I have succumbed to the awful temptation to write a YGO fic that involves a long-lost relative of Yami's who shows up in Domino. But her drawing looked so NEAT! Anyway, I hope my (hopefully) original ideas will put a new spin on this overused plot. This is my first YGO fanfiction that I have any intention of finishing- or posting, for that matter.

Ignore any and all implications presented by the title that this will be in any way depressing, angsty, dark, or whatever you connect with "night'. It's in reference to the OC's name.

I apologize as of right now to any and all people who watch/read the original anime or manga, and wish I could join them, but I'm stuck with the (Apparently evil) dubbed WB version. And I came in late. I've never seen the first three or so episodes. I'm a awful dueler (relying mostly on gut instincts and praying that the other guy doesn't get either his Relinquished or Toon World out- the guy I usually duel has two of EACH!) and know very few words in Japanese. (Not for lack of trying!) So, I will be stuck with the American names (despite I know most of the Jap. Ones), Ryou will be British (Or at least have the accent), Joey will have that... Er... East-coat American accent? Ect, ect, ect. Also, everyone will speak English. Except maybe the occasional "baka" or "NANI??!!" or "Hikari" or whatever. I know it's unlikely, but the main OC needs to understand them SOMEHOW! She IS American...

Also, does ANYONE know ANYTHING about Ryou's dad beside he's always off on digs and gave Ryou the Millennium Ring? I'm putting him in the story, but I know about zero about him.

Disclaimer: Read the above paragraphs. Could I own YGO? Didn't think so. Excuse my as I collapse crying onto Ryou's shoulder.

Thanks to Mom. She's always there for me, supporting my stories and drawing. And she got me to watch the movie that inspired the costume that inspired the girl that inspired this fic. Er... Yeah. ^^;;

Last notes:

Ryou = Nice Bakura

Bakura = Evil Bakura

:: Blah :: Thinking to self

[Blah] Thinking to a hikari

{Blah} Thinking to a yami

|#| Footnote

(Blah) Me randomly inserting a comment

Warnings: OC that might possibly get paired up (She doesn't show up in this chapter, but she's mentioned). OOC Ryou snapping at an annoying Bakura. Well, screaming, really. But only mentally.

I hope you enjoy this fanfiction! Despite the fact the cutest guy on the show (Ryou!! ^^) is tortured a bit. And there's a bit of inaccuracy.

I'll shut up now.

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Pale Night

1-1:

Exchange Student

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Ryou looks on curiously as his dad talks with a fair amount of interest into the phone. Mr. Bakura usually only uses that tone when talking about archeology, but from what he can pick up, it's nothing of the sort. Something about America, and school, and hosting. Ryou shrugs and wanders back up the stairs. If he needed to know about it, his dad would tell him, and if not, he was too polite to ask. (Bakura always tries to STOP him from being polite, but has never succeeded)

He didn't have to wait very long. After about five minutes, Mr. Bakura yelled up the stairs for him to come back down. Ryou does so after tripping over the Millennium Eye, which Bakura always leaves wherever.

This has been a source of much annoyance to ever-neat Ryou.

When he reaches the living room, Mr. Bakura beams ever-so-happily and announces something that Ryou would never had expected.

"We're hosting an exchange student!"

Ryou blinks a few times. "What?"

[What's an exchange student?]

Mr. Bakura, seeing that Ryou was a bit surprised, explained fully. "Well, I'm about to go out on another dig, so I thought that if someone stayed with you for the next few months it would be better than getting stuck alone. So, I arranged for us, well, you since I'm not going to be here, to host an exchange student. So you have some company."

Ryou continues to blink a bit. :: But I don't need company! I already have more trouble than I can deal with, with the Ring! ::

Mr. Bakura continues. "The student will be arriving at the airport next week. Her name is Nisha Hillsdale.|1|"

Ryou blinks a few more times. "I'm hosting a GIRL? By MYSELF?"

[I'm always here.]

{That's WORSE than no one else!}

*******************

The phone rings just as Yugi starts to get into bed. (Wearing his blue pajamas with white stars. KAWAII! ^^ Er, sorry...) He contemplates just letting the answering machine pick it up, but decides to pick it up himself on the second very annoying ring.

"Yugi Muoto."

Ryou nearly cries with relief. "Yugi, you need to help me! It's awful!"

"What's wrong? Is your yami acting up?"

"Well, no, not really. I have to host an exchange student! ALONE! And try to keep my yami under control! And try to keep her from realizing I have an alternate persona!"

Yugi blinks. {If it were anyone but Ryou, this would be no problem.}

[But it IS Ryou,] comes the amused answer. During this mental exchange, Ryou continues to rant desperately into the phone in a quite un-Ryou-like way. When he finally runs down, Yugi manages to fit in some reassurances.

"Don't worry. If the kid got into an exchange program, they're sure to be at least okay. And if Bakura acts up or causes too much havoc, I'll get Yami to go over."

Yugi can hear Ryou breathing deeply in an attempt to calm down. "I'm sorry, Yugi. It's just, I got a bit freaked out by the entire concept."

"Well, if I had a homicidal thief for a yami and had to deal with a stranger in my house, I'd probably freak too. I'll see you tomorrow in school, okay?"

"Okay. Bye."

*******************

[What was that about Yami no Yugi dealing with me?! I could take on that baka shrimp of a pharaoh any day! Just because he's the king of games doesn't mean he can beat me!]

Ryou starts to growl under his breath at the ANNOYING ranting going on in the back of his mind, just loud enough to keep him from thinking straight. The paper in front of him has exactly one answer on it.

[He's, what, five feet tall, including hair? And skinny! How could a WIMP like him deal with ME?!]

{THAT'S ENOUGH!!!!}

Bakura jumps about five feet into the air in his soul room. :: Did MY hikari just YELL at me? ::

{I am TIRED of this IDIOCY! Bloody hell, I have one bloody QUESTION on this entire bloody PAPER bloody ~DONE~!! Now shut the hell up! Just ONE BLOODY COMMENT is not a reason for you to YELL while I'm doing my bloody HOMEWORK! And if you don't quiet down, I bloody SWEAR all this bloody will be in YOUR soul room!}

After a long silence, Ryou adds a final {Bloody baka} as an afterthought.

Bakura lets out a quiet meep and sits down on his bed, eyes EXTREMELY wide. :: Was that MY hikari? This exchange thing has gotten to him more than I thought... ::

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|1| Nisha means 'night' according to babynameworld.com. Hillsdale is a name I randomly picked up from the address of Sony Computer Entertainment America.

Oh, POOR, POOR pair! (Spoils pity by bursting into giggles) Really, Ryou shouldn't have reason to scream at Bakura until AFTER she arrives.

Ryou: (Pales) How bad is this gonna be?

Ooh, VERY annoying for you. Read the part of the skinny blue notebook labeled "Pale Night Outlines". If you can read my handwriting.

Ryou: (Finds notebook and gets paler... and paler... and paler...)

But Yami should watch out as well. I wouldn't dump everything awful on my fave YGO bishounen.

Yami: (Starts to look nervous and pries notebook from the fainted Ryou's hands)

Actually, the whole cast should watch out. She loves DDM, DM, anime, computers, Runescape, Magic: The Gathering, and will most likely force everyone into playing Flux.

EveryoneFromYGO: @@ PLEASE tell us you're joking!

Nope! ^^

EFYGO: (Faint)

(Stares at everyone fainted for a moment, then shrugs and turns back to the audience) well, if you could find it in your hearts to praise this little tidbit before I start the next chapter, will you? (Puppy eyes) I'm insane, this if the FIFTH story I'm writing at once...