing more.  Now, be silent!"  The whip descended again.

***End dream***

"Jiichan?!" Yugi sat bolt upright, panting.  He blinked, remembering where he was.  He looked around.  That's right…we're on the way to save jiichan.  But then the storm came up suddenly, and we had to land.  I wonder what time it is…?  I don't hear the rain coming down anymore, but it's still dark out.  Yugi looked around.  Everyone's fast asleep.  Yugi slowly got up, and walked out of the plane.

Yugi looked around, then took a deep breath and slowly let it out.  The storm had passed, and the clouds were gone, revealing the stars.  Yugi looked up at them for a while.  Hang in there, jiichan.  We're coming to save you.  But…what were they talking about, in my dream just then.  Gaians?  A Gaian?  What's that? 

A warm wind blew, and Yugi walked over to the shore where the waves of the ocean were splashing against the rocks.  He sat down on one of the rocks and looked out at the open sea.  It's warm here…we must be by the equator by now.  We still haven't reached Midway Island, but I can't even see Japan anymore.  We've gone quite some distance.  It feels like just yesterday, things were normal.  But I wonder…has it really been 'normal'?  I've always felt that I don't really fit in.  Why?  I don't know…I just know that I've always felt that there's something that separates me from the other kids.  That I'm different somehow.  I wonder why…Yugi blinked when he put his hand near his heart.  He grabbed the golden chain hanging around his neck, out of sight of everyone else, and pulled it out, looking at the pendant.  It was flat, but a pure white stone.  No matter how much blood he had shed being beaten, or playing or getting dirty, it never lost its shine.  Not once.  It seemed almost superficial.  Yugi closed his eyes.

***Flashback***

A 4-year-old Yugi looked up from where he was playing and saw a box sitting on the shelf.  He walked over to it and reached for it.  After jumping a few times, he finally got it, and opened it up.  Inside was the most beautiful pendant he had ever seen.  It reflected the light, sparkling with golden light even though it was of pure white in color.  There was even something that looked sort of like Kanji but some other language inscribed on the back in gold.  He carefully took it out of the box, looking at it.  For some reason, he felt connected to it.  He turned around to where Shike was working on some papers.

"Okaa, what's this?" Yugi held it up.

Shike looked up, then blinked, "Where did you…?"

"Found it in box," Yugi pointed.

Shike came over and bent down in front of him, "That was something…meant for you."

Yugi looked at it, "This pretty rock?"

Shike took it from the little boy's hands and put it around his neck, snapping it into place at the back and letting it hang around his neck like a necklace.

Yugi blinked, then took it in one hand and looked up, "Okaa…?"

"I think you can have that now," Shike whispered to him, then hugged him suddenly.

Yugi blinked, "Okaa…?  Doushita no?" 

Shike shook her head, "Nandemonai, Yugi-chan."

Yugi blinked.  "Okaa?"

"Nandemonai…"

***End Flashback***

Yugi glanced back down at the necklace he held.  I've always had it.  That day, when my adopted mom gave it to me…I knew it was special.  I wonder why.  Why is it meant for me to have?  Was it something from where I'm from?  Is this a clue?  It's a pretty vague clue.  If I could only read the writing on the back…I'm sure I'd be able to figure it out.  But I don't know what it says.  It's like…a hieroglyph or another language.  One I haven't seen before.  Yugi sighed, taking in the ocean air as the sun started to come up, casting vibrant colors across the horizon.

"You're up early."

Yugi jumped and looked behind him, quickly putting the pendant away.  "Anzu…?"

Anzu walked over and sat down next to him.

"Why are you up?" Yugi asked, "Is everything alright?"

Anzu smiled and nodded, "I just woke up.  For some reason, I couldn't fall back asleep.  But what are you doing out here?  Shouldn't you be resting?"

Yugi shook his head, "That medicine that Seto gave me…made whatever this was go away.  I feel fine."

"You look better," Anzu nodded, then placed a hand to Yugi's forehead, "But you still feel a little warm.  Take it easy."

"I will," Yugi nodded.

"So…why are you out here?" Anzu asked, "I was worried when I didn't see you in the plane."

"Gomen ne," Yugi replied, "I had another dream about jiichan, and I wanted some fresh air."

"You're worried, aren't you?" Anzu whispered.

Yugi nodded, "Un.  Jiichan…he saved my life.  And, he helped to take care of me from the time when I was five until I was eight and he had to leave on a trip.  Now he needs my help.  I can't let him down."

Anzu looked at him for a while.

"Nani?" Yugi asked when he saw she was looking at him.

"Iie," Anzu blushed a bit, looking back out at the ocean, "I was just thinking…how much you've grown since I met you."

"Eh?"

"Well," Anzu smiled, "When we first met, you didn't talk at all.  You didn't even talk in school.  Then, little by little, you started talking to me.  We'd talk about all sorts of things.  But you stammered over your words.  Like you were unsure.  Then, Yami comes, and we met Jou, and your stammering went away.  Then you work up the courage to allow Seto to help you bring your parents to justice.  Then, when you found out that your grandpa was in trouble, you were the one that suggested we go after him.  And now, you're so resolute and determined.  You have a lot more courage then you give yourself credit for."

"Demo…," Yugi looked down, "…I cry a lot…"

"That's okay," Anzu shrugged, "It's okay to cry.  You get serious when you need to.  And, you realize things ahead of everyone else.  In school, even before we were friends, you always held the top grades.  You were the number one student.  And, your intuition was always accurate.  It was like you were so advanced…like you're ahead of the times."

Yugi blushed, then looked down.  "I…I'm really glad we're friends, Anzu.  You've always been there for me…just like everyone else, now.  I know I wouldn't have been able to do this on my own."

"That's what we're here for," Anzu smiled at him.

"But why did you come along?" Yugi blinked, "I mean, this really has nothing to do with you or Jou.  Why did you decide to come?  It could get dangerous if my dreams are accurate."

Anzu smiled, "Why did I come?  Well…I wanted to help you, Yugi.  We're friends, and I'm not about to just abandon you.  It may not concern me…but that doesn't matter to my heart."

"To your…heart?"

Anzu nodded, "You know what I mean.  When you find someone precious to you, you want to protect that person.  No matter what.  I decided to come…because I don't want you to do this alone.  Because I want you to remember that we're your friends, and we'll always be here for you."  And, for something else…for what my heart tells me.  For something that I don't quite understand yet.  But I'll just try to go along with.  My heart…

Yugi wiped his eyes, "That means a lot to me to hear.  I'm glad.  I'm glad to have such good friends.  And, I'm glad you came along, Anzu.  It was you who helped me back on the plane when I got scared.  I just wish…that I wasn't so afraid of things.  Then, I could protect everyone better…instead, I always end up being protected."

"Yugi," Anzu took his hand, "You are brave.  Think of all the things you've accomplished.  All the hardships you've pushed past.  Who defines 'bravery', anyway?  Bravery and courage can be like what we see in comics and on TV, but the real courage is the things that nobody sees.  That's what I think."

"That nobody sees?"

Anzu nodded, "Like…it's hard to explain.  What pushes one forward when one is losing everything?"

Yugi frowned.

Anzu smiled, "I think…that living is the biggest act of bravery there is.  To keep on going even when things are tough.  I know sometimes…we don't think strait, and make stupid decisions.  And sometimes, we get hurt because of those mistakes.  Physically or mentally.  So, then, what pushes us onward?  Even as things looked bleak.  Yugi, why did you continue to live despite what was happening to you?"

Yugi blinked, tears in his eyes.  He looked at the ground, "Because…well, in the beginning, I considered dying.  I thought that…maybe it wasn't so bad.  But then I got scared.  I didn't want to die.  But why I lived…?  I really don't know, Anzu.  Maybe I was just waiting."

"Waiting?"

Yugi nodded, "Un.  Like in a game of Duel Monsters."

"I don't understand…"

"If you play a game," Yugi smiled, "And you're dealt a bad hand when you draw, do you give up?"

Anzu shook her head, "No…"

"Isn't it sort of like living, then?" Yugi smiled, "Like a game of Duel Monsters?  You may get dealt a bad hand…but you never know what your next draw will be.  That's what I always forced myself to think about.  That things would improve.  That, even though it seems like I'm losing, I'll draw the card that will turn the entire game around."

"Like when you solved the puzzle and found Yami," Anzu realized.

Yugi nodded, "Don't you agree?  That life is sort of like a game of cards?"

"I suppose," Anzu nodded, "That's what pushed you on?"

"And," Yugi smiled, "After I found you and Yami…then Jou, Seto, and Mokuba…I decided that I would live on for my friends.  And even if you were all gone…I know I'm not alone, because we were friends."  Yugi blushed, "Gomen…that doesn't make any sense…"

"No…it makes a lot of sense," Anzu whispered.  She suddenly embraced him, "I'm glad that I'm your friend.  I'm glad that you're okay.  And, I'm glad that you're the person you are.  I wouldn't want you to change one bit."

Yugi blinked, then softened, encircling her in a hug as well, "Anzu……arigatou."

They sat there a while in each other's arms, then drew apart.

"Sa…," Anzu held out her hand, "Let's get back before the others wake up and throws a fit that we're both gone."

Yugi giggled, "They would get pretty angry, huh?" he accepted the hand and Anzu helped him to his feet.

"Yea," Anzu laughed.  She started back, with Yugi beside her, the two of them smiling.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Japanese – English

Okaa – Short for 'Okaasan', which  means 'mother'

Sa – So…/well… (when used at the beginning of a sentence.  When used as a question, it means 'who knows?')

Iie – No

Nani – What