Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Dragon Rising ❯ Chapter Twelve ( Chapter 12 )

In which Yugi's biggest obstacle is revealed and Terran is imminent

 

Joey and Tristan were overjoyed when Theo, upon discovering the joy that was “video games,” challenged them to a battle in the game “Mortal Combat.” The two psions became even more joyful when Theo insisted they try all the other games as well.

 

The Mirran was healing quickly, so, on the third day of his stay, when the bandages came off and Alianna declared him “fit” again, his first request was to be taken to the “arcade” that Joey and Tristan had told him of. They nearly cried with happiness. “Don't worry, Ali!” Joey assured the elf when she heard of the plan, “We'll make sure he stays out of trouble.”

 

“That's what worries me.”

 

“My darling Alianna,” Theo said, wrapping his arms around her waist and spinning her around, “I swear on my honor that I will get into no trouble and keep them out besides.” He smiled charmingly at her.

 

She didn't buy it. “Tea?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Would you go with these three to the arcade and keep them out of trouble?”

 

“Gladly,” the Amazon replied with a feral grin. “So much for trust,” Theo muttered.

 

“I do trust you,” Alianna said, patting his cheek, “I trust you to get yourself into some situation, as per usual. And don't deny it. The same thing happens when you are with your king and squadron.” The Mirran suddenly found the ceiling very interesting.

 

“Don't worry, Ali, I'll take good care of them,” Tea said. “You can beat them over the head if they misbehave,” the elf replied.

 

“Oh, yes!”

 

“Oh, no,” the two boys sighed.

 

“You're buying me lunch,” Tea informed the boys as they walked out. “What!” they protested. “If I have to spend my day with you idiots at the arcade, you're buying me lunch. I like cheese on my fries, thank you.”

 

Theo kissed Alianna quickly before hurrying after the three teens. “What are `fries'?” he asked as the door shut behind him.

 

Alianna sighed and Drizzt handed her a cup of tea. “Thank you.”

 

“You're quite welcome.”

 

“Damn it!” Yugi swore from the lab Alianna had recently installed into the house. Alianna's brow furrowed, “Is he still not able to go beyond hand gestures?”

 

Drizzt nodded, “Yep. He has the potential to be able to become a thought-wizard, but that last step is being hindered. I think it's because he's not accepted the dragon demon part of him.” Alianna grimaced, “That would do it. To have the discipline required for mind-magic, he has to accept every part of him and his mind, including that non-human bit. Until he does, he's his own biggest obstacle.”

 

Yugi stalked out of the lab, angry lines etched around his thin-pressed mouth and eyes. Grey circles under his eyes hinted at lack of sleep and faint stubble ran along his cheekbones and his jaw. “Yugi?” Drizzt said, brow raised in concern. “Don't talk to me right now,” the young man growled, “I'll only bite your head off.” He stalked off into the kitchen, where they could here him muttering under his breath.

 

“He didn't look too good,” Drizzt said, keeping his voice low.

 

“No,” Alianna agreed. “Joey was telling me how they've been having weird dreams the last few nights. A green, warm land has been appearing and they hear what they call a voice calling them.”

 

“Ah. Terran calls her children home.”

 

“It would be worse for Yugi, especially if he's resisting part of himself.”

 

“I guess I'll call Jade and tell her to meet us at the way-point. We'll all cross.”

 

“She's here?”

 

“Has been for about two months now. She found more young people in need of teaching.”

 

Alianna raised her eyebrow in question. Drizzt grinned, “Let's just say it will be interesting.”

 

“Someone usually ends up dead or hurt when you say that.”

 

“Well, there is that distinct possibility.”

 

The elf woman sighed and finished her tea. “Contact Jade, then. The sooner we get them to Terran, the better. Who knows? Maybe once we're there, Yugi will be able to accept the other half of his blood.”

 

“The lad is a mountain.”

 

“And Terran is the eroding river cascading down the mountain's side.”

 

Atem and Mystique, upon hearing of the plan to venture into Terran, agreed to meet the group there, since some education in Shadow magic was still required. The two even went a step further and said they'd go before hand to forewarn the elves' tribe that they'd be returning with their pupils. “Could you drop by the Citadel and let my Lord know that I'll be returning?” Theo asked.

 

“Of course,” Atem replied.

 

“And I'll tell Yugi's father,” Mystique said when Drizzt opened his mouth to ask something. The drow promptly closed his mouth and grinned. “Alright…everything's taken care of…” Alianna ran a finger down the parchment the list was written on. “So, the only things left to do are informing the youngsters of their trip and then meet Jade at the way-point.”

 

“Right.”

 

“Our work is never done. Thanks for helping, you two,” Drizzt said, looking at the two spirits, who grinned. “Compared to what Yugi and I have gone through before this, it's not a big deal,” Atem replied. Mystique rolled her eyes, “As he says. My only reason is that it's terribly boring without something to do in the afterlife.” As they rose to depart for their separate tasks, Drizzt suddenly grabbed Alianna's arm.

 

“We forgot something.”

 

“What?”

 

“We need to ask Blair to help Solomon while we're away.”

 

“Where is he now?”

 

“At Nightstalker's place.”

 

“Oh, gods.”

 

Atem and Mystique gave him questioning looks. Theo sighed and shook his head, “Don't ask. Believe me, you don't want to know.” The two spirits inclined their heads in acceptance and disappeared, leaving the last three to call upon this friend of theirs.

 

The teens were, once they learned the news, ecstatic. Well, three were ecstatic, one was cautiously happy. As his friends hammered their teachers with questions, Yugi stood by the window, feeling both relieved to finally be going to the place his mother had called home and feeling a sense of dread. While it was true he'd be able to meet his father and the people who knew him, he'd also be all the more closer to the one who'd cursed him.

 

Yugi's hand subconsciously grasped at his chest, where the burning claws of Cloak had left their imprint. He was sure Alianna could have healed them, but Theo's wounds had been more threatening and besides, the marks had healed relatively well on their own. They were still pink and a bit sore, but Yugi was confident that they'd disappear with minimal scarring.

 

When he was honest with himself, part of Yugi didn't want to go. Part of him wanted to deny everything still and go back to the way things were, before he'd learned of a terrible curse and before he'd learned he wasn't human. But then again, he reasoned, he wasn't black dragon demon, either. So what was he?

 

He sighed and ran a hand over his face before turning and heading towards his room to pack his books and other necessary items up. The part that didn't want to go to Terran was small and easily ignored. It was inevitable anyway, so why fight it?

 

As he packed, a thought occurred to him that brought a positive light to the situation. The portrait of Caspian and Marina, in its own little wooden frame, was picked up from his nightstand and set in the small trunk on a pile of books. At least he'd get to see the pretty elven girl in person again. And, from what he'd been told and the dim things he'd been able to dig out of his memory, that wasn't a bad thing to look forward to at all.

 

Blair met Solomon's approval, once the old man had gotten the chance to inspect the male who'd so graciously agreed to help him around the shop and anything else that needed doing. He was strong and sturdy looking, meaning he could do heavy lifting, and he wasn't towering over Solomon, either. Actually, he was only about five feet, eight inches tall with a lean, well cut build. So, Solomon wouldn't feel dwarfed. The new help was also well mannered and mild, his disposition calm and down to earth with an easy smile that was ready to appear at the slightest hint of humor. The only odd thing about his overall, easy on the eye appearance was his jet black hair. Oh, that was normal enough. The odd thing about it was the streak of white on the left side, and Blair also had pointed ears. Smaller than an elf's, but still prominent.

 

“You can disguise those, right?” Solomon asked, eyeing them and their multiple piercings.

 

Blair grinned, revealing long canines, “Sure.” A moment later, the ears shimmered and appeared to be rounded, curved shells. Solomon eyed him once more, still taking note of the piercings and tattoos. Blair was a nice young man, but Solomon was not sure he approved of those things. “What, exactly, are you, again?” he asked.

 

The dark haired male smiled again, “Lycanthrope. Wolf.”

 

“Ah. I see. And you know Ali and Drizzt how?”

 

“I met them years ago through Toni.”

 

“And she is your…?”

 

“Girlfriend.”

 

“Right. Not to be rude, but your earrings and tattoos…”

 

“I know, you probably don't like them all that much. But I'm not hiding them. And I'm not taking off the necklace either.” The necklace he referred to had two large fangs strung on it along with beautifully decorated beads and feathers. “They're my grandfather's. And the piercings are a form of expression for me. That tattoos are for my clan, except for the spider. That's for Toni.”

 

Solomon eyed them once more, finally decided they were tame enough to not worry about, and asked one last, vital question. “So, you're a werewolf. Can you control yourself?”

 

Another grin, “That's what one of the fangs is for. It keeps me sane when the moon forces my transformation and lets me change any other time I want. I'm perfectly safe. And if you get edgy, you have Toni's number, so she'll be able to help or send someone who can.”

 

The old man was sold. “Welcome to the Game Shop, then.”

 

“Glad to be here.”

 

The way-point to Terran turned out to be an old, large Victorian style manor that sat in the middle of the woods, to everyone's surprise. True, it was in a large clearing, but it still was surrounded by forest. “How has no one commented on this?” Joey asked.

 

Drizzt grinned as he led them to the front doors, which were large and carved into an elegant design of squares with fleur-de-leis set in the centers. “Because the house sits on the border. It's here and in Terran, sort of. Besides, there are enough wards and high tech things around this place to keep it safe from even the most adventuresome hiker. Not to mention it's the heart of the forest—there are a lot of mean things out there,” the drow said, knocking on the front door. “And if I were someone who had ill intentions, the last person I'd want to deal with anywhere, let alone her own turf, is Nightstalker.”

 

For a minute, no one answered, then one of the doors opened and a pale, shapely blonde elf woman stepped out, smiling. “Drizzt! Ali! It's great to see you again!” she said in her musical voice, large purple eyes shining as she hugged the two. “Are these your four?” she asked, looking the teens over.

 

Joey and Tristan stared while Yugi blushed faintly. The elf was wearing curve hugging jeans with a low cut halter that showed off just as much as it hid. Tea rolled her eyes, stomped on Yugi's foot, earning a soft hiss then an equally quiet “thanks,” and smacked Joey and Tristan upside the head. Drizzt shot them a glare while Alianna replied, “Yes, this is our four. Jade isn't here yet?”

 

“No, not yet. Come on in though, and relax while we wait. You kids want anything? Soda, tea, coffee? And I think Nighty made a cheesecake if you're interested.” She led them through the door and down a small entrance hall that led into a large but cozy living room, complete with Victorian furniture and apparel and a big screen plasma TV. Joey and Tristan drooled as they sat.

 

“I'll take a piece of cake, if it's no trouble,” Tea said a bit shyly. The elf smiled, “No trouble at all. Anyone else? No? Something to drink then?”

 

“Tea, please,” Yugi said, echoed by Drizzt and Alianna.

 

“How about you two?” the woman asked the other boys, who were still staring at the god of TV's. “No thanks,” they replied. “There's video games in the cabinet under the TV,” she said as she walked out of the room, “Feel free to play them.”

 

They didn't need to be told twice. “Holy crap! There's like…every console imaginable!” Joey said. “And every game!” Tristan added. Yugi and Tea rolled their eyes as Alianna got up to go help the woman in the kitchen, which was connected to the living room by a doorway and by an open space in the wall that had shutters drawn across it at the moment.

 

“Is this where you and Ali have been staying?” Yugi asked Drizzt, who nodded. “Yup. Toni has rooms coming out the chimney, so Ali and I have our own when we need them. There's also several libraries, several labs, three parlors, a dining room, a sun room, an observatory…it's a lot bigger on the inside. Don't ask how. I still don't understand it,” he said. Yugi found the manor ten times more interesting.

 

“Does Theo have a room?” Tea asked.

 

“Yes, but he uses it less than Ali and I use ours, but he's a warrior of the Citadel, so he doesn't usually take vacations.”

 

“So who's staying here most of the time then?”

 

“Nightstalker, it is her house, her best friends Jules and Jen, and Jen's husband Kharza. Oh, and Blair when he's not helping Jules' uncle out.”

 

“Who's Jen?”

 

“That's me,” the blonde elf said, reemerging from the kitchen bearing a silver tray that had tea things and a plate of cheesecake on it. “Sorry I didn't introduce myself, I can be a bit absent-minded sometimes. So, yes, I'm Jen, Jules is out back testing out some new prototype of something or other and Nighty is helping her, but should be in soon. As for my husband, he's probably in the main library with his nose buried in some ancient tome of magic.”

 

She handed Tea the cheesecake and Yugi a cup of tea before seating herself and picking up her own cup. There was a loud BANG outside followed by a loud yelp and another voice swearing in some foreign language. The four teens jumped and looked uneasily out the glass French doors leading to the back deck and outside. “What was that?” Tristan asked.

 

“Jules and Nighty working on their contraption. You get used to it after awhile. The yelp was Jules, the swearing is Nighty using her native language, Romanian.”

 

“Romanian?”

 

“She's a vampire.”

 

“What's she doing out in sunlight?”

 

“She has a genetic mutation that lets her be able to survive out in sunlight. And she loves garlic. Silver can be a little tricky if it gets in her system and cabbage causes a bad reaction.”

 

“She's a freak,” Drizzt said, “But you learn to love her.”

 

“You either learn to love her or hate her,” a gentle, calm voice said from the archway leading into the hall. The teens jumped again and looked over as another elf came in, this one male. He was a good four inches over six feet and slender. His dark clothing contrasted sharply with his stark white skin and hair that had a faintly blue tinge to it. His eyes were a crystalline blue, with pupils like a cat's, and a scar running over his left eye. An odd rune sat between his brows. He was carrying an old, heaving looking book in one hand, eyes glued to the pages as he leafed through them.

 

“In the library with his nose buried in some ancient tome,” Jen pouted, “He forgets me half the time.”

 

His eyes flicked to her and the faintest smile curved his lips, “Never you, my love.” Then he blinked and seemed to realize that there were visitors for the first time. “Oh, I'm sorry. Forgive my rudeness, I didn't realize we had company,” he said, then saw Drizzt and Alianna. “Hello, you two. These are your students then?”

 

Drizzt rose to clasp the elf's hand and give him a companionable thump on the back before introducing him, “Yeah, these are them. Alright, you four, Joey, Tristan, put the game down for a minute. This is Kharza, Jen's husband. Jen, Kharza, this is Joey, Tristan, Tea the Enforcer, and Yugi.” Joey and Tristan waved and Tea and Yugi stood to shake the hand of the pale elf.

 

He kept a grip on Yugi's hand for a moment, eyes looking over the young man critically. Yugi cocked his head slightly in question, ignoring the buzz in his fingertips as his senses reacted to the concentration of magical energies swirling around the elf. “I had the privilege to meet your mother,” Kharza said after a moment, “And I have rarely met so fine a magician. You remind me much of her.”

 

“Thank you, sir,” Yugi replied.

 

“Deal with whatever it is that is blocking you,” the elf continued, “Then you may be as great as she was.”

 

“I can't beat the one who—”

 

“I am not speaking of the curse, although you must deal with that one in time,” Kharza replied quietly. “The block I sense is in you. Deal with it or you will never become what you should be.”

 

Jen raised an eyebrow and looked at Alianna and Drizzt, who looked back. An entire conversation passed in a second.

 

Yugi stared at Kharza as the elf released his hand. “Jade is here,” he told the three other elves.

 

A knock sounded on the door.

 

“That still freaks me out to no end,” Drizzt said dryly as Jen went to answer the door. Kharza grinned, “If you were to pursue a career in wizardry, you would learn to do it, too.”

 

“No thanks. I'm a fighter, not a magician.”

 

“Pity.”

 

“Hey, I'm the class that makes sure your class doesn't get killed.”

 

“And I'm the class that keeps your class from being overrun.”

 

“Arguing again, are we?” said a woman's voice from the entrance to the living room.

 

The three teenage boys, Joey and Tristan tearing their gaze from their game, stared. How is it that they managed to meet the loveliest of fey women and yet the women were all way older then they were? It really wasn't fair.

 

 

The woman was Jade, beyond doubt, because Drizzt smiled broadly and walked over to her to pull her into a tight embrace and spin her around. What made them stare was due in equal parts both to her bearing, which was as regal and haughty as an empress and her form, which was slender yet well curved, ideal in fey society as they'd come to learn.

 

She kissed Drizzt tenderly on the mouth, then moved to embrace the other three elves, hugging the two females like they were long lost sisters and kissing Kharza's cheek.

 

“Well, here I am with my three. Has Nightstalker not made an appearance?” she asked.

 

“Not yet, but I'm sure she will,” Jen replied, “She and Jules should be coming in to figure out the problem for whatever it is they're cooking up.”

 

“Ah.”

 

Her three? Yugi wondered. Drizzt had told them Jade had found a few more humans a few months before who needed teaching but hadn't divulged names.

 

His question was answered by Joey's infuriated, “YOU!”

 

They all turned to see what the sudden hostility was about and the three other teens' mouths dropped open in shock.

 

“Kaiba?” they all said incredulously.

 

For, indeed, standing in the entrance to the living room was the tall, brown haired, blue-eyed executive.

 

A little black haired boy popped out from behind his big brother and walked into the room, “Hi guys!”

 

“Mokuba?”

 

A white haired teen stepped calmly around Seto Kaiba and walked into the room, “Hello, again. It's been awhile, hasn't it?”

 

“Bakura?”

 

“These are your three?” Tea asked. Jade smiled at the girl and nodded, “That they are. And some of the best I've taught yet.”

 

“What the hell are ya doin' here, Kaiba?!” Joey demanded, springing to his feet and glowering.

 

“I think I should be asking you that. I didn't think monkeys could learn magic,” Kaiba replied in his cool as ice voice.

 

“Why I oughta—”

 

“Sit down, Joey. It's not worth it,” Yugi said, staring at Kaiba, who stared right back. Each could sense the others aura of magical ability. Yugi knew Kaiba to be a magician. Kaiba knew Yugi to be one as well. Their eyes narrowed as they studied each other.

 

“So, what exactly do these three do?” asked Alianna, “I can sense magicians, but specifically?”

 

“Bakura is a White mage,” Jade said, indicating the pale teen, who was looking between Kaiba and Yugi uneasily. “Mokuba has some minor abilities as an arcane trickster and Seto is the all-around magician.”

 

“I trust you've given them some martial training,” Drizzt said. Jade just arched an eyebrow, “And risk you getting your hands on them? Of course I did.”

 

“Good,” he pulled the dagger from his boot, ran it sharply over his arm and walked up to Bakura, “Mind giving me a demonstration? I haven't seen a White mage in awhile.”

 

Bakura blinked, looked down at the cut, which oozed pearls of silvery red blood, and placed a hand over it. There was a soft, pearly glow and when the human took his hand away, the cut was gone. Drizzt inspected his arm, then grinned, “Well done.” He turned back to Jade, “And how did they come by these abilities?”

 

“Shadow magic. They absorbed Shadow magic and it altered something in them.”

 

“Thought so.”

 

“Magician, huh?” Yugi asked Kaiba, the two still eyeing each other. “Yeah. Care to test out what you know?” Kaiba replied. Their auras rose sharply, nearly crackling as they glared.

 

“NOT in my house,” a voice lightly accented with the remains of Romanian dialect said sharply from the back of the living room. “I have wizards and every other kind of magic user coming out of my ass. There will be no magic battles in my house or I will knock heads together.”

 

“Hello, Nightstalker,” all the elves said without even looking.

 

The younger folk turned and blinked in surprise. They'd expected to see another tall, beautiful humanoid. Instead, they saw a plainly pretty woman who was five foot four or five, curved like a healthy human, and who had long strawberry blonde hair pulled into a practical, high ponytail. Her skin was the pale skin of someone who came from a cold, high country, and she had high cheekbones and elegant brows that accented her sharp, icy blue eyes, which were surrounded by generous eyelashes. Her clothes were practical—grease stained jeans and a black tank top, black boots over her feet. She was cleaning her hands on a grease stained rag as she eyed the new comers. Yugi noted a faded tattooed I.D. number on her right forearm.

 

“Nice to see you three at the same time, again,” she said to Drizzt, Alianna and Jade as she walked in from the doorway to the outside.

 

The young folk gulped as she gave them hard looks, suddenly feeling very small and very meek. Sure, she was shorter than all but Mokuba by at least five inches, but something about the way she walked and held herself bespoke of a great deal of confidence and capability. Joey suddenly understood why Drizzt said he wouldn't want to be someone with ill intentions dealing with Nightstalker.

 

“You two be nice to the game systems. Money doesn't grow on trees, ya know,” she said, eyes flicking over Joey and Tristan before moving on. “Is that any good?” she asked Tea of the half-eaten piece of cheesecake. The girl nodded. “Good,” the vampire replied. Then she looked at Mokuba before looking back to Joey and Tristan, “You two, let the munchkin join you. There's a third remote in the drawer by the games.” They practically fell over themselves to obey and soon Mokuba was sitting between them, tapping away on controller buttons.

 

Her eyes finally settled on Kaiba and Yugi. “You want to try each other out, fine, but take it outside or wait until your teachers okay it. The last time someone battled with magic in my house, a wall got blown out, the living room was demolished, and several windows were broken. Not to mention several spells were fucked up, so Kharza had to reset them. And the person who started the shit wound up dead. Get me?”

 

Yugi inclined his head in what Alianna had told him was both a way to say “yes” and to show respect to someone in her tribe. Nightstalker eyed him before looked at Kaiba. “I don't here anything from you, boyo.”

 

Kaiba rolled his eyes and looked away, “Whatever.”

 

Her eyes narrowed. “Seto Kaiba, as a student of Jade, you know better than to pop that attitude. I doubt you can with her and you sure as hell won't with me. Now, I asked you a question. A simple `yes' or `sure' will suffice.”

 

Kaiba's eyes widened a fraction of an inch as she used his name, which she somehow knew and looked back at her. “Look, darlin', here's how I roll. You show me some respect and cordiality, I'll show you the same and I won't treat you like the little snot I've heard about from several reliable sources. Kapeesh?”

 

He glowered at her before crossing his arms over his chest, “Fine.”

 

“Fine. Now about that rule of magical battle.”

 

“I get it.”

 

“Good.”

 

With that, she seemed to relax and everything in the living room seemed genial again. “Whenever you're ready to head out,” she said as she turned to the adults, “The spell's ready.”

 

“Thanks, Nightstalker,” Alianna said. The vampire waved a hand, “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Don't say I don't care. Keep them in line.”

 

Another woman, this one similar in stature to Nightstalker but with shoulder length brown hair and acid green eyes, leaned into the room, “Hey, Toni, I think I got the kink figured out. Let's give it another go.”

 

“Sure thing, Jules. Oh. Hey, squeakers, this is my partner, Jules. Say hi to the squeakers of the three amigos, Jules.”

 

Jules grinned and waved, “Hi there. Toni tell you about magical battles?”

 

“Oh yes. Quite…poignantly,” Yugi said dryly, earning a slight smirk from Kaiba.

 

“Right then. Let's go, Toni.”

 

“I'm comin', I'm comin',” the vampire replied. “Hey, kiddos. I know this will shock you since I seem such a hard-ass, but feel free to drop by when the hell ever. I don't care. Just don't go in me and Jules' lab, don't touch my car, and no magical fights in the house and we'll be cool.” She turned and headed outside again, “Have fun in Terran.”

 

The young people watched until the French doors shut behind her before looking at their teachers in bewilderment. “Yes, she did some time in an asylum. The British didn't believe her when she said Germany would invade Poland. Yes, she is always like that and no, you haven't seen the half of it. So don't worry. She likes you,” Drizzt said with a grin.

 

Jen laughed, “That's Nighty for ya. You get used to her after awhile.”

 

“There seem to be a lot of things that have that attached to the end,” Kaiba muttered.

 

“Alright, enough talk. We have the spell ready, let's go,” Jade said. “Joey, Tristan, Mokuba, turn off the game. You can play some other time.”

 

Sighing, the three did as they were told before standing and getting their bags of books and other items.

 

Jen and Kharza bid them good luck and good bye and the group followed the three elves out of the living room and down a short flight of stairs into a basement. At the end of the room, a small portal glowed.

 

Alianna stepped through first. “Follow her and stay where she is,” Drizzt told them, “Once we're all through, we'll get to where you'll be staying.”

 

Tea was the first to step through, followed by Mokuba, Bakura, Joey, Tristan and Kaiba. Yugi paused before stepping through, looking at the two drow. “This is finally it, I guess, isn't it?” he said. They smiled and Jade gave his shoulder a comforting squeeze, “You belong in Terran just as much as here, Yugi. Deirdre loved both worlds but found her life in Terran. You'll have to find your own answers while there.” He nodded, wondering how the drow knew about his ongoing inner debate, and moved towards the portal. “One last thing, Yugi,” Drizzt said.

 

He turned and looked back at the two questioningly. They smiled.

 

“Welcome home.”

 

******

I know, I know, I bother you. I just have a few things to say.

 

First, I'm sorry if this chapter is a bit boring, but it's a bridge and they often are.

 

Secondly, I know Atem and Mystique don't have very big roles, but I originally didn't plan on having them in here, so I'm doing the best I can without changing big things.

 

Thirdly, all the new characters with the exception of Jen are ones I made up who knows how long ago. Jen belongs to my best friend, but I can't have Kharza without Jen, just like I can't have Toni in a story without her two best buddies near.

 

Fourthly, yes, Toni was in the camps in Germany in World War II, which is why she has the faded I.D. number although I always get confused whether it's right or left, although I'm pretty sure it's right. If one of you guys knows for a fact it's not, please tell me.

 

And, finally—alright, I put the Kaiba brothers in. Now leave me be about them. And, just in case someone in the future asks about Bakura, he's in now, too. As for Marik and Duke, don't even ask me about them, I will not put them in because I don't know the characters as well as the others and, frankly, I'm running out of places to slip them in. As a forewarning, the Kaiba bros. and Bakura might not play a big role, like Atem and Mystique. I didn't originally have anything planned for them, but I've put them in on request from readers. I'm doing the best I can. I don't mean to sound like a bitch, but I can't fit anymore from the show in. Flame me if you like, but I don't have anymore options open for fitting them in neatly.

 

Sorry if I sounded snobby or pissy or anything like that. I really do appreciate all your ideas and reviews. And constructive critique. That's always good too. Anyway, I do apologize for any snippyness or anything like that, but yeah. I really do appreciate you guys. Thanks for reading! Sorry if this chapter is boring!