I knowI know haven't updated in a while, forgiveness please n-n;;

Do not own Yu-Gi-Oh


"Yuugi…?"

"Anzu! Over here?"

"Yuugi? Where are you? I can't find you!"

"Come on Anzu!"

"Yuugi! Where are you?"

Anzu slowly opened her eyes, meeting with the ceiling. She stared pensively for a few moments before reluctantly getting up for school. She sighed and laid back down what was the point? Slightly turning her head the sight of the flower beheld her. It peacefully stood near her windowsill taking in the rays of life giving warmth while enjoying the waters Anzu had gave it in a cup of water.

Her thoughts went back to yesterday and the mysterious basket left for her. Was it from Yuugi? Was it from Ryou even? She closed her eyes the dream, it was always the same each passing night. Nothing but darkness only the voice of Yuugi's innocent voice rang through the abyss calling for her but no matter how hard she tried she could never find him.

It was just as he was a distant memory calling o her.

Sadness filled her to think like this but maybe it was time to accept the truth? She shook her head; no she couldn't she wouldn't! "Yuugi…." she trailed off before tears made way again. The bell ringing stopped them and she contemplated whether she should even bother to answer who it was. She sighed and decided not too.

Soon, her window began to clack as if something was hitting it. She groaned and walk to it opening it to See Jounouchi standing. She said nothing.

"Anzu, we need to talk"

She only nodded slightly before making her way down.

"What is it you want to talk about?"

"Everything" Jounouchi said. After that the two were silent as they sat on the bench washing the endless wall of people walking by continuing the mundane routine of their lives.

"Anzu…I know it's been hard for everyone but, you're making it worse by keeping it to yourself…"

"…."

"…. I'm really worried about you…" Jounouchi spoke. Anzu look to him. Noticing this his face immediately cast to a red and he rubbed his head "because you one of my closest friends" he quickly added. Anzu did not reply but notice something instead. Jounouchi followed her gaze.

"A marigold" he commented. Anzu look to him "Marigold?" she ask. He nodded in reply "Yeah, kinda weird to have them growing in this country…" he said.

"Someone….left me a marigold along with some food yesterday…"

Jounouchi look to her "you didn't eat the food right?"

"…"

He jump from his seat "YOU ATE! What if it had been poisoned Anzu?' he exclaimed. Anzu shrugged "it wasn't besides I'm pretty sure Ryou made them for me…" she said sweetly. Jou sighed, "Anzu…. don't scare me like that…." Jou said. Anzu noticed the tremble in his voice.

"The last thing we need…is something happening to you…" he spoke; he turned his back facing towards her. He wiped the growing tears away with his arm before turning to face her "ok?" he ask. Anzu remained silent 'Jounouchi…he took it as bad as I did…and yet he's being the strong one in all of this….'she thought.

"Sorry…." she said. Jou shook his head "it's ok, something in my eye…" he try to lie.

"I'm sorry I couldn't have been stronger in all this Jounouchi…. you've taken the burden of everything to be strong…sorry…. Sorry…." she began to repeat tear threatening to spill. Jou only look to her, before walking and placing an assuring hand on her shoulder.

"Let's get away"

"?"

Joe look to her eyes filled with some excitement "Lets get away from the city ne?" he ask again. She said nothing but replied. He look southward "there should be some forest left to see? We can ditch school for today, k?" he continued.

"Lets go"

Anzu stood up and proceeded to follow him.


"Wow, who knew a forest this big still existed outside of domino city" Jounouchi commented. Anzu look around, everything was, and surrounded with dense forest the only type of travel was now a dirt road, to ensure their safety back to civilization.

"Sugoi, it's like a ocean!" Jounouchi continued he notice that he had been the only one talking the entire journey here. He grimaced; he needed to take her mind off of Yuugi somehow he sighed 'what should I do?' he thought. A small breeze blew.

His stomach growled suddenly "oops" he spoke embarrassed while Anzu gave him a look (-.-) he chuckled "sorry, maybe we'll find something good here" and with that sped off.

"Jounouchi wait up!" Anzu called and went after the blonde "Jounouchi! We're going to get lost!" she called out barely hanging on to the disappearing body around each corner. After battling her way through some bushes she gasped for air.

"Jounouchi!" she called out.

"OIIIII!"

She ran again following the voice "hey Anzu over here!" Jounouchi called holding up a bunch of a fruit 'this is a nice place" he said now sitting down near a brook. Anzu gasped as she walked to him "Don't do that baka!" she began to yell.

"Eh?" he asks. His cheeks now inflated in consequence of shoving his share of the fruit in his mouth. Anzu sweat dropped and notice Jounouchi only smiling with his inflated cheeks. "Mwant wome?" he offered.

Anzu couldn't help but let a smile break through her once cemented face and took an apple from his hand. She sat down beside him and slowly took a bite. Jounouchi stole a glance at her eating the fruit and let out a smile, swallowing the now made mush in his mouth he looked up to the sky as the two enjoy the serene environment.

"We'll find him," he said. Anzu look to him.

"Don't worry, Yuugi will come back" he assured. Anzu only nodded and continue to eat a few rogue tears made way at this. Jounouchi said no more but wrap a friendly arm around the girl. Anzu began eating another bite of the fruit looking up she notice something from the corner of her eye.

"…What is that shrine?"

"Eh?"

"Over there, that shrine" she repeated pointing to it. Jounouchi look "yeah, I didn't see it there before" he replied. Anzu kept looking to it "Maybe…it's to help weary travelers find their way home" she spoke.

"How so?"

"I remember my grandmother told me that shrines in forests were placed to guide weary travelers to villages but also, they were used to revere forest spirits or protect from evil spirits"

Jounouchi shivered at the word spirits "if that's the case, we should head back home then, it's getting late anyways" he said. He stood up, wiping his hands on his knees "Don't need to tempt the fates" he commented. Anzu stood up as well, but her eyes never took off the ancient shrine.

"Anzu?"

Without a word she took off towards it. Jou groaned "Anzu wait up!" he exclaimed and went after her. It was now his turn trying desperately to catch up as she went with surprising speed. "Anzu!' he called out brushing twigs and branches from his path "Anzu!" he called out again. He grimaced, everywhere he turned was nothing but green and leaves he tried calling out but received no answer. He saw a ledge and gulped but he saw Anzu just getting off from It. Slowly he stepped down, grabbing hold to some roots growing outside the ledge.

"Steady…" he thought.

That was when he lost his footing.

"EYYAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!" he screamed as he suddenly ran down all the way unable to stop in fear of breaking his neck until he hit face first against a tree. He slowly let go gasping for air and began making way. As he finally freed himself of the maze, he found stairs. "What the?" he thought and saw Anzu yet again.

"Wait up Anzu!" he called up and ran up, to their destination. What seemed like a millennia they finally arrived. Jounouchi struggled to catch his breath "where…are…we…?" he ask between breaths. He growled wherever they were, better be worth almost dying then walking a million steps. He looked up and only saw a small shrine, rotted and faded barely clinging to what little foundation it had left.

Anzu said nothing but walked towards it inspecting the conditions of it. Jou shivered, this place gave him chills "Anzu…I think we better go…" he said.

"Wait Jounouchi…" she replied coming close to the shrine and notice the radius of marigold surrounding it "the same flower from my basket…" she whispered. Jounouchi walking up from behind her also noticed of the strange flower.

"I remember something about this flower"

"?"

"According to South American myth, the marigold supposedly is a path for the spirits to come into the living" he explain.

"Wow you know something," she taunted. Jounouchi just snorted and looked around only this small place was open to the sea of trees, only faded rock stood as the monuments of fore time. "Okashi…a presence" he suddenly stop a chilll overtaking him.

"What?"

"You felt it too?" Anzu spoke standing up. The breeze began to blow, the gale howling and suddenly the serene environment turned on them closing in. Jounouchi felt a gulp as the chill overtook him.

The gale blew harder and in the midst of his panicked calm the winds spoke. It blew icy chills freezing his blood. "What's?" Anzu began feeling the ominous presence overbearing them.

Not waiting for another reply Jounouchi suddenly grabbed Anzu and made a run for it. Anzu could not speak amidst the confusion as they disappeared from the shrine. Many indeterminable moments passed before the two came to the stop, the ancient ruins far from their sites but still so very close to their minds.

"Jounouchi" Anzu panted.

"Anzu…we never go back" he spoke. Anzu look to him "why not?' she ask. Jounouchi's face stood is morose expression "That place…it's evil…" he answered.

'Evil…?' she thought.

"Lets head back, it's almost dark…" Jou said and began to walk. Anzu was at a loss, not knowing what to do or say at the moment "Wait Jounouchi! Yuugi--!" she began. Jounouchi stopped looking to her "…What about Yuugi?" he ask.

She remained silent, but she had a feeling that wouldn't let go "What if Yuugi was there?" she ask. Jou stood silent "…Yuugi knows better then to go off alone, especially in a forest so vast as this one" he explain. Anzu shook her head "Yuugi was depress Jou! He wanted to be alone! He could have gone anywhere why not here?" she exclaimed, the tearing sensation burning her eyes.

Jou sighed, "You could be right but, lets continue this discussion tomorrow ne?" he said and broke into a tired smile. She slowly and began to follow when she fell to the ground. "Anzu!"

She let a sheepish smile go "Sorry, my legs feel limp from all that running" she said with embarrassment. He walked to her, before kneeling before her, back to front.

"Here, I'll carry you back"

She said nothing, suddenly tired as she climb onto his back. Hoisting the both of them up Jounouchi got a good grip on her legs and began walking back to the civilizations of domino city. The brunette falling asleep he sighed and look to the sky "Yuugi…. Where are you?" he thought. The skies a sea of pinks, yellows and red with sprinkles of purple and the planet Venus shining before all diamonds.

Mesmerized by the watercolor painting in the sky he began to recollect the ceremonial battle, how Yuugi won and Atemu returned to the after life "Atemu…Yuugi…." he thought.

Then from a corner of his eyes he saw something shoot through the sky. His brown eyes widen "Shooting star?" he thought wait no….

"….Ryu…?" he thought seeing the form flying further and further. He stood in awe silence and shook his head "no…. dragons don't exist…except for Kaiba" he spoke to himself and resume the journey home. With that settled he continued onward back to civilization as Anzu only rested, falling deeper into a sleep every passing moment.


Slowly, her eyes began to open, adjusting to the outside world before her. Blinking for a couple of moments, Anzu slightly sat up; too much of her surprised she was back in her room. "Jounouchi?" she called aloud but no answer. Looking around she noticed a new set of flowers along with them a note beside them. Outstretching her hand she grabbed the note and read it's contents.

Anzu, I thought some more flowers would do you some good, ganbatte ne?

I'll see you tomorrow

Love

Jounouchi

She couldn't help but smile 'Jounouchi…' she thought with warmth, holding the letter close to her, feeling as though he were here right now. Soon, she began holding to it tightly as some tears escaped from her, her thoughts wondering back to Yuugi; what if he was out there alone…hungry maybe hurt.

"Yuugi…" she whispered to herself. As her eyes clenched, she did not notice a ball of light hovering right out her window, spying on the grieving girl. It swayed, back and forth, back and forth, before it's gas like form went through the solid object. It floated all around before moving towards her. It began to circle her. Gently. Softly. Trying to uplift her spirits. She open her eyes, and her heart jumped in fright seeing the orb of pure energy hovering right in front of her. As if sensing her fright, the form immediately began to go through a metamorphosis and to Anzu's delight it became a butterfly, it's wings sprinkling off every beautiful color she could imagine. It began yet again to surround her, leaving a trail of sparkles.

More overcome by curiosity then fear, Anzu slowly outstretched her hands, hoping that it may befriend her. The butterfly swayed left to right on either side of her hands until finally, it landed in her palms. Anzu looks to it in awe as it gave off a warm glow in each color it gave off. "I'm Anzu…. Who are you?" she asked it dismissing the fact she was talking to a glowing orb of energy.

As if responding to her answer, the butterfly took off, heading towards the window, Anzu quickly went to follow it seeing that it just moved through the window. Opening her window her head popped outside, seeing the butterfly flying into a sturdy oak tree. The firm object began to emanate a pulsating light, it's leaves swayed from the warm heat it was receiving. She could only look in awe in a brief moment she could have sworn a figure was in the branches looking straight back at her. The light grew brighter and thousand upon thousands of butterflies spread their wings and lunged themselves into the warm night and as they flew farther and farther they became the nights stars.

She only looked in astonishment, not knowing to make head or tails of it all, or what did it all mean. Could it have been Yuugi? Trying to reach out to her? Telling her that he was fine? After staring out into the heavens, she finally retreated back to her bed, not knowing what to do or say but whatever it was, it had comforted her somewhat. She closed her eyes and began to fall into a peaceful sleep for the first time in months.

As she fell into deep slumber, a lone butterfly came back to her, and lightly landing on her pillow near her, it's wings flapped ever so slowly until they ceased and it stood watch over the little apricot through out the night.

tBc


see ya fOX