Yugioh Mulan.

Amme: Hey everyone! My nexy disney-yugioh fic!

Ryou: And this time it's with a different pairing, if you hadn't guessed.

Yugi: That's right! Puppyshipping!

Joey: Finally my time to shine! Seto too, but mostly me!

Amme: Yeah yeah, keep calm Joey, this first chapter was lots of fun to write and I've been just itching for a chance to try Mulan, but I can't see Yami/Atem and Yugi/Heba fighting and passing as a yami in this, so I sat down and thought.

Ryou: you do that a lot.

Amme: How else do you expect me to come up with ideas?

Joey: As you were saying?

Amme: oh yeah! Well: I wanted to do Mulan so badly! I thought and rewatched the movie (btw these types of fics are the best excuses in the world to revisit your childhood films!) then found lots of similarities to Joey and Seto, but of course I'll make Joey more manly. And I've changed a few other things so that it's more appraochable. And believable.

Yugi: We're awaiting your reviews, I hope a shipping change doesn't change your support.

Amme: If all goes well (meaning if I don't mess up the storyline too much, because you know what I'm like; I change things so much you'd never recognise them!) there may be a sequal Mulan 2 and that will have all my ususal hikarixyami parings in there.

Yugi: Please read on!

Ryou: Amme doesn't own Yugioh or Mulan.

Amme: *Nuu!*

Mako patrolled along the tall wall that protected the boarder of the Emperors lands. There was normally some sort of night patrol, in more recent times more than any other; Ushio of the Hun army had declared war against Japan, Solomon had asked the army to be ready to voice their first attacks.

So far … nothing. Mako was unnerved by the lack of activity.

The wall stretched as far as he could see, it was a magnificent structure, with tall towers every so hundred feet to act as even taller watch towers, each had a pot of easy lit oil to pass warning messages along very quickly. It was a great system.

No army had ever crossed this great defence, and the people of Japan continued to hope that record would stand.

Mako yawned, the night patrols were the worst. He missed his house by the ocean, but hopefully this war would end so and he'd come out the other side to return home …

A loud screech was heard and something knocked Mako's helmet clean off. Mako cried out and looked up to see an Eagle Eye spirit companion land on one of the flag posts that lined the wall as well. The Eagle seemed to glare at Mako. It's orange body and purple under wings, plus it's eerily sharp glowing eyes made it look extra haunting.

Mako stood up and looked at it curiously.

The Eagle turned to the enemy side of the wall and screeched like a demon. Mako blinked then heard a swishing noise, like something being thrown. The man jumped as a metallic clang was heard to his left, he looked and saw a tri-spiked metal hook attacked to a long rope catch into the stone. He warily approached it and looked over the wall, down below … and saw a forest of them fly up and over, allowing the throwers to be able to climb up.

Mako had no doubts over who it was. He turned and ran to the nearest watch tower "We're under attack! Light the signals!" he shouted.

The watch tower opened and two large, burly mean in Hun attire appeared out of the shadows.

Mako gasped as he saw the blood on their swords, clearly this wasn't the first point to have been struck tonight! Mako made a mad dash for the ladder, and missed their swords by a hairs breath if the brush of cold steel was anything to judge by …

Mako hauled himself over to the torch, but a large, hulking, beastly figure rose up from the other side. The man had eyes so brown they reflected the orange of the torches like the eyes of a beast, he stood at seven feet tall with muscles of steel, making him look like a gorilla, but his face was sharp and calculating. His entire body was cast in night darkest shadows though he stood close to a source of light, his evil smirk and animal hide clothes would scare a fully fit man into heart failure.

Mako gasped as the leader of the Huns Ushio himself, stood opposite him with a murderous glint in his eyes, his sword blood stained and his hard exterior so intimidating Mako was paralysed. The Eagle Eye flew to his shoulder, clearly his spirit companion, and the broken eye contact was enough to free Mako's fear frozen body.

He lunged for an oil lamp and smashed it into the large oil pot, the entire thing lit up in a split second.

Ushio looked along the wall and saw others being lit, passing the word along, and others also being passed along inland …

"Now all of Japan knows you're here," Mako said, a slight triumphant smirk on his face.

Ushio merely reached for a flag pole, and broke the sturdy wood with a simple twist of his wrist, he made it look like breaking a bit of dried noodles! He held the Emperor's flag in the flames, apparently taking great pleasure in conquering and degrading his trademark. "Perfect," he chuckled.

Mako's eyes rose in alarm! Then he thought no more …

The doors to the throne room opened and a pair of twins walked in with an assisting general on each side.

The imperial palace was grand, washed with gold and polished wood, with pale coloured walls and paintings handing in every corridor. The elderly Emperor sitting on the throne seemed to fit right in with the grandness of the place. He was dressed in patterned robes with a crown upon his head. Emperor Solomon.

The twins were identical in all but two ways, Seth had yellow eyes and green hair, Seto had brown hair with blue eyes. They were tall and dressed in light, efficient armour, they held swords at their sides and had a few other hidden weapons tucked away too. They were the heads of the army, though they were amazingly young. Only nineteen.

The two bowed before the Emperor and his counsel, they bowed on one knee. Seth spoke "Your Majesty, Huns have crossed our Northern Border," he said gravely.

Solomon and the counsel gasped, the Emperor was about to speak when his adviser and assistant spoke out "Impossible! No one can get through the great defence!" Duke was green eyed and black haired with a strange headband and even stranger earing. He was dressed in black and red, but he was rather stuck up because of his position.

Solomon raised a hand to silence him. Duke shut up and took a few steps back meekly, silently apologising for speaking out of turn.

Seto glared at him before saying "Ushio is leading them," Solomon bowed his head in thought. Seto continued, standing up as his twin did, "We will set up defences around you palace immediately."

"No," Solomon stood up, earning a few glances at his answer. "Send your troops to protect the people," he ordered. "Duke?"

"Yes your Highness," Duke said with a bow, his clipboard and pencil at the ready.

Solomon began walking down the steps, towards Seth and Seto. "Send out messages to all the villages and towns, call up reserves and as many new male-normal and yami recruits as possible," he said, the counsel around him nodding and making plans.

Seth stepped forwards "Forgive me your Majesty, but I believe our troops can stop him," Seto nodded after a moment to process what his twin had said.

Solomon smiled "It is good you have faith in your troops, and I don't doubt your judgment, but I won't take any chances." He raised a hand and said "A single grain of rice could tip this scale, one man, one yami, may be the difference between victory and defeat." Seto and Seth bowed in respect, leaving to carry out their orders.

Far away, in a small but proud town, a young man sat up going over scrolls and inking something onto his wrist. He was eighteen years old and getting ready for one of the biggest days of his life!

"Quite and demure … graceful … polite… ha, they're asking for a girl in a man's body," he laughed to himself, he reached over and pulled a rice ball out of a bundle, he took a large bite then went back to his scrolls. "Delicate …" he mumbled through his mouthful. "Is girly on here somewhere?" he asked himself again. "Refined, poised… Punctual!" he gasped when the kanji's on his wrist spelled a hidden trait, he grinned at his success.

Outside the farm's cockerel crowed the dawn.

The blond haired, honey eyed boy looked up and cursed "Damn it!" he bolted from his messy room and ran through the house in his nightclothes "Valon?" he called, be blew on his notes to try and dry them. "Valon?" he called again when he stepped through into the storage room.

He spotted the brown dog curled up in the corner "Valon! Hey buddy," he bent down to scratch him awake. "Lazy old thing aren't ya?"

The dog woke up with happy pants to the belly scratching he was receiving. The teen laughed "Come on mate, help me with my chores today?" he asked, getting a large sack of grain out, for the chickens that the farm kept. Valon jumped up and barked happily, he loved helping his master with the chickens; because it was the only time of day he was allowed to chase them to his heart's content!

The boy chuckled and cut a small hole in the sack before attaching it to Valon's collar "Okay boy, go get 'em!" he cheered as he flung the door open. Valon raced out without another prompt, leaving grain for the ducks, chickens and geese everywhere. The blond teen laughed and picked up the bucket of horse feed from beside the door.

Valon ran past Mai, the farm's mare, she whinnied in disapproval and trotted over to greet the boy with her food. The teen rubbed her nose as she butted him and snorted in a horse's hello. The boy laughed and scratched her ears "Morning girl, here eat up, I have to get to town quick today," he warned her.

Mai snorted and just ate. She was a palomino mare with a white stripe down her nose and white hooves. She looked up and stomped her hoof to get her boy's attention, and nodded over at Valon, who was about to pounce on an unsuspecting goose.

"Crap! Valon stop!"

On a hill on the same farm another young man was kneeling in the family shrine, he was dressed in a casual brown trousers and dark brown shirt, his shoes were left at the entrance of the shrine in respect. Inside this shrine were the family guardians, spirit companions and ancestors plaques.

The teen was also blond haired and honey eyed, but he was different too. He bowed and clapped his hands together twice before praying "All those dwelling in the temple, please help Joey impress the matchmaker today. Don't leave him to rely on luck, you know what he's like," he bowed his head and hoped that luck would be with his brother today.

The blond left the temple only to run into someone, causing them both to fall back on their bottoms.

"Joey!"

"Jono!"

Joey, the younger twin, also the one going to the matchmaker today, had come to the temple after spotting burning incense. Joey had a bottle and velvet pouch in his hand and a hot cup of water in the other.

Standing together the identical twins had several key differences. Jono had short hair, while Joey had a similar fringe but shoulder length hair that was tied up with a leather strip, Jono had slightly darker skin and yet the key difference was their tattoos. From elbow to wrist each had some complicated and unique tattoos.

Joey had tattoos in white with light blue and a hint of sea green playing into the smoky and fiery pattern, also his back had a large tattoo in the shape of a dragon.

Jono had tattoos in dark blue and brown, they were in wind and rain designs and he had a similar dragon on his back, only it was smaller and less impressive.

Joey sighed and put the cup of hot water in his twin's hand "Jono, you heard the quack doctor, he said three cups of this in the morning, and three at night," he reminded him.

Jono scowled and took the cup, sipping to make Joey back off, before speaking "What are you doing here?"

Joey snorted "I'm making sure my twin brother doesn't die of an unsuspected asthma attack. Here, your new herbs too," he pressed the pouch into Jono's other hand. Jono was an acute asthmatic and he had to have a few things on him to make sure he didn't have too big an attack out and about. In truth Joey was more worried about attacks than Jono was, making him a little bit protective of his other, sicker twin.

Jono smiled gratefully and inhaled the herbs a bit before shaking his head "I know why you're here, but shouldn't you be in town getting ready?"

Joey paled "Er …"

Jono laughed and patted Joey on the back, "Take Mai and get going! You're going to find your other half, I can tell."

Joey snorted "Hardly my other half; just my best match, biologically, financially, and in looks … plus that dragon lady accepts bribes like you wouldn't believe!" he complained as the two made their way to the stable.

Jono shrugged "But you'll make us all proud, stop moping about it," he encouraged with a shove to his twin. Joey grinned and shoved back, they used to wrestle a lot when they were younger.

"Yeah, your right, Mum and Dad seemed happy and they had us," he pointed out.

Jono smiled and nodded "Just think to yourself uphol-"

"Uphold the family honour" Joey recited, cutting his twin off. He swung himself onto Mai, bareback, and said "Don't worry about me, I won't let you down," he promised.

Jono laughed, all I ever do is worry about you.

Joey rode out of the farm "Wish me luck!"

Jono waved "Hurry up!"

Valon sat beside Jono and looked up with a whine. Jono scratched his ears, despite being a yami he was the gentler of the twins, it was like the tattoos had made a mistake and Jono was the hikari instead of rough-round-the-edges-Joey. "Don't worry about him, he'll be fine …" he reassured the dog.

Valon tilted his head and looked at the road Joey had gone.

Jono cleared his throat guiltily and said "I'm … I'm going to pray some more."

Serenity paced outside their preparation rooms worriedly, she wore a light pink kimono with a flower clip in her hair, she nibbled at her nails again, though her Mother often told her off for doing that.

Their Mother, Leah, stepped out and looked around "He's still not here?" she demanded, getting cross as well as worried.

Serenity shook her head, she shared her Mother's brown hair but had the same honey brown eyes as her beloved brothers. Beloved was the correct word too; she adored them both so much, they were her hero's and her ideals. "No Mother, but he will be," she said softly.

Serenity didn't have any tattoos because she was a 'normal' or a complete person. Her soul was fully her own with both light and dark inside it, they were as common as the others.

Behind the Mother and daughter a helper leaned out of the doors and sighed "Still not here yet? The matchmaker isn't a patient woman," she warned before returning inside to prepare.

Leah groaned "Of all days to be late! I should have made him sleep out here to be on time!" she ran a hand through her tied up hair.

Serenity chuckled before spotting someone hurrying through the crowds. "Mother!" she tugged on her arm.

Joey rode through on Mai like a demon, and Mai was a stallion at heart, so together they were unstoppable. Mai jumped clear over a stall and Joey turned around on his steed to shout his apologises to the scared tradesman. Mai pulled up beside Serenity and Leah and Joey jumped down "I'm here!" he gasped.

Serenity giggled as their Mother scowled at him, hands on her hips, she wore a light blue-grey kimono.

Joey lowered his arms "What?" then he realised he was late. "But Mum, Jono-"

Leah caught his arm "None of your excuses, Joseph Wheeler," she said, pulling him along, leaving Serenity to tend to Mai. Joey cringed, whenever his Mother used his full name she was very cross. "Now let's get you cleaned up, gods and spirits help us, you'll have made it just in time," she said as they entered the house.

The helper was an older woman who specialised in preparing 'brides' of all kinds. She pulled Joey's arm and sighed at the dirty nails and the hair spiked with straw.

"This is what you give me to work with?

Well, honey, I've seen worse."

She shoved him behind a screen and quickly stripped him down to get washed.

"We're gonna turn this sow's ear,

Into a silk purse," she said as he tripped into the water.

Joey resurfaced with a yelp! "It's freezing!" he complained, his teeth chattering badly.

Leah, Serenity and the helper all laughed at his predicament. Leah patted his head and quickly untied his hair so they could wash it free of 'farmyard'. In truth she loved her children dearly "It would have been warm, if you were here on time," she said gently, her grey eyes flashing.

The helper dunked a warmer bucket over his head and began washing his wild hair.

"We'll have you washed and dried,

Primped and polished till you glow with pride,

Trust my recipe for instant bride.

You'll bring honour to us all," She sang cheerfully, dunking the unsuspecting boy under again.

Leah held out Joey's arm to scrub and gasped when she saw his inked skin. "Joey, what is this?" she asked, a little unimpressed.

Joey pulled his hand away from her, washing himself to avoid the helper's assistance "Erm … notes, encase I forget something?" he offered meekly. "You know what I'm like!"

Serenity laughed at the look their Mother gave him, she turned to Mai and said "I think he'll need some support, and a lot more luck than we thought." The horse seemed to nod as she picked at the dry grass on the edge of the road.

Inside Joey was having his hair braided and beaded with blue, white and green themed beads, luckily it was two younger helpers who were a lot less rough in their assisting tending to him "Wait and see, when we're through."

"Yamis will gladly go to war for you," another sang.

The other chuckled "With good fortune."

"And a great hair-do," the second helper smiled, holding the mirror so Joey could see how smart and elegant he looked. Joey was slightly impressed that they had managed to tame his fringe and hair so well.

Leah joined in with their final line. "You'll bring honour to us all."

Joey shrugged modestly and said "No pressure?" the helpers laughed as Joey moved to the next chamber to get changed. The helper's songs and other families encouragements could be heard all around.

"Hikari's bring their family

Great honour in one way.

But just as they were about to enter the dressing chambers, when Joey saw a pair of traders having an argument on how a piece of machinery was meant to fit in with the rest in their new traveling forge.

Joey snorted as his mind at once saw how it was meant to be done, life on the farm meant he was in contact with these things often; he took it from their hands and slid it into place, hitting it once with the hammer to keep it in place. They stared in amazement as a hikari who's stereotypical role was to be quite, housekeeping and merely a pretty face, worked out their machine. Joey flashed a thumbs up as his Mother dragged him onwards.

"By striking a good match,

And this could be the day."

Joey stood on a stool as tailors danced around him in sync, they measured; arms, legs, neck, waist and height in a matter of seconds before fixing him a kimono in just two minutes.

"Yamis want those with good taste," warned an old woman

"Calm."

"Obedient."

"Who work fast-paced." The three others sang quickly. One danced under Joeys' raised arms with his obi and his Mother picked up the song, seeing Joey's nervous face as he wasn't any of those things.

"With good breeding."

"Beauty interlaced," Joey gasped inwards sharply as the old woman pulled his obi tight.

"You'll bring honour to us all," they chorused with encouraging smiles.

Joey thanked them as he was hurried on. His new outfit was made of sea blue trousers, light sky blue kimono top with a sea green obi and another sea blue over coat, like a cloak with sleeves. The opening to his kimono were pattered like his tattoos fire and smoke patterns that ran along every seam. A dragon was along the back like his back tattoo.

"We all must serve our emperor,

Who guards us from the huns."

Joey smiled as two young boys played soldiers, but frowned when they stole a doll from a young girl. Joey saw her fight back, but she was easily half their height. He marched over and took it from his taunting grasp, scaring him off with a yami-like glare, before kindly returning the doll to the delighted girl.

"Yamis by bearing arms,

And Hikaris bearing sons."

Leah smiled at her son's kindness but still insisted he hurried up. Their last stop; the makeup chambers. The hikari girl smiled warmly and sat Joey down so she could work, and she did work quickly …

"When we're through, you can't fail,

Like a lotus blossom soft and pale,"

Joey looked into the mirror, seeing outlined eyes in black eyeliner, a lightly powered face to get rid of any instant blemishes and his lips had been brushed over with a subtle gloss to make them look more appealing. The girl had also rubbed a lotion into his arm tattoos to make the colour stand out.

"How could any fellow say 'no sale'?

You'll bring honour to us all,"

Leah brought out their family crest, only the men of the house, lords, ladies and other important people had their own personal one. But Joey was proud of his none the less, the washed gold was pinned to his chest by his Mother who smiled at him affectionately "There, you're ready," she told him.

"Thank gods for that," Joey mumbled half-heartedly. Leah laughed, and Joey smiled as he got the reaction he wanted.

"Oh, not yet!" Serenity gasped as she re-entered with a few little things she had gotten for good luck. She handed him an apple first, knowing he was easily calmed and appeased when presented with food. "An apple for serenity, a pendant for balance," she recited, putting Jono's old yin-yang pendant around his neck.

"Beads of jade for beauty,

You must proudly show it," she told him shyly, knowing he hated being called girly, but Joey only blushed a little and touched the bracelet that belonged to his sister. Serenity and their Mother handed him one final thing, this was from their shrine. It was a tiny spirit, which was said to be lucky, Serenity had run all the way back to their home to summon one and convince it into the cage she bought for her brother.

"Now, add a scapegoat just for luck," Serenity sang as she clipped the tiny fluffy creature it to her brother's obi. It was yellow with brown hooves and horns, a cheeky smile and was only about an inch and a half tall.

"And even you can't blow it!" Leah added with a laugh, knowing how clumsy he was and out of character he would be feeling right now. Joey sagged at the lack of faith, causing more chuckles.

Joey stepped out into the open and made a quick prayer himself as the nerves set in.

"Ancestors, hear my plea,

Help me not to make a fool of me,

And to not uproot my family tree,

Keep our honour standing tall." He exchanged a final hug and kiss with his Mother and sister before hearing the distant gone of the matchmaker's summons. He gasped and ran out of the house, nearly tripping on his new robes as he did so.

"Scarier than the undertaker,

We are meeting our matchmaker!"

He caught up to the back of the line, other hikari's both male and female were there and walking in a dignified manner to the house of the matchmaker; Vivian. Joey fumbled, glancing ahead to see how they were moving and eventually copied them.

"Destiny, guard our ones,

And our future as it fast unfurls

Please look kindly on these cultured pearls

Each a perfect porcelain doll." The proud parents sang encouragingly.

"Please bring honour to us,

Please bring honour to us,

Please bring honour to us,

Please bring honour to us,

Please bring honour to us all!" The hikari's all sang along before getting into a straight line and waiting their turn for the matchmaker.

The doors flung open sharply, a young woman in a yellow kimono trimmed with pink and littered with flowers. She eyed those waiting and looked at her clipboard. She had long black hair in two pink buns and brown eyes that were critical and sharp. She cleared her throat "Joseph Wheeler," she shouted out.

Joey stood up "Present," he said cheerfully.

Vivian raised an eyebrow "Speaking without permission," she said, scribbling on her notes.

"Oops," Joey face paled quickly while the other hikari's sent him sympathetic glances.

Serenity looked at her Mother who muttered "Who spit in her tea and cakes?"

The sister giggled a little as Joey walked into the matchmaker's house and said "I'm not sure, but I think that Joey'll find a way to before he leaves," she said.

Vivian shut the doors sharply and Leah cringed "That's what I'm afraid of…"

Vivian's home was very fine and stately. There was handcrafted furniture, silken rugs, a fancy tea set with a teapot boiling merrily over a charcoal house stove. He felt more nerves as he took off his sandals as to not dirty the place with outdoor dust and dirt. The carpet was warm under his feet and he breathed softly, touching the gifts from his family and hoping they'd be lucky for him today.

The reason this was so important was that Vivian could declare who you were best matched too, she had a reputation for finding love or satisfaction in couples and their families, but she had also exiled some saying they were unfit for marriage and her word was almost written law! It was the same for every matchmaker, if the fates declared you a loner, they would make sure you remained such.

Vivian grabbed his outer kimono and stripped him of it, circling him critically she tutted as she took in his body shape "Too bulky, muscles, ugh," she scribbled on her clipboard again "Not good for bearing sons."

Joey cringed at her tone. He knew he wasn't exactly hikari material, but his shape came from taking over Jono's work and making up for his illness on the farm also his Father's as he was deceased, work made you strong and muscled, but now he was beginning to regret it. Yamis wanted hikari's who were slender, submissive and fertile. Joey was only one of the above.

Scapegoat growled at her, knowing it made his master unhappy. He wriggled out of the cage and tried to dive at her to bite and butt her with his teeth and horns. Joey snatched him before the tiny spirit could do such a thing, but the creature kept going after her!

Finally Joey shoved the creature in his pocket, his fist tightly wrapped around it. He prayed that the spirit would stay put!

Vivian turned, and saw him fluster, she smirked and said "Recite the adminission," she ordered in a honeyed voice full of threat.

Joey winced inside as remembering wasn't his strong point. He put his hands together as if in prayer and bit his lip slightly as tiny scapegoat got out and snuck deeper into the house … stupid spirit, you'll get me into trouble!

Vivian raised an eyebrow "Well?"

Joey blinked "Um, for fill your duties calmly and … " he glanced at the smudged notes on his wrist. "respectfully. Er, reflect before you snact. Act!" he said quickly after as he read the note wrong. "This shall being you honour and glory," he finished quickly.

Vivian wrote something and Joey breathed a sigh of relief. Vivian nodded to herself "Alright Mr Wheeler, take a seat," she said, pointing to a place by the table. She sat herself opposite him, daintily, and reached to take her fancy teapot off the coals.

Joey reached over "Let me," he offered, taking it and wincing at the heat on the handle. Vivian seemed surprised at his helpfulness and made a quick note, Joey hoped it was positive!

Vivian nodded "Now, pour the tea." She looked at a few papers to her right, Joey put the teapot down and gasped when he saw tiny scapegoat escape the spout, the end of a chilly stalk in its mouth! Oh no!

But the spirit hadn't stopped there, he had painted Vivian's pencil with ink! Her hand was all inky and she cupped her face as she read off the papers! "To please your future in laws you must demonstrate a sense of dignity," she put her inky hand on her heart and the large palm print in black was revealed … "and refinement, you must also be poised," she said as Joey poured, wishing he could throw it out the window!

Normally Joey would have laughed at the woman's face, but now his heart sank and iced over. Oh gods … she'll blame this on me! Vivian reached for the tea Joey had to pour, and Joey could only guess at her reaction to the chilly in it!

Joey reached out and said "Um, excuse me-"

"And silent!" Vivian snapped. Joey bit his lip.

The woman inhaled her rich tea before taking a large sip. Joey closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable. Vivian began to pant a little as her tea turned out hotter then she thought, she reached for her notes, but suddenly the warm turned to burning! She gasped and put a hand to her throat "What did you do?" she asked him worriedly as she hyperventilated.

Joey stood up "I'll go get some water," he offered worriedly.

Vivian stood up and knocked the coal stove over, her carpet was quickly ablaze and her kimono from where it had touched was burning too. Vivian screamed! "Ah! Oh gods! Help! Put it out!" she yelped!

Joey picked up the teapot and splashed the tea all over the floor to put out the house fire, and dashed to the bathroom to get some water. Vivian was panicking and that the panic made the flames spread quicker!

Outside everyone jumped as the lady screamed. Leah gasped and Serenity grabbed her arm "Scream of delight?" she offered hopefully, but she knew she was wrong.

Vivian ran outside with her lower skirt on fire! Her face black with ink and her dignity in tatters!

Leah gasped "Joey!" what have you done?

As if summoned Joey appeared with a jug of water and quickly doused the blazing skirt. He grabbed Vivian's arm as she nearly fell and steadied her. "Are you alright?" he asked her, worried if she had got burned.

But Vivian was more angry than hurt. When she calmed she ignored how he had saved her house from burning down, how he tried to warn her and how he had practically saved her life, and shoved him away. She didn't see his loyalty, quick thinking and kindness, all she saw was how it made her look.

"You, you are a disgrace!" she shouted at him, screaming like a banshee, in front of the entire town. Joey backed away as she threw her clipboard at him, somehow she managed to hang onto it though her panic.

Leah and Serenity appeared and held Joey on either side. Tiny scapegoat squeezed back into his cage and listened worriedly as Joey was shouted at.

Vivian growled "You may look like a bride, but you'll never bring your family honour! You're unfit! Get out of my sight!" she howled and stormed back into her house.

Joey felt a horrible weight settle into his stomach … he tried to play it off, though his eyes stung with tears as he was, yet another, disappointment. "Well … that's that then," he said gloomily. Serenity hugged him at once and Leah squeezed his shoulders.

Jono heard the clip-clop of Mai's hooves as she returned home, Serenity, their Mother and Joey with her! He jumped up, Valon right at his heel, and rushed as fast as his body would let him to the entrance. He smiled as he saw his Mother, brother and sister in the courtyard. Joey was stroking Mai's neck, the mare seemed to be hugging him with her chin tucked over Joey's shoulder.

Jono approached and Joey broke away from the friendly animal to hug his twin. Jono squeezed his shoulders before stepping back and smiling. "So … how'd it go?" he asked, wondering if Joey had gotten any good matches.

Joey looked down, depressed. He looked at Jono and opened his mouth to speak, but the words never formed, all that escaped him was a sad sigh. He shook his head wordlessly, his blond bangs covering his eyes, and silently walked past into the garden, leaving his Mother and sister to explain what happened.

Joey reached for the cage which held the tiny scapegoat, the tiny spirit looked up pleadingly, begging forgiveness. Joey was a lot of things, but for once he matched a hikari profile; they were very forgiving and generally emotional.

He smiled at the little sprit and opened the cage door "It's alright little guy, I know you meant well. She wasn't very nice, was she?" he asked as the tiny goat stepped onto his palm. The spirit bleated once, very sorry, and smiled a little when his master showed no ill will towards him. Joey smiled kindly and kneeled down to put the tiny creature in the grass, sooner or later it would return to the temple …

As Joey knelt he spotted his own reflection in the pond in their garden. He saw himself as a bride, like the ideal hikari, primed, proper and ideally perfect. Joey knew he was none of the above, and today just proved it.

He sighed sadly "Look at me, I will never pass for a perfect bride. Or a great Hikari," he sang softly as he looked through the garden archway at his solemn family.

"Can it be, I'm not meant to play this part?" he stood up and moved away, he just wanted to be alone for a while. Tiny scapegoat bleated sadly and bounced after him, determined to watch him and make it all better.

"Now I see," Joey continued "that if I were truly to be myself," he reached up to a tree branch and pulled a few quick chin ups before throwing a few weak punches, dull as he was feeling, "I would break my family's heart."

Joey glanced at the pool again and nearly groaned at the image reflecting him "Who is that guy I see, staring straight back at me?" He threw a pebble into the water to distort the reflection that wasn't him. "Why is my reflection someone I don't know?"

Joey made his way up to the shrine and looked at the plaques of his ancestors, spirit companions sealed away and guardians of metaphorical meaning. He winced as he thought of how he had let them all down, he sang apologetically "Somehow I cannot hide who I am, though I've tried," he bowed before the plaque of the very first of the Wheeler clan.

He looked at his reflection in the polished silver and picked up a rag that normally polished the said plaques. "When will my reflection show who I am inside?" he asked aloud as he wiped one half away, showing a yin-yang Joseph Wheeler. He looked along the rest of those he had failed and sighed, his voice turned melancholy. "When will my reflection show who I am … inside?"

The sad boy left the temple, shrugged out of his fancy clothes and exchanged them for his own, reaching through the window to his room to get them. He changed for a simple brown trousers and a red short sleeved shirt, with a bit of rope sewing together the slightly revealing collar cut. He wandered over to the garden and sat under a willow, where he could hide away from the world.

He had only sat there a few minutes when the curtain of silvery leaves moved to reveal his concerned brother and sister.

Joey met their eyes for a second before turning away, ashamed and disappointed in himself.

Serenity quickly stepped over to sit before him, she took his hand and smiled at him. She had changed into a green kimono that was shorter on her legs and short sleeved, it had brown along the hems. Jono was the same as this morning; brown trousers and dark brown top. He leaned against the tree with Joey.

The three said nothing for a long time.

Jono sighed at last "It's not the end you know," he said.

Joey snorted "I'm going to spend the rest of my life alone. No one wants a hikari with my stained honour," he pointed out. He curled in on himself a little "You didn't see the looks everyone in town gave me …"

Serenity squeezed his hand, she remembered the looks … they were either distantly sympathetic, blank as they blocked him from their thoughts, or scornful; this just proved how a hikari wasn't supposed to act or be, or else. She hugged Joey suddenly "Don't listen to them! They don't know you at all, and they don't know how hard life is here without Dad," she pointed out.

Jono nodded "You've had to take over where I couldn't because I've been so sick, and Dad's duties as well, you're the best brother and person I know," he said. Jono was very popular as he was not socially awkward like Joey was, and he was speaking the truth when he said that Joey was the best of them all. He put an arm around him "You're worth ten of any of those villagers Joey," he comforted.

Serenity smiled at him. Joey felt a blush raising to his cheeks at their praise. "B-but Vivian-"

Serenity snorted delicately "Who cares about her? You know what kind of family she came from? Stuck up nobility, she's never had to work hard in her life; that job she has is her favourite pastime; being critical," she ranted. The twins were surprised at the amount of emotion in her voice, but she did get very emotionally protective of her older brothers.

And she wasn't finished there, she took a breath and said "And I don't know what Mum was thinking letting her decide your future," she held up her left hand "She's not married or in a relationship; I wouldn't trust my kids to someone who can't even find their own love match."

Joey's eyes widened and Jono blinked in astonishment as the truth of her words came to them. They all exchanged a glance, grinning widely to try and hold back giggles. But they were laughing before they were through.

Joey wiped at his eye before nodding. He was laying on his back, Serenity's head resting on his stomach as she also laid out flat, Jono was leaning against the tree but he was slouching a lot. Joey stared at the willow leaf ceiling above him. "I guess that makes me feel a little better," he hedged before chuckling again.

Jono raised an eyebrow at him "A little? By how much you're laughing you're better than ever," he lightly punched his twin's shoulder.

Joey grinned "Don't make me wipe the floor with you."

Jono laughed "Only if you're the floor polish," he teased back.

Serenity smiled with her eyes closed as the familiar pattern of jokes and threats passed on around her. At least he's feeling better, she decided. Just as they were relaxing for the rest of the afternoon a steady beating noise started up.

Joey sat up, catching his sister's shoulders so she didn't fall, Jono also stopped slouching as the noise continued. All three of them left the safety of the willow and saw their Mother looking up at the old watchtower, the watchman was beating the drum within it steadily to call the attention of everyone, someone was approaching. As they looked they also heard the blasts of trumpets in the distance …

Serenity looked at Jono and Joey "What is it?"

Leah answered "A messenger of the Emperor!"

Amme: So what do you think? OMG I'm on such a high right now!

Joey: I like it! I'm the star!

Yugi: You've put Seth and Jono in there?

Amme: Yeah, because I can't have the two doing things for Mr Jounochi and Gosaburu Kaiba; they're abusive jerks. So that's my first in a number of twists! They have brothers! Twin brothers!

Ryou: The more the merrier. Loyal reviewers please tell us things:

1) What do you think overall?

2) What was your fav part of the chapter?

3) What was your least fav part of the chapter?

4) Do you like the casting so far? This includes the new and added characters.

5) How am I doing with this new pairing?

Amme: Please include those points in your reviews so I have your full support and encoragement. Thank you so much! Updating soon!