"Even though you may want to move forward in your life, you may have one foot on the brakes. In order to be free, we must learn how to let go. Release the fear. Refuse to entertain your old pain. The energy it takes to hang onto the past is holding you back from a new life. What is it you would let go of today?"- Mary Manin Morrissey

"That's good! I'm glad that you're coming!" She smiled, all worries and questions about Bakura disappearing momentarily.

Chapter V- A Fatal Suggestion

Patiently, she gazed at her elder brother concentrating on slaying a virtual enemy imprisoned in the arcade machine. The arcade, riddled with noisy sounds of video games, voices of gamers, and jarring music emitted from speakers above, throbbed in her ears.

"Oh, crap!"

"You suck, man! I'll show you what a real expert's like!"

"Aw, shut up, Honda. Like you can do any better."

"What! Hey, you remember that time when…"

Honda's and Jonouchi's voices melted away with the other sounds of the arcade. She sighed, wondering how Anzu could ever leave her with these two together. Anzu was right, she thought, the two of them could be a real bother. She glanced at her brother, who appeared to have stopped arguing.

"Jonouchi? Anzu's supposed to meet up with us, right?" she asked, her gray eyes shone with concern for her friend's whereabouts.

He turned from Honda, who was now submersed in the game Jonouchi had been playing. "Eh? Oh, that's right she went to get Bakura. Should be here by now," he scratched his head, wondering, "Good question, Shizuka… Ah, well, I'm sure that they'll be here any moment now." He shrugged and resumed watching Honda.

She nodded slightly, acknowledging that her brother was probably right. "Well, I'll be going." She slipped away before knowing if they had heard.

Dodging the waves of crowds, she made her way towards the exit. She stepped out and the wind greeted her with a blast of cool air- a pleasant change compared to the almost suffocating air of the crowded arcade. She greedily breathed in the air and refreshed her body with the oxygen.

"Ah… That feels so good…" she said, her hair whipping in the breeze.

"Shizuka!" A familiar girl's voice entered her ear. Anzu? She turned to the origin of the call and searched through multiple faces. "Oh! There she is! Bakura's with her too." She waved to Anzu and hurriedly walked to her.

"Sorry that we were late," Anzu apologized. "So, where's Yugi and the others?"

"Oh, they're in the arcade. Yugi went to the bathroom, but he should be with Jonouchi and Honda right now."

"Well, what are we waiting for? We've just got to get busy about planning what to do, since you're going back to your mother's! I can't believe that you're leaving!" cried Anzu.

"Shizuka's leaving?" inquired Bakura.

"Oh no!" Anzu slapped her forehead. "I forgot to tell you! Shizuka is going to leave Domino tomorrow."

"So soon…? It must be hard for Jonouchi," he paused, "… to have to say goodbye. And for you too, Shizuka."

She nodded. "But, I'm thankful to have spent time with him at all… To see him… There are so many things that I am thankful of." Jonouchi… When will I ever see him again?

"Then you can be thankful of all the fun things we're gonna do, if we can just get going! Come on!" Anzu grasped an arm in each of her hands and pulled them towards the arcade.

Anzu… Thank you for this…

Heat engulfed the three as they entered the arcade. Jonouchi, Yugi, and Honda stood around the same arcade game as before, so Shizuka found them quickly.

"Look who finally showed up, guys," Honda muttered sarcastically.

"We got sidetracked," Anzu protested, "But, more importantly, we have to figure out what to do for Shizuka." She paused. "So… what should we do?"

A long silence followed Anzu's words. Something, something to do…? But what? Somethi-

"Uh, sis, why don't you decide?" Jonouchi asked.

"Um… I don't know," she said, blushing, "I just want it to be something memorable…" Something that I'll remember forever, she thought.

"Like going to a tropical island? We couldn't afford that!" Anzu laughed.

"Too bad," Honda sighed.

Jonouchi punched him in the arm. "I know what you're thinking and the answer is NO!"

"How would you know what I'm thinking!"

"I know you well enough, pervert!"

"Pervert! Who you calling pervert! You're the one who wanted to look at Anzu in the shower!"

Anzu pushed the two away from each other. "That's enough, you two. Let's get back to Shizuka." Anzu paused, thinking. "Wait… I've got an idea… We could go on a trip. We should all go see Bakura's family!"

He doesn't live with his family? she thought, looking at Bakura. But, what does Bakura think of the idea? "Oh!" She looked at Bakura's glazed expression. What did happen to him?

"That is if you're OK with the idea," Yugi said, aware of Bakura's uneasiness. "But, the spirit of the ring is gone now, so there is no reason for you not to see your family."

"Bakura?" Shizuka gently touched his arm. Why wouldn't he want to see his family? What happened?

END OF CHAPTER V

Author here! Yeah, well about the whole make the chapters longer thing… Well, this chapter was unusually long (I printed it and it was over a page long in 10 font) and so was the fourth one (kinda). Anyway, the reason I can't make the chapters too long is because I have school, which comes with homework, and I can only go on the computer on weekends. But, then I do have a computer in my room that's only meant for writing, so that helps. (Just got it too!) Summer's near, so I'll probably write longer chapters or install more chapters in a week.

> ! I blabbed too much! Quick note first, next chapter there's gonna be a cliff hanger! Yay! This is when things get exciting! Bye!