Princess Strawberry: Hello, everybody! I didn't get a lot of reviews for this fic, but that doesn't matter! As long as people read it and like it but doesn't review, I'm happy! I like to bring people happiness! My job! -^_________^-

Yami Strawberry: And readers - if you read my other fic (Peaches and Chocolates), we will try to update it by Christmas. And we will do a Christmas evening, too! (Or if we update late, maybe a New Years scene too!)

Princess Strawberry: Yami, it's your turn to do the disclaimer.

Yami: *pouts* Why me?

Yami Strawberry: *snarls* Just do it and get on with the fic.

Yami: Fine. Princess Strawberry does not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any characters she uses in this fairy tale fan fic. Be warned that this will contain Ryou/Bakura shounen-ai/yaoi contents. Um...anything else?

Princess Strawberry: Nope. *smiles evilly*

Yami: *oblivious to smile* Yes! Thank the Lord! Let's go, aibou!

Yugi: Um...Yami? I don't think we're allowed to go yet.

Princess Strawberry: *grins* That's right! You forgot to say that we are going to start a fic starring you and Yugi in a fairy tale!

Yami: *eyes widen* Really?

Yami Strawberry: As soon as we are done with this chapter.

Yami: *cheers* All right!!

~*~ "Speaking"

'Thinking'

*Scene Change: _________*

((Us interrupting you))

Everyone knows the plot and the characters? Know which Yu-Gi-Oh character is playing what role? OK. On with the fic!

Cinderella in Yu-Gi-Oh! Style

Chapter 1

Saturday morning dawned sunny but chilly. Up in the attic, Ryou shivered slightly in his bed, but simply rolled over in his bead to get more sleep. He groaned as the familiar ring of the bell his step-family uses travelled up to his "room", accompanied by his stepmother's scream.

"RRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!"

"RRRRRRRYYYYYYYYYOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!" What an annoying sound.

He got out of bed tiredly but quickly, for fear he would get another whipping if he didn't appear on time. Putting on his clothes and hurrying out into the hallway. Taking the stairs two at a time, he skipped to the basement, where he prepares the breakfast. Ryou took a look at the Breakfast Schedule.

'Saturday morning, hmm.....' Ryou thought while scanning the sheet. "Aha!" he exclaimed aloud. "There we go! An egg plus ham plus mushroom omelet, cup of coffee, and two pieces of toast for mother. Warm milk, and French toast for my sisters. Hmm...should be simple enough. Oh, well, must get going or else I will be late!" With that last thought, he set about to work, bustling around with the teapot. He hummed while he whipped out three plates, three forks, three knives, and three cups. With the addition of three trays plus covers for each. Peanut butter and four eggs were mixed to form French toast. ((Me:^____^;; Please don't follow this recipe. I'm just making up how to make French toast. I don't really know it myself.)) That done, he slid bread slices into the mix, then taking it out and flopped it on the frying pan. When breakfast was all done, he placed all the plates onto the trays. And how did he take the trays? Simply by holding one on his head, and one in each hand. Walking up the stairs and into the rooms, placing them gently on the tables beside their beds before going back to his stepmother's room to await his daily chores.

"Oh, there you are," Téa said, putting her magazine down and looking up to catch Ryou's tired face. "What's wrong with you today?"

"Nothing, Master," Ryou replied, purposely using the word "master" for he remembered his whipping from yesterday.

"Good, because you have a lot of things to do today. Here, catch."

Ryou caught the piece of paper just in time. His eyes widened slightly at all the chores he is supposed to do. The list cascaded down to the floor and trailed off for about three feet long after that as Ryou unfolded it.

'What is she trying to do? Kill me? What good would that do?' Ryou thought bitterly as he managed a tight smile. He looked up at his stepmother and said "I will be on my way". Téa nodded, obviously satisfied with the fact that Ryou won't bother her or her daughters that day.

*Scene Change: At the Palace*

"Prince Bakura!" a servant from the palace called. Her call bounced off the walls. "Prince Bakura! Where are you? Your father is looking for you!" She presently heard a growl coming out of one of the chambers.

"What do you want?" Prince Bakura scowled, looking very unhappy.

The servant grew scared. Everyone knew that Prince Bakura was very ill-tempered, and is someone you should not mess around with. She stammered, "Your father wants you to meet him at the conference hall. He...he has something important to tell you."

Bakura pushed her out of the way and stalked towards the conference hall. The servant sighed in relief. She muttered to herself, "That, was a close one."

The door of the conference room was thrown open forcefully as Bakura came in. The sound shocked the King (Seto) and the Grand Duke (Joey), who was currently planning something. The King recovered from his shock and greeted his son.

"Hello, Bakura. Come on in! I don't bite," Seto invited with a short laugh. The Grand Duke snorted, and the King shot him a glare.

"Why did you call me here? You know I have other things to do," Bakura complained.

"Son," Seto turned around to face Bakura, face looking grim. However, Bakura caught a mischievious look in his father's eyes. "You are almost eighteen, and if you don't find a soulmate soon, our kingdom would be doomed."

Bakura looked horrified. His father expected him to find a wife in those lowly common lives? Never would he think his father would be sink so...low!

"But...but-" Bakura stuttered.

"No buts," Seto replied shortly. "I shall arrange a ball for you to invite everyone to come. Tomorrow evening at seven o'clock sharp. No excuses."

"Yes, Father," Bakura excused himself to go back to his room. He gritted his teeth. How dare his father take charge of everything that was in his life?

Back in the conference hall, Seto turned to Joey. "Have a messenger to make enough copies of invitations to every maiden in the kingdom. State all the important facts. Have them delivered when he has finished. Let's just hope that this will relieve him of his tightness. He really should loosen up. I think this ball would do just the trick." Seto strolled out of the hall as Joey bowed his head and answered "Yes, my Lord."

The invitations were quickly made and printed. The messenger got a big bag and stuffed all of them in. He looked at them in disgust. Pink paper, red envelopes, and magenta heart stickers! Just because they are holding a ball doesn't mean it's Valentine's Day! 'Oh, well. Finish delivering them and I'm off for the day.'

All afternoon and evening long, the messenger went from household to household. Some looked confused, some looked shocked, and some actually squealed in delight when they saw what the envelope contained. Talk about manners! The messenger finally arrived at Ryou's house. He knocked on the door politely, for this is the last house with the last envelope. He was growing rather impatient. The house showed no sign that the door is going to open. He was about to knock again when the front door was thrown open to reveal a beautiful boy. Such a shame he is dressing in rags.

"Can I help you?" Ryou asked politely.

The messenger cleared his throat. He was getting tired of that. "An urgent message from His Imperial Majesty," he announced as he handed him the sealed envelope.

((Me: Anyone have the Disney's Cinderella story book? If you do, you will probably recognize that phrase. I kind of took it out of the book. =P

Yami Strawberry: -__-;;; Figures.))

Ryou took the envelope gingerly, thanked the messenger, and closed the door. The messenger happily bounced down the stairs and sidewalk. "Yes!" he shouted into the setting sun. "No more deliveries!"

*Scene Change: Back inside the house*

"Master!" Ryou called. "There is an urgent message from His Imperial Majesty!"

"WHERE?" Téa roared, rushing down the stairs three at a time. She spotted the letter clutched in his hand. "Let me see that!" she forced it out of his hand. Her scream also warned Mai and Isis that something exciting is going on in the main hall.

"Do I hear something about His Imperial Majesty?" Mai asked. A jumble of questions came after that, and Téa had to hold up her hand to stop the flow of requests.

"Yes, you did," she stated calmly; Mai and Isis squealed and giggled in delight. "This letter says that every maiden is to come to the palace tomorrow evening at seven o'clock sharp. They is supposed to dress up properly. Meaning no rags." Téa exaggerated the last word, indicating it to Ryou.

Ryou had been listening with mounting excitement, hearing his heart pound loudly. His excitement dropped, however, when he heard his stepmother say that you have to wear "royal garments". He hung his head. No way is he allowed to go to the ball now!

"Well," Téa spoke up after a while. The sisters were still daydreaming about the dance, what they are going to wear...

Ryou heard none of that. All he caught were the words "I suppose you could go, Ryou. But what good would it do you? You don't anything that is proper to wear..." from his stepmother. Tears welled up in his eyes and threatened to spill. He fought them back angrily, feeling that his step-family would only scorn him even more if he cried. Besides, is he not too old for tears? "...but of course, you can always pass for a girl. Inspiration flashed into Ryou's mind, but was careful not to show it to them.

"I am going to finish my chores," Ryou whispered before hurrying out to pick up his broom.

Once out of earshot, his step-family burst into laughter.

"Did you see that wimp's face?" Téa gasped. "That was so pathetic!"

"Totally!" Mai laughed even harder.

Isis was unconvinced. She tried to laugh along with them, but something in her heart wrenched. Just like last morning. 'Darn, why does Ryou affect me so?' she thought silently.

Ryou rushed up to his "room", and picked out a dress his mother had left behind. He had always hated it, but his father had insisted on keeping it, saying it would become useful someday. Perhaps now is the time. "Master said that I could pass for a girl, so why not try that?" He flipped open a designer-dress book, while absent-mindedly hummed a tune. He found his favourite, and propped it under the skeleton (modeller).

"I guess I would start on that tomorrow. There's still time," Ryou mumbled sleepily. Two words echoed in his mind before he fell into a dreamless slumber. 'I hope.'

~ To Be Continued ~

Authoresses's Notes:

Princess Strawberry: That was sucky, the "second day of 'Cinderella'"!

Yami Strawberry: You're going hysterical, aibou.

Princess Strawberry: So!? I didn't know there wasn't as much Ryou/Bakura fans as Yami/Yugi fans! They didn't review! *wails* I shouldn't have done this!

Yami: *plugs ears and screams* See what you've turned her into!? She's lost all of her self-control and manners, and we can't do anything about it! We have to wait for it to go away, and suffer in the meantime!

Yugi: *also plugged ears and do puppy dog eyes* Can you guys be nice reviewers and review? That way we can all get away from this maniac *motions at Princess Strawberry* and get her started on the fairy tale on me and Yami! ^________^

Yami Strawberry: Yes! Well said, Yugi. *nods head to show approval* Please read and review so we can get out of this living hell!