28Hi! Wow, I've made you wait less than 2 months! I'm proud! *Shot*
This one's shorter, admittedly. But I also have a very important message that you HAVE to read. Please don't skip over it, the site's whole future is at stake, here.
VERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE -
SOPA IS BACK!
If the act is passed, all sites such as fanfiction, deviantart and tumblr will be taken down, and people who make fanart or fanfics for ANYTHING could get into serious trouble. The worst part is, America seem to think they can control the world... Not only will this ridiculous act affect them, it will affect us ALL. Noone will have any freedom.
And the worst part?
The petition needs 100,000 votes before 19th March. So far it has just over 49,000.
They're trying to pass it quietly this time. 2014 looks like it could be the year that we lose this war against SOPA. We can't let that happen! Sign the petition, and if you're too young, at least pass on this message everywhere you can! There's a hell of a lot more than 100,000 of us out there, but we all need to pitch in, or it's over! We only have four days to get more than half the signatures it needs!
The petition can be found here: htt ps: petitions . whitehouse . gov/ petition/ stop-sopa-2014 /q0Vkk0Zr (Take out the spaces)
DON'T IGNORE THIS MESSAGE. FIGHT FOR OUR FREEDOM. FIGHT FOR THIS SITE. REPOST EVERYWHERE POSSIBLE AND SIGN THE PETITION.
Umm... Sorry about that. It had to be said; I don't want Americans forcing me to stop writing! I'm British, goddammit! American politicians, stop going for world domination via the internet! SOPA won't benefit anyone!
I originally posted this as a oneshot, but it only got two reviews and one favorite, so I decided to upload it in this collection, too. I know fanfiction has a rule against double-posting, so I made afew improvements to it. Anyway, I hope you enjoy, and that fanfiction net will still be here so I'll actually be able to update again sometime! But just in case we don't make it...
You guys are all amazing. Thank you for reading my stories, you guys can always cheer me up when I'm down, and for that I'm grateful. I'm glad I had the honor of (sorta) knowing you.
Post-Story Ending
Rating: K+
Pairing/s: Puzzleshipping, with hints of Beachshipping (Which is completely different to Peachshipping, I assure you! That wasn't a typo!)
Categories: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Friendship
Setting: Post-canon
Words: 2589
Summary: Video games can't end in tragedy. There has to be a way to continue onward with the gameplay, so everybody gets their happy ending in some way. But, as Yuugi constantly has to remind himself, life is not a video game. Not everyone gets their perfect post-story ending.
Warning/s: Yuugi swears. Once. Not really enough for T rating, y'know? And... Ending spoilers..?
Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh does not belong to me, but to Kazuki Takahashi. I also don't own Pokemon or Chunsoft.
A story of a brave hero, devoid of all his memories, trying to find himself. A story of his partner, often bullied, hell, two bullies even stole his most prized treasure at the beginning of their tale! Throughout their adventures, the two worked together, and overtime, the small, weak and slightly cowardly form of the partner became stronger, prouder, and a good leader. They had their ups, they had their downs. But that's why they worked so perfectly together.
Surrounded by friends, the two grew around each other. Despite the hero having no memories, it didn't matter to him as much; he and his partner had created new memories, ones that would last a lifetime. He didn't care that everything around him was new, that he knew nobody, that not even their way of life was what he was vaguely aware he'd been used to before. He was content to stay with his partner forever.
Of course, that was when they got thrown into another time period together. The hero began to discover the truth about his past more than ever, in a world taken over by shadows and deceit. It wasn't the same as full-on remembering everything he'd forgotten, but at least now he knew what kind of person he was. At least he knew that he was a selfless person, who agreed to sacrifice everything, even his own life, for the chance to save the world from the darkness that would ensue if he didn't, caused by an overly powerful dark being that bad already done enough to hurt everybody.
Their bond became stronger. They pulled through.
They were unstoppable, together. Without their friends, they would've been nowhere, but without each other... Things would've been considerably worse.
But towards the end, there was only one thing that could be done. The hero who had swooped in to his partner's aid all that time ago had a task, and his partner would have to help with that.
The final battle.
Traveling to another land was an unexpected twist, and the part of the world they were visiting was devoid of visitors, a land preserved in time... Where all of it would end. They couldn't deny the sacrifices they made throughout their journey, the strategical attacks, the close calls, and, of course, the moment where it was all or nothing.
If this battle didn't go as planned, the darkness and shadows would descend on them all, no matter how long it took. There wouldn't be any stopping it from happening. The world would be destroyed.
But the partner still couldn't comprehend at the time of their victory just how badly the consequences of winning would affect them.
Because his closest friend, his partner, the supposed hero of this story, was to leave... Forever. To a place where it would be impossible to bring him back.
After being coaxed not to cry, to continue to live no matter how much it hurt and be proud, to remember his story and to make sure the events taking place in the foreign land would never happen again, the hero was... Gone. Theirs was a story that ended in light, no matter how long the partner really did cry for as they departed, saying goodbye to the broken, damaged land that was almost completely destroyed by the former circumstances. He didn't even have his treasure anymore. The one thing that he had to remember the hero by, the precious item that had started it all, was gone.
Even after three months, he'd stayed strong, proud, and continued to continue the legacy that him and the hero had shared in the small time they'd had together. But a simple conversation with one of his closest friends was enough to make him completely snap. Everything they'd accomplished together... Was it all for nothing? The memories they'd shared only proved the strength of their bond, now much they completed each other... How much they needed each other.
...But he was only reciting loosely the plot of Pokemon Mystery Dungeon : Explorers of Sky, here.
Yuugi sighed deeply as he set down his Nintendo DS, watching the ending credits roll by, completed with a slightly saddened version of the cheery music that usually accompanied the game, and bubbles glistening in the sunset, reflecting how the main characters had met at the start. He had bought the game three days ago, at Anzu's strong recommendation, and it hurt. It reminded him so much of his bond with Atem, with his other self, and his partner character reflected his own mood perfectly.
At least the ending hadn't been like the game's predecessor; Pokemon Mystery Dungeon : Blue Rescue Team. The ending of that one reminded him even more of saying goodbye. What, with all the characters' friends surrounding the hero, watching tearfully as he was enveloped in light, exaggerated even more by the sunset, with each and every one of them yelling out his name, begging for him to find a way to stay with them. Not to mention the music was so full of emotion that he cried, and not just for his reminiscence of his own past, but for the fact that it was a great game. He had gotten it two weeks ago, completeing within a few days. It was funny how fife seemed to be flipping him off even more nowadays. The irony of it all was unbelievable.
"...Huh?" He blinked; the credits had finished rolling, and the screen had faded to black. 'Is it over?' He wondered what would happen next. Would his game file automatically be erased? Would he now continue the plot playing as the partner, carrying on his former character's legacy and finding new teammates? Surely something had to happen. That was how video games worked.
The music began to take on a more hopeful tone, and, re realized, it was the same music they used for the 'Fogbound Lake' scene, in which the two had stared at the beautiful sight of hundreds of Illumise and Volbeat and watched them fly over the lake. An image of Temporal Tower, the scene of the game's last dungeon-level, had appeared, zooming in slightly. The scene faded to black again to show the slightly ruined scene of the final battle with Primal Dialga, with a now normal-looking Dialga facing the dais on which the five time gears had needed to be placed. A text box popped up on the screen, and he automatically reached over and held the 'B' button down to ski[p through the text quickly; he could read quite quickly thankns toa ll the video games he'd played in the past.
Dialga: Yuugi.
WHEN YOU LEFT HERE... WHEN YOU BID FAREWELL TO THIS PLACE FROM THE RAINBOW STONESHIP...
YOUR SORROW... I FELT ITS INTENSITY EVEN HERE.
AND IF THAT IS HOW YOU FEEL EVEN NOW...
Ah. So it was one of these kinds of endings. Stupid caps lock. Why make the leading legendary use it all the time? If it was to show power, it still seemed rather stupid. They didn't even capitalize character names.
AND IF Atem WERE TO SHARE THOSE FEELINGS...
Naturally, he'd named his playing character after his Mou Hitori No Boku as a sign of respect, and instantly added his own name when prompted for a 'Partner'. How fitting. If he'd known just how much it would reflect thier own story, he would've kept with the species names to avoid feeling the pain again.
Or would he? It seemed a fitting tribute, now he thought of it.
I WILL GRANT YOUR WISH.
THE WORLD NEEDS YOU BOTH.
THAT IS WHY... I WILL TRUST YOU WITH A GIFT.
I LEAVE TO YOU... THE FUTURE!
After hitting the 'A' button again to dismiss the text box, the Dialga sprite turned around to face the screen, and the screen went black. It faded back in to show Dialga stood overlooking a cliff, and more text popped up.
Dialga: THIS IS MY THANKS!
PLEASE ACCEPT IT!
The sprite lifted its head into the air, making a roaring noise, which was then shoved needlessly into a text box as well.
GRRR-OOOOOO...OOOOOH!
The screen scrolled up to the sky, and faded again.
The screen focussed in on his player character's Squirtle character, Yuugi, who appeared to be sobbing, still being comforted by the friend character, Bidoof. The music once again filled with hope, resembling a slower, more hopeful version of the music from the credits, as his player character appeared, a Riolu by the name of Atem. Both characters ran to each other, and the Squirtle sprite jumped up several times in delight, before falling to the ground in front of the other as if hugging him. Repeating the annoying cycle, the screen once again faded to black, the word 'Owari' finally appearing on the screen in white kanji.
The screen then moved back to the start screen, and he considered switching his DS off and not playing the game again. Of course, it would have ended with a 'happily ever after'. How else was he supposed to keep on playing? And besides, there'd been one of these sorts of endings to the previous game too, which had conveniently slipped his mind. He shook his head in quiet disbelief, clicking the 'Continue Game' button instead.
There was something he had to do.
He and Atem had a similar story. He, too, had been bullied, just like his Squirtle. His treasure happened to be the Millennium Puzzle, however, and unlike Yuugi-the-Squirtle, the two bullies who'd stolen his personal treasure later became his friends. His Riolu character also vaguely reminded him of the real Atem; heroic, working to save others, and even if he seemed quieter when away from danger, he still forged a bond with the friends the characters made throughout the plot. Neither had their memories, and both were content without them. But Atem was Atem, and no video game character could really reflect his personality perfectly. He was in no way perfect, and Yuugi remembered with a small shudder the times when his other self had been violent, killing people with no qualms, simply because they hurt him or his friends. And unlike the pokemon in his game, both of them knew of the spirit's impending departure from the realm of the living. They just chose to ignore it, to keep it hidden in the recesses of their minds throughout their time together, avoiding the crushing grief overtaking them when they thought about it.
He smiled bitterly as his team cheerily ran through another dungeon on a mission to graduate from the Wigglytuff Guild, get the treasure, and avoid the Grand Master Of All Things Bad. Nonexistence was a worse fate than a dead soul simply passing on, but Chunsoft had even managed to make that turn out cheerful and perfect. What kind of name was 'The Grand Master Of All Things Bad', after all? It sounded like a story you' tell misbehaving three-year-olds.
He was up to the part when Bidoof accidentally pushed the boulder away when he heard his door crack open, and looked up to see Anzu plop down next to him on his bed.
"Your grandpa let me in," She explained, taking a glance at his game. Her eyes widened. "Wow, you're already at that part? It took me weeks to get to the post-ending!" He smiled faintly, but continued to play. "Although I guess that's to be expected from you..." She muttered thoughtfully, continuing to watch him battle various pokemon from the guild. After blocking Sunflora from taking a shot at Squirtle-Yuugi, he finished off the final pokemon in the cave with a critical hit from a Focus Punch, and threw his DS down on the covers after snapping it shut.
"Why?" He asked simply, looking up at her. Anzu frowned, shifting slightly in her sitting position.
"Because you're the best gamer around." He shook his head.
"No, not that... Why? Why did you get me to buy that game?"
She shrugged. "It's fun, and it has an emotional plot line. I found it fun, and you like games. What's not to like?"
He shot her a saddened look. "You've played it. You know the plot. You knew..."
He faltered right there, but no more words were needed. She blinked in surprise when a few stray tears fell down his face; she hadn't seen him start crying. When he buried his head in her hair, she wrapped her arms around him awkwardly, soothingly rubbing circles into his back. He needed a friend right then and there, and there was no way that was she going to deny him that.
"It's been months..." He sniffed. "But I miss him. I miss him so fucking much."
"Ah... Yuugi..?" She frowned. It wasn't often that he broke down like this, he was much stronger emotionally than some people tended to believe.
"C-can I tell you a secret?"
"Sure..." What was he hiding?
"I..." He hiccuped, lowering his eyes and toying with the corners of the sheets shyly. "I think I loved him..."
Her eyes widened, but she still didn't let go of him. She was actually kind of surprised that she hadn't seen this coming. After all, they were very close. And the pet name 'Aibou' should have been a good enough hint. Despite her love for both of them... They would probably be a perfect couple, if given the chance.
"I think I still do... But he's gone." A shaky laugh. "I have to keep on living, right?"
She nodded, hugging him again and whispering in his ear. "That's what he would've wanted. He's proud of you, Yuugi. I know it." Seeing him nod in understanding, she rose to her feet, walking towards the door. She hesitated, holding the handle. "If you need anything, call me. I'll be there for you."
He nodded, before asking one more thing. "Hey... Can you keep what happened today between us?" He requested, and she nodded.
"Sure. Just don't waste your life away, got that? Now why don't you carry on with that game? The post-ending plot gets rather interesting towards the end..." She winked, and as suddenly as she had appeared, she was gone.
"Anzu..." He muttered, still staring at the door. "Thank you."
And with that, he picked up the DS again, observing the childish and happy tale that was currently progressing as his team graduated and moved in to Sharpedo Bluff, simply enjoying exploring at their own pace, and living life as if nothing bad had ever happened to them. Completing the game entirely was beginning to feel like something he had to do in order to honor his Mou Hitori No Boku's existence.
He had thought back to all the good times they'd had, and he'd broken down. He'd had a conversation with one of his closest friends, who had then provided a shoulder to cry on.
Anzu had been like Bidoof, comforting Yuugi while he was struck with the memories of his time with Atem. He had been like Squirtle-Yuugi, crying into his friend's shoulder in mourning several months late, anguish deperate for release. He needed to let go of his sorrows.
But, unlike in his pokemon game, he finished crying, and there was no blinding light as the gods returned his loved one. There was no thank you gift for saving the world repeatedly. There had been tears, and then he was left alone. Again. He knew that Anzu would be there if he needed comfort, as would Honda and Jounouchi, but it wasn't the same. He'd begun to partially hate the game for being too much like his and Atem's story.
Now he hated it for different reasons; it wasn't similar enough.
'Maybe I'll continue playing...' he mused. 'It's as close to a happy ending as I'm gonna get.'
And with that, he reopened his DS, returning to a world of fiction, a world of nïeve joy and perfect life.
A world where he still had Atem.
Hopefully I'll get another plot bunny, soon. Until then... My 100 themes challenge updates tomorrow, and I dunno if I'll write anything else until this next updates! Hopefully, I'll see you all again soon! ^^