The Magicians' Realm Chapter 64: Skellington Manor, a yu-gi-oh fanfic

Chapter 64, everybody! Which took a little debating on my part as to whether to cut it short or let it run long….In the end, I decided to let it run long, mostly as a bonus for you all for having to wait again—with good reason this time though, seeing as I was on vacation in the Outer Banks with spotty Internet and a storm bearing down on us….Don't worry, we fled back home from Hurricane Matthew with no more casualties than a boat trailer tire (which some nice police helped my parents fix in pouring rain and terrible traffic), and my unfortunate copy of Now and Forever: Somewhere a Band is Playing. Hopefully, it's salvageable (it's still soaking wet after a day of trying to dry it)—if not, Barnes and Noble is getting another order. :\

Now that I've got all that out of the way—welcome to one of the first portions of this story that I ever wrote, all the way back in early 2009 (probably, seeing as I started writing this in my spare time at college and had returned to my vague idea of Yami as a magician late 2008, after watching The Princess and the Frog and feeling inspired). As such, this section is a little rougher and more subjected to band-aids, mostly because I didn't think scrapping it completely and rewriting the section would help; like the reference to the Giant Mountains earlier in the story, this chapter had a character that was eventually dummied out of the story for an assortment of reasons, although she may show up in passing later—fortunately, the edit gives us the potential for some Honda/Miho moments, which might end with idiot male activity. :)

Jonouchi and Kels quote the Bill Cosby skit "Driving in San Franscisco," which I got from the college friend who introduced me to Doctor Who (which also makes a brief appearance). There's also a reference to a Janet Evanovich book, but I can't remember which one. :\

Jonouchi also quotes from the Bible here, John 11:16—one has to marvel at the fatalist attitude of Thomas, although it may explain his actions later (yes, that Thomas). On an interesting side note, John Chapter 11 also holds the shortest verse in the Bible, John 11:35: "Jesus wept."

We also get a Biblical quote from Yami, Matthew 7:14, which should be rather familiar to most, as it's often quoted (and is most likely the source of the phrase "stay on the straight and narrow").

Movie this week is Terminator 2: Judgment Day—love a movie where we notice something new even after a few viewings; for example, that the mercury-terminator had three arms when flying the helicopter. *~*

Angiembabe, thanks for the review! Yes indeed—but Mitzi does have experience with herding cats, so….Yes! finally! And just a tad….

FicReader, thanks for the reviews! Yes! I have returned! Sorry about that—but thank you for understanding. :) Ah, thank you, I'm glad you like Rocky's poem—the irony of that is that I used to hate writing poetry for school, and now that I don't have to, I seem to have developed some talent for it (why, poems, why?). It's also vaguely appropriate for later in the story….Firearms are definitely nothing to mess with—I grew up with guns in the house, and as an aside to all those "aah you had guns in a house with a child!" people, they were kept away from me and I was kept away from them and raised with a healthy respect for them; I always try to show the characters handling guns safely too (sorry if that comes off a little weird—I'm just a little tired of everyone blaming guns when it's an inanimate object). Saying that, paintball guns are definitely a fun way to get acquainted with the notion of firearms in a non-lethal setting, so I recommend trying that—saying that, don't give them to college girls (as I found out, unfortunately). And thank you for appreciating my trying to head off any negativity at the pass. :) Mom and I may rib Dad a lot, but he's definitely an important member of our family and nothing like the stereotypes as seen on TV. Saying that, Mom has repeatedly told me that Dad is one of the good ones. And yes, that time period still had fathers as being primarily breadwinners and not entirely concerned with the going-ons at home ("I told you to play catch with the boy!"). Yes, finally! Aha, and yes—never went to a dance, but again, it's something I see on TV, and they have to get it from somewhere….

Fromtheashtrees, thanks for the review! Welcome back! Don't worry about it—service has been a little spotty over here (but I should be fixing that soon, considering we're getting into that time of year that has us buttoned up in the house most of the time…bleh).

References:

Doctor Who © 1963 Sydney Newman; C.E. Webber, & Donald Wilson (yes, I made a Doctor Who reference—thank my college friend, because I've never seen a single episode :\ Although I did read a script for college...)

Original characters, + setting © Kineil D. Wicks (myself, not the girl in the story)

Almost a month had passed, and Teana was having problems.

"Oh dear," Mitzi said, noting her sighing at her soup. "What is it, dear? Did a fly get in there?"

"What?" Teana asked. "No, it's not that—I'm losing my apartment."

"Well you should have said something—I'd have given you a raise if that were the case."

"It's not a money issue—it's a building issue. My landlord has to close down the apartment to do repairs—everyone living there has to find other lodging." David one flight down already had—she had found it hilarious that his mode of transportation had been a blue box resembling a telephone booth, but then again, she had always suspected him of being a Magician.

"Oh dear me," Mitzi said, sitting down. "And what plans do you have for this displacement?"

Teana was surprised at the fact that she had become rather friendly with the co-proprietor of the Lackadaisy Revue during her short tenure (which had now officially gone past the time when Mitzi said she could quit). Teana felt that maybe it was Mitzi's aloof behavior—it didn't feel like she was trying, which made the person she was talking to want to try harder, for some reason. Teana had yet to puzzle it out fully.

"I…don't know," Teana said, which wasn't fully the truth, nor was it fully a lie—she had some idea of what to do, but it involved swallowing her pride, and she wasn't fully ready for that yet.

Mitzi pondered this, and then unfortunately hit right upon what was bothering Teana.

"Well, I suppose if you ask Yami nicely enough, he could put you up at his place; he definitely has the room," Mitzi said.

Ah, and there was the rub—Teana didn't want to do that. Not after Yami had persisted and persisted only to finally, recently, drop it.

"Was that your only suggestion?" she asked finally.

"Well, you could contemplate the hobo life," Mitzi pointed out. "But I have it on good authority that it isn't the best of lives to lead. Neither is the wandering troubadour lifestyle—too rough on a person."

Teana buried her face in her hands; great.

Mitzi patted her on the shoulder as she stood up.

"Send him a letter," she consoled. "You can use the stationary in my office and send it out with the morning mail. Worst case scenario is he says no."

Watching Mitzi sashay off, it occurred to Teana that yes, that was the worst case scenario.

And it bugged her that it was so.

*/*\*

"I don't think this is a good idea."

"What do you mean?" Yami asked. "You were all for this yesterday when I told you."

"Yes, well, I've had all last night to think about it." Kels replied.

"So what's wrong with it?"

"Well, now that we know you're related to Yami Skellington, let me point a few things out to you." she started ticking them off on her fingers. "One, almost everyone he knew was sentenced to die horrible deaths. I don't like you that much. Two, Skellington himself was tortured both physically and mentally before he died. For several days. Plus, his powers, both physically and magically, were bound, so he couldn't do a thing that way. Third, do you know what happened to him? He was burned at the stake, and when he was dead, his bones were banished to an alternate dimension." Here Yami and Bakura, who had joined them while she was talking, shuddered. Bakura crossed himself. "See? You know what that means. You die that way they don't let you into Heaven." They stopped in front of Jonouchi, who was sitting on a wall reading his Sunday primer. "You'll go to see Saint Peter and he'll ask 'how'd you die?'"

"'Me and a Volkswagen drifted backwards into the bay.'" Jonouchi supplied.

Kels supplied the appropriate response with an air of longsuffering. "And that's not what I'm talking about," she added.

"Then what are you talking about?" Jonouchi asked. He looked at Yami. "What's she talking about?"

"My plan from last night."

"Oh," Jonouchi said.

"What's going on?" Honda asked, walking up.

"Kels doesn't care for Yami's plan anymore."

"Neither do I," Honda said, shrugging his shoulders.

"What?" Jonouchi asked, staring at Honda with disbelief. "Why not?"

"Isn't Skellington Manor supposed to be booby-trapped? Black lightning or something like that?"

"Geesh," Jonouchi said. He turned to Yami. "Don't worry; I still got your back." He hesitated. "Is it really booby-trapped?"

"Probably," Yami said, shrugging his shoulders. "Now, if anyone has any doubts about this, then fine, don't come. I'm still going; and I'm going today."

Yami turned on his heel and walked off. He didn't really expect anyone to follow. After all, the threat of being incinerated was enough to stop just about anybody.

Well, almost everybody.

"What are you doing, Yuki?" Yami asked his little brother, who was trotting faithfully by his side.

"Following you," Yuki said. "You're not leaving me behind on this one; not at all."

"Why do you always follow me around?" Yami asked, a note of irritation in his voice.

"Because, you're my brother," Yuki stated, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Aren't I supposed to look up to you? I can't very well do that if I'm not with you."

This checked Yami a bit; he hadn't thought about it that way.

"Well," Yami said finally. "At least someone is following me to their doom."

The others were still standing where Yami had left them.

"What do you think?" Honda asked finally.

Jonouchi stood up and put his finger on his primer. "'Let us also go, that we may die with him.'" He walked off, following Yami.

Honda looked at Kels. "You can't really argue with that, can you?"

"No, unfortunately," Kels said. She led the rest down the street after Yami.

*\*/*

Teana realized she was being silly.

She had already turned him down once, and not that long ago. What made her think that he'd say yes? You already told me no. Make up your mind, crazy lady.

She rolled her eyes as she continued down the street. Yami wouldn't talk like that.

She turned the corner and walked over to her former apartment. Her landlord was busy loading his things into an old beater of an auto. He nodded when he saw her.

"Found anyplace yet?" he asked.

"I'm trying," she told him, trying to keep any edge out of her voice.

He dipped his head apologetically. "Good. You would have been the only one without someplace else otherwise. I'd uh…I'd have to delay my trip if that were the case."

"Trip? Where are you going?"

"I decided that if the Administration wants this building to their code, they can do it themselves. I'm moving."

"Isn't that a little sudden?"

"Not really. I have family over in Dais Run."

Teana sighed and looked up at her building. "Don't you have family you can go to?" he asked her.

"Not without hearing about it," Teana sighed. She lowered her head. "I guess I'd better keep hunting."

She turned to leave when her landlord exclaimed.

"Oh, before I forget—this came for you."

Teana turned around to see her landlord holding out an envelope. She accepted, glanced at the address, did a double-take, and then ripped the envelope open. She held the letter in shaking hands, biting her bottom lip nervously.

She was aware of her landlord watching her nervously, unsure about how she was acting. He jumped when she suddenly whooped with glee.

"Yes yes yes!" she sang, dancing in place.

"What what what?" he asked her.

"Small change of plans," she said, tapping him on the arm and hustling into the apartment. "I have to go pack!"

She left him with a bemused expression on his face. "It must have been some real good news in that letter," he muttered; she paused on the step to glance back before ripping a piece of paper off the envelope and scribbling on it. "How come I don't get letters like that?"

He looked up again as the pitter-patter of Teana feet came back down. "Here," she said breathlessly. "This is the address to two of the best mechanics in town. You'll need it."

He looked at it. "What makes you think I need this?"

She gave him one of her award-winning smiles.

"Because to be honest, there's no way that beater of yours will make it to Dais Run."

*/*\*

They bumped into Anzu on the way there, who had Miho in tow.

"Hi, Anzu!" Yami greeted at regular tone, before dipping down in volume. "Why is she here?"

"I couldn't ditch her, I'm sorry," Anzu hissed.

"You're not really going to Skellington Manor, are you?" Miho asked.

"We are," Yami said, trotting off and forcing the others to follow. "Ta."

In a short while, the group was on the outskirts of town, looking through the wrought-iron fence to Skellington Manor. It stood tall, imposing, and Gothic against the sky, up on a hill at the end of a winding path.

"But isn't the fence booby-trapped with black lightning?" Jonouchi asked.

"Maybe, but I doubt it," Yami said.

"Are you sure?" Kels asked, eyebrow askew.

Yami glanced back at them and then back at the fence. He tentatively stretched his hands out. He clasped down on the fence—

"Yaaaauuughaaaahhh!"

Everyone else screamed as Yami's yell pierced the air. He stopped and smirked at everyone. The screams died down and everyone started glaring at him.

"That wasn't funny," Anzu gasped, holding her chest.

"That was great," Kels said. She was grinning ear to ear. Yami returned her grin and slid through the bars.

"Are you guys coming, or what?" he asked, an impetuous grin on his face. Yuki instantly jumped through the gate.

"I knew you would," Yami said. Yuki grinned. "Anyone else?"

Bakura stared at the bars. "What if it only works for blood relatives?" he asked.

"What? Is the world renowned thief afraid to sneak onto a mage's property?"

"No," Bakura said, slipping through the bars. "It's just that it's hard to do any thieving when one is a pile of dust."

"Well, you aren't, so there you go."

Kels joined them on the other side next, followed by Jonouchi. Soon, everyone was within the gate except for Miho.

"Y'know, maybe I should wait out here and keep watch," she said nervously.

Kels and Yami grabbed her by her lapels and dragged her through the gate.

They started up the main drive towards the door. Jonouchi looked around.

"Hey, look at that! The fence doesn't go all the way around. It goes from brick to fence and then it just stops."

"A lot of properties are like that. Especially if they're shoved up against a forest like this one. Our property is like that," Yami explained.

"So is mine," Kels said. "So don't sound so stunned, Jo."

"I'm not," Jonouchi said. "But if the fence ends over there, then why did we go through the gate and risk being zapped?"

"'Because straight is the gate, and narrow is the way,' besides, it wouldn't feel right going around the fence, now would it?" Yami asked.

"And besides," Honda said, draping one arm over Jonouchi's shoulders conspiratorially. "That's probably where the lightning is."

"I doubt it," Yami said.

"Why?" Anzu asked.

"Because, the property runs right into the forest," Yami pointed out. "That makes an excellent escape route. Blocking a viable exit route with your own trap isn't a smart thing to do. And Skellington was much smarter than that."

They had reached the front steps by this time and were staring up at the dominating façade.

"So now what?" Bakura asked, flexing his fingers. "A little breaking and entering?"

"No," Yami said, reaching into one of his wrist cuffs. "I have a key here, so we'll only be guilty of entering. If you can be arrested for such a thing."

He pulled out a long, thin, black key that he had found in the attic. One end had very simple, blocky teeth; the other end was ornately carved, ending with a wreath of skulls surrounding a bright orange jack-o-lantern.

"That's the key?" Anzu asked.

"Yep," Yami said, putting it in the lock and turning it. "Ironically enough, it's a skeleton key. It'll open every door in this mansion." He pushed the door and it swung open.

Everyone filed in quietly past Yami, who stepped inside first to hold the door open. When they were all in, Yami leaned back outside and tossed his hat to a pole. It swung around and turned into Horus, who perched on the pole and posed before he realized he only had Yami as an audience.

"If anyone comes up, you let us know," Yami told him.

"Sure thing, boss," Horus said, cocking his head jauntily. "Anyone comes over, you'll be the first to know."

"Good boy."

Yami pulled his head back in and closed the door, taking a few steps to join the rest of the group, all clustered together as if something was going to leap out at them any moment.

"Well," Yami said finally. A few jumped at the sound of his voice. "Here we are. Now, be careful about what you touch here—you don't want to run into anything hexed."

Some of his friends shied away from the nearby table. Understandable, he decided.

"What are we looking for?" Kels asked in a quiet voice, as though she didn't want to disturb the quiet of the mansion.

Yami paused, thinking about the question for a moment.

"Answers," he said finally. "We're looking for answers."