Casia: This is chapter two, in case you didn't know. All right, who's
the cursed one this time?
::Kit draws another card::
Kit: It's the Dark Magician. That means Yugi!
Angel: I'll cast a spell and bring him here!
Casia: Mmm... I dunno, Angel-chan. Last time you were supposed to bring Kaiba here but you messed up and brought Joey instead.
Angel: Everyone makes mistakes! C'mon, can't I just try?
Casia: Well, okay. But if you accidentally summon anyone like Saddam Hussein or Osama bin Laden, I'll sue. That's right, I'll sue my own sister!
Kit: No you wouldn't, because you'd get to turn them in to the authorities and get a nice fat reward. You wouldn't need to sue for money.
::They sigh, thinking of how nice it would be in the world were more peaceful and they had lotsa money.::
Angel: "I call upon the power of my star, ancient forces near and far, Yugi Muto transform all your might and draw your power from my light! Um - YUGI, APPEAR!!!"
::Yugi appears dressed in cute bunny pajamas and blushing bright red::
Casia: Great job, Angel! CardCaptor Sakura trained you well!
Angel: Thank you!
Kit: I wanna go read a Yugi/Sakura fic!
Casia: When I'm done!
Kit: ::pouts::
Casia: Yugi-kun, will ya do the disclaimer, onegai?
Yugi: One question: why am I in bunny pjs?
Casia: Because - well - because - they make you look so kawaii!
Seto: And why don't you stop it with the Japanese phrases! You're such a show off, just because you think you're otaku and all.
Casia: Where'd YOU come from, Kaiba?
Seto: Uh... over there?
::Yugi walks by holding disclaimer sign and smiling cutely::
Angel: ::sighs:: I think Yugi should be our designated disclaimer.
Yugi: Say what? ::innocent smile::
Kit: Cutie!!! ::hugs him::
Angel: Are you going to start the story, Casia?
Casia: In a minute. I'm trying to decide what use we could put Seto to. ::thinks for a moment:: I know! Advertising!
Seto: Say WHAT?! ::starts cursing in Egyptian::
Yami: HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! SETO, YOU'RE A STAND-OFF!!! HAHAHAHA!!!! I LOVE IT WHEN YOU LOOK BACK TO THE OLD TIMES!!!!
Casia: Ookay, scratch advertising. ... PROFILES!!! I know, I know! You get to tell a little bit about each character before the chapter starts. First character is Yugi Muto!
Yugi: Yes? ::hadn't been listening::
Seto's Summary of Yugi Muto: [Seto's thoughts in brackets] (Yugi's thoughts in parantheses)
Name meaning: Game or To Play [ahh, the game of how to survive when you're eight inches tall]
Eye color: Amethyst [I knew he had rocks in his head, but in his eyes?]
Hair color: Blond bangs, spiky black and red hair [DBZ fans, this is Vegeta's long-lost nephew]
Height: 5'1" [he's a shortiiiieee!!!!! Mwahaha!]
Fav color: Yellow [like his bangs]
Fav TV show: Hamtaro [yeah, you would, Yugi, you sissy]
Fav food: Hamburger [tsk, tsk, not good for your health...]
Least fav food: taro root [yick! For once I agree with you!]
Best friend: Katsuya Jonouchi [that jerk?! He can't even tie his shoelaces without messing up!], Yami [the Pharaoh has entered the building...]
Extracurricular Activites: does dueling count? [why would it?] (do you have an answer for everything?) [yes]
Fav flower: Cherry blossoms [Angel, you put that in, didn't you?] {Angel: Actually yes...}
Crush: Anzu [haha!!! Told ya so!] (Hey! No fair!)
Fav music: Yu-Gi-Oh! Soundtrack (That was a work of art, Seto...) [If you say so.]
Fav card: Dark Magician [I actually don't have anything to say...]
Seto's view: Yugi is a little kid who has a little dueling promise and not much else. I wish he'd get outta my face and disappear. He's ridiculously happy all the time and needs a serious reality check. I think Kit's right, Yugi and Sakura should get together, they're both annoyingly happy and innocent and deserve to be crushed like the gullible insects they are. *this is how Kaiba expresses his deep gratitude for his undeserved friendship with the adorable little guy*
::Yugi waves disclaimer sign desperately while stomping on Seto's trench coat::
Heh heh, we're going to start now... that is, if I can concentrate: Angel's practicing for her voice lessons really loudly upstairs. *ahem* YAMI BAKURA HAS A NAME!!! It is Ryakire.
Legendary Warriors: Level One ~*~
Trial
Chapter Two
Imperfect Impersonation
"Bakura! Yo, Bakura! C'mon, man, ya gotta wake up! Bakura!"
Jonouchi shook Bakura gently as he knelt in the sand besides his limp body. The white-haired boy hadn't stirred a bit since they had landed in Yuusou Shinwa.
Jonouchi sighed impatiently and ran his fingers through his wheat- colored hair. He tried to make sense of what had happened, but it was all a blur. He, Yugi, Bakura, and Anzu had put on the head sets and were on their way to enter Yuusou Shinwa, when there was suddenly this strange blast of light and they were all jolted forward. When he had awoken, he was in this desert land with an unconsious Bakura and no Yugi or Anzu.
Maybe Kaiba had tricked them! Maybe he wanted them to get trapped in the game forever so he wouldn't have anyone to compete with! But then he would have wanted to trap Malik too, since Malik has the Sennen Rod that had been Seto's when they were Egyptians... but maybe he wanted Malik to stay behind so he could get the Rod from him or something...
While Jonouchi was musing over this, Bakura gave a small groan and opened his deep brown eyes. He pushed himself off the ground, coughing up sand as he did so.
"About time ya got up!" Jonouchi said. "I was wondering if I should plan how to tell Malik that you died in a way he wouldn't have a heart attack over!"
"First off, that's an impossible feat," Bakura moaned, clutching his stomach. He felt very queasy and had a terrific headache. "Second, where are we and what happened?"
"I think we're in Kaiba's game - Yuusou Shinwa," Jonouchi said. "I dunno what da heck happened, but we're separated from Yugi and Anzu. C'mon, let's go find them."
"OK," Bakura said rather reluctantly. He got to his feet, hoping he wouldn't puke right there and then.
Jonouchi looked back at his pale-faced friend. He was sweating and shaking. "Bakura, you okay?"
"N-not really."
"Are you sick?"
"D-dunno, really."
Bakura suddenly clasped his hand over his mouth and ran off behind a sand dune where he proceeded to make the appetite-decreasing noises one makes while vomiting. Jonouchi winced and tried not to imagine what was happening behind the dunes.
A few minutes later, Bakura came out from his hiding place, clutching his stomach and looking, if possible, even paler.
"Are you all right now?" Jonouchi asked.
Bakura nodded, still feeling too sick to talk.
"Guess you got a mouthful of sand or somethin," Jonouchi observed intelligently. "In any case, you're in no condition to walk far. I'll help you till we get to that city. It's not too far away and I'll bet that's where Yugi and Anzu are at."
He pointed to an adobe village just visible among the dunes. Bakura rubbed his eyes, leaning into Jonouchi's strong grip. The city was like a glimmer of hope to the two weary travelers, so he smiled at Jonouchi and nodded. Together they trudged through the sand to the city gates.
It hardly took them half an hour to get there, but with the sand falling into their shoes with every step and sand storms blowing up upon them every so often, it felt like hours. Finally they reached the main wall of the city and collapsed against it.
Jonouchi breathed in deeply. "Man, I sure am glad to be out of that crazy weather." He opened his eyes to look at the exhausted boy beside him. Bakura smiled weakly and gave a feeble laugh. "Sounds like you're as hungry as I am."
Jonouchi propped himself up against the wall and brushed sand off his pants. As he bent down to pull off his shoes and dump out everything in them, he noticed a rather large scorpion scurrying around near his toes.
"YEEEEEAAAAAUUUUGGGGGHHHH!!!!"
Bakura plugged his ears as Jonouchi slapped the scorpion with his combat boots, all the while screaming and dancing around like he'd stepped on a mine. Jonouchi pulverized the scorpion until it was nothing more than a fine powder and only then did he feel safe. Pulling his boots back on, Jonouchi regained his dignity and said, "Let's go in, shall we?"
Laughing, Bakura nodded.
"You look like you're feeling better," Jonouchi said presently. "I'm glad for that, at least."
"Come off it, you're starting to sound like Malik, my ever so over- protective, so-called 'guardian.'"
Jonouchi chuckled. "I guess I feel a little responsible for you," he said at last. "I mean, obviously something went wrong. Kaiba promised we'd all be together for the first level of the game at least. I feel like it's my responsibility to make sure you get back in one piece. And not just you, Yugi and Anzu are on my To Take Care Of list, too. Except we don't know where they are." He frowned, and looked up at the sky, shading his eyes with his hand.
Bakura followed his gazed and noticed a flock of birds flying in V formation above them. Taking a closer look, he realized they weren't ordinary birds, but Skull Red Birds like the ones from the Duel Monsters card game.
"Kaiba sure put a lot of effort into this game," he noted.
"Too much if ya ask me," Joey stated contemptuously. He slipped off his jacket and tied it around his waist, wiping sweat off his brow.
As one, the two boys pressed against the gate with all their might, willing it to open. After a bit of time and much groaning and use of normally dormant muscles, the gate finally budged and allowed a crack of room for the boys to squeeze through.
Once inside the city, Jonouchi and Bakura could only gape at their surroundings. The adobe village was made of many different complexes and bazaars. Virtual people strolled around dressed in both ancient Greek and Egyptian attire. In the bazaar merchants were finishing up their work for the day and closing their shops. A few wanderers were conversing over the price of something that looked much like heron.
Jonouchi and Bakura plodded through the rapidly developing crowd. By the occupations of the people, they guessed it must be evening time. But evening time where? Was this small village all there was of Yuusou Shinwa?
A loud trumpet blast interrupted their thoughts. It boomed through their ears, coming from long golden instruments at the mouths of men dressed in blue wearing what appeared to be a royal seal. They were standing next to an elephant bearing a large box on its back. The box was red with golden markings of Persian design.
Once the trumpet blast had ended, a man stepped out of the box. He was dressed in blue and white robes and held a golden staff encrusted with precious gems, Upon his long, hoary head sat a tall white a blue hat.
Both Jonouchi and Bakura gasped. The man was the living image of Bakura!
"People of Rosuto Rando," he said loudly, his voice echoing through the village. All the people had stopped when they heard the trumpets; now their gazes were fixed intently on this man. "I, the prime minister Hendran, have great news! This very morning, amid the dawn of the Red Sun, the Four Gods sent us a queen! All hail Queen Anzuraeko!"
"All hail Queen Anzuraeko!" repeated the crowd.
"Rosuto Rando has a bright future in store!" Hendran cried. "With a new ruler in place, the other countries will think twice before attacking Rosuto Rando, for our queen is blessed by the gods! Kasei, Rakurai, Seisui, and Soyokaze! In honor of this momentous occasion, we have issued a festival for the entire country! All are to put aside their duties for the night and go to the Festival Square, where there will be music, food, and other entertainment! Don't forget to give your thanks to the gods, particularly Soyokaze, who has bestowed her greatest blessing upon Queen Anzuraeko!"
"Long live Queen Anzuraeko! Long live Queen Anzuraeko!" chanted the crowd.
Bakura and Jonouchi exchanged a glance. Queens? Gods? Seto had failed to mention these.
"I'm confused," Jonouchi stammered.
"Me too," Bakura nodded in agreement. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to follow the sea of people to the Festival Square."
"Yeah, we'd look like doofuses if we don't," Jonouchi said blandly.
"Sou desu ka?" the voice of the prime minister, Hendran, sounded behind them. (Sou desu ka means: Is that so?)
Jonouchi and Bakura stiffened, then slowly turned around. Immediately two guards next to the prime minister grabbed Bakura and held him back. Bakura struggled but couldn't free himself from the guards' iron grips.
"Hey!" exclaimed Jonouchi. "What d'you think you're doing? Let him go!"
"This man is hereby sentenced to prison for impersonating the prime minister," Hendran said. "Illegally, of course. I have no doubts his intentions are of no good."
Jonouchi gaped in surprise. Then he snorted. "Bakura? Up to no good? Gimme a break, the kid can't even cheat properly! He doesn't even know how to stand up for himself when people make fun of him for talking about Jews and Samaritans with a girl! In fact, if it hadn't been for me, he would never get into any kind of trouble," he added somewhat apologetically.
Hendran didn't take this as any exuse. "Thank you, my good sir, for admitting yourself to be 'Bakura's' parnter in crime. Take him as well," he commanded his guards.
Two more guards, both broad in build, leapt on Jonouchi and tied his wrists with a rope. Jonouchi quit struggling when he realizedt their strength outmatched his, and saw the other two guards doing the same to Bakura.
The guards led them away from the city on a rope. Bakura gave Jonouchi a sorrowful, apologetic glance. Jonouchi shook his head, trying to tell Bakura it wasn't his fault. Still, he sighed and looked ovedr his shoulder.
'I can't believe we're missing free food...' he thought, disappointed.
A long Yugi looked around the Festival Square, in awe of its splendor. It was large, with a pink and blue Persian design, and statues of the Four Gods at each corner. People were either paying their respects to the gods or dancing to the music. The food was enough to make the person with the least amount of appetite feel a great need to feed, and the acrobatics of the skimply-dressed entertainers were astounding.
"This is amazing!" Yugi exclaimed.
//Yes, it is,// Yami said indifferently from his Puzzle. He yawned.
Yugi frowned. /You don't seem impressed./
//In Egypt, things were much fancier than this at the corination of a new king or queen.//
/But Egypt stretched as far as Algeria back then. It was much richer than Rosuto Rando. Give the li'l country some credit./
//You just like being able to call something else "li'l" instead of yourself.//
/Urusei./ (Urusei means: Shut up)
Yugi wandered around for a while, tasting the food and watching the entertainers. He also made a trip to each of the statues of the gods.
The statue of the Fire God, Kasei, showed a dragon-like beast with ruby eyes growling at anyone who dares to get in his way. Beneath his statue was an altar where people placed food and gifts of money. Yugi gazed at Kasei for a long time, but then took his time getting to the next altar, which belonged to Seisui.
The Water God, Seisui, seemed to be some type of sea serpent, or whale. It had fierce sapphires for eyes and was protruding from viscous waves. Seisui looked even more ferocious than Kasei.
Next was Soyokaze, the Wind God. She was a beautiful bird with emerald eyes and long, eagle-like wings party hiding her body. Her tail was long and beautiful, and she looked like a peaceable creature.
The final god was the Lightning God, Rakurai. This time he resembled a wolf with shining amber eyes. He was posed as if ready to pull the moves on his prey. Whether Rakurai was placid or dangerous, Yugi couldn't tell.
//These aren't anything like the gods of Egypt,// Yami stated.
/They're not?/
//No... our gods often resembled animals, but their attributes were things like love, heroism, protection, ecetera. They didn't have magical properties like fire, water, wind, and lighting.//
/Huh. Kaiba seems to be molding a lot of different empires together. It's like Egypt in its villages and in this Festival Square, what with the Egyptian-looking people, bazaars, and Greek travelers, but that prime minister seemed more Roman than Egyptian and these gods are like the gods of ancient China. Not to mention that its name is Japanese, and the prime minster's name, Hendran, sounds a bit British. He put a lot of thought into it./
//Indeed.//
Yugi noted Yami's silence as he journeyed on through the Festival Square. The pharaoh seemed lost in thought. While Yami's silence stayed, Yugi's mind drifted from the African, Asian, and European country and to stray wonders of what had happened to his friends.
He had noticed how much Hendran had looked like Bakura during his announcement that a queen had been crowned. Yet the voice had been different, and something told him this man was not the same as his friend. But then, where were they?
Yugi soon grew tired of walking around aimlessly and set off for the village to find a place to stay for the night. The streets were eerily empty, and a fell wind echoed through the glass-lacking windows of the adobe houses. Everything seemed to be dark, but a candle of hope glimmered in one drab home set off from the others.
With high hopes Yugi rapped rapped on the door, shivering in the chill of the night. A few silent moments passed, but then the door creaked open.
A man with thick brown hair and glassy gray eyes stood in the narrow doorway. He was dressed in brown robes and held a lantern above his head, searching for the visitor.
"Who goes there?" he called into the empty night. "Who made a call at my door?"
Yugi's insides trembled. Timidly he raised his hand and said, "I did. Down here. My name is Yugi."
The man's glazed eyes shifted downwards, and he brought his lantern up to Yugi's face. Yugi could feel the heat radiating off it and warming his cheek.
"Yugi, eh?" repeated the man. "What are you wanting at this time of night? Why aren't you at the festival with them others?"
"Why aren't you?" retorted Yugi defensively. Then he added, much more humbly, "I'm lost and I need a place to stay for the night. Yours was the only house with anyone in it. Could I stay here tonight? I'll set off early tomorrow, I promise. I'm - I'm afraid I don't have anything to give you in return, though."
The man squinted at the small boy on his doorstep. His eyes traveled to the Sennen Puzzle hanging around his neck. Whether or not the man was surprised, no one could tell, for his face remained as stone.
"Come in and warm yourself by the fire," he said suddenly. "Of course you can stay the night. You can stay as long as you like. These are dangerous times for a boy like you."
"Thank you very much," Yugi said gratefully as he stepped into the warm household. It wasn't much brighter inside, the only light being that from the fireplace where a roaring fire was brewing. All the same, Yugi was grateful.
"I'll heat us up some soup," the man said. "By the way, my name is Tague. You're Yugi? That's an odd name. Where are you from?"
Yugi thought for a moment. "Tokyo," he said at last. "The city of Domino."
"Tokyo? Domino? Strange, strange names."
Tague poured hot soup into two bowls. One he gave to Yugi with a wooden spoon. Yugi sipped the soup. It was sweet and warmed his insides immediately.
"So what's a lad like yourself doing out on the streets all alone at night?" Tage inquired.
"I'm searching for my friends, Jonouchi, Anzu, and Bakura," Yugi explained. "We were separated when we traveled here from Tokyo. Have you seen them? I need to leave tomorrow to search for them."
"More odd names. I'm afraid I haven't met them. I'd remember if I'd heard any of those names."
"I didn't think so," Yugi responded sadly.
Tague was silent for a moment, thinking. Yugi seemed deep in thought, so he allowed himself to study the golden item Yugi was so meticulously caressing.
"What's that you've got there, that item?" he asked, pointing to the Sennen Puzzle.
"This? It's... uh..." Yugi wasn't sure if he should tell Tague the truth. Then again, what part could the Sennen Puzzle play in a video game? "It's my treasure. The Sennen Puzzle. I never take it off."
"You should."
Yugi looked at Tague in surprise.
"Don't get me wrong," he said slowly, stroking his face, "but that item looks just like the ancient evil trump card of our enemy of old, Makurayami."
"My Puzzle?" Yugi exclaimed.
Tague nodded. "Yep. If you're gonna go out there tomorrow to search for your friends, I reckon you should leave it here with me. People might get suspiscious and turn you in to the Prime Minister, Hendran."
Yugi looked at him fearfully. "I can't leave my Puzzle, but I have to find my friends! What can I do?"
"Maybe you should sleep on it," Tague suggested. "I don't want you getting captured by those guards, but if you really don't want to part with that Sennen Puzzle..."
Yugi sighed as he jumped into the bed Tague had prepared for him. With a cup of water in one hand, and a tired glance outside, he yawned and rested his head against the pillow.
/Yami? What can I do? I don't want to get put in jail, but without the Sennen Puzzle I won't be able to talk to you,/ Yugi asked Yami through their mental link.
//Don't worry, Yugi,// Yami answered after a pause. //I don't want anything to happen to you. Leave the Puzzle here on the nightstand, and don't tell Tague you've left it. That way, if he isn't trustworthy he'll probably think you left without it, and if he is, then we have nothing to worry about.// In truth Yami wasn't sure things would be so easy, but he feared for Yugi's safety over his own.
/Are you sure, Yami?/ Yugi asked anxiously.
Yami sensed the worry in his hikari's voice and felt guilty for making him so anxious. //Yes, I'm sure, aibou. Don't worry about me.//
Yugi smiled and snuggled up in the covers. /Night, Yami./
//Good-night, Yugi.//
Casia: That's the end of chapter two! This chapter was fairly short... but that's because I want more reviews!!! So if I update faster with smaller chapters, I'll probably get more. Kit does, anyway. Angel updates slowly and writes looooooong chapters, and Hikari no Yuugi only has 16 reviews even though she's at chapter eight (chapter ten if you're going by the way she uploaded them - some were done in two parts)! Soooo, g'night, all, and if I don't update between now and Christmas... MERRY CHRISTMAS!
::Kit draws another card::
Kit: It's the Dark Magician. That means Yugi!
Angel: I'll cast a spell and bring him here!
Casia: Mmm... I dunno, Angel-chan. Last time you were supposed to bring Kaiba here but you messed up and brought Joey instead.
Angel: Everyone makes mistakes! C'mon, can't I just try?
Casia: Well, okay. But if you accidentally summon anyone like Saddam Hussein or Osama bin Laden, I'll sue. That's right, I'll sue my own sister!
Kit: No you wouldn't, because you'd get to turn them in to the authorities and get a nice fat reward. You wouldn't need to sue for money.
::They sigh, thinking of how nice it would be in the world were more peaceful and they had lotsa money.::
Angel: "I call upon the power of my star, ancient forces near and far, Yugi Muto transform all your might and draw your power from my light! Um - YUGI, APPEAR!!!"
::Yugi appears dressed in cute bunny pajamas and blushing bright red::
Casia: Great job, Angel! CardCaptor Sakura trained you well!
Angel: Thank you!
Kit: I wanna go read a Yugi/Sakura fic!
Casia: When I'm done!
Kit: ::pouts::
Casia: Yugi-kun, will ya do the disclaimer, onegai?
Yugi: One question: why am I in bunny pjs?
Casia: Because - well - because - they make you look so kawaii!
Seto: And why don't you stop it with the Japanese phrases! You're such a show off, just because you think you're otaku and all.
Casia: Where'd YOU come from, Kaiba?
Seto: Uh... over there?
::Yugi walks by holding disclaimer sign and smiling cutely::
Angel: ::sighs:: I think Yugi should be our designated disclaimer.
Yugi: Say what? ::innocent smile::
Kit: Cutie!!! ::hugs him::
Angel: Are you going to start the story, Casia?
Casia: In a minute. I'm trying to decide what use we could put Seto to. ::thinks for a moment:: I know! Advertising!
Seto: Say WHAT?! ::starts cursing in Egyptian::
Yami: HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! SETO, YOU'RE A STAND-OFF!!! HAHAHAHA!!!! I LOVE IT WHEN YOU LOOK BACK TO THE OLD TIMES!!!!
Casia: Ookay, scratch advertising. ... PROFILES!!! I know, I know! You get to tell a little bit about each character before the chapter starts. First character is Yugi Muto!
Yugi: Yes? ::hadn't been listening::
Seto's Summary of Yugi Muto: [Seto's thoughts in brackets] (Yugi's thoughts in parantheses)
Name meaning: Game or To Play [ahh, the game of how to survive when you're eight inches tall]
Eye color: Amethyst [I knew he had rocks in his head, but in his eyes?]
Hair color: Blond bangs, spiky black and red hair [DBZ fans, this is Vegeta's long-lost nephew]
Height: 5'1" [he's a shortiiiieee!!!!! Mwahaha!]
Fav color: Yellow [like his bangs]
Fav TV show: Hamtaro [yeah, you would, Yugi, you sissy]
Fav food: Hamburger [tsk, tsk, not good for your health...]
Least fav food: taro root [yick! For once I agree with you!]
Best friend: Katsuya Jonouchi [that jerk?! He can't even tie his shoelaces without messing up!], Yami [the Pharaoh has entered the building...]
Extracurricular Activites: does dueling count? [why would it?] (do you have an answer for everything?) [yes]
Fav flower: Cherry blossoms [Angel, you put that in, didn't you?] {Angel: Actually yes...}
Crush: Anzu [haha!!! Told ya so!] (Hey! No fair!)
Fav music: Yu-Gi-Oh! Soundtrack (That was a work of art, Seto...) [If you say so.]
Fav card: Dark Magician [I actually don't have anything to say...]
Seto's view: Yugi is a little kid who has a little dueling promise and not much else. I wish he'd get outta my face and disappear. He's ridiculously happy all the time and needs a serious reality check. I think Kit's right, Yugi and Sakura should get together, they're both annoyingly happy and innocent and deserve to be crushed like the gullible insects they are. *this is how Kaiba expresses his deep gratitude for his undeserved friendship with the adorable little guy*
::Yugi waves disclaimer sign desperately while stomping on Seto's trench coat::
Heh heh, we're going to start now... that is, if I can concentrate: Angel's practicing for her voice lessons really loudly upstairs. *ahem* YAMI BAKURA HAS A NAME!!! It is Ryakire.
Legendary Warriors: Level One ~*~
Trial
Chapter Two
Imperfect Impersonation
"Bakura! Yo, Bakura! C'mon, man, ya gotta wake up! Bakura!"
Jonouchi shook Bakura gently as he knelt in the sand besides his limp body. The white-haired boy hadn't stirred a bit since they had landed in Yuusou Shinwa.
Jonouchi sighed impatiently and ran his fingers through his wheat- colored hair. He tried to make sense of what had happened, but it was all a blur. He, Yugi, Bakura, and Anzu had put on the head sets and were on their way to enter Yuusou Shinwa, when there was suddenly this strange blast of light and they were all jolted forward. When he had awoken, he was in this desert land with an unconsious Bakura and no Yugi or Anzu.
Maybe Kaiba had tricked them! Maybe he wanted them to get trapped in the game forever so he wouldn't have anyone to compete with! But then he would have wanted to trap Malik too, since Malik has the Sennen Rod that had been Seto's when they were Egyptians... but maybe he wanted Malik to stay behind so he could get the Rod from him or something...
While Jonouchi was musing over this, Bakura gave a small groan and opened his deep brown eyes. He pushed himself off the ground, coughing up sand as he did so.
"About time ya got up!" Jonouchi said. "I was wondering if I should plan how to tell Malik that you died in a way he wouldn't have a heart attack over!"
"First off, that's an impossible feat," Bakura moaned, clutching his stomach. He felt very queasy and had a terrific headache. "Second, where are we and what happened?"
"I think we're in Kaiba's game - Yuusou Shinwa," Jonouchi said. "I dunno what da heck happened, but we're separated from Yugi and Anzu. C'mon, let's go find them."
"OK," Bakura said rather reluctantly. He got to his feet, hoping he wouldn't puke right there and then.
Jonouchi looked back at his pale-faced friend. He was sweating and shaking. "Bakura, you okay?"
"N-not really."
"Are you sick?"
"D-dunno, really."
Bakura suddenly clasped his hand over his mouth and ran off behind a sand dune where he proceeded to make the appetite-decreasing noises one makes while vomiting. Jonouchi winced and tried not to imagine what was happening behind the dunes.
A few minutes later, Bakura came out from his hiding place, clutching his stomach and looking, if possible, even paler.
"Are you all right now?" Jonouchi asked.
Bakura nodded, still feeling too sick to talk.
"Guess you got a mouthful of sand or somethin," Jonouchi observed intelligently. "In any case, you're in no condition to walk far. I'll help you till we get to that city. It's not too far away and I'll bet that's where Yugi and Anzu are at."
He pointed to an adobe village just visible among the dunes. Bakura rubbed his eyes, leaning into Jonouchi's strong grip. The city was like a glimmer of hope to the two weary travelers, so he smiled at Jonouchi and nodded. Together they trudged through the sand to the city gates.
It hardly took them half an hour to get there, but with the sand falling into their shoes with every step and sand storms blowing up upon them every so often, it felt like hours. Finally they reached the main wall of the city and collapsed against it.
Jonouchi breathed in deeply. "Man, I sure am glad to be out of that crazy weather." He opened his eyes to look at the exhausted boy beside him. Bakura smiled weakly and gave a feeble laugh. "Sounds like you're as hungry as I am."
Jonouchi propped himself up against the wall and brushed sand off his pants. As he bent down to pull off his shoes and dump out everything in them, he noticed a rather large scorpion scurrying around near his toes.
"YEEEEEAAAAAUUUUGGGGGHHHH!!!!"
Bakura plugged his ears as Jonouchi slapped the scorpion with his combat boots, all the while screaming and dancing around like he'd stepped on a mine. Jonouchi pulverized the scorpion until it was nothing more than a fine powder and only then did he feel safe. Pulling his boots back on, Jonouchi regained his dignity and said, "Let's go in, shall we?"
Laughing, Bakura nodded.
"You look like you're feeling better," Jonouchi said presently. "I'm glad for that, at least."
"Come off it, you're starting to sound like Malik, my ever so over- protective, so-called 'guardian.'"
Jonouchi chuckled. "I guess I feel a little responsible for you," he said at last. "I mean, obviously something went wrong. Kaiba promised we'd all be together for the first level of the game at least. I feel like it's my responsibility to make sure you get back in one piece. And not just you, Yugi and Anzu are on my To Take Care Of list, too. Except we don't know where they are." He frowned, and looked up at the sky, shading his eyes with his hand.
Bakura followed his gazed and noticed a flock of birds flying in V formation above them. Taking a closer look, he realized they weren't ordinary birds, but Skull Red Birds like the ones from the Duel Monsters card game.
"Kaiba sure put a lot of effort into this game," he noted.
"Too much if ya ask me," Joey stated contemptuously. He slipped off his jacket and tied it around his waist, wiping sweat off his brow.
As one, the two boys pressed against the gate with all their might, willing it to open. After a bit of time and much groaning and use of normally dormant muscles, the gate finally budged and allowed a crack of room for the boys to squeeze through.
Once inside the city, Jonouchi and Bakura could only gape at their surroundings. The adobe village was made of many different complexes and bazaars. Virtual people strolled around dressed in both ancient Greek and Egyptian attire. In the bazaar merchants were finishing up their work for the day and closing their shops. A few wanderers were conversing over the price of something that looked much like heron.
Jonouchi and Bakura plodded through the rapidly developing crowd. By the occupations of the people, they guessed it must be evening time. But evening time where? Was this small village all there was of Yuusou Shinwa?
A loud trumpet blast interrupted their thoughts. It boomed through their ears, coming from long golden instruments at the mouths of men dressed in blue wearing what appeared to be a royal seal. They were standing next to an elephant bearing a large box on its back. The box was red with golden markings of Persian design.
Once the trumpet blast had ended, a man stepped out of the box. He was dressed in blue and white robes and held a golden staff encrusted with precious gems, Upon his long, hoary head sat a tall white a blue hat.
Both Jonouchi and Bakura gasped. The man was the living image of Bakura!
"People of Rosuto Rando," he said loudly, his voice echoing through the village. All the people had stopped when they heard the trumpets; now their gazes were fixed intently on this man. "I, the prime minister Hendran, have great news! This very morning, amid the dawn of the Red Sun, the Four Gods sent us a queen! All hail Queen Anzuraeko!"
"All hail Queen Anzuraeko!" repeated the crowd.
"Rosuto Rando has a bright future in store!" Hendran cried. "With a new ruler in place, the other countries will think twice before attacking Rosuto Rando, for our queen is blessed by the gods! Kasei, Rakurai, Seisui, and Soyokaze! In honor of this momentous occasion, we have issued a festival for the entire country! All are to put aside their duties for the night and go to the Festival Square, where there will be music, food, and other entertainment! Don't forget to give your thanks to the gods, particularly Soyokaze, who has bestowed her greatest blessing upon Queen Anzuraeko!"
"Long live Queen Anzuraeko! Long live Queen Anzuraeko!" chanted the crowd.
Bakura and Jonouchi exchanged a glance. Queens? Gods? Seto had failed to mention these.
"I'm confused," Jonouchi stammered.
"Me too," Bakura nodded in agreement. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to follow the sea of people to the Festival Square."
"Yeah, we'd look like doofuses if we don't," Jonouchi said blandly.
"Sou desu ka?" the voice of the prime minister, Hendran, sounded behind them. (Sou desu ka means: Is that so?)
Jonouchi and Bakura stiffened, then slowly turned around. Immediately two guards next to the prime minister grabbed Bakura and held him back. Bakura struggled but couldn't free himself from the guards' iron grips.
"Hey!" exclaimed Jonouchi. "What d'you think you're doing? Let him go!"
"This man is hereby sentenced to prison for impersonating the prime minister," Hendran said. "Illegally, of course. I have no doubts his intentions are of no good."
Jonouchi gaped in surprise. Then he snorted. "Bakura? Up to no good? Gimme a break, the kid can't even cheat properly! He doesn't even know how to stand up for himself when people make fun of him for talking about Jews and Samaritans with a girl! In fact, if it hadn't been for me, he would never get into any kind of trouble," he added somewhat apologetically.
Hendran didn't take this as any exuse. "Thank you, my good sir, for admitting yourself to be 'Bakura's' parnter in crime. Take him as well," he commanded his guards.
Two more guards, both broad in build, leapt on Jonouchi and tied his wrists with a rope. Jonouchi quit struggling when he realizedt their strength outmatched his, and saw the other two guards doing the same to Bakura.
The guards led them away from the city on a rope. Bakura gave Jonouchi a sorrowful, apologetic glance. Jonouchi shook his head, trying to tell Bakura it wasn't his fault. Still, he sighed and looked ovedr his shoulder.
'I can't believe we're missing free food...' he thought, disappointed.
A long Yugi looked around the Festival Square, in awe of its splendor. It was large, with a pink and blue Persian design, and statues of the Four Gods at each corner. People were either paying their respects to the gods or dancing to the music. The food was enough to make the person with the least amount of appetite feel a great need to feed, and the acrobatics of the skimply-dressed entertainers were astounding.
"This is amazing!" Yugi exclaimed.
//Yes, it is,// Yami said indifferently from his Puzzle. He yawned.
Yugi frowned. /You don't seem impressed./
//In Egypt, things were much fancier than this at the corination of a new king or queen.//
/But Egypt stretched as far as Algeria back then. It was much richer than Rosuto Rando. Give the li'l country some credit./
//You just like being able to call something else "li'l" instead of yourself.//
/Urusei./ (Urusei means: Shut up)
Yugi wandered around for a while, tasting the food and watching the entertainers. He also made a trip to each of the statues of the gods.
The statue of the Fire God, Kasei, showed a dragon-like beast with ruby eyes growling at anyone who dares to get in his way. Beneath his statue was an altar where people placed food and gifts of money. Yugi gazed at Kasei for a long time, but then took his time getting to the next altar, which belonged to Seisui.
The Water God, Seisui, seemed to be some type of sea serpent, or whale. It had fierce sapphires for eyes and was protruding from viscous waves. Seisui looked even more ferocious than Kasei.
Next was Soyokaze, the Wind God. She was a beautiful bird with emerald eyes and long, eagle-like wings party hiding her body. Her tail was long and beautiful, and she looked like a peaceable creature.
The final god was the Lightning God, Rakurai. This time he resembled a wolf with shining amber eyes. He was posed as if ready to pull the moves on his prey. Whether Rakurai was placid or dangerous, Yugi couldn't tell.
//These aren't anything like the gods of Egypt,// Yami stated.
/They're not?/
//No... our gods often resembled animals, but their attributes were things like love, heroism, protection, ecetera. They didn't have magical properties like fire, water, wind, and lighting.//
/Huh. Kaiba seems to be molding a lot of different empires together. It's like Egypt in its villages and in this Festival Square, what with the Egyptian-looking people, bazaars, and Greek travelers, but that prime minister seemed more Roman than Egyptian and these gods are like the gods of ancient China. Not to mention that its name is Japanese, and the prime minster's name, Hendran, sounds a bit British. He put a lot of thought into it./
//Indeed.//
Yugi noted Yami's silence as he journeyed on through the Festival Square. The pharaoh seemed lost in thought. While Yami's silence stayed, Yugi's mind drifted from the African, Asian, and European country and to stray wonders of what had happened to his friends.
He had noticed how much Hendran had looked like Bakura during his announcement that a queen had been crowned. Yet the voice had been different, and something told him this man was not the same as his friend. But then, where were they?
Yugi soon grew tired of walking around aimlessly and set off for the village to find a place to stay for the night. The streets were eerily empty, and a fell wind echoed through the glass-lacking windows of the adobe houses. Everything seemed to be dark, but a candle of hope glimmered in one drab home set off from the others.
With high hopes Yugi rapped rapped on the door, shivering in the chill of the night. A few silent moments passed, but then the door creaked open.
A man with thick brown hair and glassy gray eyes stood in the narrow doorway. He was dressed in brown robes and held a lantern above his head, searching for the visitor.
"Who goes there?" he called into the empty night. "Who made a call at my door?"
Yugi's insides trembled. Timidly he raised his hand and said, "I did. Down here. My name is Yugi."
The man's glazed eyes shifted downwards, and he brought his lantern up to Yugi's face. Yugi could feel the heat radiating off it and warming his cheek.
"Yugi, eh?" repeated the man. "What are you wanting at this time of night? Why aren't you at the festival with them others?"
"Why aren't you?" retorted Yugi defensively. Then he added, much more humbly, "I'm lost and I need a place to stay for the night. Yours was the only house with anyone in it. Could I stay here tonight? I'll set off early tomorrow, I promise. I'm - I'm afraid I don't have anything to give you in return, though."
The man squinted at the small boy on his doorstep. His eyes traveled to the Sennen Puzzle hanging around his neck. Whether or not the man was surprised, no one could tell, for his face remained as stone.
"Come in and warm yourself by the fire," he said suddenly. "Of course you can stay the night. You can stay as long as you like. These are dangerous times for a boy like you."
"Thank you very much," Yugi said gratefully as he stepped into the warm household. It wasn't much brighter inside, the only light being that from the fireplace where a roaring fire was brewing. All the same, Yugi was grateful.
"I'll heat us up some soup," the man said. "By the way, my name is Tague. You're Yugi? That's an odd name. Where are you from?"
Yugi thought for a moment. "Tokyo," he said at last. "The city of Domino."
"Tokyo? Domino? Strange, strange names."
Tague poured hot soup into two bowls. One he gave to Yugi with a wooden spoon. Yugi sipped the soup. It was sweet and warmed his insides immediately.
"So what's a lad like yourself doing out on the streets all alone at night?" Tage inquired.
"I'm searching for my friends, Jonouchi, Anzu, and Bakura," Yugi explained. "We were separated when we traveled here from Tokyo. Have you seen them? I need to leave tomorrow to search for them."
"More odd names. I'm afraid I haven't met them. I'd remember if I'd heard any of those names."
"I didn't think so," Yugi responded sadly.
Tague was silent for a moment, thinking. Yugi seemed deep in thought, so he allowed himself to study the golden item Yugi was so meticulously caressing.
"What's that you've got there, that item?" he asked, pointing to the Sennen Puzzle.
"This? It's... uh..." Yugi wasn't sure if he should tell Tague the truth. Then again, what part could the Sennen Puzzle play in a video game? "It's my treasure. The Sennen Puzzle. I never take it off."
"You should."
Yugi looked at Tague in surprise.
"Don't get me wrong," he said slowly, stroking his face, "but that item looks just like the ancient evil trump card of our enemy of old, Makurayami."
"My Puzzle?" Yugi exclaimed.
Tague nodded. "Yep. If you're gonna go out there tomorrow to search for your friends, I reckon you should leave it here with me. People might get suspiscious and turn you in to the Prime Minister, Hendran."
Yugi looked at him fearfully. "I can't leave my Puzzle, but I have to find my friends! What can I do?"
"Maybe you should sleep on it," Tague suggested. "I don't want you getting captured by those guards, but if you really don't want to part with that Sennen Puzzle..."
Yugi sighed as he jumped into the bed Tague had prepared for him. With a cup of water in one hand, and a tired glance outside, he yawned and rested his head against the pillow.
/Yami? What can I do? I don't want to get put in jail, but without the Sennen Puzzle I won't be able to talk to you,/ Yugi asked Yami through their mental link.
//Don't worry, Yugi,// Yami answered after a pause. //I don't want anything to happen to you. Leave the Puzzle here on the nightstand, and don't tell Tague you've left it. That way, if he isn't trustworthy he'll probably think you left without it, and if he is, then we have nothing to worry about.// In truth Yami wasn't sure things would be so easy, but he feared for Yugi's safety over his own.
/Are you sure, Yami?/ Yugi asked anxiously.
Yami sensed the worry in his hikari's voice and felt guilty for making him so anxious. //Yes, I'm sure, aibou. Don't worry about me.//
Yugi smiled and snuggled up in the covers. /Night, Yami./
//Good-night, Yugi.//
Casia: That's the end of chapter two! This chapter was fairly short... but that's because I want more reviews!!! So if I update faster with smaller chapters, I'll probably get more. Kit does, anyway. Angel updates slowly and writes looooooong chapters, and Hikari no Yuugi only has 16 reviews even though she's at chapter eight (chapter ten if you're going by the way she uploaded them - some were done in two parts)! Soooo, g'night, all, and if I don't update between now and Christmas... MERRY CHRISTMAS!