R Amythest: ^_^ R Amythest here with another chapter of 'The True Heart of the Dice!'
Yami Amythest: *sarcastically* yay.
R Amythest: This chapter, Ryouji and Seto are having a few. . . complications.
Key:
Italics means Read by character, emphasis'thoughts'
*~*~* = lapse of time and/or change of scene
Yugi to Yami over soul link
Yami to Yugi over soul link
[Ryou to Bakura over soul link]
]Bakura to Ryou over soul link[
{Malik to Ishtar over soul link}
}Ishtar to Malik over soul link{
*~*~*
"Why in the world would I want to spend money on your game?" Seto scowled. It was lunch, and Ryouji had picked a place by Seto so he could discuss his. . . money shortage. Tea's ears pricked up, but she stayed a good distance away from the two, afraid that Seto would suspect something. And so far, nothing good had come from revealing her love.
"I could sell your products in my game shop," Ryouji suggested. He knew what work would be in the process of creating personalized dice. That was the probably the least expensive option. And then again, he'd still have to mess with computer programs and holograms some more.
"I like keeping the profits to myself, thank you very much," Seto grumbled sarcastically. It was true. Seto didn't want to add to his growing pile of work. It was already enough to give him headaches at times. And besides, since when did he want to make a deal with some person only to lose money? Holograms and direct-damage systems cost a lot to say the least.
"And you called me greedy?" Ryouji snapped. Seto was taken aback, but he always had the last word in an argument.
"And since when do you have the right to demand me to spend my money on your game?" Seto shot back.
Ryouji slowly stirred his spaghetti around with his spork, deep in thought. Seto was one person hard to convince. Especially when his company was rivals with Kaiba Corp. They ate in silence until the bell rang. Seto finally spoke. "Listen, Otogi. I'll discuss this with you once you have a decent excuse." He picked up his tray and threw his trash away. Ryouji followed with a slight scowl.
Tea watched silently as Ryouji gave Seto a light shove out the door. Tea approached the cross game shop owner. "How much do you need?" she asked.
Ryouji gave a glare at Tea. "More than you can afford, I'm sure."
*~*~*
Yami, hold still! You've been shifting around in your soul room since biology! Yugi scowled as the nerve-racking footsteps thumped around in his head. It's driving me nuts!
. . .
Yami?
. . . There's been a disturbance. . . in the shadow realm. . .
Yugi's mind pricked up. What disturbance? It's not a-
A release of duel monsters. Actually, yes, it is. I've felt some sort of. . . monster spell this morning.
. . . a spell? Yugi's throat felt tight, and dry. He knew what happened 5000 years ago. And what happened at that time. . . might be an example of what will happen now.
*~*~*
Ryouji smirked as the owner of Kaiba Corp, bored, folded a ten-dollar bill into a paper frog. He twirled a black tuft of hair around his finger as he watched Kaiba mess with the money origami. Getting an idea, he hastily folded a square piece of paper into a swan, then wrote a short note on each wing. While the teacher was dawdling on about Ancient Egypt (omitting the part about the shadow games) and scribbling notes on the chalkboard (that no one was paying attention to), Ryouji tossed the note in Seto's general direction. It smacked him on the shoulder, and Ryouji quickly turned his attention to the teacher to avoid the tedious glare Seto gave him.
"Mr. Kaiba, name the Main Egyptian gods," the teacher instructed. Seto rolled his eyes and stood up, stuffing both paper animals into his pockets.
"Ra, Anibus, Osiris, Horus, Canop, Amun, Isis, and Hermes," he said, a hint of annoyance in his tone, especially when he said 'horus.' After all, the pharaoh was supposed to be a living form of the god, and he definitely hated Yami Yugi. He hated him for stealing the title 'Champion,' and taking him out of the spotlight, which in turn, put him in position for Pegasus to take over his company. His company. But his hate was confused when Yugi came to the rescue. 'But that doesn't mean I have to join him. We're even, and until I make a move, he can't do anything while staying within his so-called innocent character. How innocent it is to indirectly take over my company and put my brother in peril, that is.' Without allowing the teacher to tell him to, Seto sat down.
Making sure she had no intention of watching him, he took out the note Ryouji smacked him with. It was slightly crumpled, but legible. Seriously, if a game of chess made you the heir of Gozaburo, I don't see why you'd be scared to face the game of life, as in, financial risks.
Seto tore up the note and stuffed the pieces into his pocket. As soon as the old note was disposed of, another bounced off his arm. Growling, he glanced at the note to find the words Horus watches over you =p scrawled with a dark red pen. 'Seriously, sometimes Otogi can be annoying as Joey. . .'
*~*~*
Ryou shifted slightly as his rampaging Yami, apparently, broke something in his soul room. But he was afraid to ask, as his Yami, in this mood, could easily burst in on him. It probably wasn't anything important, and if it was, Yugi must've felt it. He made a metal note to ask.
*~*~*
Malik grumbled as Ishtar continued on his lecture about how a disturbance in the shadow realm could mean trouble. Actually, the Egyptian didn't care if the world was conquered. It would practically be like having the monsters doing the work for him. But that was his impression before Ishtar told him a very interesting thought.
}Hey, if the world goes, so does your precious-{
{SHUT IT YAMI! I do not like Ryou and that's final!}
}If you didn't like him, then how come you knew who I was going to say?{
Malik blushed as he sank into the couch. {Millennium Rod?}
}Ha, ha. Nice try.{
{Can't I go a day without teasing?!}
}. . . fine, but be careful.{ With that, Ishtar cut off the soul link.
*~*~*
Yami. . . I still don't see where you're taking me. . . Yugi's form ran down the street, avoiding cars and ducking signs.
The park.
Why?
If the monsters are released, that's the first place they'll go!
I still don't see why. . .
Just come on! Yami took control of Yugi and sped down the street, not noticing the telltale sign saying 'One Way.'
Yami couldn't read modern print. In fact, he never even learned how to read in his time. Passing it by without any attention, he ran around the city bus, only to be met with a blast of a horn.
His pain was unbearable. The impact sent his body flying, and he hit a nearby sidewalk. People gathered closer as Yami moaned and tried to get up.
*~*~*
[Yami, I still don't know why I-]
]SHUT UP AND LET ME DO THE WALKING![
Okay, so maybe he loathed Yami Yugi.
So what?
They were both spirits, and they could sense the rapid shifting in the shadow realm. Something was wrong, and if Yami Yugi was the only one other than Ishtar and he that had shadow powers, so be it. They'd have to work together. But it was only a temporary truce. Only for power, too.
Bakura's millennium ring pointed right, right down a one-way street. There was a crowd down the sidewalk. Sneering, Bakura used the millennium ring's powers to glide right over the street. "What now, Pharaoh? Someone else asking for the store where you got your hair gel?" He froze at the sight of blood pooling around the crowd.
[Yami. . . Maybe I should take over.]
*~*~*
R Amythest: okay, maybe it seems off-topic. But it isn't! I swear! You know I like complicated romances! They're more realistic!
Yami Amythest: *sweatdrops*
Ryouji: This doesn't seem to have to do with me.
R Amythest: it does!
Tea: do I get to have him?!
R Amythest: . . . find out yourself, ballerina. REVIEW!
Additional Notes: Last chapter, I called Brood Mayran 'Bloody Mayron.' SORRY! It's been fixed now, although the mistake made a certain muse happy.