Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Deceptive ❯ Chapter 1

Title:  Deception
Part:  1/4
Author:  Murasaki Rose
Beta:  none
Genre:  Romance/Fantasy/AU
Rating:  PG-13
Spoilers:  Yami Yuugi's real name
Warnings:  Shonen-ai (male x male)
Pairings:  YYxY, SxJ, YBxR, YMxM
Disclaimer:  Here we go.  Yu-Gi-Oh and all its characters are the property of Kazuki Takahashi, Shueisha, Konami, Toei, and unfortunately, 4 Kids Entertainment.  In other words, I don't own them and I'm not making any money off of this, I'm just a fangirl having some fun.
A/N:  "text" = speech, 'text' = thought, ((text)) = telepathy

Summary:  The millenia-long war between the Jackal and Kitsune kingdoms has finally come to an end.  To discourage further conflict, the kings agree to marry their sons and ally the kingdoms.  Unwilling to make peace, a member of the Kitsune court spirits the prince away to Earth, sealing them both in human form.  Fifteen years later, the Jackal prince now searches the human world for his missing bride.

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Part One - Deception

x-x-x-x

Sugoroku shuddered as the news anchor started in on the top story of the night: another mass group of teenagers between the ages of 14 and 18 had been kidnapped from their schools, continuing the same pattern that had been going on worldwide for the past year:  several schools within a city or town would suddenly become empty as though all the teens were teleported to another location.  Then a few days later they would all be returned, safe and unharmed, each speaking of strange people with animal appendages that seemed to be searching for someone. Within a day or two following their return another group of schools would be attacked in the exact same manner.  The authorities were trying to pass it off as some crazy religious cult or a terrorist faction kidnapping the teens as a fear tactic; using drugs to induce mass hallucinations and convince the teachers left behind that the teens had "disappeared" in front of them.

He knew better though.  He'd been on edge since the first kidnapping occurred and now... now they had finally come to Japan.  If he thought it would work, he would just keep Yuugi home from school until they passed through Domino, but the kidnappers always searched the city and countryside afterwards, catching any teens they might have missed at the schools.  Maybe he could take Yuugi to a place they had already searched...

"Your foolish attempt at treachery will soon be found out."

Glaring at the crimson-eyed woman standing behind him Sugoroku cursed his luck.  Of course "she" would interfere with his attempts to keep Yuugi out of their hands. 

Yuugi's "mother" smirked at the old man.  "I knew they would find us.  My husband is far too intelligent for the likes of you."

"Yuugi will never give himself over willingly to-"

"To his betrothed?" the woman interrupted.  "Maybe if you had raised him alone..."  Laughing at his shocked expression she continued, "Did you really think I wasn't aware of what you were doing?  For every attempt you made to poison his thoughts, I ensured he would keep his heart and mind open." 

"He'll never marry one of you," he snarled, an ominous aura of magic crackling around his hands.  Raising his arms to attack he watched in horror as the aura blinked out and his magic faded away to nothing while mocking laughter filled his ears.

"I wondered when you'd discover your little "problem"," she taunted.  "You wasted so much magic transporting us to this realm, sealing away my magic, and making the three of us human that you've lost almost all your power."

"Woserit! (1)" Aged, plum eyes narrowed in anger, "if I hadn't had to transform and seal you.....you weren't even supposed to be here!" he spat.

"While I regret the time I've lost with my husband and son, I do not regret the chance I was given to raise Yuugi as my own," she smirked.  "He and Atem will make an even better match than I hoped."

Furious, Sugoroku could do little more than glare.

She laughed again at his outraged expression, "You'd best calm yourself "old" man.  Yuugi will be home soon and you wouldn't want to make him suspicious now would you?"

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Man, I don't know how much more of this I can take!"

"What do you mean?" Yuugi asked the lanky blond walking beside him.

Jou shrugged and shifted his backpack on his shoulder.  "All this waiting!   We all know that we're gonna get kidnapped like everyone else has!"

Yuugi nodded, "I know what you mean.  Everyone around us is so tense, it's like the whole town is walking on eggshells."

"I just want to get it over with already!" the blond exclaimed in frustration.  "It's not like I want it to happen, but since no one's come up with a way to stop it yet, I'd rather get it over and done!"

"Me too," the tri-color haired youth bit his lip anxiously, "Grandpa is really worried.  He keeps trying to come up with ways to keep me from getting kidnapped, but Mama keeps poking holes in all his ideas."

"Really?"

Yuugi gave him a wry grin, "Well...so far he hasn't been able to come up with anything that hasn't already been tried."

"He's just worried like everybody else.  Even MY dad is starting to get concerned.  When I left home today, he actually told me to be careful."

Yuugi was surprised, Jonouchi's father was a heavy drinker and rarely sober, so for him to even be aware of the problem really drove in how tense people were getting.

"How's your mom taking it?"

The amethyst-eyed teen looked thoughtful, "Quite well, now that I think about it.  I think she's putting on a strong front so I won't worry about it anymore than I have to."

"Sounds like her."

"Yeah.  I'm trying to follow her example."

"Maybe I should try it too, huh?"

"Couldn't hurt," the smaller teen replied as they walked through the school's front gates, taking note of the fearful expressions on the faces of the classmates they passed by.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Despite his earlier reassurances to his best friend, at the end of the day Yuugi couldn't shake the cold feeling of dread that had settled deep in the pit of his stomach.  Between the thick tension enveloping his classmates and his grandfather's near-frantic plotting of ways to keep him safe, the petite teen couldn't help but be effected.

Now, nearly an hour after he had gone to bed, the amethyst-eyed youth stared blankly up at his ceiling, his mind racing with all manner of disturbing possibilities.

A soft knock at his bedroom door roused him from his thoughts.

"Hai?"

The door opened, the dim light from the hall revealing his mother's silhouette.  "Are you all right dear?"

Sitting up he gave her a faint smile, "Can't sleep."

Coming into his room, she made her way over to the bed to sit by her son.  "Your grandfather got you all worked up didn't he?"

He shrugged, "Sorta.  The whole city's freaking out, he just added a little too much for me to handle tonight."

"Oh Yuugi," Woserit hugged him to her side.  "Do you remember the story I used to tell you when you were little?"

Yuugi's nose crinkled adorably as he thought, "The one about the princess of day and the prince of night?"

"That's the one."

"Kinda.  Why do you ask?"

"Why don't I tell it to you again so you'll understand."

Yuugi gave her a wry grin, "I know you don't want me to grow up, but don't you think I'm a little too old for bedtime stories?"

"Nonsense.  You're never too old for bedtime stories," she retorted, ruffling his spiky hair.  "Especially if they help you get to sleep," she continued, giving him an impish wink.

"All right," he relented, snuggling against her side and resting his head on her shoulder.

"Once upon a time in a dimension far from this one, there were two kingdoms that were very different, yet at the same time, exactly the same. These two kingdoms, the kingdoms of Day and Night, had been at war for a very long time. So long in fact, that the war had passed through three generations of rulers and no one alive could remember who had started fighting first or what the war had started for.

It was at this time that the ruler of the Night kingdom decided he had had enough of war and sent a message to the kingdom of Day: he wished to discuss peace and an end to the war. Seeing no need to continue his grandfather's campaign, the ruler of the kingdom of Day agreed.  So the two kings and their most trusted councilors met and after much debate, worked out a peace treaty, one that would be sealed by the marriage of the heirs to their thrones. Now the heirs were far too young to wed, but the kings agreed to carry out the treaty regardless and give their people a chance to accept the peace and the pending union.

But not everyone was happy with this arrangement. The brother of the Day kingdom's ruler was completely opposed to the marriage and peace between the kingdoms. When his brother refused to dissolve the marriage agreement, he took drastic measures, kidnapping his daughter and locking her up in a hidden castle in a land far, far away in hopes they would never find her and war would resume between the lands.

Years later, when the prince of the Night kingdom came of age, he made it his mission to find his missing fiancé and bring her safely home. With fierce determination, he searched the world for any sign of her until he finally heard a rumor about a beautiful maiden kept in a tower at the heart of a huge castle. Tracking the rumor to its source he learned the location of the elusive castle and traveled to it immediately. As the great walls came into view he heard a beautiful voice singing a melancholy tune. Finding no entrance, the prince used his magic to fly over the walls and into the lavish gardens of the center courtyard where he found the source of the singing.  Seated in front of an easel was a young woman painting an image of colorful birds flying across the sky, her melodic voice echoing through the courtyard while she worked.  The prince found himself stunned speechless by her beauty, but quickly regained his composure and clearing his throat, announced his presence to her.

His appearance startled her as she had never been visited by anyone not accompanied by her uncle, but she was not frightened. After introducing himself, the prince asked why she was singing such a sad song and she replied that she had spent her whole life in the castle never once setting foot beyond its great walls.  Her uncle always told her that it was to protect her from the dangerous people of the Night but as she had never met one, she had only his word to rely on.

Wanting to help her even if she wasn't his missing bride, the prince chose to be honest and admitted to being the prince of the Night kingdom.  He asked that she let him prove that her uncle was wrong and when she chose to trust him, he would take her anywhere in the world she wished.

Lonely and wanting to learn more of the outside world, the maiden eagerly agreed and soon the two became lost in conversation. Before long, night had fallen and after dining together, the maiden offered to let the prince stay in one of the many guest rooms. Heartened by her first show of trust, he accepted her offer.

Several days passed and the two grew closer with every passing moment and soon the maiden agreed to leave.  To her delight, he summoned a pair of griffins for them to ride to their first destination: the kingdom of Night.  Sadly, not long after they left, the uncle returned and finding the castle empty flew into a rage setting after them with frightening speed.  It wasn't long before he caught up to them and immediately tried to destroy the prince with his magic.  Easily evading the attack, the prince recognized the uncle and knew then that the maiden was indeed his missing bride.  The two battled fiercely and over the course of their battle, the uncle admitted he had kidnapped his niece so she would not marry the dark prince and their kingdoms might return to war.  The maiden was shocked by the news, but such was her kindness, could not bring herself to hate her uncle.  Being younger and having grown stronger in magic, the prince soon defeated the uncle but did not kill him, instead binding him so he could be taken back to face the punishment for his crimes.

Having learned much about the maiden from the time they had spent together, the prince saw her troubled expression and knew what was bothering her.  He reassured her that while one day they must marry for the sake of their kingdoms, he would not let it happen until he had won her heart just as he had earned her trust.  Her fears calmed, she returned with him to the kingdom of Night where she was reunited with the parents she had never known.

True to his word, the prince traveled the world with his princess, the two sharing many grand adventures and making friends along the way.  When the time came for them to rule, the princess gladly married her prince, with whom she had fallen madly in love with, and they were wed immediately.  Together they had a long and happy life with many children and two peaceful kingdoms to raise them to rule."

"I've always liked that story," Yuugi murmured as his mother tucked him in. (2)

Woserit smiled and kissed his forehead, "I know.  Maybe one day you'll meet a dark prince of your own."

"That-" Yawn.  "-would be wonderful," he replied sleepily before drifting off to dreamland.

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1 - mighty woman (ancient Egyptian girl name)

2 - Woserit's own adaptation of the Rapunzel story she found while purchasing children's books.  It was one way she could hint at their true origin to Yuugi, without Sugoroku stopping her.