So, the start of my first published Fanfiction.

Schedules? We'll see. Depends on how things go. I hope once a week.

The story itself? If I actually finish it, it will be long. Like more of Harry Potter book than say a Diary of a Wimpy Kid book.

The focus: Honestly on many characters. Kind of a mash of head cannon and such. Mostly I would say it centers on Yugi, Ryou, and for those out there who know me not so surprisingly Bakura, and Bakura. Or, more specifically, the Thief King and the Yami Bakura.

Summary- A new tournament brings Yugi out of Domino City and towards an island in the tropics. The promise of new cards, the closest thing to a vacation he's had in years, and a last hurrah before starting college proves to be too much.

At first things seem grand, but of course that can only last for so long. There is an evil afoot, and it is determined to do great harm.

"What am I doing?"

The question was one that had been plaguing Yugi for nearly a week now. Ever since he had dialed the number specified on the paper and confirmed that he was indeed going to go. Even with the cheerful and excited tones of the woman who spoke Japanese as a second or maybe even third language in his ear the doubts had plagued him. Worries had rattled around in his brain like bees trapped in a cup. The know better had poked and prodded him even as he had dutifully written down the information she gave him.

"Is there something the matter, sir? May I help you?"

Yugi blushed in surprise and embarrassment as a flight attendant paused by his seat. A kind but worried smile pulled at her red painted lips. Realizing she had overheard he rubbed the back of his head anxiously and tried to explain himself.

"Oh, no! I'm fine. I'm fine. Just thinking aloud."

"If you are quite sure." The woman said with a slight bow.

Then she was off. Shuffling past the curtain into the next class. Leaving Yugi to glanced about and wonder if anyone else had heard him as well. He called down a little as he noticed the guy in the seat next to him was sound asleep. He'd pulled his seat up into a bed and it was only by leaning forward that Yugi could really see him. Judging by the fact he hadn't put up the privacy partisan he likely hadn't meant to fall asleep. To his other side a woman was sitting up and had a pair of headphones hooked into a twenty-three inch screen. He couldn't see what she was watching, but was content that she obviously hadn't noted.

The teen sighed as he leaned back and closed his violet eyes. The luxury around him honestly did nothing for the guilt that ate at his stomach.

'I should be back at the Kame Shop helping grandpa. Not flying around the world.' He thought to himself.

He should have been preparing for his first day at junior college. He should have been pricing and getting his text books, double checking what supplies he might need, and maybe looking at getting some new clothes so that he looked the part of a student and not like some bum who wondered in off of the streets.

The more he worried the more he heard his grandfather's voice. The old man using a stern tone that had become increasingly rare to him as the years went by. Yet Yugi could almost see him standing before him now with his 'some days' cane in one hand and a stern finger pointed right at him. As usual he was still in his denim overalls with one of his button up shirts under it that sometimes left customers wondering if he were a farmer at some point in his life.

"Now you look here, Yugi," He would say with a fire in his eyes, "I will not have you chaining yourself to this store. You've got years ahead of you! Enjoy them! Go to this tournament, and have fun!"

It was a little ironic to think about it. When he was a freshman in high school he had hardly needed anyone to demand he go to a tournament. Especially one like this where it seemed as if the competition would be fierce, the prizes absolutely mouth watering, and the down time was promised to practically be a vacation. Who could say no to going to a private island with its own theme park, over three miles of beach, and complimentary hotel rooms? That was just scratching the surface according to the nearly dozen pamphlets he had in his bag that he had planned to read along the way.

"Sir?"

Yugi glanced up at another flight attendant standing outside of the privacy wall. She had an apologetic look but a kind smile.

She offered Yugi a rather fancy looking piece of laminated paper that turned out to be a menu, "We will be serving lunch in and hour. Please, look over the menu and I shall return to take your order."

Before Yugi could thank her she gave a slight bow and was scurrying off to the next seat. Her wording was nearly robotic even if her tone seemed genuine. Which was better than the menu. While the words were in Japanese the names of the foods were almost exotic. Their descriptions often sounding delicious and detailing the strenuous effort put into it to ensure the works of the chefs was appreciated. The prices off to the side made his stomach turn.

He put the menu into a pocket to his side and decided to try to focus on something else. Only to have nature tap him on the shoulder and remind him that he had been on the plane for awhile now. It had been nearly two hours since takeoff. He had also had a lot to drink for breakfast. The coffee at the restaurant the man who had picked him up at the Kame Game Shop had treated him to had been too good. Now it had worked its way through his system and was ready to have its leave.

He glanced up only to find he couldn't see the restroom from his seat. So he stood up and, after making sure no one was walking the aisle, looked for the bathroom. He found it. The light above it red to indicate that it was occupied.

For a moment Yugi debated waiting. There was no telling how long they had been in there. Maybe they would be out soon?

His bladder did not agree. With every passing second the pressure grew and something else was joining it. Yugi was quickly realizing that maybe having six cups of coffee before flying wasn't the greatest of ideas.

'Well, there's another one in the next class.' He thought to himself with a huff.

He turned around and walked down the aisle. Pushing past the curtain he didn't have to look far to find the restroom. The light was green. No one seemed to be making a move for it. Yugi tried not to look worried as he all but ran for it.

"Yugi?"

At first Yugi wasn't going to stop. He wanted the bathroom. He needed the bathroom. He had to get to that bathroom before some old man or some woman with a baby did! He could not afford to wait!

Except he recognized the voice.

Turning, Yugi felt a smile light up his face naturally. A smiling failure face met him. Ivory hair framed a handsome face. The clothes were of an...odd fashion but certainly towards the formal casual side. Chocolate brown eyes held a great amount of joy and no small amount of confusion.

"Oh, it is you! I hardly recognized you for…" Ryou looked uncomfortable.

Yugi realize he wasn't quite certain if it were a subject he should approach. Whether Yugi might find it rude or not.

"Um, I will tell you in a second. Just excuse me for a moment." Yugi said before scurrying off towards the bathroom.

Fifteen minutes later Yugi was sitting next to Ryou and the man who had been sitting in the seat found himself with a first class seat.

The two quickly fell deeply into conversation. The first topic Yugi's new hairstyle. One that he himself didn't particularly appreciate. Yet it was necessary.

"When I went to apply for classes I was told that they don't allow dyed or radically styled hairstyles." Yugi said.

Ryou looked quite surprised, "But your hair is natural!"

"I tried to explain that to them. I even showed them a few pictures of my father and my grandfather. You know, it's a Moto trait! They argued that it would be too much trouble explaining that to students. So." Yugi gestured to his hair.

His once multi-hued hair was now jet black. The brilliant spikes that had once added so many inches to his height had to be retained. Hours of flat ironing and a little band kept his locks just behind his head. Without the band they would have fallen to his shoulders just as flatly as Ryou's hair did his. In a way it felt as if someone had taken from Yugi a part of him. Sometimes when he looked in the mirror it was as if he were looking at someone entirely different.

"I guess I should just count myself lucky that they didn't decide that it has to be a certain length too." Yugi added.

"Me and you both." Ryou sighed.

The two were silent for a moment in quite reflection. Yugi had no idea of what Ryou was thinking of, but he found his own mind circling back to the fact that he now called his friend by his first name.

Really it was kind of funny in a way. Ryou had been a close friend of his sense freshman year despite the fact that he had help a Millennium Item possessed by an evil spirit that wished to see his demise. Well, technically the demise of the spirit in the Millennium Item he had possessed and everyone associated with that spirit, but in the end it was practically the same thing. The point was that Yugi and Ryou were friends and had been friends for years now.

Yet it had only been in the last year or so that he and Ryou had grown so close that he had felt comfortable calling Ryou by his first name. Up until senior year he had just not felt that it was...well he had felt as if he hadn't deserved it. Every time he saw Ryou's face he had looked back at their Freshman year and wondered what he could have done differently. How he could have been a better friend. Maybe, just maybe, if he had intervened rather than allowing Ryou to politely walk away with his quite assurances that everything would be fine then things might not have happened the way they did.

There was of course that little voice somewhere in the back of his mind that said if he had done so it might have gotten worse. He tried to ignore that voice.

Now he sat on a plane with Ryou by his side and he felt many of his earlier worries beginning to melt away. It was kind of like having knives being drawn from his back by an expert who did it in such a way that not a drop of blood escaped and the wounds healed painlessly. With a friend by his side he didn't feel nearly as guilty that he had left his grandfather to take care of the shop again by himself. There wasn't that pushing sensation that he was failing adulthood because he wasn't currently focusing only and entirely on his final education and his employment.

For the first time since he had dialed that number and accepted the invention Yugi was beginning to feel as if he had made the right choice.

"So, Yugi? Have you decided who your teammate is going be?"

"Teammate?" Yugi questioned in surprise.

Ryou nodded with a smile. Then, after a few seconds of nothing, he seemed to realize Yugi had no clue what he was speaking of. His expression went almost comically flat and his eyes accusing.

"You never read the pamphlets did you?"

"Honestly, I only decided that I was going to come yesterday." Yugi admitted.

He had wanted to read the pamphlets when he first got the package, but had decided it would be a bad idea. Adulthood was calling and the letter had been clear enough that the tournament would be outside of Japan. As per what he had decided when he had graduated highs school Yugi had no intention of going so far for Duel Monster tournament any longer. Work, school, and adulthood came first. Yugi hadn't needed the temptation.

Then his grandfather had found it all in the trash and decided that it was a perfect last hurrah before beginning junior college. Somehow the old man had somehow even convinced his mother. Then between the two they had steadily rubbed on him for day. In a way he was reminded of being a tree and his mother and grandfather had been working a two man saw on him. Eventually he'd had to reluctantly give. Though that had only been Wednesday night.

"I didn't think they would even have time for me to be honest." He admitted.

"Well, that is okay I suppose. I can fill you in on a little bit." Ryou said.

"Thank you." Yugi offered beforehand.

"Well, the Duelist World Grande tournament is divided into two sections. There is a solo course and a team course. Everyone begins in the team course, and if they lose they get a second chance in the solo course. Each has its own prizes."

Well, that explained why the tournament was supposed to be two weeks long, Yugi supposed. To do all of that would take some just wasn't sure whether he liked the idea or not. In the past a loss was a loss and that was that. It could be interesting to see how this played out. Just as long as no wealthy maniacs or people with evil split personalities showed up.

"Well...do you have a teammate?" Yugi offered.

Ryou looked embarrassed, "No. I...I did not know anyone I knew was coming. I had planned on finding someone once I was there."

"Well, we can be teammates then." Yugi said decisively.

He had to bite his lip as Ryou replied with an absolutely adorable excited and almost relieved smile. When Ryou lifted his hand flatly Yugi met it and the two hi-fived. Then they both laughed at how silly it was to be doing so sitting down on a plane.

"You know," Yugi reflected out loud, "I think this whole tournament is going to be a lot better than I thought it would."