The Fountain
By TheNakedKing
There were three absolute certainties in Yuugi's life.
The first was that Grandpa would always be there to take care of him, even when his own parents weren't. That was something that he needed in his life, with a father who was always working and a mother as remote as he was sometimes. Grandpa was his best friend in a lot of ways, and without him Yuugi thought he might be lost right now.
The second was that Ryou and Jounouchi would always be his friends, because they had been through so much together. Yuugi knew their bond could never be severed, especially since they had been brought together because of their struggles. Through thick and thin they would be there for each other.
The last certainty was that he would always enjoy his trips to Gammon with his Grandpa, especially when Ryou and Jounouchi got to come along. He loved going to see all the big game shops and arcades that Domino didn't have, and it would be even better to enjoy it with friends.
The man who stood in front of him shattered those certainties into dust.
"Back!" he shouted, though Yuugi wasn't really sure whether or not he was talking to him.
Even if he had he wasn't sure if he could have obeyed. Three beasts stalked before them, wolves with flaming blue manes that froze Yuugi to his spot in fear. He was positive he was dreaming, except in a dream you couldn't see hunger in burning yellow eyes or smell the stench of rotting flesh on the breath of your stalkers. Dreams didn't have three inch claws and dripping fangs or try to eat you, either.
The man kept them at bay now through some invisible means, standing in between Yuugi and the beasts. They had stopped their advance, eyeing the man with a look that would have curdled Yuugi's blood.
The man didn't flinch.
"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded. "These aren't your hunting grounds, Cerberus."
If there had been any doubt he was dreaming before, it was dispelled when the lead wolf opened his mouth and spoke. "You know our hunting grounds have been taken from us!" The voice was more of a guttural snarl than any human vocalization, a collection of sounds assembled loosely into human speech. "We've had to move into the Harpies territory!"
There was a long pause in which the man considered the leader, though Yuugi could not clearly see his face from where he sat on the ground. "It doesn't explain why you're attacking a creature of clear sentience," the cool voice said in reply. "He's obviously lost and confused, and very frightened."
"He's a Human!" another of the wolves barked. Its voice was higher than the leader's, and clearly more frustrated. "A little Human wandering all alone! He's the perfect size for a meal … "
"And?" the man took a step forward, and to Yuugi's surprise the wolves took a half a step back. "You know full well what will happen if you make this Human your meal."
Their reaction to the words was instantaneous. The wolves began to whine and cower, the noises that raised from them a great babble of incoherent words and grunts. Yuugi could barely capture snippets of their speech, and what he did catch he didn't understand. They kept squawking about "him" and "being immured" and "the gold plague", but it was lost on Yuugi what they were talking about.
The man had no such limitations. "That's right. If you satiate your hunger with this Human you'll bring his wrath down on all of us, and I promise you," his voice sharpened, "if that happens I will hold the three of you personally responsible for the consequences."
A great growl rose from the beasts in protest, but they slunk away, leaving Yuugi alone with his savior.
For a moment the man remained still, but after a pause he turned to Yuugi, who found himself staring into a face too perfect to be human. It was an angry face that looked upon him, but terrible and beautiful, like an Elf from one of his RPGs. More striking than his features were his brilliant crimson eyes, their intensity forcing Yuugi to gulp and turn his face away.
"What are you doing here, Human?" demanded the man. "Don't you realize this territory is dangerous?"
Yuugi floundered for words, but the man continued his tirade.
"How did you get so far from the village anyway? That is the only safe place in the country for people like you. You should not be here," his eyes scanned Yuugi, darting up and down his body. His frown deepened. "And what are you wearing? No wonder they were able to spot you." He made a frustrated noise in the back of his throat, though a sardonic smile warped his features.
Yuugi just gaped up at him, trying to find his voice. "I … um … I don't know what you're talking about," he managed, taking a great gulp of air to try and calm his nerves.
Those crimson eyes settled on him for a long moment before the man heaved out a sigh. His frown changed from one of anger to one of frustration and he ran his hands through his hair. "Of course you don't."
He didn't say anything else, so Yuugi swallowed and chanced a glance around, terrified to find that he didn't recognize anything about where he sat in the grass. Last he remembered he had been casting a coin into the fountain in the park, making a wish, and then he was here in this bizarre place. All he could see for miles was grass and sky, and some purple mountain peaks standing stark against the blue expanse, far to his left and beyond his reach.
" … You really are clueless, aren't you?" The words were sharp enough to make him flinch. There was an intake of breath before the man exhaled laboriously. "You Fell Through."
"I … I don't know what you're talking about," Yuugi took a breath to steady himself His words came out more confident, but he was sure his knees were still too weak for him to stand. "Who are you? Where am I? And what were those things that tried to eat me?"
The other shook his head. "Not here. It may not look it but the ground has ears and the sky has eyes. It's not safe to discuss these kinds of things where an enemy could overhear and spirit the knowledge away." His eyes strayed to the distant mountains, and his hand fell upon the sword that Yuugi had noticed at his side. "You must come with me. Only in the safety of my halls will we speak."
Yuugi was barely aware of the passing of hours as they rode across the plains on a beast not unlike a horse, if horses had shimmering gossamer wings and teal fur. Across the empty expanse they raced, a dark shape on the horizon looming ever closer even as the sun began its descent into the west.
As they grew closer Yuugi became aware that it was a city of obsidian, shining like a grim jewel in the fading light of evening. A great tower rose above the other buildings of the city, standing austere against the paling sky.
The closer they rode, faster than the wind it seemed, the more Yuugi felt as if he were walking in a waking dream. Everything felt fantastical, magical, and even the air he breathed felt cleaner somehow, both older and younger than the air he breathed every day.
The man did not speak even as they rode through the gates of the black city, the hooves of the horse-like creature clattering against the cobbles. Up and up they went, though they did not pass a single soul on their way through the streets. There was no life in this city, and it mad the hairs on the back of Yuugi's neck stand on end.
Finally he led his steed through the palace gateway just as the sun sank behind the mountains in the west. The courtyard they entered was paved, though two well tended rows of vegetation flanked their entrance. It was a pretty, peaceful sort of place in the twilight, silent even as attendants came to greet them, shadowy figures with hoods drawn up, hiding their faces.
The man dismounted, helping Yuugi from the saddle with little grace. Yuugi felt jostled, adjusting to the feeling of standing after so long upon the back of a beast. The man looked upon him with amusement in his red eyes, though little of that mirth shown on his face.
"Welcome to the city of Golswed," the man said at last, "though I doubt the name is familiar to you." He paused, and Yuugi followed his gaze to watch the attendants lead the steed away."I am King of this land, called Yami by my people."
He spun, and for first time Yuugi noticed that he wore a cloak of many colors, a gossamer mantle of purples, greens and blues that shimmered in the dying light of the evening. "Come, Stranger, we have much to discuss before the night is over, and we have yet to eat. Tonight you join me at my table."
Without another word he strode away, his strides surprisingly long for one not much taller than Yuugi's own meager stature. For a moment Yuugi flounder in his wake before stumbling after him like a newborn calf.
Yuugi tried to hold his head high as he stepped under a massive archway that gave way to a long hallway. It was aglow with torchlight and wrought of the same black stone that had glowed so brilliantly even from a distance. He could see his own shadowy reflection on the surface of the wall as he passed, huddled close to King Yami in an attempt not to get lost, though so far his path was straightforward.
Though the hall was grand it did not prepare him for the Audience Chamber. The vaulted ceilings made him feel insignificant, and the splendor of the place reminded him that he lived in a secondhand game shop. He had never seen real gold before, and he'd never stood in the same room with elegant scrolling pillars in the shape of massive serpents before. He'd only ever seen pictures of this sort of thing, only ever dreamed of gilded thrones in the halls of great kings.
If this was a dream it was the most realistic dream he'd ever had.
From the end of the Audience Chamber two tall men rushed to greet them, both of them grabbed in strange and colorful clothing by the likes of which Yuugi had never seen before. Both wore stern expressions, though they could not have been more different.
The man in midnight colored robes and long, violet hair spoke first. "Your Highness is finally home, though you did not bring hunting spoils as you had assumed." He looked to Yuugi curiously, his eyes full of scrutiny. "Am I to order another place to be set?"
"Indeed you are," King Yami said. "And get him some proper clothing. He can't be seen in these … Foreign rags."
Yuugi's cheeks burned at the mention of his oversized tee-shirt, his jeans and sneakers, realizing that he did look very much out of place. It made him embarrassed to realize how stupid he looked next to these people, especially the gracefully dressed king.
The harsh look in the fair-haired man's eyes did not help, especially when that man wore armor and had a broadsword strapped to his hip. Though he did not speak, he made Yuugi feel very small just by the intensity of his gaze.
"Tell me, Guardian, how fared the kingdom in my brief absence?"
The man's eyes slid away at the King's beckoning. "No sign of movement, milord," he explained. "The front has not moved. The stalemate continues for their armies do not seem desirous to advance further upon our borders."
King Yami scoffed. "He does not seek to take away all of our autonomy. I fear he will simply monitor us. No matter, we will discuss this more in detail later. For now, we eat and attend to the matter of our guest." His red eyes showed the briefest interest as they flickered in Yuugi's direction."I am sure he has many questions."
The King turned his eyes away once more and he addressed the man in purple robes. "Magician, see to it that our guest is taken care of. I will see you within the hour. For now I go to prepare."
Yuugi had been taken to a room by the Magician who had left him in the care of a very bent old man with a bright yellow beard who had sized him up before offering a heavy sigh. "It will take some work to get this one presentable. He's rather scrawny." He paused, stroking his beard. "Does he know?"
"No, not yet," the Magician said. "Do what you can. I will be back for him within the hour. His Highness requires his presence at tonight's meal."
Silently, the man drifted away.
Yuugi, feeing uncertain, did not speak, and instead looked to the old man, who settled his gaze on him for a long moment before sighing and shuffling away, leaving Yuugi to his thoughts.
That morning things had been normal for Yuugi. He'd woken to the sound of his two best friends talking in whispers from the bed next to him. It was Jounouchi's loud snort that had started him to wakefulness, his startled reaction earning him a few laughs from the peanut gallery.
"Are you ready for today?" Ryou asked in his usual way, his smile easy and his voice warm.
Yuugi nodded eagerly, stretching widely before he leaned back on the hotel pillows. It wasn't the most comfortable of beds, but Yuugi was happy.
He always loved his yearly trips to Gammon with his Grandpa, but this year he'd been allowed to bring his friends. Jou'd slept on the floor in their room while Grandpa slept across the hall, and they'd spent most of the night up talking. Right now the day was young and the possibilities were endless.
"There's a lot to do in Gammon," Yuugi beamed, staring up at the ceiling and daydreaming. "We could go to the arcade, or to Gammon's huge movie theater, or go to the park, or just go shopping at the different game stores … "
As he spoke his friend's faces lit up and they launched into a discussion about what to do even as they got ready for the day. At last, after a fight involving toothpaste and complimentary soaps that ended in frantic laughter, the three young men decided on a shopping spree.
They had fun that day, spending their savings on new guidebooks for RPGs, model kits, and trading cards. Laughing exhaustively about everything, eating lunch at a popular burger chain that wouldn't come to Domino because of its size, their day was one of the best they'd ever had together. It made Yuugi even more grateful that he knew them.
"Man, we gotta do this more often," Jou laughed as they waited for Grandpa in the park. "I mean, I don't think I've laughed that much since Mazaki got mad at me for the trick with the Whoopee Cushion."
Ryou laughed at the memory, readjusting his grip on his shipping bags so they didn't slip from his sweaty fingers. "The look on her face was pretty great, yeah, though I still think you went a bit too far."
Their conversation went on for a long time in this manner until Yuugi slipped away to make a wish in the wishing Fountain just within eyeshot.
It was a year ago at that very same fountain that he'd made a wish for friends, and the very next week at school he'd met Ryou and Jou completely by chance. They'd become fast friends, and Yuugi was forever grateful to the fountain for granting his wish.
After that he remembered casting a coin into the fountain … And then the Cerberus.
"I think I found something that will fit you lad," the voice pulled him from the depth of his thoughts, forcing him to pay attention to the present. "It might be a bit lose, but we'll bind it with a belt, and I reckon you'll end up looking somewhat presentable."
Yuugi looked at the cloth in his hands and nodded numbly, wondering when he would wake up from this crazy dream. It was like he was stuck in one of his RPGs, though he thought if that was the case he might meet his Player Character. They'd never played in a world like this before.
Still, he'd had stranger dreams.
The man watched as Yuugi stripped from his clothing, feeling his blush spread to his back at the man's gaze. The thought of anyone seeing him in just his underwear made him turn bright red from head to toe, but he sucked it up and slipped clumsily into the clothes.
He turned around, feeling stupid in the yellow silken shirt and black trousers that hugged his thighs but hung loosely around his shins. He felt like a clown.
"Not bad," the man said. "But tuck your shirt in so we can put a belt on you and get your shoes on. The Magician will be here any minute to take you to dinner."
It seemed that just as he finished scrambling to do as the old man said The Magician had returned, looming over them like a deadline on a paper.
"Are you ready?" he asked, addressing Yuugi.
Having no choice, Yuugi nodded and resolved to follow him to the banquet, dream or no dream.