Well, here it is, another chapter of JDH. This chapter is going to introduce a few new key players and locations, as well as signify a new format. But have no fear. I will not be abandoning the original Yu-Gi-Oh! plotline, just adding more of my own material, and trying to expand the material. Fans of the Jedi Appretice Series migh recognize th figure at the end of the chapter.
I do not own Yu-gi-oh, Star Wars, or Star Wars Jedi Apprentice. I only own my still-unique plotline.
Please Note that this WILL be my last chapter for Nine months, as I will be in a volunteer Service program at that time, and have limited access to a computer. But this Fic WILL NOT be abandoned. The-Last-True-Angel sees to that.
Chapter 10
"Get up you lazy bones, and feed the cat!" Life in the Kokurano home always began in the same way, one member on the family yelling at another. More often than not, Mr Kokurano would travel, both to purchase new artefacts or antiques for the store, as well as to flee from his wife and avoid her shouting. Sometimes, the man wondered why he had even married her.
Mrs Kokurano was a woman who liked to yell. At her cat, at her son, at her husband at the TV, it mattered not, so long as she had someone to yell at. The one thing that she loved more than yelling was gossip, and she would often but tabloids or newspapers, sometimes even reference books, just so that she would have a juicy tidbit to share with friends. She would run a small column in the local paper, and occasionally would travel about in order to track down a good story, leaving her son to run the shop.
Not that he ever did. Whenever his mother and father were out, Kokurano would transform the shabby shop into a fortune tellers shop, and do readings or cleansings for a modest sum. He had gotten quite good at the various methods, and had even thought of extending his clientele base to his classmates. A few questions on the weather, current events, and small facts would be sorted out through a few turns of the card or rolls of the die. That way, at least, he could verify his claims by saying he had consulted various sources, and add to his credibility.
Swiftly, Kokurano got out his equipment, converted the shop, and made a few predictions. A house fire now, an earthquake later, no specific times of course. But then, he'd had this happen before. Rather random stuff, fortune telling. Kokurano just happened to be good at making calls, and having reasonable accuracy.
As he thought of school Kokurano's thoughts turned to a fellow student, one whom he had long admired from afar. Masaki Anzu, the gorgeous redheaded queen of Domino High. She seemed to be into fortune telling and the mystical arts, odd considering she hung out with a couple of juvenile delinquents and an outrageously haired foreign kid. But still, maybe, just maybe, she would come to his shop, be enthralled by his divinations, and ask him out on a date! That would be just right.
With a daydream in mind, the fortune teller got back to making his preparations.
***
Yugi strolled to school casually, talking to the Spirit. "Why do you think that Ben let me keep the puzzle, if it's so clearly a Sith Holocron? I've never been able to figure that part out before."
The Spirit smiled at Yugi, and tilted his head in thought. "Well, you had to assemble the puzzle, rare for a Holocron. Second, it's made of gold; most are made of crystal or rare alloys. Finally, I lost my memory, and the Holocron functions don't seem to be working. Obviously, Ben thought that it was a safe enough risk, and you would know what to do if I ever regained my memories and turned on you."
The young Jedi smiled. "That makes perfect sense to me. I hope that you don't regain your memories. I'm not sure I could handle the betrayal."
The Spirit laughed heartily. "The same, Yugi. The same." Looking over, the translucent teen spotted a familiar figure fingering a bandage on his chin. "Look, Yugi! It' Jonouchi! And by his appearance, it seems that he got into another fight.
Jonouchi walked up to the pair, of which he was only half aware. "Hey there Yugi. How are ya doing?" he rubbed his jaw again, giving a small gasp as he did so. "Wow that smarts. Can't believe I took a shot to the kisser like that." The sand haired teen muttered to himself. "And it was just four against one, too. I'm really slipping!"
Yugi was perplexed. "What's so wrong with a single blow? You took out four unarmed assailants, and got no more than a single hit on yourself. That is admirable."
Jonouchi looked at Yugi, a bit startled. "Unarmed? Nah. Those guys were using weapons. Chains, some pipes, one guy even had a knife. One punch means that it could've easily bee a smack with a pipe, or a stab with the knife. My fight woulda been over really quick. It's not something to be proud of."
Yugi shook his head, a grin making its way onto his face. "You're wrong, Jonouchi. A Punch to the face means that it was a desperate shot. You were winning, and their weapons weren't working. You are an awesome fighter, Jonouchi. I've seen fights with the same odds go sour, the unarmed guy usually dying. You did great." Plastering an innocent appearance on his face, Yugi smirked. "By the way, what did you need the money for?
Jonouchi looked at Yugi and gave a grimace. "You know Yugi, you might appear innocent and all, but you sure know how to call someone's bluff. Yeah, I've been fighting for cash lately to pay off my old man's debts. He keeps drinking and gambling, never caring about the consequences, and leaving me to clean up after him. So, the only thing that I can do is what I know how ta do. Fight."
Yugi nodded in sympathy. "You aren't the first to get yourself into such a situation, Jonouchi. I can only hope that you find a better source of income, and don't get yourself killed before then."
The duo (threesome really) arrived at Domino High just as the bell was about to ring. Taking off their shoes, Honda wandered over, snickering at something or other. "Hey you two, you've gotta hear this. Tatakai, one of the guys after your hide Jonouchi, actually went to see all these fortune tellers to see if he would make it through his next fight, and they all told him that he was doomed! Can you guys believe he would do such a crazy thing?"
Yugi smirked and rolled his eyes. "Next thing you know, they'll be saying that magic exists." The Jedi put his hands behind his head, leaning back slightly. "Let's get to class. As boring as it is, I don't want to give the teacher an excuse to breathe down my neck."
Honda snorted in surprise. "Little Yugi thinks that class is boring? I never would have guessed. You're a straight A student, bud. "
Yugi gave a mock glare at Honda. "My stature is an asset in combat. I am fast and agile, catching my opponents off guard. And as for the schoolwork, I learned things differently, tackling things like complex maths early on, so the material we're covering right now is so easy that it's boring. I'd skip and go to the library, but it isn't worth the trouble."
Jonouchi grinned and ruffled Yugi's hair. "Ah, well. Can't win 'em all, after all. So, where to after school? The Burger joint?"
Yugi grimaced and pushed away Jonouchi's arm. "Preferably not the one where that mass murderer went up in flames. That place still haunts me. I should have been more careful, I should have..."
In the middle of Yugi's rant about his failure, Jonouchi, always the good friend, scooped up the young Jedi, and hoisted him over the shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "Yugi, as much as I'd love for you to keep ranting, and make us miss class; we have to get to said class. So be quiet and just behave."
Yugi crossed his arms, and allowed himself to indulge in the very un-Jedi like action of pouting like a child who hasn't got his way. With a sigh, Yugi resigned himself to watching the hallway recede over Jonouchi's shoulder, as his sand haired friend carried the Jedi off to class like so much baggage.
***
Tatakai Ayasegawa fumbled with the doorknob of Class A, nervously double-checking to make sure that only the fortune teller was the only one in the room. It was bad enough that the loudmouth Honda had seen him going to all of those fortune shops and crystal ball parlours, but if word got out that he was going to visit a classmate, then he would be laughed out of the school, out of Domino, in fact! Carefully, he slid into the room, approaching its sole occupant."
"You seek my aid? You are either bold or desperate to approach me here." Kokurano's sickly voice echoed through the empty room, its owner staring straight at Tatakai. "You seek to fix your odds for the upcoming fight by ensuring that you get at least one prophecy where you make it out alive." Kokurano's statement brooked no questions. Levering his pudgy body into a standing position, the fortune teller walked over to Tatakai, a raspy chuckle filling the air. Staring into the eyes of Tatakai, Kokurano pulled a pair of knucklebones from his pocket. Opening his sweaty hand, the master of the occult allowed the polished bones to fall to the floor, where they tumbled about, a pair of runes coming face upright.
Kokurano gazed at the runes for a pregnant moment, and laughed. The hideous sound filled the air, and sent a chill up Tatakai's spine. "The bones" Kokurano wheezed, "Have spoken. You will live, and claim victory. But that all depends on both your determination and commitment. Only your will and ability will let you claim victory. Otherwise, you will just lose."
Tatakai gasped. "The bones told you all of that? That's incredible!" with a bow, Tatakai ran out the door, confident in his victory. When the excitable young man had left, Kokurano glanced at the bones again. "Hmm. The bones have never predicted great upheaval and worldwide trials before. Ah well. Just random chance, after all. Nothing to be concerned about." The fortune teller returned to his seat and awaited the deluge of students to rush into the room.
***
The thud of a body hitting the ground resounded through the domino high school yard. Breathing lightly on his hand, Jonouchi rubbed his knuckles on the blue denim of his jacket, and walked towards the gates. Behind him, Tatakai Ayasegawa was unconscious and missing a few teeth. Waiting by the gate, Yugi could barely suppress a snicker, while Honda burst out laughing.
"Brilliant work Jonouchi! Ya made him see stars with that last hit! I can't believe that he thought he would win! His punches were so weak, he couldn't knock the wind out of a butterfly! What was Tatakai thinking, challenging you?"
Finally, Yugi gave into the snickers, which rapidly escalated into full laughter. Anzu walked up behind them, sidestepping the unfortunate Tatakai, and shook her head. "You three must be related or something. Of course..." Anzu added with a grin, "Yugi is far better behaved than the both of you." She gave a mock glare at Jonouchi and Honda as she said this. With a sigh, Anzu dissolved into giggles. "But you've got it backwards. A butterfly could knock the wind out of Tatakai with just its antennae."
Honda laughed, and looked at Anzu. "What's this? Is the obedient little Anzu actually supporting Jonouchi's fighting? I'm surprised. Way to go!"
Anzu grinned. "What can I say? You're all a bad influence on me. And I can honestly say that I don't mind a single bit." Looking up at the clouds, Anzu gave a sudden start. "Oh, I just remembered. Tatakai went to see a kid from class A today called Kokurano. That must be the guy who told him that Tatakai could win!"
Jonouchi snarled, his hands balling into fists. "Well then, we should check this guy out, then. See how troublesome he really is."
Beside Yugi, the Spirit materialized. "Be careful, Yugi. We don't know what could happen. Head home first and pick up your lightsabre. After all, you are a Jedi. And now, its time you start acting like it. Don't forget, there's a Sith on the loose. Best to be safe."
Yugi nodded and blushed. He had been so deeply wrapped up in adapting to his home world that he had begun to neglect his training as a Jedi. It had already cost him dearly, with several incidents that could have been prevented. Rather than negotiating for Anzu's release, or acting with the calm rationality of a Jedi, he had rather foolishly challenged the criminal to a game of life and death.
Maybe, just maybe, Yugi pondered, the Force was abandoning him, failing to warn him by withdrawing. The Jedi blushed in shame. Did he even deserve his title anymore? He hadn't meditated in an age, and even the Spirit was keeping his distance.
Choking back a sob of sorrow at his failure, Yugi turned to his friends. "Let's rendezvous at the square in half an hour. We don't know what we're getting into. So it's best to prepare. Bring whatever you think you might need. Don't forget what's on the loose, after all."
All the friends shuddered at the memory of the Sith Lord, and the harm that he had nearly caused to Yugi. If Yugi had not been lucky, then there would be one less Jedi, perhaps all of them would be dead. Nodding in agreement, the others ran off, leaving Yugi alone with the Spirit.
"What are you going to do now, Yugi?" the Spirit's words echoed through the space, reaching the teen's ears.
"Something I've neglected for far too long, my friend." Yugi's words hung in space for a moment, the Jedi hurrying towards the game shop.
***
Yugi cleared a space in his room free of electronics and alien mechanics. With a deep breath, he reached into himself. A turmoil of emotions and thoughts welled up almost immediately, threatening to drown the child in their numerous voices.
Focussing on the nearest of these emotions, Yugi grasped it firmly, and allowed it to leave himself as the young Jedi exhaled. Again and again he repeated the process, until all that was left within his core was the Force.
Gently, Yugi extended his senses out to the Force, and allowed it within himself once more.
Like a tide, the Force swept over the young Jedi, gently reminding Yugi who he was, what he was, and urging him to never again let go. With a smile, Yugi closed his eyes, and allowed himself to become an avatar for the Force.
"Yugi." A familiar voice filled the tricolour haired teen's ears, prompting Yugi to open his eyes. Hovering before the lost young Jedi was the pale blue translucent figure of Ben Kenobi. The old Jedi master smiled at Yugi, his eyes warm with merriment.
"Are you all right now, Yugi? I was growing concerned when you started losing your connection to the living Force." Ben's voice was gentle and kind, filling Yugi with both joy and sorrow.
"I'm sorry Master. I was so eager to be home, that I began to forget where I had come from, who I was. I lost my way, and now, I'm finding it hard to find my way back. What do I do, Master?"
Ben sat down on Yugi's bed, the smile never leaving his face. "Do not fear, my young friend. You are not the first of the Jedi to feel lost, or the burden of failure. Even I have failed before, in my teaching of Anakin Skywalker, my failure to protect my own master, and many times before. Recklessness was one of my most notable traits, when I was only a couple of years younger than you. My impulsive nature led me to quit the order at one point, and destroyed a bond with my master that took forever to rebuild."
Yugi was surprised. "You quit the Order? Why?"
Ben sighed, and motion for Yugi's silence. The old Jedi smiled wistfully, clearly lost in the days of his youth. "That is a story for another time. Just remember this. You are a Jedi, no matter what may happen. You may have been acting rashly, and with bad decisions, but it is to be expected. The Jedi council is not here to offer you the guidance that you once would have received, despite appointment to the role of Jedi Knight. Therefore, I will be remaining here, to offer you my wisdom. And Yugi, the Force will always be with you. You just have to listen to it."
Yugi blushed in shame, and then perked up. "Why are you here Ben? And how are you here? I didn't think astral projection was a skill known to the Order."
Ben sighed, and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Yugi, you are correct. It is not a skill that the Jedi are capable of. I am manifesting through the Force. I tried my best to aid your friend Luke in a necessary endeavour, but lost my life in a duel against Darth Vader."
Yugi's eyes filled with tears, as his slight frame was racked by sobs. "Master, I'm sorry. I should have come; I should have fought alongside you."
Ben's eyes softened and he put a pale hand on the shoulder of the boy he had watched grow and learn. "Yugi, you came here for a reason, guided by the will of the Force. You have a purpose here, whether or not you know it."
Yugi dried his eyes and looked at Ben. "You mean like making sure no-one is threatened by the Sith who's here?"
Ben's face became grave at Yugi's words. "That is clearly a reason, Yugi, but you must be careful. I will do my best to give you additional training and guidance, but you must watch your back. A Sith is dangerous news, especially since there are only ever supposed to be two of them."
Yugi nodded, and picked up the worn brown robes from his days on Tattooine. Pulling them on, Yugi dressed carefully, determined to face this most recent problem the way he should have faced all of the others. As a Knight the Jedi order.
Ben faded from Yugi's view as the young Jedi Knight hooked his lightsabre onto his tool belt. Putting the Puzzle around his Neck, Yugi headed for the rendezvous point he had set with his friends.
***
Walking at a brisk pace, Yugi was heartened to see his friends waiting beneath the clock. Each of them bore a serious expression on their faces, though Jonouchi and Honda's expressions were naturally marred with bewilderment as well.
Jonouchi was the first to break the awkward silence that had sprung up between them, scratching his head. "Um, Yugi? Why are you wearing such ridiculous clothes? Isn't it a little warm for clothes like that?"
Yugi smiled, and sighed. "I never did explain what was going on the other day, did I?" the vigorous head-shaking from the trio confirmed his thoughts. "Well, as you may have guessed, my opponent on that day was not human. He is a member of an extra terrestrial race, of which there are many throughout the galaxy. That particular individual was a Sith, trained to use the Force as a weapon with evil intent."
Anzu tilted her head in confusion. "Yugi, what's the Force? And how do you know all of this?"
Yugi nodded. "The Force is essentially an energy field produced and maintained by all living things. It binds life and the galaxy together. Those who use the Force for good are called the Jedi, while those who use its power for evil are called the Sith. I myself was trained to be a Jedi Knight."
Honda shrugged. "yeah, but that doesn't explain how you know any of this."
Yugi took a deep breath, reaching out to the Force. "When I was three, a bounty hunter came to Domino seeking the Millennium Puzzle. When I encountered him and found the Puzzle, the Bounty hunter kidnapped me, taking me offworld. I grew up on a desert planet called Tattooine, and only recently found my way back here, guided by the Force."
Everyone nodded in understanding, pondering the weight of this. Clearing his throat, Yugi spoke up. "Now that that's all said and done, weren't we going to investigate Kokurano's shop?"
The other three blushed, and the foursome made their way towards the shop.
Upon entry, the friends looked about, taking everything in. Kokurano was waiting just out of sight, thrilled at Anzu's presence. Very carefully, the fortune teller picked up a bottle of chloroform, and wet a cloth with it.
Hiding the cloth beneath his robes, Kokurano stepped into sight, chuckling. "I was wondering when you would visit, An-Zu-Chan. Now how can I help you today?" His simpering voice was laced with innuendo, prompting Jonouchi and Honda to stand defensively in front of their friend.
Ignoring the two, Kokurano sat down at a counter covered in silks and furs, topped with a crystal ball. The repulsive young man gestured towards an open seat across from himself, licking thin lips. Yugi was strongly reminded of a Hutt.
Much to Kokurano's pleasure, Anzu sat down, her friends flanking her. Yugi merely tucked his hands into his robes, and stood off to the side, for all appearances examining the various antiques. In reality, the Jedi was observing Kokurano and checking his motives. The Jedi knight suppressed a gag as he probed Kokurano's mind, once again strongly reminded of the Hutts' foul minds. The only difference was the slug like man's inability to detect the mind probe.
Meanwhile, Kokurano was fondling Anzu's hand under the pretence of reading her palm. His fun was cut short, however, when Anzu retrieved her hand from Kokurano's oily grip. Looking repulsed, Anzu wiped her hand off, and looked Kokurano in the eyes. "Tatakai Ayasegawa came to you earlier today, and you had the nerve to tell the guy that he could win against Jonouchi. Why would you provoke such an unequal fight?"
Kokurano shrugged his shoulders haughtily. "he came looking for someone who would tell him that he wouldn't get killed. I merely gave him such a reassurance. He paid quite handsomely for such information as well. Is that so wrong?" slowly, the fortune teller's hand crept towards the chloroform rag.
Jonouchi's response was rather articulate. "Yeah it's wrong! The guy coulda been killed, or worse!" ignoring Honda's question of what could be worse than death, the blond haired fighter ploughed on. "And ya did it all for a quick buck, to strengthen your own reputation! Whaddya gotta say for yourself, you sorry excuse for a human being?"
Kokurano smirked. "Nothing." He said under his breath, eyes downcast. Jonouchi raised an eyebrow, utterly clueless.
The Force surged about Yugi, and the Jedi narrowed his eyes. What was Kokurano up to? Keen amethyst eyes caught sight of Kokurano's hand under his cloak, prompting the Jedi to rest a hand on the smooth metal hilt of his lightsabre. The faint scent of chloroform tickled his nostrils, and Yugi's eyes widened.
Moving forward with surprising speed, Kokurano put Anzu in a headlock, stuffing the chloroform cloth under her nose. As Anzu slumped unconscious, Kokurano pulled a dagger from under the counter, resting its sharp blade against her throat. "Don't move, she'll die." He threatened, "So don't follow, unless you don't care about her life."
Kokurano dragged Anzu's body behind a door, leaving the remaining three still. Yugi was the first to act. Withdrawing his lightsabre, the young Jedi headed to the door. Pushing it open, the threesome headed down the steps, Jonouchi and Honda allowing Yugi to lead the way. Emerging in a storage room, Yugi gathered the Force, pulling the knife from Kokurano's grip.
Kokurano spun around with a snarl. Reaching into the crates and boxes, he pulled item after item out, flinging them at Yugi, Jonouchi, and Honda. While Jonouchi and Honda resorted to dodging the artefacts, Yugi either stopped or deflected them with the Force.
Pressed against the wall, Kokurano began frantically patting the brickwork around him, searching for a way out of his situation. One of the bricks depressed slightly, and a concealed door slid open. Quickly, Kokurano dashed into it before anyone could stop him.
Jonouchi took a step towards the door, while Yugi remained motionless. Anzu gave a groan as she regained consciousness, the chloroform less effective due to the time it had spent out of the bottle before being used.
A scream echoed through the room, and Kokurano dashed out of the passage, crawling into a nearby crate, whimpering in terror. From the tunnel, six foot tall anthropomorphic cat emerged, a foot long trench knife in one hand. Sniffing the air, the giant cat began poking into boxes, lifting out various antiques. As He put them in a bag, The cat lazily pilfered the Puzzle from around Yugi's neck.
Yugi brought his lightsabre up quickly, almost severing the offending limb. With a yelp of surprise, the cat gave a backflip. "Nobody told me a Jedi would be waiting here! They said it would just be an empty storeroom!"
Yugi's eyes narrowed in surprise. "I must admit, I am equally surprised to see a Farghul. Care to explain yourself."
The Farghul gave an uneasy glance at his surroundings. "Uh, yeah, about that? Bye!" the large cat made a dash for the tunnel, reverting to all fours for greater speed.
Letting out a curse in Huttese, Yugi dashed for the passage as well, using the Force to augment his speed. Jonouchi, Honda, and Anzu glanced at each other, and ran after their friend. Behind them, Kokurano poked his head out of the box cautiously, slowly backing into it at the sight of the tunnel.
***
Yugi pelted through the tunnel helter-skelter, keeping the Farghul in sight. Through the dim lighting of the tunnel, the young Jedi could see a pale light, harsh against the stone walls. Keeping Pace with the Farghul, Yugi ground to a halt at the edge of a cliff.
Spread out in front of the young Jedi Knight was a massive cavern, easily bigger than the school. Durasteel struts supported the massive weight above, with lights hanging from the ceiling. In the distance, Yugi could see that the cavern was actually only a small part of a great tunnel, with branches spreading out ahead. Behind him, Anzu, Jonouchi, and Honda gasped at the sight.
The foursome headed down the steps, the Farghul far ahead. Yugi reached into his robes, and withdrew some seeker droids, commanding them to scout the area for the Millennium Puzzle. Confident now, Yugi leisurely strolled down the steps, a great weight lifting off his shoulders. Here, in this multitude of diversity, he felt content. Never before had he been aware of how homesick he was for the variety of Tattooine.
"Wow, this is incredible!" Anzu breathed, taking in the sight before her. "This was underneath the city all this time, and we never knew!"
"Um, Anzu? That was probably the point." Jonouchi delighted in pointing out the obvious to his friend. "By the way, Yugi, what was that thing? You called him-it is a he, right? - a Farghul. What are they?"
Yugi navigated the stairs carefully, checking each one. "The Farghul are a race of warrior thieves native to the planet Farrfin. After one of their smuggling bases were destroyed, they've been fearful of the Jedi. Despite a reputation as con artists and thieves, they will return their stolen prizes if caught."
Jonouchi laughed. "So honour amongst thieves eh? Cool."
The foursome entered the streets, and the three who were unused to such diversity began looking around in amazement. Yugi, meanwhile, was smiling happily as he allowed himself to be inundated by the sheer diversity of the inhabitants.
Jonouchi peered at a poster of an Ewok holding a gourd of sake in amusement. "Hey look! It's a Tanuki!"
Yugi glanced at it, and corrected his ignorant friend. "No, Jonouchi. That's an Ewok. They're native to the forest moon of Endor."
Anzu tapped her chin thoughtfully. "This city looks pretty old, so maybe the legends of the Tanuki are based off of the Ewoks. Would that make sense?"
Yugi nodded, and turned to face one of the seeker droids. "Very possible, Anzu. Now let's hurry. The droid has found the Puzzle."
Following the orb-like droid through the crowd, the group eventually found themselves before the doors of a dusty old shop. In faded letters, a sign above the door declared the location to a combination Junk-and Pawn shop called Watto's.
Pushing the door open, they gazed about at the towers of objects both of Earth and Extraterrestrial make. Spreading out to investigate, the four poked through the pikes of machinery and other objects. Jonouchi had a difficult time with a malfunctioning pit droid that believed the blond needed fixing, and Honda was pursued by a gaggle of disarmed droidekas that had taken on similar personalities to a flock of geese.
Anzu, meanwhile, had discovered an enormous double-headed battle-axe lodged in one corner. "Come look at this!" She breathed, unable to tear her gaze away.
Yugi, Jonouchi, and Honda approached, with Jonouchi giving a whistle of appreciation. "look at the size of it! Whoever it belonged to, they weren't pushovers."
"You mean who it belongs to." A gruff voice from behind them drew the attention of the four children. Standing behind them was a twelve foot tall giant winged cat, covered in palegrey and striped fur. "That is my battleaxe, young ones. I'm glad you find it impressive."
Yugi had a look of awe on his face at the sight of the giant, clearly impressed. "One of the Kentra! I didn't think that they ever left Orellon II!
The Kentra smiled. "Welcome, young Jedi. I have not seen one of your kind in well over thirty years. Welcome. Welcome and Well met! I am called Kelda, and this is my humble shop."
Yugi gave a low bow, his friends cautiously copying him. "Well met, Kelda of the Kentra. I am Yugi Mutou. We have come looking for an important artefact taken from me not long ago by a thief of the Farghul. One of my seeker droids brought me word that it was held in your shop. Do you know of the thief?"
Kelda put a rough hand to his chin, stroking a well-groomed beard thoughtfully. "The only Farghul in here recently was young Bryn. Don't tell me he took something of yours." Kelda walked over to the counter, and pulled out a cardboard box. "Take a look in here. This is the stuff Bryn sold to me, poor kid."
Yugi glanced into the box, withdrawing the Millennium Puzzle with a soft cry. "This is the object I have been seeking. What form of payment would you like for it?"
Kelda set the box down and smiled. "No payment necessary, little Jedi. It is a matter of honour that I return this to you. Now then, would you all like a bite to eat?"
The fellowship nodded, and sat down in varying places. Kelda got a pot of tea and various sweets. Sitting down, he poured everyone a cup of tea. "Now, it's been a while since I traveled abroad, and am eager to hear the news, both on and offworld."
Taking turns, the friends shared the various articles that they had knowledge. Yugi, who had been sitting on the sidelines, was speaking to the Spirit. "It's incredible. I never even noticed this city. It was sitting under our noses, and I was completely unaware of it."
The Spirit chuckled. "Yugi, you are aware that there are over one hundred million people in Japan, right? With that density, coupled with the fact that you've been ignoring the Force- "-here Yugi glared at the Spirit- "- you have, Yugi. It isn't surprising that you were unaware. These are probably mostly either refugees, or those who just wanted peace and quiet, for good or ill."
Yugi nodded in acceptance of the wise words, and leaned back, basking in the flow of the living Force, completely at peace for the first time since arriving on the planet.
***
Darth Pax knelt before the Holocrons, only the lead one activating. "My master, what is your bidding?"
The cloaked figure smiled, his expression cruel. "Destroy the other Holocrons. I have copied the Data onto my own, and there is no need for them any longer. Get rid of them now."
Pax activated his lightsabre, shoving the red plasma through each of them in turn. With a bow, the Sith Lord turned and left.
Behind him, the Cloaked Sith shifted slightly before retreating into the Holocron, a pale half-circle scar visible on his cheek.
Well? Reviews are appreciated. Tell me what you think of the new Format, splitting the Sith conflict plotline and the original Yu-Gi-Oh! plotline. Work or no?
Bryn will be seen again. He he heh. And most definitely Kelda. No mysterious Benefactor this chappie, I'm afraid.
For basic pictures on what Kelda and Bryn look like, visit the Star Wars wiki, Wookieepedia. It's been an invaluable source for research.