Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Lost & Found ❯ Duelist Kingdom, Here we come! ( Chapter 2 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

It was during the end of March that the Montana Academy had it‘s spring break.

Yugi, Joey and the others had been invited to a place called Duelist Kingdom for the week.

Owned by a man named Maximilian Pegasus, the castle had been built on Coney Island.

Everyone was excited, that is, except Ryou.

The gang had invited him to go, but he was torn between going and resuming the search for his family.

“Why not go?” Jack asked, sitting down, eating a sandwich.

“I don’t know, I’d like to go, but I still haven’t felt that I’ve fulfilled my obligation.”

Jack laughed. “You’ve been studying too hard on your English, Ryou, I have no idea what you just said.”

Ryou grinned. He loved Jack very dearly, and saw him as a fatherly figure.

“Look,” Jack said. “You’ve already told me that you think you’ve seen several of these kids before, why don’t you go and get to know them better? Even if their not, I’m sure they’d still like you, and want to help.”

Ryou looked down at his glass of milk.

//It wouldn’t hurt, lad// he heard Norin say. //You need the fresh air. Time to get out of the books, just for a week.// Ryou nodded.

“Alright, I’m going!”

Jack smiled. “Well, then it’s settled! We leave for the store bright and early!”

*

They got to the deck at 7:30 sharp.

Ryou hoisted his backpack on his back, and grabbed for his suitcase.

“I’ve got it!’ Jack grinned. He grabbed the duffel without any effort.

Ryou looked around and grinned. “Gorgeous day!” he said.

Jack nodded, looking up at the blue sky, white puffy clouds sailing by.

The British teenager looked over to where he saw someone struggling with their luggage. He quickly put his backpack down, and went to help.

“Need some help?” he asked.

“No, I’ve got it!” he heard a familiar voice say.

Sure enough, he realized when the person got up, it was Serenity Wheeler.

She looked up at him and grinned. “Oh! Hello!”

Ryou smiled at her. “Hi, are you sure you don’t need help?”

The girl nodded.

Ryou admired how good she looked in blue jeans, white sneakers and a fuchsia colored sweater, which brought out the color in her hair, tied up in a pony tail.

Ryou blushed a little. “You look really pretty today, Serenity” he said with a small smile.

She smiled as she looked at him.

Dressed in blue jeans, a lime green collard shirt, and a white pull-over, his long white hair spilling over his broad shoulders, she thought he looked quite handsome and somewhat familiar.

She blushed as she felt her stomach flip-flop. It had done that the other day, too. How could that happen? I just met the guy! she thought to herself.

To Ryou, she said “You don’t look half bad yourself.” They laughed.

Serenity cocked her head. “Did Seto hurt you the other day?” she asked with concern.

“Not a scratch” he smiled. He turned around and looked at Jack, motioning for him to come over.

“Serenity, I’d like for you to meet Jack Martin. He’s a friend of mine. Jack, this is my friend Serenity Wheeler.”

Jack held out his hand. “Pleasure to meet you little lady, I’ve heard so much about you”

Serenity smiled and shook his hand. “Nice to meet you too”

Jack turned to Ryou. “Well, if that’s all I guess I’ll just mozy on home then.”

Ryou nodded and they shook hands. “Behave yourselves” Jack smiled at Ryou,

It was obvious to Ryou that Jack knew about Norin, and he smiled to himself.

/Hear that Norin? Jack told you to behave!/

Norin scoffed. //Oh, please! He doesn’t know what he’s talking about! I always behave!//

Ryou snickered. “We will” he and Serenity said in chorus.

Jack smiled, put down Ryou’s duffel, and left.

The boat’s horn tugged. Serenity picked up her backpack.

She made a move to pick up her suitcase, but Ryou stopped her.

“Let me carry that for you, love” he said with a smile.

Serenity smiled a little, and blushed. “Thanks”

Ryou nodded and picked up the suitcase. As he did, a memory came to him.

He looked at Serenity. It can’t be her, can it?

Hoisting his duffel over his shoulder, he picked up the suitcase and both teens headed toward the ship.

“Have you ever been on a ship, before?” Ryou turned to her.

Serenity shook her head. “I’ve been on an airplane before, but not a ship. At least I don’t think so”

A subconscious memory flashed in her brain. Or have I? she thought.

They made it on board, and Ryou put his duffel bag and Serenity’s suitcase down.

Once one of the men took the luggage, Ryou fished for his ticket in his backpack.

He found it, next to an old letter. Handing their tickets to the holder, he looked at the letter.

//I’d be careful about opening that, lad,// Norin said. //It may hold painful memories. Now may not be the best time.//

The spirit pointed to Serenity, who was watching him curiously.

Ryou nodded, putting the letter back in the bag.

Slinging it over his shoulder, he picked up his guitar case in one hand, and took Serenity’s hand in the other.

As soon as he felt her touch, he let go.

So many memories… He looked at her, she was blushing as pink as her sweater.

She’s so pretty! Like an angel! he then mentally slapped himself.

She didn’t belong to him, she belonged to someone else.

But is she happy? He thought back to last week when Kaiba had insulted her.

Ryou clenched his fist. That jerk doesn’t deserve her! he thought.

He looked at her again, looking down over the water.

He remembered she had done that before, too.

Stop it! You just met the girl! Quit fantasizing! She’s not yours!

Norin noticed his counterpart’s trouble, and felt sorry for him, even though it wasn’t in his nature.

He decided to find that Tea girl again.

She was a pretty one! he thought. To Ryou he said,

//I’m going to explore this floating death trap they dare call a ship.//

Ryou nodded, busy with his own thoughts.

/Ok/ he said and sighed.

//Talk to her lad, see what she says, or remembers!// Norin suggested.

Ryou nodded and the spirit disappeared.

The boat started to move just then. Ryou looked around for Serenity.

His heart raced with anticipation, or was it worry, when he couldn’t find her.

He quit worrying when he saw her with the rest of the group.

She was standing right next to Joey.

Serenity said something, then Joey said something that made her blush and everybody else laugh.

Ryou walked up as she was finishing a sentence.

“I’m not in lo…” She blushed deeply when she looked at Ryou.

He looked confused. “What?” he smiled.

Serenity shook her head. “It’s nothing, They’re teasing me about something” she pointed to her brother, and stood next to him.

“Well! Well! Well!” said a voice they all knew, and dreaded.

They all turned, seeing Seto Kaiba coming towards them, with his brother Mokuba.

A soft moan escaped from Serenity’s lips, and Ryou stepped in front of her protectively.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Yugi had changed slightly, and was trying to protect Tea, too.

“Whadda you want Kaiba?” Joey asked, a smirk coming to his lips.

“Can it, Wheeler! This has to do with me, this British looser and your little witch of a sister!”

Ryou growled. “Don’t you ever talk about Serenity like that again! Apparently I didn’t make it clear the other day, about leaving us alone!”

Kaiba snickered. “What do you care anyway? It’s not like she’s worth anything to anyone anyway!”

He glared at Serenity, a conceited smile of satisfaction coming to his face at her downcast expression.

Ryou felt behind him and squeezed Serenity’s hand. She squeezed back.

This boosted Ryou’s confidence.

//Go for it! Beat the crap out of him again like you did last time!// he heard Norin yell.

Ryou rolled his eyes. Norin frowned, and disappeared.

Kaiba made a move toward Serenity, but Ryou stood in front of her, glaring at him.

//Care for me to take over? It won’t take any time to throw him overboard!// Ryou grinned mischievously and shook his head. /Good idea, but it’s not a good time!/

Norin grinned evilly. He suddenly turned his attention to Tea, noticing that Yugi had gone over to talk to Joey.

//Let me take over, just for a minute!//

Ryou looked from Norin, to Tea and back again. /Do you like her or something?/

Norin scowled. //I should be asking you that question.// Ryou blushed and surrendered.

Norin walked over to Tea. She’s very beautiful. he thought.

Then as if she heard him, she turned to him and smiled. “Hello, Ryou” she said, in a soft accent he couldn‘t place.

I know I’ve heard that accent before, but where? Norin thought.

“Hello Tea, enjoying the view?” he asked, furious with himself for asking such a stupid question.

“Yes, all except for those two,” she frowned, pointing to where Seto Kaiba was trying to entice Serenity into a conversation.

“You don’t like him?” Norin asked. Tea shook her pretty copper head, her black locks shaking with her.

“Where are you from?” Norin asked. Tea smiled. “My father is from Egypt, while my mother is from Ireland”

Norin cocked his head. Tea nodded. “Strange couple, I know, but I love them anyway”

The spirit nodded, glad of being able to talk to someone that he could relate to, being that he was also from Egypt.

Just then he heard a yelp. Seto had wrenched Serenity’s arm and was threatening to send her overboard.

“Excuse me, Tea. I will return shortly.” Norin said, walking over to the couple.

“Release the girl, or you’ll be left behind!”

Serenity looked at Norin in fear. Where had she seen those dark sinister eyes before? No time to think now!

“Seto please, do as he says!” she cried.

Seto turned to her, a snarl on his face. “Silence, Christine!” His accent had changed from American to French.

Ryou saw Serenity’s honey-brown eyes widen in fear. “You are my angel of music, you belong to ME!”

/Norin! Do something! This guy is obviously the Phantom incarnate!/

Norin chuckled darkly at that.

“You will release the child or swim with the fishes, literally. It‘s your choice Kaiba.”

The two started a glaring contest, Norin winning.

He started chanting something and his Millennium Ring started to glow.

“Wait!” said a voice.

Norin turned around, aggravated. Who was the foolish mortal that dare interrupt him?

The answer was Yugi, or was it? The teenager started toward him when a hand grabbed his arm.

“Yami, wait, let’s teach Kaiba a lesson, shall we? After all, he is always boasting about how great a swimmer he is,”

Yami smiled and let the person pass. It was Tea.

“Do not use your ancient spell, my friend. It may affect us all.”

Norin stared at her in amazement. “How do you know about…?” he asked.

“I told you, I am part Egyptian. We can get pretty nasty when angered or threatened.”

She took out a gold Sai knife, pressing the edge to Kaiba‘s neck.

“Release the girl, Seto” Tea demanded. “Now”

Serenity’s eyes had turned yellow. “Let go of me Seto!” she said.

“Never!” he yelled. “So be it!” Serenity lifted her head up, lifting Kaiba into the air.

“Hey! Let me down!” Serenity shook her head. Turning her head swiftly to the ocean, her eyes turned back to honey-brown, dropping Seto into the ocean. Suddenly, she fainted.

“Man overboard!” one of the mates yelled. Everybody laughed as Kaiba was brought back up on deck drenched, his short brown hair in his eyes.

Ryou had taken over when no one was looking, and was now holding the weak girl in his arms.

Seto Kaiba glared him down as he watched Ryou take his unconscious ‘girlfriend’ to her cabin.

*

It was nightfall when Serenity woke up. “Mmm… Where am I?”

Ryou looked up and smiled. “You’re in your cabin, love. You’ve been asleep for hours!”

Serenity smiled, yawned and stretched. “What time is it?” she asked.

Ryou looked at the clock. “It’s 8:30 love, are you hungry?”

Serenity’s stomach growled.

Ryou grinned. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

The girl got up. “I’m sorry I slept so late. I get tired when I…” she blushed.

Ryou looked at her curiously, waiting for her to continue.

“Oh, never mind, you probably wouldn’t understand.”

Ryou felt a tinge of sadness at that remark. Don’t you trust me? he thought.

As if she could read his mind, she gasped. “Oh, it’s not that I don’t trust you or anything, but it’s a bit of a long story.”

Ryou let it go at that. Just then there was a knock on the door. Ryou got up to answer it.

It was Tea. “Hi. I just wanted to see how Serenity was doing, and also to tell you both that there’s dinner in the dining room.”

She smiled as Serenity got up, rubbing her eyes. “Oh, good! I’m starved!” she said.

Ryou smiled. “All right, I guess you can have a bite to eat, eh?”

Serenity hit him playfully. “Ryou!” she cried. Ryou laughed quietly.

Tea left, leaving Ryou & Serenity alone.

“Where do you come from?” Serenity asked, trying to make small talk.

“Well, my dad comes from England, and my mother is from Ireland, why?”

Serenity smiled as she looked up at him.

“Oh, no reason. I just have a friend, Josie, you remember I told you about him? He told me a long time ago that his dad was from England.”

Ryou nodded and winced a little.

The kids at his school in Michigan had always teased him about his middle name referring to a famous band of felines.

He’d gotten over it, of course, but it still rubbed him the wrong way when someone would mew like a kitten.

Except for Chrissie. He would never yell at his Little Chrissie.

He remembered the first time they met. She had been only 6 and he 9 that was nearly 10 years ago now.

The only thing that bothered him now was how they had departed.

He had tried in vain not to cry that night.

Letting her go had been the hardest thing he thought he had ever done. He had promised himself that when he found his family, he would find her too.

Was it puppy love back then, or was it real? he thought.

Without a shadow of a doubt, he knew that he had actually fallen in love with Chrissie, and still was. All he had to do now, he told himself, was find her.

Ryou was brought out of his reverie at hearing his name.

“Are you hungry?” Serenity asked. Ryou looked down at his stomach grumbling.

“Yes, I guess I am” he grinned. Serenity tried to get up.

Ryou walked over to her and gently pushed her back down. “Stay here, love I’ll be right back.”

Serenity nodded and laid back down on the pillow.

Sometime later, Ryou came back with Joey, and they both had steaming hot trays in their hands.

Putting them down on the small table, Joey went over to Serenity, while Ryou looked at the trays.

Seeing that there was no silverware, he blushed and sweat dropped.

“Hey you two, I’ll be right back. Forgot the silverware.”

Both teens looked up at him and grinned. “K” they said.

Ryou rushed out of the room and onto the dining room.

There he saw Yugi with Rebecca Hopkins and Tea Gardner. They were playing ’Cheat’.

“Two 7’s” Rebecca said, trying to hide a smile.

Unbeknownst to them, the Millennium Ring glowed, and Norin came out.

“Three 8’s” Tea said flatly.

Norin noticed the devilish look in her pretty blue eyes.

The Spirit of the Ring used one of his powers to reveal the face down cards: A Jack, a 9 and a king.

She’s really good at this game! he thought.

“One 9” Yugi said, putting down a card, his violet eyes looking as innocent as ever.

“Cheat!” Rebecca yelled. Sure enough, there was a 9 right there.

All of a sudden Rebecca gasped and looked at Tea. The young girl chuckled darkly.

“You cheated!” Rebecca said.

Tea nodded. “I did that many times in this round. You guys just don’t know when to be suspicious” she chuckled again.

Yugi’s Millennium Puzzle glowed. “I don’t think you’ll be cheating again, my dear” Yami smiled at the girl. Tea glared at him. As did Norin, who growled lowly.

“You will cheat for real if you try anything Yugi”

Yami shook his head. “I hardly think so” he said with a devilish smile. Tea smiled back at him and turned her head.

“What’s wrong?” Yami and Rebecca both asked.

Tea looked straight at Norin.

He stared back at her, quite surprised that she could actually see him.

What are you doing out of your Item? she asked telepathically in Egyptian.

Just watching your little game. he said in the same dialect, smiling darkly. You play an evil round, my dear. Where did you learn to play like that?

Tea smiled impishly. My father taught me. He said the only look of delighted mischief was to be in the eyes, otherwise it would be all over!

Norin nodded and suddenly grinned. I should like to learn how to play at another time. The boy is seeing to the Wheeler girl.

Tea nodded. How is she holding up? Norin shrugged. Alright I guess. I’m more or less concerned about him.

Tea gave the spirit a worried, confused look. Is he alright?

Norin nodded, though it didn’t pertain to him, he was touched at her concern for his 'twin'.

They both turned at seeing Ryou come back from the kitchen.

I must depart, dear one. We will meet again. Tea smiled and nodded.

With that, Norin disappeared into the Millennium Ring.

Ryou had gotten the silverware and was heading back to his cabin to get his guitar when Kaiba stopped him.

“You think you’re really funny, don’t you?”

Ryou shook his head, trying to hide the grin coming to his face. “No, I don’t, but I do know how to take care of things that don’t belong to me.”

Leaving Kaiba in a stump, Ryou got his guitar and headed to Serenity’s room.

He found Joey outside the door, glowering.

“What’s wrong, Joey?” Ryou asked.

“Kaiba” was Joey’s answer. “He thinks he’s so bad, just ’cause he’s gotta job and all dis money, and now he’s hittin’ on my sista! For real! I can’t take it anymore!” the blonde boy yelled.

“Shhh!” Ryou scolded.

“What happened? How did they meet?”

Joey scratched the back of his head. “Well, it all started about 10 years ago, when dis little boy in black came and brought her home.

He was like 9 and she was 6, well anyway he was wearin’ these funny clothes, no buttons no zippers or anyding”

Ryou’s face turned a deathly pale. “What did he look like?” he managed to ask.

“Well, lemme see, he kinda looked like you, Ryou, wid long white hair and brown eyes, and he had this funny accent, not like English, but kinda like Tea’s mom, what is she anyway, Scottish?”

Ryou shook his head. “I think she’s Irish” he said.

Then something clicked with him. /Wait, if her mum is Irish and my mum is Irish could we be….?/

/Related?// he heard Norin say. //You’ll have to talk to her lad. Didn’t you say your stepfather came from a desert country, or something?//

Ryou nodded. Papa, or Dad I guess, hehe, he came from Egypt. I wonder if my sister still calls him that?

//I wonder if Tea is your sister, you look alike in some respects// This thought Norin did not allow to enter their mind link. //Hmm you’ll have to ask.// was all he said.

Thinking back on the locket, Ryou asked the question that was coming to him.

“When did she get that locket?” he asked. “And who gave it to her?”

He asked this to confirm a certain memory that when he was 13, on May 7, he had bought a 14kt gold diamond heart shaped locket for a little girl he knew a long time ago.

I could have sworn I bought that locket for Serenity! he thought.

//You did// Norin muttered under his breath, too low for Ryou to hear.

Ryou pushed the memory from his head just as he heard Joey call his name.

“You can go in dere now. Serenity says she’s hungry but there’s no spoons.”

Ryou grinned a little. “Thanks” he said as he went past Joey and into Serenity’s cabin.