Yuma Tsukumo, a boy of 15, was walking behind his friends. He was just below the mean average height for a boy his age, with jet black hair that stuck out at the back, with red bangs which he spiked up. He had scarlet eyes. He was quite. Which was the norm for him now, that was when no one was talking to him. But today was hard for him. It was exactly one year to the day that his extra dimensional other half, Astral, had left. All Yuma had left of Astral was his duelling skills, and a deck that the two had built together.
Because of the day, his friends were all concerned, especially since Yuma was even quitter then he was normally, having become very subbdued in the time since Astral was gone. The beefy, dark haired, small eyed Bronk was debating duel monsters card decks with the cat like Kathy, and the short, spectacled, bowler hat wearing Flip. Caswell, a boy with blue hair that was in a bowl cut, was talking about the maths class they had just come out of with the green haired, big eyed Tori. Each all the while glancing at Yuma, before looking away, hoping he hadn't noticed them. He did. That was why he was walking behind them. It annoyed him to no end. To hide his annoyance he had his hands in his formal, navy trouser pockets, clenched in fists, and a neutral scowl on his face that he knew that his friend Shark would be proud of. That thought made Yuma smirk slightly.
"You ok Yuma?" Tori asked, having glanced at him just as he had smirked, "You are very quite today. More quite then has become the norm for you."
"I'm fine." Yuma answered his concerned friend with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"Are you sure?" Tori asked, not believing him, because his scarlet eyes looked like they were hiding pain.
"Tori, it's the anniversary." Kathy pointed out kindly as the group turned down another corridor heading to the music room for their next class. Tori face palmed, and looked guiltily at Yuma, trying to apologise with her eyes. He hadn't really expected his friends to know the significance of the day, so wasn't surprised by Tori's forgetfulness, even though it wasn't like her at all.
"It's ok Tori." Yuma said kindly, "Just forgive me if I am not exactly being my goofy self." The others smiled at him and they finished their walk to their music class in silence. Yuma felt that the group were doing their best to show respect for Astral leaving them to return to his home dimension. Yuma noticed a group of seven coming down the corridor, going in the opposite direction. He recognised them all immediately. The largest was a man, called Girag, next to him was a dark skinned, dark brown haired boy called Alito. Then their was the silver haired Duman who wore rimless glasses, who was talking to the blonde haired Mizar, who was ignoring the orange haired, crazy eyed Ray, who was also known as Vector. Behind them was a two toned blue haired, scarlet eyed, girl. She was Rio, the sister of the purple haired, blue eyed boy next her. He was Shark. They all waved at each other as the two groups passed. Yuma thought Shark looked annoyed. They must have been heading off to their drama class. Yuma knew Shark hated doing it, and was only doing it for Rio, whose idea it had been in the first place. She had said it would be good if the Barians took the class, so they could act human better, even though she and Shark each had 15 years of experience of living in the human world.
Shark, also noticed that Yuma didn't look happy either, and recalling the date, immediately knew why. He made a mental note to get Yuma alone, hoping to get him to talk.
Entering the classroom, Yuma took his usual seat at the back, next to Bronk. Yuma was looking forward to the distraction. At the end of the last academic year, all the first year students had been told that they would have to pick at least two additional subjects to take going into their second year. Yuma had chosen music, geography and food technology. As had all of his friends, that weren't Barian. Caswell had also opted to take computer sciences.
To Yuma's great surprise he found, that not only did he enjoy his music class, but that he was naturally very good at it, and had learnt how to play piano and guitar very fast. He had gotten some extra lessons for the guitar from Vector, surprisingly, and to Tori and Shark's great displeasure, to make up for all the shit that he had put Yuma and his friends through. Therefore, when the teacher instructed the class to continue working on their pairs projects, that they had started in the last lesson, Yuma did so eagerly.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the school, in the dance studio, Shark and the other Barians were continuing to put together a performance piece, that the group had started in their previous drama lesson.
"I am not wearing that in front the entire school!" Shark shouted at his sister, as she showed him the design for his costume. "It has tights! I'm a guy!"
"Come on, Reginald," Rio said calmly, "you used to wear this in our past life."
"But this isn't the past!" Sharked snapped, gritting his teeth, "Besides, that was Emperor Nasch, I'm not that guy any more!"
"At least you are completely clothed." Ray said, a teasing glint in his eyes, "I have to go on stage with a bare torso."
"Shut up, Vector!" Shark snapped, "Whose idea was it to do this historical performance based on our past lives, any way?" Ray was already backing up, a mischievous smile on his face, as Rio, Duman and Mizar all looked at Ray. Altio and Girag were too busy trying to contain their laughter, shaking with their efforts.
"It's Ray while we are in school, Nasch." Ray smirked, "Besides, it seemed like the best option, since we already know everything about it. We will certainly stand out, since we are the only group going further back then the 1700s. We can also credit Yuma's dad as our primary source after all."
"Ray I think you should stop." Duman said, noticing that Shark was shaking with rage.
"What, this is his fault for skipping our last class." Ray pointed out, "Why did you skip it anyway Shark?"
"I don't have to tell you." Shark snapped. Just then the teacher came over.
"Now, now, what's with all the shouting?" she asked. Shark calmed down instantly, embarrassed by his out burst, certain that it had been Ray's intent all along. He still got a kick out of winding him up, but Shark couldn't figure out why.
"Shark's just a little shy about showing his legs." Ray teased sounding innocent.
"Ray." Shark growled.
"I am sure my brother is just over reacting." Rio cut in.
"Yeah, sorry." Shark agreed quickly, shooting Ray a dirty look. The teacher walked away satisfied that they had settled things. Well at least Shark wouldn't have to pretend to not be mad at Ray, he thought.
"Anyway, we still need to decide who can help us with the music," Rio said, pulling the group back into the project, "since the music of our time is so different to the music of any era of the last couple hundred years."
"I am sure we will figure something out." Mizar said with a stoic look, "But why don't we focus on the script first, so we'll know exactly what we'll need."
They all agreed and got putting together their performance script, Shark impatient for the class to end, listening for the lunch bell. When it did ring, he sprang to his feet and grabbed his bag before anyone else noticed and stormed from the dance studio, eager to get away from Ray for a while.
He was half way down the music corridor, on his way to the cafeteria, when he heard it. Piano music coming from one of the classrooms. He slowed down, wondering who was playing. It was a modern pop song. He walked up to the classroom it was coming from and then heard singing.
"When the days are cold, and the cards all fold,"
Shark thought who ever was singing was very good, and seemed to be in a lot of pain.
"And the saints we see are all made of gold,"
Shark carefully opened the door and found Yuma sat at the piano that dominated his music classroom. Shark smiled softly. Yuma could still surprise him, it seemed.
"When your dreams all fail, and the ones we hail, are the worst of all, and the blood's all stale,"
Shark slowly stepped through the door, and held it open as he froze in place, since he heard the pain Yuma must have been feeling as he sang his words.
"I wanna hide the truth, I wanna shelter you," Yuma sang as a tear ran down his cheek, "but with the beast inside there's nowhere we can hide. No matter what we breed, we still are made of greed. This is my kingdom come, this is my kingdom come. When you feel my heat, look into my eyes. It's where my demons hide. It's where my demons..." Yuma jumped when he heard the door thud loudly as it closed, and spun round to see Shark standing there, having unconsciously let go of the door. Yuma's face went red.
"I didn't know you could sing." Shark stated with a friendly smile, and a concerned look in his eyes. How long had Yuma been hiding his pain?
"Yeah, Kari pointed it out when she caught me singing while playing the guitar." Yuma said. "You ok, Shark?"
"Ray's pissed me off again, but otherwise," Shark answered honestly, he didn't like lying to Yuma after everything they had been through, "I am worried about you."
"Why?" Yuma asked, kicking at the floor nervously, "I am fine."
"You put on a good act, but you haven't had that... kadibingo spirit, like you used to, since Astral left a year ago," Shark stated, "and I don't know what 'fine' sounds like when it is sung, but I am sure it doesn't sound like you just sounded. I could hear the pain in your words. In fact, most of the time, you have an indifferent look on your face that I would be proud of."
"I don't know what you are talking about." Yuma said, unaware of the shakiness of his voice, or the tears rolling down his tanned skin. Shark walked over to Yuma and wrapped his arms around his friend.
"You've been there for me, more times then I can count," Shark whispered softly, "let me be here for you now. Talk to me. What's hurting you so much? Why don't you 'high five the sky', as much anymore?" Shark felt Yuma shudder as his emotions started to spill out, as he couldn't contain them anymore. He broke apart.
"He lied to me." Yuma sobbed, as Shark rubbed his back, "He said he would never leave, ever again. Instead he left. Leaving nothing but memories and a hole. I miss him, but I am also angry at him. Why Shark? Why did Astral leave?" Yuma collapsed on weak knees, and Shark supported him all the way down. He hated how much pain Yuma was in. He understood why it seemed so much worse today too. But for Yuma to be in this state, it must have been building for a while. Shark found himself mad at Astral.
"I don't have the answers, Yuma." Shark said hoping his honesty would help Yuma, "But I know this, you can't keep this bottled up. Let it out. I'm here for you. Everyone is. Astral leaving must still be the most difficult for you."
"I want him back, Shark," Yuma sobbed again, "but I also want him to stay away. Is that stupid?"
"No." Shark said, "I'm sure that it's just your emotions fighting each other. Believe me, making sense of it is hard."
"Right." Yuma sniffed sarcastically.
"It is." Shark said, "I know it. While I haven't been in your shoes, I have had conflicting emotions before. Last year, that is, when I ... I betrayed you and the others. I made the wrong choice, I should have tried to lead the Barians to a peaceful solution, so that I could keep all my friends. I can't undo that. But what I suppose I'm saying, pain and anger are normal, and that you can feel both, means you are going to be ok, eventually. I think."
"I didn't know you felt so bad about that." Yuma whispered, looking at Shark's face.
"I didn't say it very well," Shark said blushing slightly as he brushed the remaining tears from Yuma's eyes, which were bloodshot, "but yeah. There are days I still feel guilty about it."
"Will this hole ever go away, Shark?" Yuma asked.
"I don't know." Shark shrugged, helping Yuma back to his feet, "I suppose, it just gets easier to live with. Now, why don't we get you cleaned up, and some lunch into you. Oh, and I'll need to stop by my locker for a fresh shirt." Shark pointed to his shoulder, which Yuma had stained wet with his sobbing.
"Thanks Shark." Yuma said smiling as he walked to the door.
"Anytime." Shark said a warm smile on his face as he paused, his hand over his heart as a warmth spread through him. What was this feeling, he wondered. Shark quickly pushed the thought from his mind and rushed to catch up to Yuma, hoping to cheer him up, even if it was just a little.