Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Dragon Rising ❯ Chapter Sixteen ( Chapter 17 )

In whichan ugly side effect rears its head and Yugi meets another like him

 

“My, my, my…what an interesting development…” he murmured, strolling around the stone pedestal, resting place to the faintly glowing pool of liquid that shifted to different visions. “How unwittingly they play in my favor. Just as I was starting to worry about his friends…”

 

He paused and leaned over the pool, examining the pictures presented to him with interest. “With them going to distances away, the only one I have to worry about is the young wizard…”

 

There was a rustle of scales sliding over stone and a low rumble of a growl.

 

He smiled and turned, reaching out and gently stroking the snout of the great beast that came up behind him, “Calm yourself, my beauty. His teachers can be easily taken care of. A few tugs here and a cinch there and they'll be gone on some urgent matter in moments.”

 

Another growl.

 

“Narcissi will serve her purpose well, as she always does.”

 

A low, moaning note filled the ground.

 

“I am not overconfident. I will not make that mistake twice. Besides, my curse is imprinted in his blood. His blood, my darling. He cannot run from me forever, just as I know he cannot deny himself forever.”

 

He paused, stroking the snout thoughtfully as he looked back at the pedestal.

 

The image was of his young blood-enemy sitting with a dark haired elven girl, the two of them laughing over something. The image zoomed in on their faces, the look of content peace and ease they had in each others company. He saw the spark of something in his young enemy's eyes, the look of affection, of softness that came to them when he looked at the girl.

 

He sneered in disgust. “Ah, young love. Despicable.”

 

A thought occurred to him.

 

“Ah…young love…?”

 

He peered at the image again and it shifted, now showing the girl kissing his enemy's cheek as they bade each other good bye for the day.

 

A slow, malicious smile curled his mouth. “Hmm…” he turned back to his scaly companion, grinning wickedly, “Darling, I do believe I've found a weakness. A way to keep him doubting.”

 

A low growl.

 

“Oh, it is quite delightful, really. I'm suddenly rather fine with the idea of him accepting the other half of his blood line. Truthfully, it will make the pleasure of killing him all the more savory. Especially if this little inspiration of mine works out, which it should. Do me a favor, would you? I am going to contact Narcissi. Could you perhaps pop by the Council for me? Look into what they are saying on the matter?”

 

A nod.

 

“You are an enchantment,” he purred, kissing the snout and gently patting it. “Go, then. I will await your return here.”

 

With another low growl, the great beast turned and walked out, leaving her master to look back at the pool, smiling. “Dear little Yugi,” he said, leaning on the pedestal once more, “How I do so relish seeing your torment.”

 

Things were rather quiet without many of his friends around.

 

Tristan and Joey had gone to meet the psion they'd met at court, accepting her offer to continue teaching them at the Psion Temple that was far, far away from the wolf-folk.

 

Tea was with the Amazons, learning her people's ways and continuing her education to the south.

 

Bakura was a little closer but still several days away, now with Nikki and the monk, Leo, learning from both of them.

 

And Mokuba, after much wheedling and begging of his older brother, was with the green skinned elf that had been at court, a full fledged arcane trickster and now the young boy's mentor.

 

Which left Yugi with his rival, who was growing more in more in his education and learning more and more ways to channel his magic and bend it to his will.

 

And where was Yugi?

 

Still only capable of performing practical magic and the smallest feats of arcane, such as the shield charm and a few magic missiles.

 

True, he could be equal to Kaiba; in fact, he would be—if only…if only he could overcome the block that impeded him.

 

And now, Kaiba had finally manifested his specialty—the rare and potent domain of ice and cold.

 

Yugi was so frustrated he could hardly stand it.

 

“Perhaps it's only fair that he's besting you at this,” Atem said, looking at it logically as Yugi paced like a caged animal, “You did beat him in every game you two played.”

 

“We,” Yugi reminded the old king pointedly.

 

“Same difference.”

 

“But that's not the same.”

 

“Shadow magic was involved every time.”

 

“Yeah, but…it's still…” Yugi growled in annoyance and let his argument die, unable to refute Atem's reasoning. “It's not even that he's better than me! I'm just…angry and I can't even say why! Alright, fine, Kaiba's better at me, but I know I can be as good as he is…I'm just…” Yugi paused in his pacing and sighed heavily.

 

“It's like Ali and Jade keep saying. You're denying your own gift, so it's denying you.”

 

“Everyone keeps saying that. And I don't think I am. I'm half black dragon demon.” Yugi shrugged and held out his hands, “See? Not denying it.”

 

“That's not what they mean.”

 

“Then I'd bloody well like to know what it is that they mean!”

 

Atem sighed and stood up. “Yugi, you're tired. You've been studying all day and training with Drizzt all morning. Go take a walk and cool down or something. Relax.”

 

“I'm fine.”

 

“You don't sound it.”

 

“I'm fine, okay? Why does everyone keep pestering me about things?” Yugi snapped.

 

“Yugi,” Atem said calmly, reaching out to touch his friend's shoulder.

 

“I said I'm fine!” came the snarled reply and Atem's hand was slapped away. “Stop hovering over me. I'm not a kid anymore.”

 

Atem blinked in surprise at the violent reaction. “No…” he replied slowly, “You're not a kid anymore. But you're hardly a man.”

 

“And I suppose you'd be an expert on the subject?” Yugi demanded peevishly.

 

“I didn't say that—”

 

“Not that you needed to.” Yugi abruptly turned on his heel and walked towards the door.

 

A small vase of flowers wilted as he passed them, shriveling to a brown color and dying in seconds. Atem's eyes widened in alarm.

 

“Yugi—” he said.

 

“Leave me alone,” came the waspish reply as the teen stalked out the door.

 

Skywise quirked an eyebrow and lifted up one dead, shriveled leaf from one of the flowers on the table. “So, you're saying that he just walked by and they up and died,” he said, looking from the leaf to Atem.

 

Atem nodded grimly, “That's what I'm saying. I'm hoping I'm only being an alarmist, but…I don't think that sort of thing is a good sign.”

 

“Nope. Can't say I think it is either.”

 

The elf let the leaf fall and leapt backwards with a startled yelp as it shot to the table and landed with a tiny thump. “That is so many kinds of not natural,” he said, eyeing the flowers as warily as a mouse eyes an owl. Atem nodded in agreement.

 

“They were normal dead leaves when you came in here.”

 

“That they were.”

 

Within a few more seconds, the other leaves fell with tiny thumps.

 

“Hm. I think I'm going to get Ali,” Skywise said.

 

“I think you should,” Atem agreed.

 

“I'm gone.”

 

Mystique appeared as Skywise hurried out, shimmering into being next to her husband in a plume of smoke.

 

“You don't have any ideas, do you?” he asked.

 

“The only explanation I can think of is that his repressed magic is finding cracks to spill through and in not very nice ways,” she replied.

 

“I was afraid of that.”

 

Alianna hurried in and skidded to a halt by the table. “What in all the hells?” she said blankly, staring in shock at the leaves.

 

Atem felt his worry grow even more. “You don't know why…?”

 

The elf shook her head, still staring, “I haven't the faintest idea. The only thing that I can think of, and it would be a shaky theory, is that the repressed side of him is finding little ways to wiggle out and make itself known.”

 

“That's what I thought,” Mystique said.

 

Alianna sighed and scratched the back of her neck. “Well, I suppose my father might know something, seeing that it probably falls under necromancy.”

 

A vial popped up by her and was filled with several of the leaves followed by petals and stems.

 

“Where's Yugi?” she asked as she scribbled a quick note to go with the vial.

 

“He walked out,” Atem replied. “We…had an argument I suppose and he stalked out. I don't know where he went.”

 

“Probably to the coast,” Mystique said.

 

Alianna frowned as a green pixie buzzed in and packed the vial and note in its bag. “Probably. I'll give him awhile to cool down in any case and send one of the wolves to look for him,” she said, handing the pixie a pretty little strand of beads that would be a bracelet for a young child but made a necklace for the pixie.

 

It saluted smartly after accepting its payment and zipped out the window to deliver the mail.

 

Alianna rubbed her temples, “I'm going to talk to Jade. Maybe she'll know something.”

 

The two apparitions nodded and the elf walked out, leaving them alone.

 

“He's a stubborn one,” Mystique commented, hopping up and sitting on the table after clearing away a few books and sheets of parchment.

 

Atem pinched the bridge of his nose, wondering vaguely if it was possible for corporeal apparitions to get headaches. If so, he was in for some trouble.

 

“Judging from the few memories of his mother I've seen, he gets it from her. Although I don't think she'd be pleased about—” he paused, looking up thoughtfully, “You don't suppose we could…?”

 

Mystique blinked and crossed her arms over her chest, “We could try…it would be easier for us to contact her, since we're dead and all, but the trick will be finding her.”

 

He grinned and looped an arm around her waist, “I have every confidence you can find some way of doing that easily.”

 

“Well, there you go again, getting overly confident before we've even attempted it.”

 

“Faith never hurt anyone.”

 

“With the exception of those cultures who liked to sacrifice living victims. Like the Aztecs and the Celts on occasion.”

 

He rolled his eyes, “You read too many histories.”

 

“What else am I supposed to do?” she asked as they began to fade away, “Being dead is an eternity long thing and an eternity is a long time in which to grow very, very bored.”

 

“So find a house to haunt like a normal bored dead being.”

 

“That's hardly civilized.”

 

Now their voices faded to soft echoes, disappearing completely with Atem's last rhetorical question of, “Why do I even bother?”

 

The sound of the waves crashing on the beach was soothing to his frazzled nerves. The tang on the air negated the acrid taste of acid in his mouth, the taste an all too vivid reminder of the part of his heritage he desperately wanted to be rid of.

 

“Were but humanity catching, humanity I would gladly catch,” he murmured, updating a few lines from Shakespeare that seemed to be an appropriate lament.

 

Yugi sighed and ran a hand through his hair tiredly before sitting down on the sand, elbows resting on knees as he stared out over the water.

 

It was some minutes before he became aware of movement in the water and turned his head to see a feminine figure splashing out of the surf. He grinned slightly, assuming that Marina was once again spending the day away from her father's functions and intrigues and had come to while away the time in the water.

 

Well, might as well keep her company since he was here.

 

He got up and dusted himself off before trotting over. “Marina!” he called and waved.

 

The female turned and looked at him questioningly.

 

“Oh…I'm sorry,” he slowed and stopped, “I thought you were someone else.”

 

She smiled and walked the rest of the way out of the water, knee length, sleeveless gown clinging to her and showing that she was quite well endowed in the bosom and hips. Yugi blushed and looked away.

 

“Sorry to disappoint you,” she replied as she approached him.

 

Yugi, out of force of habit looked back at her to reply and stopped, staring in shock.

 

The young woman was about Marina's height but had a slightly more built frame, with graceful, curving lines of muscle on her arms and legs. Her hair was a dark green, approaching black, and her hairline was peppered with small, smooth scales ranging from dark greens and grays to black. Two small, ivory horns nestled at the hairline as well, faint ridges extending from them to her temples. Some scales peppered her neck and shoulders as well, her slender hands ending in nails that were sharp and thick, like claws.

 

She smiled again, this time her face lighting in recognition and he saw pointed canines.

 

“Why…” she said in surprised delight, “You're half dragon, too!”

 

She threw her arms around his neck in an ecstatic hug, “This is wonderful! I've never meant another half-blood before!”

 

He stiffened a bit, feeling awkward. “Uhm…neither have I…?”

 

She released him and drew back to arms length, still beaming, “There's no need to be shy. We are alike, you and I. What are you?”

 

“What?”

 

“What dragon? You don't have many characteristics, but I can see it in you. You're not quite human enough.”

 

Not quite human…

 

“Black.”

 

“A black,” she repeated, nodding as she looked at him, “Yes, that does make sense. I'm a green.”

 

“Isn't that an air type dragon?”

 

She grinned and shrugged, “Yes, but that doesn't mean I can't like the water as well. Oh, my name is Bretta, by the way. What's yours?”

 

“Ah…Yugi.”

 

“Yugi…that's a lovely name. Are you dragon on your father or mother's side?”

 

“Father's. And I'm actually dragon demon…”

 

She waved a hand, “Same difference, really. And the demonic is hardly even noticeable anyway, so as far as technicalities go, you're a black dragon.”

 

She cocked her head, “Why aren't you in the swamps?”

 

That startled a laugh out of him. “Oh, I know where there's a good stretch of them several miles from where I'm staying,” he replied, “I just find the sound of the waves to be peaceful.”

 

“Yes, it does seem to have that affect on beings,” she replied.

 

The two stood for several moments, staring out at the water.

 

“Well…uhm…I guess I should be heading back. I sort of left without letting anyone know where I was going,” Yugi said, offering a hand. “It was nice meeting you.”

 

She looked at his hand and back to his face, “Can I come with you?”

 

He stared at her, “Why?”

 

Bretta shrugged, “I don't have anywhere else to go. I'm a wanderer, since people don't understand us, so I don't stay in one place too long. Oh, I promise I won't be a bother. I can get my own food and everything but I would like to get to know you a bit more.”

 

She took a step towards him, tilting her head slightly so the sun glinted off her still damp skin, drawing his gaze to her neck and exposed portion of her chest.

 

He immediately gave himself a mental slap and looked back at her eyes. “Well…I…I suppose…” he stammered, realizing she'd taken another step closer and taking one back himself. “I-I mean, I don't…I suppose Ali wouldn't…mind…”

 

She smiled, “Wonderful.” She turned and hurried to a cluster of boulders and leaned over, her back curving fluidly as she reached over and grabbed a small satchel.

 

“Lead on then, Yugi,” she said as she came back.

 

“Do you have a…uhm…a cloak or…something?” he asked, just knowing that a blush was creeping up his neck.

 

“Why?” she asked curiously.

 

“Well…I mean to cover up…or…well…your uhm…” he indicated her dress, which she looked down at then back at him.

 

“What's wrong with what I'm wearing?”

 

“N-nothing! It's just that…ah…” he shook his head, “Nevermind. Uhm…if you'll just…follow me.”

 

He turned and began walking back towards the forest, Bretta trotting along after him until she was walking by his side, letting off questions the entire way.

 

By the time the two of them arrived back at the den, they were laughing and joking like old friends. Yugi introduced Bretta to Alianna and the two drow, who in turn introduced her to several tribe members that they met on the way to get a place for Bretta to sleep sorted out.

 

Yugi missed the narrow-eyed, wary gaze Skot and Skywise set on the girl as the two of them walked past.

 

Her room, one of the many hollow spaces in the large expanse of interconnected trees and limbs, was near Yugi's, so the two sat on one of the bridges that connected the two trees, talking still further as the sun began to set.

 

He missed the curious sniff of Short Snout as he passed under them, the sniff that quickly turned to a confused, wary growl as the wolf shied away and loped off.

 

It was near midnight when the two finally said good night and made their ways to their rooms.

 

It wasn't until Yugi had changed into his sleep clothes and decided the shirt was too heavy for the cool, mild night and had stripped it off that he noticed the totem in the hollow of his neck was subtly warm, as if cautioning him. He blinked and touched the smooth little carving with his fingertips.

 

Then he shrugged and let his hand drop away, figuring it was nothing but his own body heat that had made the ivory heat up the smallest degree.

 

~~~~~~~~~

Three chapters in one day. I must love you guys or something.