I realize just how many people have enjoyed this story this far, and I can't explain to you all just how much that means to me. I loved (still love!) getting reviews from my readers--I loved seeing what you had to say about the stories that I wrote. I loved prompting ideas, thinking, changes of opinion, etc. Because of the fact that "Youth of the Nation" was my most closely-followed story, I realized a while ago that I couldn't leave everything in a standstill. That would be rather cruel on my part, and I really and truly couldn't do that to all of you.
As some of you may have already noticed, I'm back and writing again at Since I took a break from this site in late 2004, all of the stories I had written since then (mostly Jrock, Jpop, and Kpop RPS) were/are archived on my writing journal over at However, I've been thinking about returning to for a while now--and I finally decided to. (You can thank Pachelbel and my Hikari for this sudden return; they asked if I would. -chuus-)
However, this return has a direct impact upon "Youth of the Nation." Some of you may be expecting me to continue writing for this story.
I really and truly am sorry when I say this: "Youth of the Nation" won't be updated further than it has already been. I really am sorry for this. My writing style has changed too much over the years. In some cases, my writing style has matured further than I have expected; in other cases, it has stayed the same. It no longer flows with the original feeling of the story. This was the real reason why I took a break from My style was changing and I knew that it would affect "Youth of the Nation" specifically. I was hoping that, with a break, that would change. But... as you can see, it hasn't. I'm still stuck.
It isn't much (I really do realize that this is barely anything, compared to what readers wanted), but this is the only thing that I can really offer up. I want to give you all the happy ending that I was planning for this story.
So I shall tell you how "Youth of the Nation" was going to end.
As the story progressed, a great many things were going to happen. It's been several years since I last looked at the story, but the number one thing that I remember (relating to the yamis) was that Yami no Yuugi and Yami no Bakura were going to be forced to take driving lessons. Assumptions that this would end in spectacular failure would be very, very accurate. Assumptions that this would end in spectacular failure directly correlated to Yami no Bakura would also be very, very accurate. (You all know me so well by now, after all. And my twisted sense of humor, too) Anyway, so the story progresses from there.
Perhaps the greatest flaw in how Yami no Bakura feels for Ryou is the fact that his love is genuine, but... it's possessive. Ryou is quiet and typically gentle by nature: while this helps fuel the possessiveness in the beginning, Ryou's nature eventually softens that love into something just a little bit kinder. Yami no Bakura and Ryou's element to "Youth of the Nation" is very much a rendition of 'Taming of the Beast.' Their story would have ended much more quickily within "Youth of the Nation" for the sole fact that Yami no Bakura's possessive nature would have allowed him to admit to stronger feelings for Ryou. Ryou was his. No one else could have Ryou in any way, shape, or form. "MINE. My heart, my body, my soul." --nobody else could claim Ryou's heart as theirs if Yami no Bakura already had put claim on it, correct?
So now we have Yami no Yuugi and Yuugi. Who, as you've read through the story, are rather stupid. The feelings are there. The feelings are obvious. Yet they're both too worried about how the other feels or thinks of him to actually see something that's so incredibly obvious to everyone else. Yami no Yuugi and Yuugi have settled into a "Duh." situation--"Duh." for everyone else and yet here they are, oblivious. How sad. But! ...that changes. Yami no Yuugi and Yuugi slowly begin to change and realize the feelings that are there through friends and a great many episodes of self-realization. (The humor would have made this summary so much more amusing, trust me.) Since Yami no Yuugi was most definitely the denser of the two, I was also planning on having Yami no Bakura help things along in the road to his self-realization--with one or two smackings over the head with a handy frying pan, of course. Eventually, however, both manage to gather up the courage to tell the other how he really feels. That was going to be the last chapter of "Youth of the Nation."
I was planning on ending this story with three very important words.
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It has been an honor, a privilege, and a joy writing this story. Getting the reviews that I have gotten. And meeting the people that I still talk to on a regular basis.
I still plan to write here at (and hopefully go back into Yuugiou stories). And I hope that you enjoy the new things that I put up for you all to read.
Thank you.
With love,
Neko-chan
August 24, 2006
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"I love you."
:End: