Chapter 16- And so it Begins
It's funny how time has a way of passing.
One moment she's small and lamenting the dark streaks in her blonde hair and befriending a tiny Joey Wheeler. The next she's 10 years old and meeting Seto and Mokuba for the first time, her baby brother by her side. And now…
Now she's 11 years old (again) with obnoxiously bright-blonde bangs against a weird shade of red that her mind tells her shouldn't exist (so dark it looks black in some light)... and she's just bumped into Duke Devlin. Literally.
Or rather, Otogi Duke, as he introduces himself when he helps her up from the ground.
Internally she questions what her life even is now. (Crazy magic, reincarnation, gods, custody battles with evil rich assholes….and that's just to name the few off the top of her head).
Externally, she just smiles at him and apologizes.
"I should've watched where I was going," she brushes off her jeans and jacket quickly, before crouching to pick up her bags. He's already there, though, examining the contents.
He's quick to brush off her apology. "Nothing bad happened, so it's all good… and your groceries appear intact".
"That's a relief, Hinata would have my head if the ingredients for her very awesome cookies were ruined." She answers with a smile, trying to not stare, because he's so young and his hair is so very short compared to the long length he'll have in a few short years. (She resolutely pushes thoughts of that time away because god is it coming up fast and that terrifies her)
He's also surprisingly nice, his background considered. Not only does he apologize and help her up, he also takes half of her bags and insists on escorting home safely, even though he was going in the complete opposite direction. He's a little gentleman, really.
"Alright, you can walk me home, but you have to stay for a game and some snacks at least in return, okay?"
He hesitates a little. "I don't think my father would ap-"
"Surely he won't mind you spending some time with a friend and helping them out, will he?" She asks, somewhat sadly.
He blinks a little. "You'd call a stranger a friend?"
She smiles up at him (seriously, they're both 11, how is he so tall already? Why is everyone so much taller than her, damnit? She misses her old height so much) and winks. "I'm Mutou Youko, a pleasure to bump into you. There - now we're not strangers anymore".
He just stands there, looking like she's just handed him the keys Disney World and told him he can do what he wants in there, and then he breaks into a smile so bright and happy it could cure cancer.
She wants to cry and hug the poor boy. She barely restrains herself. What is it with all these poor children being neglected and abused!? She breathes slowly and deeply, tamping down on her anger and magic. She doesn't want to suddenly and accidentally summon an army of monsters ready to do her bidding. (Not like last time. That had been fun. Mahad's pained but awed face was a sight to see. Grandpa was proud but strongly disapproving. They were lucky no one who could actually see the monsters was actually around).
(She still thinks the permanent ban from any toy stores owned by that company was a little too much, though. That kid was asking for it and they can't prove anything beyond the inexplicable mess).
And that's how she finds herself coming home with Duke and introducing him to their family of misfits and nerds.
Hours later, it's as if he's always been there. They're all smiling and laughing and playing games. Seto surprisingly warms up to him the most and they strike up a nice camaraderie as being the oldest of their group. (They get along well and take great pleasure in riling up Joey playfully, Joey reciprocates it easily and gives back just as well as he gets.)
"What is it with you and bringing home strays Youko? This is becoming a habit of yours." Hinata says quietly to her. They're washing the dishes and cleaning up after dinner - she's to her elbows in suds, Youko's doing the drying.
"I can't help it, they just come to me and give me these big sad eyes and I cave." She replies mock defensively and turns back to look at their friends.
The younger siblings, dubbed the Dominio Quartet by themselves, are all huddled together playing a game. Or, well, Serenity, Ryou, and Mokuba are huddled together at least, they all teamed up in an attempt to actually beat Yugi at a game. (It looks like they're losing though, not that they mind too much, it just makes them more determined to beat him one day.)
Grandpa and Uncle Adam are seated at the table, pouring over legal paperwork and documents that are for the ongoing trial for Seto and Mokuba, with Auntie Kotoko on the phone with them.
It's been a year since they all first met, and in that time the court had ordered visiting time for the boys. They stay every other week at the Mutou household. (There are surprise visits by the court and child welfare representatives and supervised times that take place at both of their residences.)
The two boys are happier, healthier, and more open than ever. (Anyone can see it, which is in their favor as it shows how bad it is mentally and emotionally for them to live with Gozaburo.)
Uncle Todd is at a conference but had called earlier to say hello to everyone and introduce himself to Duke.
Aunt Anzu and Suzuki are helping around the house, helping clean and organize a bit. (Something they had taken to doing when Sally had left for college and two more children came to live in the small house. They hear from her around once a week on the phone and she sends letters and emails often to them all. So at least she was keeping in touch. From the sounds of it, she was doing wonderfully and thriving.)
Seto, Duke, and Joey (the three oldest of them all) are on the couch, bickering good naturedly and talking about random things. Lily is there, too, having claimed Duke's lap for himself and is purring up a storm. (Duke discovered his favorite spot to be petted - just under his cheeks).
The look Duke had when Lily had come over to him made her heart break all over again. He had been so thrilled and in awe, like he had never been close to an animal let alone allowed to snuggle and pet one. (She's determined to send Lily to duke when he's not with Seto or Mokuba.)
Dia is loosely wrapped around Seto's neck, content to be there until Hinata is back.
Tea and Tristan are at the small coffee table in front of the TV. They're playing a new game that Tristan had just got for getting a good grade. (And by the looks of it, Tea is destroying him. Her cackles of glee and his cries of dismay are more than amusing to hear.)
"Can't believe how much time is going by. It's been a tough year." She murmurs to Hinata as she turns to finish drying the dishes.
And boy had it been one long and challenging year.
But when she finally puts away the last plate and goes into the living room and sees all of the happiness (even with their endless awareness that Seto and Mokuba are only allowed one week's happiness at a time)... she can't say she regrets anything. And from the look on Hinata's face, she can tell the other girl feels the same.
Youko silently grabs the puzzle box and settles into her little special spot, in the corner but in the center of attention. Quietly, she basks in the happy and calm atmosphere around her for several minutes before she carefully pulls the lid off the box and gently removes the near complete puzzle from it.
A small, relieved and content sigh falls from her lips and she closes her eyes. A small smile crosses her face as she feels Yami sense and reach for her through their ever growing bond. He immediately sends his joy and relief at feeling her through the bond. She sends her own happiness and contentment back to him before she is quickly bombarded with questioning impressions as he eagerly "asks" how she is and what new things she has experienced in the few hours since she had put the puzzle away.
All in all… yeah, life's pretty good, even with the future looming ahead.
Duke, much like Youko had suspected, is just as lost as the rest of them. Another kid abandoned to himself, forgotten in a sea of expectations and ludicrous demands from cruel adults.
It's too bad, really, that they can't get him out of the situation like they're trying with her cousins… but there's no blood-relation and no evidence that Duke is actually abused. And really, in many ways… he isn't. He's just a tiger parent, always pushing his son to achieve more and better than he did (and get revenge on her Grandpa through her, which is really the dumbest thing she's ever heard) and not listening to his son's actual wants and dreams.
Youko doesn't like it, but there's really nothing she or anyone else can do beyond offering him friendship and a place to be himself.
He's lonely, much like they all have a tendency to be when alone. So they make sure he knows damn well that he's never alone, so long as they're his friends.
(She hates it when she realizes this is a lesson she has to learn here. That she and Hinata can't fix everything. She's grateful it's not a worse scenario that she has to learn this, but it's still upsetting.)
They'll just have to make do. To get through it together.
He leaves out of their door that evening to a dark car and a man hiding behind more than just one mask: one for his face and one for his face. So much like the rotten Gyoza who makes her cousins so miserable, yet also so vastly different in the degree of evil.
"Though…" Youko catches herself wondering one rainy afternoon several days later, when she's mindlessly working at the puzzle (Yami is "sleeping", from what she can gather) "in this world of magic and shadows, how can one truly define evil?"
She's got a list in her mind of people she considers good and people she considers evil, as well as those she expects to fall in either category. And yet…
She initially expected to encounter Seto and Mokuba as enemies, at first. Or rather, she expected frightened, abused children with attitude and trust issues. She set out to find them and save them - to bring them to the side of good. While they're not enemies in this world, this timeline, Youko must admit that they're still shockingly similar to their canon counterparts.
(She picks up a puzzle-piece, polishes it, turns the puzzle… it clicks into place perfectly).
While not a cold-hearted as the one she knew then, Seto certainly has traits that would mark him as rival or antagonist in other situations. To most people, he's domineering and assertive, with an ego higher than his IQ. His tongue is sharp and his glare so cold, sometimes she thinks it could actually freeze things. He is, in many ways, the cookie-cutter perfect Seto Kaiba, straight out of the anime. But around her, around them, the ice melts and the glare turns to a gaze that reminds her more of clear mountain lakes than freezing storms and dragons made of frost. The observational skills, which usually allow him to tear a person apart with only words after less than five minutes in a room with them, and that same sharp tongue turn into a dry sort of humor that rears its head randomly around them.
Similarly, while their Mokuba is still much like the one she knew from fiction, this one is still… other. Whereas the one she read about wanted to copy his brother's every move, their Mokie frequently goes through phases where he idolizes one of his "older siblings." And while he's got the seeds of an ego like his brother's planted in him (because Mokuba is smart, no matter how little the manga and anime showed it), Youko can slowly see him turning them into something less suited for a miniature bully and more of a born leader. And the art… their Mokie draws and draws and draws, and they all do their best to encourage it. (Fortunately, Gozaburo doesn't see art as worth his time… if he did, Youko isn't sure the boy would survive the kind of pressure…)
(She repeats her motions. Pick up, polish, turn… it fits again?)
They're all different. From her cousins to her friends. They share many things with their canon counterparts, be it personality or morals. Yet they are vastly different too. And all because of her and Hinata being born. (Mostly. Neither of them are so arrogant that they think their mere presence has to do with every change that there is).
Yugi, still sweet and shy but also confident and outgoing. Joey, still loyal beyond belief but is calmer, smarter and more thoughtful. Tea, still vibrant and hopeful, but not so naive. Tristan, still a follower and the solid pillar of support, but also a leader and calm voice of reason. Ryouichi, still loves the occult and darker thing, but is comfortable with themself and feeling a bit more free to explore everything. And Serenity, still outspoken and loyal like her brother, but is louder and has more of a presence, she won't let you forget that she's there.
Hinata is somewhat similar to Seto, cold and sharp around others, warm and loving around their family. She's most definitely the voice of reason and the "mom friend" for their group.
As for herself, well… she literally cursed her new father to eternal misery and bad luck, or something like it. That's a pretty bad thing to do, but she doesn't consider herself evil. Not exactly. And what her beloved Grandpa did to Duke's father in the past was also pretty sketchy, even if it was during a dark game.
"So maybe…" she thinks for a moment. "I just need to turn my perspective yet again. We know the world isn't just black and white, but…"
She puts down the puzzle-piece she's been polishing and looks to the side with a blank face, imagining that that's where the camera would be if she was in a TV-show.
"Nah… they're evil. As dark as they come. Well… at least Duke's dad could be considered misguided? It's difficult to remember…"
She sits there for a few moments, her mind pleasantly blank as she basks in the warmth of the puzzle. As if in a trance she reaches for the next piece, mentally preparing herself to dig through the cold metal, except… except…
There's nothing really left to dig through.
.
.
.
.
.
She blinks. Looks down. There are only two pieces left in the box.
.
.
.
.
.
.
what?
Youko freezes. She feels her breath catch, her heart jumping to her throat and her stomach falling to her feet, growing colder by the second.
"Oh my god…."
A strangled noises escapes her throat.
No.
Nonononono!
But it's too early! She's only 11 years old! It took Yugi 8 years to complete!
.
.
.
.
Holy shit…
.
.
.
Should she wait? If she finishes it, will everything start? Or will things wait until they're 16?
She's so confused. And in response, Yami reacts with worry.
"M-Mahad…." she whimpers out. Because god is she scared and worried.
Nobody answers. She can't even sense them.
Fear grows. Where are they? Why aren't they coming? She needs Mahad and Mana and her Lily. Needs their advice, their protection.
And then… there's almost a tugging in her heart. A whisper of something unknown, something strange. Something that is reaching and pushing and tugging at her very soul, and she has to force her hand to stay on the table, lest she reaches for those final pieces.
God. What should she do?
She wants Yami to be free from the darkness but….are they all ready to face everything so soon? Is she ready?
(It dawns to her, like an epiphany, that she doesn't think she ever will and never has… that ever since realizing her fate, she's been wishing that it would still fall on someone else…)
She realizes that there's no choice. She shouldn't hesitate, won't hesitate. He's been trapped for far too long, she won't force him to be any longer. Her shaking body stops, a calm falls over her…
.
.
.
.
She grabs the last pieces of the puzzle, her body both numb and alive at once, her mind more clear than ever yet hazy, like she's in a trance.
She takes a deep breath.
"Well…" she whispers, hands shaking as the second-to-last piece slots into place, leaving her to stare at the iconic eye stares up at her. "Destiny's calling."
The piece slots into place. There's a little give to it and then a sharp click.
Her room is quiet like a grave. Nothing happens.
"...Yami?" She whispers, looking around her darkened room fearfully. (She remembers how in the pyramid of light movie, it showed Yugi finish the puzzle then surrounded by monsters ready to attack him.)
Then there's a bright light and a rush of shadows, vines of Darkness shooting from the ground and wrapping around her like a cocoon.
She shrieks and curls around the puzzle in fear, falling out of her chair from the force of it.
Fuck the gods and their goddamn flair for the dramatics!
"Mahad! Mana! Grandpa! Someone!"
She can't breathe. It's everywhere, swallowing her up, wrapping around her more and more tightly-!
"YAMI! Help me!"
Then it hits her.
Hard.
Like a wrecking ball to her chest.
Or rather… he hits her.
He's got the form of a shadow, possibly even darker than the Darkness wrapping around her, with glowing yellow orbs for eyes and a body that keeps moving and changing, like smoke and embers escaping a fire. She doesn't know how he does it, but the Darkness is ripped from her body and she's free… they're free…
For a moment, they just look at each other.
She's laying on the floor, clutching the puzzle and gasping for breath. He's kneeling before her, tilting his head to the side as he observes her. She gets the feeling he's… considering her. Examining her features.
She swallows back her tears and sobs and reaches for him, physically and through the bond (it hurts because it's been ripped open between them.) sending her fear and gratefulness to him but also tugging him closer in a sense.
She sees his eyes widen, like he realizes who she is and he reaches for her too.
The moments ends, and then there is a rush like nothing she's ever felt before as all of the Light and the Darkness, including Yami himself, suddenly starts swirling and forming into a massive whirlwind of pure power that hurtles towards her… and straight into the puzzle and, from there… straight into her.
She chokes and gasps and coughs before screaming in pain as the power overwhelms all of her senses. She distantly hears the rush of footsteps and yells of confusion, she feels Yami panic and try to take the pain away but….
It's too much.
It's too much!
It hurts!
Make it stop please!
She can't do it.
The world twists and turns, blankness rushes towards her.
.
.
.
.
She faints.
.
.
.
.
.
In another realm, far beyond the world of mortals, a group of creatures surround a shimmering pool depicting a child being swallowed by something too sinister for even them to control.
A man clad in golden armor steeples his hands. "And so it begins…" he whispers into the silence.
A/N:
:3c
Surprise, everyone! A wayward Duke and a wild Yami appears… about 7 years too early! *Throws confetti* Don't worry, we've got a plan… yes, everything is going just according to keikaku*. (Stars is dying of laughter as I'm typing this.) (Well, Yami's a little earlier than first planned, but it fits in perfectly). I will say that there won't be any Shadow Games or other murders all at once - we're not making elementary schoolers play dark games. We may be going some dark places later on, but I promise you this, on my love of puns and ancient memes: no children will initiate games of life and death in this fic.
It does mean, however, that we're going to introduce a little more drama on a larger scale. What that's going to entail, you'll just have to wait and see.
On the note of waiting, updates are probably going to slow down as I've begun my final semester of my Bachelor's degree and have gotten busy with classes again and they, unfortunately, have to take priority over writing for fun…
Anyways, thank you so much to all the people who commented, favorited and followed! It means a lot to us, and we appreciate each and every word :)
See you guys next time for more Caught in the Game!
NordicTwin
*Keikaku means plan.
A/N:
Aaahhh! So happy and excited! This chapter has me giddy.
Welcome back everyone! Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Especially the beyond epic ending line that Nordic wrote.
This chapter was supposed to go some other way and have way more to it. But then we finished the last part and thought, "this is perfect. We need to end here"
So a year has passed since last chapter. We wanted to give you details without going to into it and taking even longer to get to canon. So we summed up the changes and everything that has taken place in the year. We do plan to try and cover more details and other things in BtG (and boy does that list keep growing) but if we missed any details you want or you have questions for the year that passes, please review or pm one of us. We will try to answer or write a BtG chapter about it.
So here we show the summary of things, meeting tiny and sweet little Duke, and! Our beloved Pharaoh being freed and awoken! Ahhh! (I've been fangirling and giddy for this) woohoo! Get ready all, things are getting serious and closer to canon. (I know I keep saying that but now it's actually true!)
And mysterious people at the end. Who are they? Are the good or bad? (If it's not obvious who they are then….idk? Wait and see or ask and we can tell you :)
So much happening next chapter for sure. More time passing, more growing, the custody battle reaching its end and other shit (don't want too many spoilers). Just be ready for some awesome things.
And if you guys have any ideas or suggestions for what we could do during the fic for certain parts, please share! We would love the input.
Shoutout to all of the people who viewed and all of our current followers and faves and our new followers and favorites (Aquirs-Chan, Mehdude, Nials, ladymomo1993, Modest Alien Waltz, firefoxynk, HaloReaver, God is Gracious, mjkcsk, Morphious - ChangeSpinner, and Tori5125) And thanks to everyone who left Kudos!
And EXTRA thank yous and love to cherry-888,The Otaku Lady Priya, and Contentkarma347 for the reviews/comments!
Please, PLEASE leave us comments and reviews, especially if you have any questions or are confused! We love them so very much! We get so motivated to write when we get reviews!
Thanks again to the amazingly talented and lovely Moirei for Beta-ing for us, as always :)
Please check out our side story, Beyond the Game. It's got (or is going to anyways) missing scenes from what wouldn't fit into chapters, and also details of certain events that we (or you) wanted to expand upon.
Please don't forget to check out the CitG tumblr blog (caughtinthegame dot tumblr dot com) as well, we post links to the chapters and if we remember, we post chapter progress (or are trying to do that anyways). We will also post other little things now and then when we can.
We also have our other SI story called "Judgement of Our Sins" for the Seven Deadly Sins/Nanatsu no Taizai series! Please check it out! All three of us (Nordic, Moirei and myself) are super excited for it and to share it!
Anyways, that's all for this chapter. Stay safe and have a good rest of your day, week, or month(s). Until next time my darling duckies!
C. S. Stars
Edited/Beta by Moirei
Finished & Published February 16, 2018
Here is this chapters fic rec list! (This list has many stories that were the motivations and inspirations for CitG and JoOS. Most of them are self-insert fics. Please, please check them out and review!)
Heart of Fire (The Hobbit) by DONOVAN94. (Complete).
Summary: "I am SMAUG! I kill where I wish and none dare resist! And now, you belong to me!" Smaug stirs beneath Erebor when he hears a heavenly voice and knows he must have such a prize for his own. Trapped in the Dragon's lair, Kathryn, a seer, must survive this deadly creature to escape to freedom. But a vision plagues her, one that connects her to the mighty dragon forever..
(Nordic: The first entry in a trilogy that has run since 2013 and is still going, the "Heart of…" series is an epic tale of adventure, destiny, war and love. Follow Kathryn, a Seer, as she suddenly finds herself as the possession of a mighty dragon with no escape in sight. Donovan is an amazing writer with a massive talent for creating vivid images and story-lines that have you clinging to the edge of your seat with anticipation, as well as crying rivers from the angst she weaves into the plot).
•Deja Vu no Jutsu by Vixen Tail (Naruto) Complete
Summary- Take one dead, thirty year old career soldier, stick in the body of a child during the Second Great Shinobi War. Add a mini-Namikaze Minato, ninjas, chakra, tailed beasts, and shake well. Is it any wonder she thought she was insane? Second/Third Great Ninja War era SI AU.
(C. S. Stars- The chapters are long but the details and thoughts into the world of Naruto and it's culture and shinobi life is amazing. The side stories that go with it "Neko-chan's Pawprints" are cool, especially the ones that show the canon verse meeting the fic verse.)
•Alice by BluJeza (Twilight) On-Going/Hiatus?
Summary- In all my life, I never wondered who I was. It wasn't until I was no longer myself that I started to question everything and nothing. My name is Alice, but who am I really? Warning: SI-OC, sort of.
(C. S. Stars- I hate twilight. Or rather, I hate Bella and Edward and several aspects of the series. Every other character is so fascinating though. I wish we could have more details on them…anyways, now and then I troll the twilight section when I'm bored and out of fics to read. I stumbled across this fic and let me tell you, it is such an awesome twist to the story and such a unique idea. It takes place pre-canon and explores the oc waking up as Alice when she is reborn as a vampire. That's all I'll say. Check it out though. If you want. I rarely rec twilight stuff. There maybe one or two other fics from the fandom that I will.)
•Girl Friday by CompYES (Avengers) Hiatus
Summary- "So here's the thing: I don't even know if I died, okay? ... All I knew was that when I was booted up and the world flickered on around me, something compelled me to speak. 'Good evening, Boss.'" In which a girl is FRIDAY, Tony Stark is a mess, home is what you make, and a whole lot of minor characters and obscure references are used. [A short SI!FRIDAY fic]
(C. S. Stars- CompYES is an amazing writer and a sweet girl. This fic is so amazing I can't even. She has two more for Avengers that are awesome and unique. For this, the summary says it all. A fascinating twist on someone becoming aware and waking up, as an AI. Just….check it out and her other avengers fics! Please. ;)
•A Speedster's Providence by UnlockedPotential (Young Justice) On-Going/Hiatus?
Summary- She lived; She died; She lives again – this time as Wallis Marian West. Drabble!fic. OCReincarnation!fic. Fem!Wally.
(C. S. Stars- I don't even know where to begin. I'll start with, I love this fic. It's such an awesome twist to being reborn and the affects of it. DC verse is awesome and this fic is awesome.)
•Till The World Stops Turning by nariai (Inuyasha) On-Going
Summary- Misplaced somewhere I did not belong to, in a body that should have never been mine, I could only wait for the world to finally stop turning. [SI, Self-Insert/OC-Insert as Sesshomaru's daughter.]
(C. S. Stars - Who hasn't had an Inuyasha phase? This fic gives a unique perspective of the oc not knowing of the Inuyasha series or anything. It's an awesome take to being reborn but not realizing that your new life was once a story.)