Princess Strawberry: 60 reviews and I'm on another six authors '(or authoresses') "Favourite Authors" list! Thank you to Kayla Mutou, Buka2000, Fire-Angel, Utsukushii Hen na, Brit-chan, and Vegeta-Gohanluvr28! I feel so loved!! *glomps reviewers*
Yami Strawberry: ...Right. Well, everyone likes this story so very much, so we are going to finish this chapter as soon as we can. But you know, the lemon my hikari was planning will have to be put on hold, because her family members keep bugging in and she knows that her parents would never let her write those kinds of stuff, so please be patient and don't flame her!
Yugi: Strawberry-san does not own Yu-Gi-Oh, any of its characters, Horseshoe Valley Ski Resort, or anything else. Not even that manager dude. All she owns is the plot because she went on ski trips and came up with this. And if you people haven't read the warnings that were posted up in chapters one through three, well, I'm telling you right now that you go back to them and read those because I'm not doing it again. Humph. *crosses arms*
~*~ "Speaking"
'Thinking'
/Yugi speaking telepathically to Yami/
//Yami speaking telepathically to Yugi//
\Ryou speaking telepathically to Bakura\
\\ Bakura speaking telepathically to Ryou\\
-Malik speaking telepathically to Marik-
=Marik speaking telepathicaly to Malik=
*________'s Point of View*
~~~~~~~ Time / Scene Change or Warnings....(whatever) ~~~~~~~
((Us interrupting you for a few seconds)) ~*~
Ski Trip
Chapter 4: Ski Slopes, Here We Come!
~~~~~~~ The last famous line from previous chapter... ~~~~~~~
"Malik? Marik?" they all chorused in disbelief. "What are you doing here?"
~~~~~~~ Now, back to the actual story! ~~~~~~~
The two figures smirked at the bewildered faces that confronted them.
"That's all we get after separation of six months?" Malik asked in a hurt tone, obviously faking it.
"Oh no," Yami said sarcastically. "You expect something else? How about a noogie?" With that said, he attacked the sandy-coloured-hair boy and messed up his head. Before long, Yami finished only to be replaced by Bakura.
"ITAI [1]! Bakura!!" Malik screamed as Bakura dug his knuckles into his scalp.
Bakura released him and pretended to look innocent. "What?"
Marik growled. "I swear, if you touch Malik again, you'll never see daylight again!"
Bakura, who thought the fellow yami was joking, teased. "Oohh...I'm shaking in my boots. I'm so scared. Ryou! Marik threatened me!" He clutched at Ryou's arms in exaggeration to his statement.
"I'm not kidding, Bakura," Marik shouted. He lunged at the Millennium Ring's spirit despite of the heavy clothings he was forced to wear.
Bakura's eyes widened as he realized something: Marik was actually serious. Even more surprised, he stumbled backwards a few steps before screaming like a banshee and took off into the snow. The others sweatdropped frequently as they caught phrases from them as they ran past. Things like "Ryou, get this deranged yami off of me!" and "Ha! I got you now, you idiot!" Ryou and Malik sighed. Those two always fight, yet they are as close as twin brothers. They started to walk forward to separate the fight when the door that led to the rental shop opened in an almighty BANG and stopped them dead in their tracks.
Téa, who looked like she went through the wild woods, glared at the group. Well, it wasn't exactly indicated to Yami, but since the Millennium Puzzle's spirit was standing beside Yugi, and the stare was for him...let's just say Yami took it the wrong way. He was happy nonetheless. You know, about that annoying mortal not starting to drool and giggle again? But he couldn't help but feel a little apprehension as Téa's steely blue eyes continued to pierce the group's happy spirit.
She descended the little steps that led down to the group with as much ease she possessed. Which is pratically none. She couldn't bare it if Yami saw her fall down the stairs and lay in a crumpled mess. She made it to the bottom, and what better luck than now as Bakura and Marik ran past. They streamrollered the girl as she let out a shriek. The two stopped and looked back at the damage they caused. Téa's worst nightmare has come true. She was lying in a crumpled heap in an awkard position, arms and legs dangling all over the place. The group burst into laughter, even Marik and Bakura stopped their fight to laugh at the girl's misfortune.
"Come on, Ryou. We've been holding these skis for ages and precious time is being wasted. Let's go hit the slopes!" Yugi exclaimed excitedly, regaining his composure.
Ryou nodded in agreement. "Hey, guys..." he began tentatively.
The group's attention snapped onto him. Ryou let out a big breath, took in a big breath, and continued, "EVERYONE GET YOUR SKIS OR SNOWBOARDS AND LET'S GO!!!!!" He jumped up and down in his enthusiastic state.
They stared at him for a few seconds before they processed the words in their brains. Joey grabbed his snowboard, along with Tristan, Duke, Seto, and Mai. They snapped on their left foot to their snowboard, and before long they were all set to go. On the other hand, Yugi, Yami, Ryou, Bakura, and Téa got their skis on. The spirits had trouble stepping on the lock while maintaining their balance, so their lights volunteered to let them hold on as they secured themselves on to the skis. Téa stared at Yugi jealously as Yami took hold of Yugi's shoulders, held on to them, and squeezed it gently before releasing it.
"You guys go ahead," Yugi called as they started to complain. "Yami and Bakura needs to know the basics first anyway." He waved as they went to Chairlift 1, which allowed them to have access to the green hills.
"I'll stay and help too!" Téa butted in. She looked really excited.
Yugi and Ryou, being the nice people, sighed inwardly but had a cheerful face on. "Sure, Téa."
Yami and Bakura groaned at the thought of having the annoying girl as their instructor. They brightened considerably, however, when they learned that Yugi and Ryou would stay and monitor them.
"So first," Yugi began.
"You should learn how to walk with your skis on!" Téa chirped as she latched on to Yami's right arm. "Come on, Yami-kun, I'll teach you!"
Yami winced. Man, this girl's got some good grip! Yugi's usual amethyst coloured eyes turned just a shade darker, almost matching Yami's orbs. Through their soul link, Yami sensed that his hikari's anger. Thinking quickly, he detached himself from the monster's grasp and hurried over to his light. The original eye colour came back. Yami sighed in relief. Yugi smiled happily as Téa seethed. Ryou and Bakura chuckled at Téa's hilarious face.
((Me: Please keep in mind that they took off their skis as they trudged uphill. Sorry if anyone's confused.))
After another hour, with Téa interrupting the peaceful lesson a dozen of times, Yami and Bakura finally mastered the basic skills they needed to know on how to ski. They were quick learners, yes, you have to give them that, and in no time at all the five of them met up with the other five.
"Hey!" Yugi high-fived Joey as they came close enough. "Where's Malik and Marik?"
Joey blinked and scratched the back of his head, confused. "Eh? I thought they were with you, Yug'."
Ryou looked horrified. "We left those two Egyptian freaks unattended? Oh no! This whole place will be destroyed...or worse!"
Bakura growled. "Hey, watch it. I'm Egyptian too, remember?"
Ryou blushed slightly, though his cheeks were tinged with red already by the coldness. "Yeah, but those two are so unpredictable! They could be so nice now and could turn so sinister the next! You never know when they're normal!"
"They're never normal, remember?" Yami reminded him.
"Oh, screw them. Let's go have fun!" Téa squealed in delight.
The others sweatdropped AGAIN as she slid on her skis and crashed into the people that were lined up in front of her. They thought in unison, 'We don't know her. Don't look at us...'
The people shouted, "WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM, GIRL? CAN'T YOU CONTROL YOUR SKIS!?"
"Ehh..." Téa was at a loss of words. 'Yami-chan, come save me!' She fell down to the ground, unconscious as the noise built up in her eardrums.
The crowd dispersed, or rather, were being seated on the chairlift, and the group moved cautiously towards the line, where Téa was once again lying in a helpless heap. Her brown hair was tangled and were currently soaking up the snow. Her breath was laboured. No one paid much attention to her except Yugi. He scooted down and shook her awake.
"...Wha? Yami?" Téa's slurred voice mumbled. "YAMI!? Oh, you saved me! Thank you so much!" Obviously her vision hasn't cleared, because she jolted up and hugged Yugi _hard_ around the neck.
"Téa..." Yugi choked. "I can't breath! Let go!" /Yami! Come and help me get her off of me!/
//Coming, aibou!//
Yami wrenched Téa's prying fingers off of his hikari's neck and watched her body twitch violently as he hugged his hikari close in reassurance. No one was allowed to touch _HIS_ Yugi that way! No one but him alone!
/Yami...you can let go now./
Yami snapped back to reality and blushed faintly. Thank Ra that the cold has already made it turn pink. He took his hands off and said, "Téa deserved what she got." He huffed.
"HEY, YUG'! HURRY UP!" Joey shouted, waving his red-clothed hand at him.
"Coming, Joey!" Yugi shouted back, clicking on his skis. "Let's go, Yami!"
The line diminished and the group were on the chairlifts in two's. Now, as your authoress, you would have probably guessed who I'm going to make who sit with who. But just for fun, I'll mix it up a bit. Yami was grumpily muttering curses in Ancient Egyptian as he was being forced to sit with Kaiba - Seto Kaiba, of all people! Now he had to endure at least a minute with this person who claims that he's the smartest in everything. Yugi ended up riding the chairlift with Ryou, not much damage was being done as they conversed happily about the new game that just came out. Tristan was edging until his butt was on the verge of falling off the chair - anything to get away from the now-pissed yami. True, Bakura looked like he's just eaten ten spicy peppers and steam was currently coming out of his ears. The hair turned "sharper" and more dangerous as he glowered. Duke and Mai were sitting uncomfortably in the chair before all of them, not really used to each other's company YET. Joey, being the clumsy boy that he is, ended up sitting alone behind everyone. He lounged on the chair with a smug and cheerful expression on, but inside...it was full of turmoil and doubts.
With ease, Duke and Mai got off the chairlift without falling, but sat down anyways to tie their right foot on to the snowboard. Yugi and Ryou came off next, then Yami and Seto, then Tristan and Bakura - who, by the way, looked extremely relieved. Joey casually slipped off the little hill and landed on his butt. He laughed and proceeded to tie his foot to the board.
"Uh...are you sure about this, aibou?" Yami gulped as the wind howled around them, him gazing down the snow-filled hill with apprehension. This was harder than he thought.
"Of course!" Yugi replied brightly. "Just remember the turns and snowplow we taught you. You'll be fine!"
"Going?" Tristan called, being extremely impatiently.
The rest nodded and they took off. Well, technically, The Millennium Item keepers stayed behind to keep their yamis in check. They shouted encouragements to them as the hesitantly started forward.
"AIIIIYYYY!!!" Bakura shrieked as he shot forward like a bullet. \\ Ryou, how do I stop again?\\
\SNOWPLOW! SNOWPLOW!\ And in reality, he was shouting the same thing, just twenty times louder.
Yugi, being the excellent skier that he is ((Thanks to me! ^___^)), skied backwards to keep his yami on check. Yugi nodded every now and then to prove that Yami was doing the right thing.
"Phew," Yami let out a breath. "That wasn't so bad. I mean, I did better than Bakura..."
The spirit of the Millennium Ring was currently sitting in a snowbank, his head half submerged in the white snow that was tainted with brown because of all the dirt. Ryou was trying to haul him out; but he was currently unbuckling his skis first. It was quite a funny sight, actually.
Téa recovered from her convulsions, and was waiting impatiently for the rest of the group to come down. Her eyes brightened as she spotted Yami, standing beside Yugi protectively. Man, talk about possessiveness.
The rest of them reached the bottom and seemed really unhappy about Téa being finally conscious to join their activities. They congratulated each other for not falling down on their first run. Except Bakura, who looked really mad for making a fool out of himself in front of his hikari.
"Now that we're warmed up," Yugi grinned mischievously. "Ready for the big test?"
~ To be Continued ~
[1] Itai is Japanese, and it means "ouch" in English.
Authoress' Notes:
Princess Strawberry: How was that? Enough Téa bashing? Enough fluffy moments? Ok, ignore that question. I know I didn't put in a lot of Malik and Marik fluff or action, but come on, they just arrived. What do you expect?
Yugi: ^____^ Please read and review or else Strawberry-san will run clean out of ideas on what to write.
Princess Strawberry: Oh, and I've decided, if I'm to post up a lemon, I'm not going to post it up in my account. I don't want to lose all my stories and all the lovely reviews you dear reviewers sent me. So I'm gonna push my yami to start her own account so I can post it up there! But don't expect a lot of updates there, since it's for stories that are rated 'R'. So, do you people want that, or do you want me to just place it in some other site like "mediaminer.org"?
