The Magicians' Realm Chapter 42: Talks and Trinkets, a yu-gi-oh fanfic

Chapter 42, everybody! In which Kineil in the story and in real life loses her patience and things explode. :\

The movie this week is the 1980 satire film Airplane!—how did a movie pull off that many stunts and references and yet still keep a PG rating?…

Angiembabe, thanks for the review! Yes, at least there's that—otherwise, that'd be a whole day wasted. D: Definitely—I'm sure he's in there somewhere. :) It depends on how people spend their days, I think—my Dad's used to cooking sausage, bacon, eggs, and potatoes every weekend because he was raised by a generation that was used to eating that and then working outside all day. That may be the plan, though….

Fromtheashtrees, thanks for the review! Well, let me put it this way: we used to have those same saloon doors separating the kitchen from the utility room—most fun we ever had with a pair of doors. :D You're not the only one—I just hope it's good. I think that may be true of anywhere you go (and to be honest, that makes me think of Dad eating Chinese food in Mexico). What a pity…true...and oh good. Nope—the line dance was actually called Waltzing Matilda; I didn't realize it was Australian until years later (I just thought it sounded cool). This is true—it gives the cartoon more zing and shows it can handle all sorts of things (Batman: the Animated Series regularly pushed the boundaries—I have a book about the show, and one page was nothing but a list of what the censors didn't want in one, single episode—and they went through that rigmarole with every, single episode). I'm hoping to have Glint and the Pirates be somewhat the same….I have heard of that! I haven't watched it yet, though….

FicReader, thanks for the review! Nope! Guinea fowl are real birds, with sleek feathers, small heads, big mouths, and speedy feet—we call them the mafia-birds, partially from the sounds they make and the way they move, partially from appearance (you know those spotted feathers you see in Fedoras? Those are guinea feathers). Yes indeed! It's just a little thing he does. :) Yes indeed—haha, me too. :D I've spent the last few years trying to catch up with the manga, and I still haven't yet (so many volumes…).

References:

Glint and the Pirates, original characters, + setting © Kineil D. Wicks (myself, not the girl in the story)

"I don't know why you insisted."

"Because it'll be good for you," Idgy informed Yami. "You need to get out of your funk. Your moping is aggravating Kineil."

"I most certainly don't want that," Yami said, wincing.

"I don't know why you insisted either," Skulduggery said, patting her on her laced arm. "He's a third wheel. How am I supposed to properly romance you and defend your honor and pass the salt with him around?"

"He's not going to sit between us," Idgy told him.

"He should sit at another table," Skulduggery mused. "That way we can pretend quiet romance."

"I like that idea," Idgy said as they stepped into the River's Run. "I think we should put him at that table right there."

"Ah," Skulduggery muttered, upon spotting the intended table. "How duplicitous. Let's do it."

And with that, they parted, went around to either side of Yami, and propelled him forward, ignoring his protests and planting him right in front of Teana.

"Uh," Yami noised, upon spotting her. "Hi."

Teana's response was to point an accusing finger at Kineil. "Did you plan this?" she asked.

"Actually, this was mostly Idgy," Kineil countered. "I just helped."

"It helps that you don't really take no for an answer," Idgy told her. "Now, Yami, you sit down, and Teana, you and Yami talk this thing through."

"No," Teana said flatly, standing.

Kineil was suddenly up and on the table.

"SIT!" she bellowed. "You two are going to sit here and you're going to talk and you're going to STOP being a PAIN in my BEHIND!" Then, to the suddenly silent room at large: "If these two get up before they've talked everything out—and I mean until they have exhausted all conversation, I want you to shoot them. Are we clear?"

Those assembled nodded and then quickly went back to their meals.

Sanji stuck his head out to see what the fuss was about. "Hoi!" he yelled. "That's not what the tables are for!"

"I've seen them used that way," Kineil countered.

"Yeah, but on the weekends! Today's Wednesday!"

"Before I do," she posed.

And then she grabbed Yami by the lapels and pulled him forward—Idgy figured she was taking advantage of the table height.

"You," Kineil hissed. "Don't bother coming back home until you've gotten this squared away."

Yami looked suitably confused. "Are you kicking me out of my own home?" he asked.

"I am," she said, releasing him to point at Teana. "And you….I know where you live."

"And that terrifies me to no end," Teana replied mildly.

"Good. I'm glad we had this little chat."

And with that, Kineil hopped off the table and straightened her jacket.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I must go mingle," she said, departing. "Glint! Hey, Glint!"

Idgy poked Yami in his side. "Sit," she ordered. Then, to Skulduggery: "Come on; let's see if Sanji has a table for us."

Sanji quickly kicked a couple of pirates out to allow them to sit in a corner table.

"I didn't realize there was going to be a dinner show tonight," Sanji said, serving their preferred drinks.

"Didn't you hear?" Skulduggery asked him. "This is the top-ticket bet at the Revue."

"Ooh—is it too late to bet?"

"It should be soon," Idgy said, watching Yami and Teana fidget at their table across the room. "We'll just have to wait and see."

*/*\*

"So what does this spell do?"

"Well, after you wrap everything together, you're supposed to touch it to your forehead, think of your worries, and then release it on the wind," Yami explained, wrapping the ingredients together with twine.

"And that's really a spell," Kels commented, sitting on her fence, looking down at Yami leaning against the fencepost.

"It's a start," Yami told her. "I wanted to go with something simple first—this was the Skellington Mage's personal spellbook; I'm not going to dive in on some complex spell that'll turn me into a slug if I get it wrong."

"Uh-huh," Kels noised, turning to watch Yuki play with her chickens. "Back to brass tacks: that was a spellbook from the Boogie Mage."

"Yes."

"In your attic."

"Yes."

"And how did it get there?"

"I'm going to guess my great-grandfather."

"And it wouldn't be the sort of thing the Administrators would have gotten first."

"I'm detecting a questioning of my logic."

"I just find it highly suspect," Kels told him. "And I think it might be best if you do stop and think things through on this. Why would that book be in your attic?"

"Ah, but Kels," he noised, finishing the trinket up and examining it. "To find out, I would have to ask questions. Questions that would need to be asked to someone. Someone who would most likely flay me alive—and that's just my parents."

"I'm fairly certain they wouldn't flay you alive."

"No, but they would take the spellbook away—which would defeat the purpose of finding it."

"I suppose," Kels sighed. "But if this goes sideways, I'm jumping ship."

"Your unwavering support bolsters me more than you know," Yami said sarcastically, before putting the trinket to his forehead. Think of all the frustrating things, picture it being channeled into the trinket, and then throw it up into the air—huh, surprise surprise, the wind did catch it.

They watched it drift away for a few moments.

"I notice the trinket exploded," Kels said.

"I did too," Yami said.

"Was it supposed to do that?"

"I have no idea."

"Either that proves my point about the spellbook, or you really have issues."

"It may be a little of both," Yami admitted, shrugging a little before standing and dusting his pants off. "Come on, Yuki," he called. "We ought to get home."

"You are going to think about what I said, right?" Kels asked as they left.

"Most definitely," Yami told her. "Probably tonight, when I'm staring at my ceiling because I can't sleep."

"That's the best time for introspection."

"Right. Catch you later, Kels."

"See ya, boys—and stay out of trouble."

"Please," Yami scoffed. "You know us."

"And it is for that precise reason why I'm telling you that. I mean it—watch your back; you don't want to end up like the Boogie Mage."

No, no he did not.

But he was smarter than that.

He could pull this off.

Most definitely.

Maybe.