Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Master of the Magicians ❯ Chapter 1

Thank goodness for AU because I'm sure if Kazuki Takahashi saw what I was doing to his precious Yu-gi-Oh! He'd kill me… so, yes, in effect this is my disclaimer that I don't own YGO! So nyah!

Title: Master of the Magicians

Summary: AU, Dark Magician's soul doesn't get sucked and Yami loses. Aw damn. But don't worry too much for our dear Pharaoh, for a cheap stage magician like Pandora won't be able to hold up against a real Master Magician… and this one doesn't mind bailing Yami out…

Pairing: Atemu x Mahaado, Yami x Dark Magician

WARNINGS: Angst, darkness, OOCness, insanity

Chapter 1

 

It was unbelievably painful, how the sudden shock of the bolt of ectoplasm hit him in the chest, holograms should not be so real but then again it had already descended into a shadow game…

And he had lost.

The blades spun closer, greedily eating up the space between his legs and the saw, and just then… everything… stopped.

Yami blinked. It hurt to open his eyes, but he managed, and what he saw gave him pause. His Dark Magician had somehow managed to free himself from the effects of the Nightmare Cross - the duel was technically over, after all, and currently had his staff hooked up under Pandora's chin. That looked rather painful…

Pandora seemed to be in shock. Well, that was to be expected, Yami was in a bit of shock himself…

“You will not harm my Pharaoh.”

 

His duel monsters could talk? When had that happened? Yami certainly didn't remember Dark Magician ever talking to him before, but then again, they'd always been in duel simulations, so…

“Oh, and you're going to stop me? He lost. Fair's fair.”

“Then I'll challenge you to another Shadow Game.”

“You're just a monster,” Pandora scoffed. “What can you do?”

“More than you think, magician…” It sounded awfully like a taunt. “Shall we stake our lives on this game then?”

Pandora laughed. “What game shall it be?”

“It's quite simple…” The Dark Magician stated calmly. “Here, I have two cards…” He retrieved them from somewhere and flipped them over. One had a picture of a lovely woman, while the other had Yami's…

He handed them over with a smile, as two cards became four, two of Yami, two of Catherine. “You have an equal chance of drawing each card. If you draw the woman's picture, you win. If not… I win. Please shuffle.”

Pandora scoffed. Child's play! He was a magician after all. What magician doesn't know card tricks? As he shuffled, he memorized the order easily, made a small scratch mark on the back of one of the Catherine cards, sure that with the elaborate designs on the backing, the monster would not notice…

He handed them back smugly and watched as the monster shuffled, four cards becoming eight. Well, it didn't matter. He could still spot the one with the scratch. He watched as the cards were laid out and immediately picked the right one, watching Catherine's face appear with a smile.

“You lose, monster…”

The Dark Magician smirked, as the image of Catherine shifted to one of smoke… than, nothing. “You know nothing about true magic, fool.”

You don't want to cheat in shadow games…

 

In a shadow game, your true nature is revealed… this man is cowardly and wins by unorthodox means, therefore…

“Punishment Game! Dark Illusion!”

“Catherine!” Pandora gasped, clutching the mist towards him self, trying so hard to reach for it. “Catherine…”

The Dark Magician smirked as he lifted Yami carefully, frowning. It would take his Pharaoh's spirit some time to recover, and so, he would have to take him home…

And back on earth, Yugi suddenly felt a strange pulling sensation before the chunk of gold was empty.

And it was the middle of Battle City too! This was not a good thing.

 

His Apprentice was waiting at home, as she flung open the doors to the Castle of Dark Illusions. She gave a little gasp, and ran towards him.

“Is-is that…?”

“Pharaoh? Yes.” Mahaado said calmly. “He needs some time to recover before the next duel.”

“I understand,” Mana said. “Should I inform the other monsters?”

“Not yet…”

“All right.” Dark Magician Girl said. “I won't tell them, but they do deserve to know. He's their Master too… even if we are the ones closest to him…”

“I understand, but if word of this should get out, they might move in.”

The false Pharaoh with the Sun God…yes even in this realm when there were fewer rules, Mahaado had no desire to take it on. Oh, he had no illusions, he'd trained for three thousand years and he knew his magic was in top form, and there was no other mage within the realm that could defeat him. Most unfortunate that he could not use his special abilities in the hologram duels…

Oh, he knew many spells, attack and defense, magics and traps and all manner of things, he kept all his memories intact and during the long years, had trained and fought and studied until he was truly the best. It wasn't as if he was arrogant about it, but he followed his Pharaoh confidently.

And Pharaoh trusted him, even with his memories in fragments, trusted him…

Oh, Pharaoh, if only…

But he'd always been good at these things, working with strategy and teamwork and stealth, not like that fool Set… and he was a Spirit-sorcerer, used to working with Ka to their fullest extent, so not much had changed when he'd become a duel monster…

 

The Castle shifted around them, the interior becoming more welcoming. The room they had been standing in now resembled the rooms he'd occupied back in Egypt. The Pharaoh would probably prefer something welcoming after all…

He shed his armor, changing into the robes he'd worn before he became Dark Magician, wondering idly why the name had changed.

What was wrong with Magician of Illusion? Illusions were his game, his pride, his power… ah well, he had magic outside of that but they'd always been his best forte, even as a Spirit-sorcerer…

He tucked his Pharaoh into bed, although he decided not to change him out of his constricting leather garments…

Then, he waited.

 

 

End Chapter

Completed 10/12/05

Mahaado: You are a truly, truly wicked woman

Phantomness: ^^ I know