Ariette: So here's the next chappie! Ok, so, I'm REALLY sorry for the delay! But I brought you a long chapter! So enjoy! :D (By the way, I believe this chapter is a little on the Angst side, so, beware! No 10 years or younger can read this! Just to make sure.)
Yugioh Zexal does not belong to me, though I would like to.
Note Twelve: How can I be normal…?
A beautiful bird's song was heard through the open window. Suddenly, three birds - their feathers being a mix of red, blue, green and yellow - perched themselves in the window's frame. The three started singing together, like if they were practicing all night to make a perfect song. A black and red haired boy watched them with interest. The birds, feeling the boy's interest, started singing even more beautifully than before. This surprised the boy, he thought the birds would leave scared but they didn't.
But then, something strange happened: the birds' feathers changed. The first bird's feathers became an emerald green and bright golden yellow. The second's feathers became a beautiful sky blue and powerful golden yellow. The last one's feathers became a deep ruby red and a dark golden yellow. But even with that change, the birds kept singing beautifully. The boy forgot about the change and listened to the bird's song. The song was so beautiful that the boy closed his eyes and relaxed.
And suddenly, the deep ruby bird tried to gain the entire boy's attention. It started singing higher than the other two birds, to the point that neither the emerald nor the sky blue's voices were heard. The boy opened his eyes and looked at the ruby bird, making the bird sing even more. The boy smiled at the ruby bird and looked at the other two, who didn't stopped singing either, although the boy couldn't hear them. The ruby bird got jealous because the boy wasn't watching him, and got nearer the boy so the boy could only have eyes for him.
The boy noticed and looked at the ruby bird. He smiled again and stayed hearing the bird's song. He soon forgot about the other two birds and gave all his attention to the ruby bird. But the other two birds kept singing, even if the boy wasn't listening. And then, the ruby bird's voice started failing. Soon the ruby bird couldn't sing anymore, because he used his voice too much. The boy seemed disappointed and noticed the other two singing birds. The boy opened his eyes wide.
The two birds were singing even more beautifully together than the ruby bird alone.
He then looked at the emerald bird and the sky blue bird. The boy couldn't understand why and how did the two birds continued singing beautifully while the ruby one couldn't do it anymore. He then understands it was because the two birds didn't raise their voices as the ruby one. The boy closed his eyes and enjoyed the two bird's song. The ruby one got even more jealous and tried to start singing again, but couldn't do it. The ruby bird then looked at the boy, who was still with his eyes closed, and got angry. The ruby bird started making high pitched squeals, what made the boy open his eyes.
When the boy opened his eyes, the ruby bird started flying near the boy. Suddenly, the ruby bird's feathers turned pitch black and it grew bigger. He gave a squawk and turned against the boy. The now black bird started attacking the boy, and with its claws he tried to hurt him. The boy got scared and tried to get the bird away. The black bird saw an opportunity and with its claws he cut the boy's side. The boy screamed and fell to the floor. The black bird took advantage of this and started making cuts all over the boy. The boy screamed once more and then everything fades to darkness.
With a loud scream, a black and red haired boy woke up. His breathing was accelerated and he felt that his heart was going to leave his body. A trail of sweat running down his face and his eyes wide awake. He tried to control his breathing, and put his left hand in his heart spot. When he thought he was calming down a sudden pain grew from his abdomen. He touched said area only to find his hand covered in red. He widened his eyes with surprise. Did that dream he just had been true?
He didn't have the time to answer himself because of a desperate knock down in his room.
"Yuma! Yuma! What happened? Are you alright? Yuma!" His sister was knocking the door over and over again.
He jumped scared at the sudden knock. Then he thank mentally that he had looked the door before going to sleep, that way his sister won't see his new found wounds. He slowly stood, trying to ignore the horrible pain he was feeling. Slowly, he reached for the door that his sister was still knocking.
"Yuma! Answer me! Yuma!" He could hear his sister's broken voice. She was going to cry, he knew it.
"I-I'm fine, Akari. You don't have to worry." The boy said, forcing the words out of his throat.
"Yuma! Please, open the door!" His sister pleaded.
"I told you I'm fine, Akari. Please, go back to sleep." He said, biting his lips to suppress his pain.
"How can you say that?! I want to see you! I need to see you!" Akari yelled, hitting the door.
Yuma sighed and looked around his messy room. He then move closer to his bed and took the sheets. He covered himself with them.
"Open this dam door, Yuma! What's happening?! Let me in!" Akari kept knocking and hitting the door.
"Fine." Yuma then proceed to unlock the door and open it.
"Yuma!" Akari entered and hugged the boy tightly.
"Ugh!" Yuma bitted his lips again; his sister had touched one of his wounds.
"Yuma! What's wrong? Why are you covering yourself?" Akari was about to take the sheets Yuma was using to cover himself.
"Stop!" He yelled scared.
"Yuma..." Akari stared him surprised. "Yuma, what's wrong? Please, tell me."
"A-Akari, p-please leave me alone." Yuma pleaded with watery eyes.
Akari looked surprised at his brother... She didn't understand why he wanted that. "Yu," She pronounced the nickname she usually told him when they were little. "Yu, you know you can tell me anything, what's wrong?"
"Akari please..." Tears started falling down his eyes.
"Yu..." She thought the best way to comfort his brother was hugging him. Bad idea.
When she hugged him, he quickly screamed. "LEAVE ME ALONE!"
Akari moved away from him completely surprised and hurt. Yuma then noticed his error when he saw the tears falling down his sister's eyes. He saw how hurt and sad was she now, all because his fault.
"I-I'll leave you, Yuma. Maybe you want to talk tomorrow." Yuma was surprised at the cold tone in Akari's voice. What have he done?
"A-Akari, no! I..." Tears fell from his eyes too, while the first ones were out of pain this ones were out of sadness and guilt.
Akari pretended she didn't hear him and walked away from the room, closing the door behind her. Yuma could only cry; his pain nothing compared to the guilt he was feeling now. He fell to his knees and kept crying silently, forgetting his aching abdomen and his horrible nightmare.
He woke up again. He didn't even notice when he fell asleep again. He only knew he had stayed crying in the floor for a couple of minutes after Akari left. He stood, his aching abdomen begging for medical attention. He slowly left his room, still covering with the sheets of last night. He went to the bathroom, where he took a shower and cleaned his wounds. He would keep asking himself how the hell he keeps getting his wounds. Unless he was a sleepwalker or someone was entering his room at night, there was no understandable reason for those wounds.
He saw that the sheet he used to cover himself was painted with blood. His blood. He felt sick only to think about it. How on Earth did he have so many troubles? What had he done to get the bad side of Heavens? He'll never know, but he had to live with it. He left the bathroom, and looking at both sides he ran to his room. There he changed his clothes to his school uniform. When he finished getting prepared, he took the bloody sheet and hides it in the attic, so no one would be able to find it. He went downstairs and was surprised when he didn't saw his sister. Instead, grandma Haru greeted him with a lovely smile.
"Yuma, are you going to school already?" Haru asked, still with the smile in her face.
"Yes, grandma." He looked at his grandma once more. "Do you want me to bring you something after school?"
Haru seemed a bit surprised, but the smile never fades. "What makes you think that, dearie?"
"You're smiling at me. And you have that twinkle in the eyes that always tell me you want something." Yuma pointed out.
"Well, in fact, I do wish to ask you a favor." Haru said, her smile getting wider.
"What that would be?" Yuma asked.
"This." Haru handed a note to Yuma. Yuma almost paralyzed when he saw the yellow note. But when he gave a good look at it he breathed. "I need you to buy the things in that list. Can you do that for me?"
"Sure grandma!" He smiled sheepishly, giving a mental sigh.
"Here is the money. I don't think you'll get to use it all, but it's better safe than sorry." Haru smiled.
Yuma smiled back and left the house. Almost two blocks away from home Akira appeared.
"What's up, Yuma?" Akira smiled cheerfully as ever.
"Nothing much. My grandma wants me to buy some things for her after school." Yuma said, but then he looked away.
Of course, Akira noticed the change. "Someting wrong, Yuma? Why the sad face?"
Yuma sighed. "It's just... I haven't seen Astral for five days... Do you think... He's still mad?"
Akira looked at him, no words left his throat. He then looked away and mumbled. "I don't know."
Yuma raised an eyebrow. Since when did Mighty Black Mist act like that? "Spill the beans. What do you know?"
Akira looked at Yuma. "You won't like it..."
Yuma widened his eyes. So he knows something! "Tell me."
Akira sighed. "Well, I decided to pay a little visit to Astral..."
"YOU WHAT?!" Yuma yelled, gaining the people around's attention.
Akira facepalmed and took Yuma's arm. "We're going to be late for school." Then he whispered. "I'll tell you afterwards."
The two boys reached school just in time. They would have reached it sooner if it wasn't because of Yuma who was trying to get Akira spill the beans. (Which he obviously refused.) They took their usual seats and class moved on. It was a perfectly normal day, the usual ups and downs of class and the usual brain torture the students could get. (Unless you're Astral or Durbe, they love classes.)
When day finished, Yuma excused himself with his friends, showing Haru's list to them.
"So, as you can see, grandma wanted me to buy a bunch of things, what means I won't be able to hang with you guys."
The 'Super Secret Numbers Club' was watching the list with widened eyes.
"Is that even possible?" Tetsuo asked.
"Who would have thought that someone could buy so much food, nya~" The cat lover said.
"That's way too much, ura~!" The shortest of all exclaimed.
"To summarize, I believe that's nearly an impossible task." The class rep commented.
"Nah! It's not that impossible! I've done this many times before." Yuma said with a bored expression.
"NANI?!" Everyone, minus Kotori, Yuma and Akira, screamed.
Kotori could only laugh. After all, it was true. She personally had helped Yuma buy such things.
"You must be really strong to carry all that, Yuma!" Akira said delighted. Kotori stopped laughing immediately. She knew she promised to get along with Akira, bit he gave her the creeps. The big ones.
"What are you talking about? I don't, I usually take one of you to help me. Usually it's Kotori, but this time I'm taking you instead!" Yuma said.
"N-nani?" Akira was out of words, again.
"Let's go!" He took Akira's left wrist and started running. "Bye guys! See you tomorrow!"
"Bye, Yuma!" The guys screamed back.
"Good bye, Yuma! See you tomorrow, nya~!" Cathy screamed.
"Bye, Yuma." Kotori whispered.
When the two boys were at a prudent distance, they stopped running. Yuma then started walking to the grocery store, followed closely by Akira. In the grocery store they picked up what the list said. A couple of moments after they left the store Yuma stopped walking. This earned Akira's attention.
"What happened, Yuma?" Akira asked arranging the bags in his hand to feel more comfortable.
"Do you plan to tell me?" Yuma asked back.
Akira stared at the boy and then sighed. "Are you sure?"
This question took Yuma off guard. He blinked without understanding what Akira meant. He then nodded. "Yes."
Akira sighed again. "Fine." He turned his back. "When I visited Astral he was very upset."
"Why did you go in the first place?"
"I wanted to clear things up. I didn't want him mad at you. But he said he didn't care, he didn't want to be with you anymore..." Akira spoke, never eyeing Yuma.
Yuma opened his mouth, tears threatening to get out. "He really said that?"
"He did. He even said..." Akira cut himself before finishing.
"What? What did he said?!" Yuma practically yelled.
"It would be wise if we return home and forget this." Akira started walking, his face surrounded by shadows.
Yuma ran and stood in front of him. "No! Tell me what he said! I need to know!"
Akira didn't look up. "Yuma, it's better if we just-"
"I don't want to hear that! Akira- no. Black Mist, I'm begging you to tell me what he said!" Yuma pleaded.
"Yuma... You shouldn't know. Sometimes it's better if you just don't. "
"Quit that! I need to know! You know how important is this to me!"
Akira sighed. "Fine, but please Yuma, please don't do anything reckless."
"I won't."
Akira sighed once more. "He said he hated you..."
Yuma opened his eyes wide as tears fell down.
"I tried to talk to him, but he only kept saying that it was a big mistake that he ended with you. He said that you were a lame duelist and that you weren't strong enough to be his partner. He said you were selfish and very stubborn to work with. That all you called hope was really just beginner's luck. He even said that your dad must have made a huge mistake when he gave you the Key..."
"No..." Yuma couldn't believe it. "No! No!"
"I didn't even know that Astral knew how to swear. You'll be surprised at how many swearing he did."
Yuma looked up, crying. "Astral really said all those things?"
"He did, even I was surprised."
Yuma nodded. He cried all the way home. When they reached the house, Yuma ran to his room, locking himself up. This worried Haru, but Akira told her that Yuma was fine, that he just had a fight with a friend. Haru believed Akira and invite him to stay a little longer, of course, Akira refused saying he still had some errands to do.
Yuma stayed in his room all afternoon. The next day, Yuma decided to skip school. He was locked in his room and didn't want to get out. His sister (who stopped being mad at him) and his grandma tried to get him out, but it didn't work. Worse thing was that he refused completely at eating.
Day after day Yuma kept this attitude. His sister and grandma growing really worried for him. It passed a whole week were Yuma refused to get out his room or go to school. At least Kotori came and forced Yuma to eat, but even with that Yuma refused to do it. Yuma's skin became paler and his appearance became sicker. His eyes were always tired, he didn't seem to have the strength to even walk, his face was sadder and it looked he was going through a lot of pain. Yuma's friends stopped by to see how he was, but he never received them. Even Shark, who had a very busy life, appeared one or two times that week. Not to mention Rio and Haruto, who were also really worried for Yuma. Even Kaito appeared once! And it didn't matter who came, Yuma never got out of his room.
This attitude completely worried them all. For his friends it was like when Yuma was depressed after Sargasso, for Akari and Haru it was like that moment after Yuma's trip with his friends. (They don't know it's the same thing.) Akari had planned to take Yuma to the Hospital again, but Yuma panicked and refused. That night, Yuma's friends were just leaving when Yuma decided to go downstairs. Everyone froze when they see him, he looked worse than they were told. (Only Akari, Haru and Kotori had seen him.) Yuma only looked at them and quickly went upstairs without saying a word, leaving everyone in the room with a question mark over their heads.
"I didn't know Yuma seemed so sick." Tetsuo spoke, worry in his voice.
"I hope he gets well very soon, nya~" Cathy said with sadness.
"I hope the same Cathy-chan, Yuma didn't seem quite himself." Rio spoke worried.
"Maybe it's because of Astral?" Everyone looked at young Haruto.
"What does Astral have to do in this Haruto?" Kotori asked.
"Well, I haven't seen or feel Astral. What if something happened to him and that's why Yuma is acting this way?" Haruto said, making everyone in the room wonder.
"Who's this Astral?" Akari asked.
"He's a very close friend of Yuma and us. Though we haven't seen him in a while..." Haruto answered.
Akari gasped. "That's it! That's the reason!"
Everyone looked at Akari with wide eyes. "Nani?" Rio asked.
"Grandma told me that the day when Yuma started acting like this, he had a fight with one of his friends, or at least that's what Akira told her. If it was one of you then Yuma would have come back to his senses, but you're all saying that you haven't seen this Astral guy and that he's a very close friend of Yuma. That would explain why you haven't see him, Yuma and him had a fight and he's depressed because of that."
Everyone sweat dropped. Of course they haven't seen Astral, he's an invisible alien. But Akari may have a point. That theory would explain pretty neatly Yuma's actions. That may them wonder... How Akira did knew Yuma had a fight? (Rio and Haruto got to meet Akira during one of their visits.) Haruto, Rio, Tetsuo and Kotori looked at themselves with determination, they needed to find Akira and ask him some questions. (Akira wasn't with them at the moment.) With that, they all said their farewells and went home. Haruto and Rio left together because she had to take Haruto to his home. (Improving friendship.)
That night Yuma couldn't sleep very well. He tried to sleep but couldn't do it. He stayed thinking about his friends and their surprised eyes they had when they saw him. Did he really look that different? Other than that, Yuma thought about Akira's words over and over again. Did Astral really hate him? He couldn't just believe it. He started sobbing softly. He felt so awful, everything hurt and he felt so sad. He couldn't believe everything he'd been up to. He looked at a little note he made the day after that bird's nightmare started.
How can I be normal when supernatural things happen to me?
He quietly moved a little a took the Key with one of his hands. Tears falling down his eyes as the thought that Astral hated him appeared in his mind. He suddenly felt a warm feeling that embraced him. He opened his eyes only to widen them. The very being he was crying for was in front of him, a sorrowful smile in his lips. Yuma quickly sat and rubbed his eyes not believing what he was seeing.
"A-Astral? What are you doing here?" Yuma asked shocked.
Astral looked down sadly. "Gomen ne, Yuma. I know I should not be here but..."
"W-what?" Yuma didn't understand. Astral wasn't mad at him? But Akira said... He gasped. "He lied."
Astral looked up. "What?"
"He lied. He lied me. How could I have fell for his tricks? How could I-" Yuma gasped again, a sudden pain filling his insides.
"Yuma?" Astral asked getting a bit worried.
Yuma didn't answer. He hugged himself and fell to his knees, pain filling his body.
"Yuma!" Astral was now completely worried.
Yuma felt like fire was inside of him, burning every inch of his suffering body. He felt the fire in his throat and had the sudden urge to cough. Of course, he didn't go against it, so he started coughing trying to get the fire out. Surprise was that instead of feeling better he was feeling worse. What started like a way of freeing himself from the burning pain became a struggle to breathe. He fell to the ground, struggling to get air to his lungs.
But everything went from bad to worse. He didn't notice, but with every cough he made he only hurt himself more. It was really late when he did notice, he was coughing blood. Astral didn't know what to do. He couldn't help Yuma; he couldn't do anything to take Yuma out of that pain. He couldn't touch him or at least call his sister so she could help him. He couldn't do anything, only talk to him, and that wasn't going to do much. Yuma tried with all his strength to stop coughing, because he knew it was only going to get things worse, but he couldn't stop.
He felt his strength leaving him and got really scared. This couldn't be his end! He didn't want to die like this! More blood poured from his mouth. To make matters worse, all his recent wounds started opening, inflicting more pain to his tired body. Yuma couldn't stop a scream escaping his lips. A scream filled of pain. Thanks to Heavens, his sister heard the struggling Yuma was having and had come immediately to the boy's room. Yuma was just beginning to faint when he heard his sister scream his name.
"YUMA!"
But what really got his attention were the blue entity's words.
"Gomen ne, Yuma... I failed you..."
After that everything went black.
Ariette: So! I think I should change the genre of this story from Hurt/Comfort to Angst :/ What do ya' think, folks? Anyways! I hope you liked this chapter! And blame Durbe the Barian for the Japanese words, she kinda got me into it. Also, blame/thanks her for Rio and Haruto's appearance and Shark and Kaito's mention. (She kinda has the fault of almost everything I do different. I'm spending to much time with her XD)
Yuma: Why did you killed me?!
Ariette: I didn't kill you! *Looks at script* Oh, wait! I just did!
Yuma: YOU WHAT?!
Ariette: I'm joking! XD
Astral: Why do you had to involve us in this thing you call fanfic?
Ariette: 'Cuz I love to write and I needed someone. You see, Kaito, the Seven Barian Emperors, the Arcilight family and the other characters didn't want to do it. Haruto offered himself but Kaito said no, the same thing with Rio only that instead of Kaito it was Shark and Durbe (Again, blame Durbe the Barian for this). So, I only had you two to do it.
Yuma: And why didn't you ask us?
Ariette: 'Cuz you'd probably said no and I couldn't let that n.n
Yuma: OAO
To the reviewers:
Durbe the Barian (this is the one to blame): Yes, Alit, I liked your review u.u Sirius! You're supposed to HELP! Fear no more! 'Cuz I came with a chapter for you and your sister! :D Ummm... :/ Can I ask you to not hurt 96? You see, I need him alive and in one piece. Thanks.
Breana: Hahaha! I just didn't had Internet, believe me, I'm not planning to give up on this story. So, your guess is right! Or maybe it isn't? Yes, they're going to get back to their old self, don't worry. But that'll take some time :D Thanks~
Chappy: I know you! OAO You're the Sirius lover! I heard you had a problem with Guardian XD Do not worry! Astral will not leave! *Looks script* Oh, wait... He already did. O.O Another one? Seriously? You spend to much time with Durbe-nee u.u Thanks!~
Hunter: I'm glad you like it! :D You can hug him, if you make him tangible. Yeah... Yep, he is! What could it be? *Looks at script* How silly of me! I already know XD Yuma's going to be alright *Looks at script again* Upps! Here it is!
Thor94: You'll know in next chapter! Yup, as I said, you'll know! Etto... No, I do not write that kind of things... I suck at romance and I don't write Yaoi or Yuri. Yeah, me too, but that'll be for another story I have planned, not this one.
Key-Jey: Tanks T.T You're so SWEET! *Hugs KJ* Yeah... It was short because I didn't had time. But here's a longer one! :D Yup! Only one more chapter 'till the truth is known! Thanks~ Thanks~ Thanks~ TuT
Ievanbarian: OAO SORRY! X-( (I just probably broke it more.)
Breana (Deanna?): O.O TWO?! *Faints* He came! Umm... Ok... I understand your feeling I'll fix up things soon, don't worry.
Selene Moonstar (Love your name!): That's good! :D Haha More funny is that isn't going to end in Keyshipping. Sorry, not my boat. Yes! Friendship forever! X-)
Ariette: Ok! So now, as our usual trivia! Question!
1) Do you believe the dream has a meaning? If you do, what do you think it means?
Ariette: Oh! And I have two announcements!
A) Finally the truth is known in Next Chapter! Don't lose Chapter 13: Note thirteen: How can I have Power...?/The Truth is Revealed!
B) Sadly, maybe this chapter's gonna delay a bit longer. You see, I have this HUGE project of Health. (You can even ask Durbe-nee if it's true.) I have to search a LOT of info about Asthma and then give a written report and an oral report. Too much work for me T.T Anyways! I'll try to get next chappie soon!
Ariette: So that's all! See you in next chappie! :D