Story: Halcyon and Rhapsodize
Chapter: 1
Title: Here Come The Dragons
Series: YU-GI-OH!
Author: Kineticfairy

Disclaimer: renounce legal right: to renounce a legal claim or right to something. I have no legel claims on the creations of Kazuki Takahasi and now without further ado, the story...

Téa Gardener was an only child, the foundation of why her arguing parentsstill lived under the same roof, why her bickering mother and father had never filed for divorce when it was so evident that they should. She hated the walk home from school, because usually home was suppose to be a child safe-keep away from the agonies of another place; however it was leaving the sanctuary to Hell. They were probably yelling at each other now, cursing and throwing things, her mother always had a good aim.

Téa wasn't even eighteen yet, so she would be some rag doll between her parents, living in one house and then another. Sixteen sucked, bickering parents sucked, everything consisting of her life sucked! She sighed and stopped in the street. No cars in sight on this quiet little street, just the wind blowing, rather harsh for May weather. Looking up at the sky she decided she should get home quickly, for as much as she hated the house of which she lived, she hated rain far more.

It started on a rainy night, the day her parents threw their first argument. She was six years old and sleeping in her bed, her teddy bear, Theodore in her arms, her mother had just put her hair up in pink ribbons and kissed her goodnight. Téa loved her father and never for a second believed that he started the whole battle that waged between them now. Téa had just closed her eyes when she heard her mother's screams.

"Look at you, you're pathetic. You have wife and daughter at home and gallivanting the whole night. You weren't even at dinner! You're no man!"

Téa opened her eyes, standing in front of the blue door that was her home. "I don't have to listen to this anymore." she heard her mother say, at least she wasn't yelling.

"Let's talk about this." Téa didn't want to hear anymore, she opened the door and found their faces in her direction.

"I'm home." Téa said, no smile, just facts. She removed her shoes and put her bag down, stretching. They looked like they were caught in the middle of something, but she paid no mind, brushing her hair behind her shoulder. Téa didn't particularly like long hair, so she kept it short, just to the shoulders, the dark brown nice and straight. She was a pretty girl and her parents could account for that. Her mother was once in a beauty pageant, winning second place and her father was one of those boys that girls fought to date. "Well, I have homework and… then I'm not really hungry so I'll just go to sleep."

"We need to talk Téa, your Mother and us." Téa looked at her mother who sighed.

"No, let's leave her out of this, it's between you and I." her mother said.

"I want to talk about this and now!" he almost shouted, Téa winced and he lead them both tot the kitchen and had them sit down. It seemed forever the words, she could hear them but she sat there as if her world was whirling around and around and around and further more in a circle that just wouldn't cease and soon she would hurl. Her Mother spoke of moving to Tokyo, that she wanted to make a new life there, without husband and daughter that her company just offered her a great deal. She would have her divorce and wouldn't bother with Téa she could stay with her father.

"You can't go; I refuse to give you such a divorce!"

"It's my life; you are no longer and have never been the boss of me. I'll disgrace anyone just to get away from you!" Her father started to yell back, but her world was clashing too much. It was like a real battle. Two human's fighting with swords within her skull and now that battle was ending…

"STOP IT!" Téa covered her ears, screaming. Was raising one's voice really the only way to make people listen? They looked at her, mother and father eyes on daughter. Tears spilled down her pallid cheeks, from sparkling blue eyes. "I don't want to hear it anymore, the yelling, and its torture!" She jumped from her seat and took off running. Her mother called out to her daughter, but Téa had to get away, she had to leave them alone. I wish, I wish I could just get away. Someone, anyone, she ran down the street, rain spilling onto her hair, her clothes, her entire body. Within moments she was soaked from all the rain that came cascading down from the rumbling heavens. Just take me away from this awful place. Somebody, anybody. Just make it stop!

She was almost towards the playground where the kindergartners played. The wood, just beyond that point, but it was where she came to a halt. She stared up at the angry sky and she sobbed, her hands covering her eyes now. The crackle around her came it burst of yellow electricity. She heard the sound, like something burning. She gasped and pulled her hands from her face and looked around, it tore around her, one in the front of her, another behind and then one on her left and right. She drew in nervous breaths, unsure what was going on and she was beginning to frighten. Then she saw it, its color pure white, a serpents head, she stepped away from it only to feel something wind around her arm, she jumped, seeing another serpent, fully emerged and of blood red, to her right a green one half way out of the tear and a blue one hovering near her of forest green. She screamed as they began to circle her, winding slowly at first and then faster and faster.

She never saw them stop, she never saw them vanish. She stood there in a warm meadow and soaked, water dripping down her body and her clothes sticking to her. Was it all just a dream? Or maybe she was hallucinating? Whatever it was she figured it had to do with her mother's announcement, as awful as all the bickering between them was, it would be so empty without her there, in the home. Her poor father… Suddenly she found the air to be hot, too much for May weather… she looked around at the bright green grass and decided the climate was perfect summer weather. Now she was registering what was going on. She wasn't anywhere in the quiet town of Domino. There were no streets, or cars or houses even. Did she wonder too far? "Hello!" she cried out, looking around and wiping her hair away from her face. "Where am I?" she wondered and dropped into the tall grass, so bright in its color. She breathed out and then opened her eyes and there it was, long and green, brown eyes staring at her, its tongue flicking out and its mouth widening. It looked angry and she drew in a quiet breath. It drew its flexible body back. Thud, thud, thud. It had to be her heart, she was about to be bitten by a snake, most likely a poisonous one and then it would be all over!

Where in the world was she, there were no snakes in Domino, well, only garden snakes, but they were harmless. Thud, thud… louder and louder. Then nothing. She opened her eyes and saw a headless body wiggling, she looked up and a black stallion was breathing on her face and atop that stallion was a man with spiky blond and black hair. He reached out his hand for hers, which she hesitatingly accepted. "Are you all right there, miss?" he wondered as she stood next to the beast he rode upon.

"I-I, yes. Thank you." she said and he smiled at her, releasing her hand.

"You're clothes, they're very strange, and I've never seen anyone like you. What's your name?"

"Téa Gardener." she said, looking around near her feet, worried more snakes might appear.

"Wait… might I?" she looked up at him, eyes wide with wonder as he reached his hand down and moved her wet hair away from her forehead. "My lady." he jumped down from his stallion and grabbed her hand again, kneeling in front of her. She stared at him and he kept his head bowed to her. "Many a day has your arrival been prophesied. The day The Great Void would appear." that's when she pulled her hand away from him. She didn't see what he had seen, the rainbow glow of a magic circle on her forehead.

"I haven't the slightest what you're talking about, will you tell me where I am?" he rose to his feet, bowed and then looked at her, he was indeed a very handsome man who rose only to prove he was much shorter than herself, where Téa stood at five foot five, he stood at an even five foot..

"My name is Yugi Moto, Prince of the region Duelist Kingdom. My grandfather is the king and you're welcome to stay with us, after you." he ushered her to the saddle and she climbed aboard, not willing to risk anymore snake meetings. He climbed behind her and grabbed the reigns and took of at a run. She held onto the stallion, letting out a cry as she had never been on a horse since she was six. The feeling was just the same, she didn't like being on horses, period. It wasn't too long before she began to see civilization. If Yugi thought she dressed funny, their clothes weren't any better, they all dressed as if from the medieval era.

"Lord Yugi, welcome home!" a young man called, running towards them. "Ah! Who is this?" he wondered as Yugi slid down from the horse and then offered Téa his arms. She swung a leg around from the other side and slipped down into the young Prince's embrace. He helped her stand right and smiled as she looked around in wonder.

"This is the Lady Gardener." he said as she rounded the restless stallion. "Tristan, would you do me a favor?"

"Of course, my Lord, what is it?"

"Please tell my grandfather that I would like to have audience with him at once, I must discuss something very important with him, pertaining to this young lady." Tristan nodded his dark hair head and turned and ran off. Téa was still taking in the scenery as Yugi turned around. "How do you like the kingdom so far?"

"Do I get to go in there, is that a real castle?"

"Palace, sure. I'll escort you. We'll have to get you something suitable to wear; you'll have a chance to speak with my grandfather."

Téa gasped. "Oh, no! That's all right."

"You can't refuse, it's very important that you meet with him, Lady Gardener." Yugi said, offering his arm. She looked at it and then linked her own with his.

"I really just want to go home…" she thought about it for a moment… her wish… this was her wish. She wanted to get away, away from her life on Earth. She smiled and nodded. "Never mind… if you insist I meet with the King then I shall." she said and he smiled in relief.

"Thank you, great lady." she nodded and he lead her towards the palace. So shiny and spiral like with an eight pointed pink star figure at the tip of center tower. As the entered the cool halls on the bottom level a young girl with brownish blond hair and chocolate eyes stood in front of a portrait, she wore a pink and white gown that belled out and touched the marble floor. "Serenity." the girl turned when the Prince called her name and she smiled, bowing.

"Yes, my Lord Prince?" she made her way over and Yugi.

"This is Lady Téa Gardener, I was wondering if you could find her more proper attire?"

"Yes, of course." she said with a smile.

"Then we shall part ways here and I shall meet with you later." he took Téa's hand and bent a kiss to her knuckles and went on his way.

"How long will you be visiting with us?" Serenity asked. Téa shrugged but remembered where she was. This wasn't her home; this was a world of strange and fantasy. It was like being sucked into a Shakespearean play or one of her favorite Anime shows.

"I really don't know. I'm new here."

"I can see, you're clothes are unusual. I am Serenity Wheeler, if there are any questions you need answered I will do my best to provide you with answers." they began walking and walking, there were several doors but not a single stairwell. "I am the head-healer of the palace. My training is mostly for the Twin Prince's, but I also take in others to treat."

"Twins…"

"Yes, the King's son's wife conceived two boys. Prince Yugi, who you have met, and Prince Yami. Tomorrow are the Elemental Trails. Prince Yami is participating in them along with three other candidates. Lord Tristan and my brother Joseph and from another Land Lord Seto Kaiba will be entering as well. They are the chosen ones, enlisted by the Goddess herself to serve as her protectors; they just have to prove it really is them by going to Battle City and obtaining their Elemental Weapons. Ah, here we are." she stopped in front of a rotating golden orb and she took Téa's hand and held it out in front of the orb and she did the same with her own hand. "Fifth level." she said and they were sucked into the Orb like white smoke.

Téa fell to the golden carpeted floor and she panted. "What just happened?"

"We went upstairs, that's all… how do you get around where you're from?" Serenity wondered making her way to the first door. Téa picked herself up off the floor and followed Serenity into the room. It was small, containing a bed, a desk and a mirror and a bookshelf. Serenity directed Téa to sit as she walked over to the closet.

"We use stairs, or elevators to get up and down." Téa explained shutting the door before sitting on the plush bed.

"Well, I don't know what an elevator is, but stairs are so last era." She opened the wooden doors and pulled out a beautiful blue and white dress, the top a deep blue while the skirt was belled out and white, like Serenity's. "Here, this one is just your style; it'll bring out your eyes. Here and put these on." They were arm-warmers, a deep blue just like the corset of the dress. "And this necklace." she handed them over and left the room, "Just leave your clothes on the bed." she instructed as closed the door for the girl's privacy.

Téa processed all that had happened in the shortness of the day. Her parents fight, her outburst and running away. Four Dragon-like serpents appearing out of nowhere and whisking her away to a strange land, the meeting of a young Prince and soon the meeting of a King. She clicked on the necklace and wondered what would happen in a world like this one.

End chapter one: Here Come The Dragons. Please review.