::Virtual Reality::
:Introduction to Reality:
Yugi Motou looked down at the slip of paper in his hand then back up at the medium sized house they stood in front of. "Are you sure you wrote the address down right Yami?"
"I'm sure, Aibou."
"This sure doesn't look like a place that Kaiba would live in, does it?" Téa asked, looking uncertainly up at the house.
"Well, there's only one way to find out," Yami commented, walking up the front steps. The group consisted of five individuals: Téa, Tristan, Joey, Yugi and Yami. Pressing the doorbell Yami only had to wait a few seconds before an extremely excited Mokuba opened the door.
"You're here! You're here!" (Ala 'I'm Back' style) he exclaimed, ushering the quintet inside. "Big brother is waiting for you!" The hyper ten-year-old practically dragged Yami into a room, with the other four following behind. Seto sat in the corner directly opposite the door, in front of a large computer. Beside the computer was a pile of helmet-like devises. There were a couple of comfy looking couches and chairs spread out around the room and many large fluffy pillows.
"Hello Kaiba," Yami said coolly.
Seto nodded in their direction, "Hello."
"Are you going to tell us why you invited us here?" Joey demanded, looking around.
"No. I'd prefer only to have to explain once," the CEO replied and turned back to his computer, "make yourselves comfortable."
Just then, the revving of motorcycles could be heard in the distance, coming closer quickly. Yugi and the others moved to the window to look out. Two motorcycles could be seen, racing towards the house. One motorcycle was painted the colour of dried blood and the other was a very vibrant cherry-red. "The Corpse Rammer and Lucille," Yami commented, turning to look over Seto's shoulder.
Mokuba dashed off at the sound of the doorbell and shortly after he returned, leading Kendarath, Marik, Bakura and Arientioth. Kendarath removed her leather jacket and turned to Marik, who was also talking off his jacket, "I won," she told him flatly.
Kendarath was the spirit from the millennium staff, who was known as Rath. Once she was a half-gryphon mage from Egypt. Now she's just a mage with long brown hair and gold eyes.
Arientioth was also a spirit from a millennium item, she was from the bracelet, who was known as Ari. Once she was a half-dragon in Egypt with Kendarath. Now she had short brown hair and bright green eyes that sparkled with trouble.
"I think not," Marik replied as a bright gold light flashed and the hikaris separated from their yamis.
Ariel, Arientioth's hikari, was short, as short as Yugi, with blonde hair and hazel-green eyes that seemed to get more green the more troublesome she got.
Kendra was Rath's hikari/apprentice. She was learning the ways of magic from her yami and she looked much the same as her yami, except her eyes were brown only flecked with gold, instead of solid gold, and she was also about an inch shorter.
Rath smirked, "That's just because you're not willing to admit that you could be beaten by a girl."
Kendra and Malik rolled their eyes in synch and walked over to the group where the others already were.
"So…" Kendra said, settling herself onto Seto's lap. "Why'd you invite us here?"
Seto looked around the room, as if double-checking that everyone was indeed there, "Well… I developed this new virtual reality program and I wanted you all to test it."
"Why don't you just test it yourself," Joey thought, reminding them all of Seto's last virtual reality program.
"I learned my lesson last time, and besides, it's designed to be a multi-player game."
"There are a lot of us…" Yugi said, looking around at everyone there, then at the collection of helmets.
"As you can see," Seto started, "there are fifteen of us and only eight helmets."
"Good going genius," Joey muttered.
Seto glared at him before continuing, "My theory is that the yamis and hikaris should be able to share a helmet and still play different characters, two people should stay here to keep an eye on the equipment."
Ryou nodded, "That makes sense." He looked around, "so who's not going?"
"We should draw straws," Bakura said sensibly.
Ari nodded, "I'll get the straws!" she exclaimed and darted out of the room. Past the still arguing Marik and Rath.
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"Did not!"
"Did TOO!" Rath exclaimed as she punched Marik in the mouth.
"Rath!" Kendra exclaimed.
Marik growled and punched Rath's left eye, "Marik!" Malik exclaimed as the two hikaris stepped forward to separate their fighting yamis.
"Come on Kendra! Let me at him! He's being a baby! Cummon!"
"No Rath. If you can't play nice then go to your soulroom!"
"Fine!" Rath exclaimed and disappeared in a huff.
"She started it Malik!" Marik was protesting at the same time as Rath. "Just let me teach her a lesson!" Malik just raised an eyebrow at his yami who fumed and disappeared.
There was a moment of silence before Ryou burst into laughter, obviously from something Bakura had said or done, by the slight blush that came to the dark spirit's cheeks. Ari chose that moment to return to the room. She looked around, taking in a laughing Ryou, a blushing Bakura and the missing Marik and Rath. "What'd I miss?"
"A cat fight," Yami replied.
"Anyway…" Seto said, standing up and taking the 'straws' from Ari. "What?" he asked, looking at his handful of forks and spoons.
"I couldn't find any straws, there are eight forks and two spoons. Whoever draws the spoons has to stay here." Seto shrugged and put the utensils down his sleeve so that only the handles were visible. (He couldn't hide them in his hand, it's not big enough [Ari: Well, he won't be very pleasing to ladies now, will he? Ks: ARI!]) One by one they all drew a utensil, Yami picked first, drawing a fork, which he handed to Yugi before disappearing into the Puzzle. Ryou drew next, removing a fork from Seto's sleeve. He showed it to Bakura who smiled slightly and disappeared into the Ring. Ari drew next, picking a fork, which she poked Malik with (because Bakura wasn't there), before disappearing into the Bracelet. Tea went next, drawing a spoon, she shrugged and sat on a couch. Then Joey went, picking a fork. Malik and Kendra also both drew forks. Tristan followed with a spoon; he sighed as Seto took the utensils that hadn't been drawn out of his sleeve.
"I wanted to go," he complained.
"You win some, you loose some," Ariel said, hitting Tristan hard on the back. "Have fun!" she said, then began going on about how much fun she was sure to have in this game when Seto slammed a helmet down on her head, muffling her voice.
"Does she never shut up?" he asked almost rhetorically.
"Not even in her sleep," Kendra responded with a sigh, then she brightened. "Well, let's get this show on the road!" she rubbed her hands together, "What kind of a VR game is this?"
"It's a fantasy/DM game." He received several blank looks from almost everyone. "It's a fantasy world with Duel Monsters. You can play as an Elf, an Avian, a Dwarf etc. As a mage, thief, fighter, and so forth. Mages and Clerics are the only ones that summon their own Duel Monsters. Though there are wild ones that Rangers can coerce."
"Can you be any more confusing?" Joey asked, scratching his head.
Seto slapped himself on the forehead. "Okay Joey," he said slowly, "there are several species you can be. Elf, Avian, Dwarf, Human, Mekora, Halfling, Half-Orc, Half-Goblin, Half-Animal, Half-Elf, Dark Elf, pretty much anything you can think of that's got a brain and is human-like in shape. Then there are different classes Fighter, Paladin, Ranger, Cleric, Druid, Mage, Thief, Bard, Sorcerer, Monk, and Barbarian. Mages and Clerics are the only ones who can summon Duel Monsters, though Rangers can tame wild Duel Monsters, bringing the monster under their control. Can you understand that?"
Joey nodded, "What's the object?" Yugi asked.
Seto grinned, almost evilly, "You have to find that out on your own." Yugi made a face and Seto began handing out the helmets.
"Wait a minute," Tristan said, "Don't you have an unfair advantage Kaiba?"
"Why? Because I programmed the game? No, it responds to the actions of the players, since there are more players than just me, it's going to be responding to all the other players, changing the game play. No two games are ever the same." Seto turned to Tea, who was now standing by the computer, "press this button when we're all sitting down," he told her, and put his own helmet on.
Tea looked around the room, Kendra and Seto were sitting on the love seat (Aw…) with Mokuba in between them (not quite so Aw…), Ariel was in a chair, still blathering away into her helmet and Yugi, Ryou and Malik were on the couch. Joey was sitting on the floor on a pillow (Hah, Joey's gotta sit on a pillow…). She took a deep breath, and pushed the button.
---------
Authoress's Note:
Kendra: I know you've all come to expect these funny ANs from me, but I'm dry right now, so… yeah. All I have to say is… um… Rath?
Rath: We don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! And don't flame the horrible writing of my hikari…
Kendra: It's not horrible!
Rath: I'm sorry, I was teasing…