(note: Daisuke and Dark are the names of my two anime muses, with Yami and Yuugi occasionally dropping in for spells, they are the real ones, but I of course can not claim them -sigh-)
Daisuke: Hello and welcome to E's first Yu-Gi-Oh fan story, ever!
Dark: Huh, why not one of us, if she picked us as a name!
Yuugi: Cuz she likes us better!
E: Weeeelll...
Dark and Yuugi: Who do you like best! (E sweatdrops as she is crowded between two nice looking guys)
E: I love you all equally, this plot bunny turned out to be more insistant then others (Pierre Noel-no idea why that's his name, it's just what he told me- hops in, smiles cutely, before hopping into my lap) Yami, since you have yet to say anything, it's your turn to say the disclaimer.
Yami: But all the fan girls have me do the disclaimer! Make someone else!
E: At least I'm not making you take your shirt off for it...I could of course...
Yami: The woman writing under the pen name of DarkandDaisuke at does not own Yu-Gi-Oh (whispers) or D N Angel for that matter. She mearly likes to read and play in the fan universes of these two mangas and animes. This story idea, however, is her own. No doubt coming from her overactive and highly questionable imagin...
E: THANK YOU, YAMI! Well, hope all of you out there enjoy! Please let me know what you think of the story; I realize that this is the beginning and therefore it is hard to say when a story is first starting out. But please let me know you've read it and if it piques your interest. Thank you all in advance. Hope to see you soon. Goodbye! (waves Pierre's paw for him at the readers)
DarkandDaisuke (E. is in reference to my catch all pen name, so that people won't be confused by DarkandDaisuke and Dark and Daisuke
Prologue
A Strange Happenstance
March 2, (blank)
Dear Diary,
I saw something interesting today. I was running to school cuz I was a tiny bit late…I can't tell Ji-chan he's right about late night video gaming…but anyway, I took a short cut through the "better side of town" and saw this monstrous mansion rising above the rest. It looked like solid granite and was kinda scary if you think about it. It's surrounded by a huge fence that is made up of brick and steel. I wondered for a moment if it was electrified. I slowed for a moment to catch my breath when movement on the other side caught my eye. I turned around a saw a boy! I would guess would be about my age. He was slightly taller then me (aren't they all!) with slightly tannish skin. But that wasn't what was weird, what was weird was that he looked like me! His hair was the same black spikes lined in reddish-violet while his blond bangs framed his face. His face was more angular while mine still looks child-like with a round, soft face and pale skin. I know I was staring but it was so weird…and then something amazing happened. The boy raised his head and locked eyes with me. I couldn't breathe…his eyes are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my life. A deep blood-red crimson, lightening and darkening as emotions and thoughts ran through his head. His eyes were more angular then mine, course I've seen very few people with a permanent wide-eyed expression.
He came right up to the fence, glancing around before resting his hands on the bars. Definitely electrified, but for some reason not today. I had to talk to him.
"Ohayo!" His eyes narrowed slightly, not in anger-that I could tell, but in confusion. He then let out a small string of gibberish. Great, language barrier. We both blinked confusedly at each other until his darkened gaze lightened considerably. I still don't know what he said, but I know it was English that time. I sighed, I know almost no English, but maybe I could at least tell him that.
"Sorry, no Engrish." I cringed, knowing it sounded bad. He smiled slightly, then nodded his understanding. I glanced down, saddened that I couldn't talk to this boy. He looked so lonely! My gaze caught my watch and I tensed. I was soooo late! Hastily, I grabbed my backpack that had somehow made its way to the ground, and turned to run the rest of the way. Something made me turn around and take one last look at the stranger. His eyes had never left me and he was holding almost longingly to the bars, his eyes speaking clearly to me what his tongue could not. I waved and smiled at him. He blinked, and then gave me the brightest smile I've ever seen. It wasn't that it was big or even showed his teeth, yet somehow I know it was the truest smile I've ever seen. It came straight from his heart. He waved and nodded. He said something, I don't know what, but…I think I do. He was telling me, not with words but with his feelings and expression: "Goodbye, I hope I see you again."
Well, Ji-chan's screaming for the light to go off, so I guess it's goodbye for now. I hope I see him again; I truly do.
Yami watched the small boy run frantically down the road. He must be going to school, it is almost time for it to start here, so he must be late. I hope I didn't make him later. The young teen sighed and turned away from the outside world. Slowly he made his way back to his house. My prison. I hate it here. I have no friends and the only person I see is Mahaado. And he's always gripping about my lessons or worried because the news isn't what he wants to hear. Kicking a small stone out of his way, he turned away from the front doors and made his way around the back. Opening a side door, he walked down a poorly lit hallway and into the main entrance. He paused briefly, wondering where his guardian was. Before he could stop himself, his mind leapt to the small boy that he had seen by the fence.
His eyes! I've never seen such beautiful eyes before. Pure amethyst, just like the gem, only brighter…alive. Funny though, he didn't look Japanese, and his hair…I've never seen anyone but me have hair like that. Before his thoughts could go further, voices floated out of the closest room. Treading quietly, he inched his way to the half opened door and peeked inside. Mahaado was talking to someone; Yami was surprised. No visitors were aloud inside the fence. Who was this person?
"I'm sorry, Coun…sir. I wish I had good news to bring you, but there is none to give."
"At least the…secret is protected. Are…are you sure they found al…all of them?" Yami's breath caught in his throat. He had never heard his guardian sound so worried, so…sad before.
"Yes, sir." The man's voice was harsh, as if he were trying to hold back his own emotions. "Even the other ones hidden away in various places. We are on our last hope." A chair creaked, and Yami chanced another glance into the room. Mahaado was slumped into his desk chair, elbows resting on the desk, hands cradling his bowed head.
"Very well. Return to your station and keep yourself informed of what happens. I'll be by at the scheduled time for updates." The man bowed and headed toward the door; Yami frantically scooted back into the shadows and followed the man with his eyes until he turned into the kitchen. The back door was that way, so he must have snuck into the house. Clipped footsteps caused him to freeze as his guardian also exited the room, and made his way to the day room.
As soon as the coast was clear, Yami stood and lightly ran up the stairs to his bedroom hidden in the vast number of upstairs' rooms. Closing the door behind him, he made his way over to the one place in the dwelling that felt like home to him. In one corner of the room was a small circular place where a turret stood. Large glass windows framed the outside with a cushioned seat running around the circle. The boy curled up in his favorite spot quickly and leaned his head against the window pane. Nobody told him anything. He was alone, away from his homeland, and they told him nothing. But from the sounds of it, things were not good in his and Mahaado's country. Lids closed over the vibrant crimson eyes as images from the last time he was in his county snapped into focus. Flashes and loud crashes were going of all around him; screams from faceless people assaulted his ears. His eyes snapped back open; crimson misty with memories and repressed tears. He was so far from home, with no hope of going back.
Yami smiled slightly as an image of the smiling boy chased away the painful images and the sorrow. The innocence of the boy astounded him, no guile shown in his open eyes. He was…Light. My nickname means dark, so I guess that fits. Don't they always say opposites attract? May be I am far from home, but a friend would help me a great deal. I've never even had a real friend, will he want to be one? But he spent so long trying to talk to me, and that smile; he might have made himself late, all to be with a stranger who couldn't even speak his own language…That's it! Shooting up from his favorite spot, he thundered down the stairs and raced down the hallways until he found his guardian.
"Your…Yami, what is it?" Yami smiled, one of his mother's favorite sayings was to make the best of things. A friend would make this time spent so far from home bearable.
"Mahaado, I've decided my new language study."
"Oh, alright. What is it, Yami?"
"Japanese." The boy hid a smile as his guardian stared at him with incredulity.
"Japanese." The word was not a question or a statement of agreement, but an attempt at repetition to make sure the man had heard correctly. French he could understand or Spanish, but Japanese? "Japanese?" This time there was definitely a questioning air to the word.
"Well, I am going to be living here for awhile, and what if I find myself in the middle of…Tokyo, for example, and am unable to speak the language? If we wish to remain inconspicuous, it would be best if we could speak the language."
He has a point, thought the older man. "Agreed. You will begin your language study on Monday."
Is it bad? Let me know, push that little button and tell me all. By the way, is Mahaado the right way to spell his name? I have not really read all the far yet in the Yu-Gi-Oh Millineum World and any spelling help with his name is greatly appreciated. I am also looking for a beta reader...if anyone is interested.
(11-15-2006: This is an repost of the betaed version of the chapter. Thanks a great deal to my wonderful Beta Tavi!)