Author's Introduction:
And now for something completely different: Answers to some of my reviewers! *smiles.*
To whoever logged on as Some Person: While I wouldn't want my brains eaten until they are oozing out of my nose, if I tell you the pairing now, it won't be nearly as fun! Will it?
To whoever logged on @home: I didn't include that the mummy in the museum is the pharaoh, i.e. Yami Yugi, because in my story's version of the past, the pharaoh plays quite a different role…
To Razanur: I write based on the manga in Shonen Jump, to answer your question--and I am so with you on the Lord of the Rings! I spent years, I will tell you years, avoiding reading those books, and once I did I loved them very much and found them extremely interesting and got an A on my paper about Eowyn. Listen to "Battle of Evermore" by Led Zeppelin if you haven't already, it was inspired by Tolkien and it's just a hell of a song. "Misty Mountain Hop", too. And thanks for telling me about Yugi's mom--I haven't gotten that far in the manga, so I didn't know. Cool!
To GomaMizu: Ohhh….intents and purposes! Silly me! (I'm such a grammar whore *giggles.*) Selphie isn't so bad, but I think we're all glad she's pretty much Irvine's problem and they didn't stick her with my beloved Zell. *grins.* Would you believe I'm wearing Squall's Griever around my neck right now?
To Elven Angel Andrea: For the most part, it's just going to be Yami, Joey, and Tristan until Mai shows up for comic relief--I can't seem to write Anzu in correctly because too many alpha females spells trouble for a pack. But "initiating" Mai into the group is a little humorous later on, I hope.
To JaguarKitty2006: No! Good heavens, no, it's not a Yami/Shadi romance!! Even I'm not that brave! *giggles.* The mental voice repeating Shadi's words was the Spirit to Yami-girl, just being grateful she found someone cool to wear the Puzzle, I like to think *smiles.* There will be no Yami/Shadi romance and no same-sex pairings in this story. My brain hurts enough as it is. *giggles.* And I agree with you--Jou got royally mauled in the dub, and it sucks where they put Honda last manga! What the hell, you know??
To SSJ4 Sailor Menz: Certainly, I can tell you where I got the kung-fu flats, although you might laugh at me: I found them on Ebay, from a shoe shop in California, for seven dollars *smiles.* Just be careful, cause they'll nail you on shipping costs if you don't pay attention--like I didn't. Watch out!
To Liviania: Thanks for liking my music! I try to turn as many people on to it as I can, you know? It's one of my favorite things in the whole world.
To Nightengale: Say it with me, now: "I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT, EMO KID!" *smiles.*
So I do read my reviews, ALL of them, and I do care what you have to say, so please keep reviewing! *smiles.* Thank you!
They're all yours, Yami-girl…
**
Chapter Fourteen: Wooden Men On The Chessboard
**
Wooden men on the chessboard get up and tell you where to go
And you've just had some kind of mushroom
And your mind is moving slow
Go ask Alice
I think she'll know
When logic and proportion have fallen slowly dead
And the white knight is talking backwards
And the red queen's off with her head
Remember what the dormouse said
Feed your head
Feed your head
(White Rabbit)
(Jefferson Airplane)
**
"There you go," Yami said cheerfully, leaning over the Kame Game Shop counter to give a brand-new game board to her little customer. "You're all set. When did you get interested in Capmon?"
The small girl wrinkled her nose. "Everyone in my class plays. But I don't know a lot about it," she admitted shyly.
"No problem! I can fill you in," Yami said, holding up some egg-shaped capsules in her slim fingers. " 'Capmon' is short for 'Capsule Monsters'. Each of these capsules has a different toy monster inside." She clicked open one capsule to show the girl. "There are two hundred and fifty of these guys to collect! The numbers on the capsules show the monster's level, from one to five." She turned the capsule to display the number three.
"Is it like chess?" the girl asked, examining the capsules.
"Right! Two players pick five of their best monsters and pit them against each other on eight-by-eight boards like yours." Yami pointed to the game board the girl was holding. "They're supposed to be the mythical planet Garnaster, and there are fifty different boards you can choose from."
"How do you win if there are no kings?" the girl asked, standing on tiptoe to see over the counter.
"You win by defeating all your opponent's monsters," Yami explained. "And you can't see your opponent's monsters until you start the game. That's what makes it so interesting."
"But Yami," the girl asked. "You guys don't sell any capsules here. How do you get the monsters?"
Yami's eyes twinkled and she leaned over the counter conspiratorially. "Actually, I know a secret..."
**
On her way home from school every day, Yami passed a small candy shop. The candy wasn't so spectacular, but Yami, like most of the neighborhood kids, liked the coin machine out front—it dispensed Capsule Monsters for 100 yen. There was usually a large group of kids around it, and more than one fight had started because of the machine. Today was to be no exception.
"Out of my way, girly girl!" a grade-school kid yelled, pushing Yami out of the way.
"Hey!" Yami cried, clutching her bag as she stumbled. "Um...rude!"
"Aren't you in high school?" the kid sneered, nose wrinkling. "You're too old to play Capmon!"
Yami frowned, drawing herself up to her full height—which wasn't much. "Age doesn't mean anything to a real gamer!" She added, "You little brat..." under her breath.
"Fine! If you want it so bad, go first. This time." The kid stepped aside, smirking.
Yami fished in the pocket of her jacket for a 100-yen coin. She turned the dial, and waited.
Nothing.
"Hey!" Yami smashed a fist into the glass front of the machine. "Stupid machine!"
A shout was heard from the door of the candy shop, and the kids scattered. "Look out! It's old man 'Dentures'!"
Yami whirled to face the owner of the candy shop, a bony old man whose tall and lanky form still managed to be imposing. He was glaring at her, beady eyes narrowing down to almost nothing. "Hey, you! Girl! Don't hit the machine!"
"It ate my money!" Yami protested, bristling at being referred to as "girl".
"You think I'll let you break it just because you lost a hundred yen?!" the old man yelled. "That machine is expensive! It's worth more than you are!"
Sensitive Yami bristled, but the fight never happened. One more kid parted the crowd, stepping closer to Yami and the machine. While he was no taller than any of the other kids, he seemed to command them with his presence.
"No way!" one kid hissed. "It's Kaiba, the Capsule Monster champion!"
Kaiba?! Yami thought, crimson eyes wide as she stared at the newcomer.
The kid advanced towards Yami, finally raising a head of long, thick black hair to glare at her with violet eyes. "So, you're Yami Motou! We meet at last!"
Yami was puzzled. "I didn't know you were eagerly awaiting me," she said slowly, surveying the youngster with a crimson glance. He was wearing a red vest over a striped rugby shirt, and the sneakers beneath the legs of his jeans were very new and an expensive brand.
The kid laughed menacingly. "Don't rack your brain, girly! You don't know me. We've never met."
"But you seem to know all about me," Yami said pointedly.
The kid smirked. "And you know Seto Kaiba. He's my big brother! I'm Mokuba Kaiba!"
Yami's crimson eyes shot wide. "Kaiba's little brother!" I hadn't known he had one!
"My brother masters any game he plays," the kid contined arrogantly. "He's my hero!"
Yami looked around. The other kids had fallen amazingly quiet since Kaiba's brother had shown up.
"I can't believe that a little shrimp like you actually beat him!" Mokuba Kaiba finished.
Yami's temper blazed, hot and bright. "Hey! Who are you calling a shrimp, pint-size?!" she snarled, curling her hands into fists at her sides.
Mokuba frowned exaggeratedly, like a clown. "You disappoint me, Yami. When I heard you beat my brother, I thought you might be pretty cool...but I guess I was wrong."
Yami sighed, folding her arms to cradle her breasts. Why do I give a damn what this kid thinks of me? "Are you quite done?" she asked coolly, arching a dark brow.
"No, actually." Mokuba sighed, still seemingly disappointed that the girl wasn't living up to the legend. "Since you're here, it seems you like to play 'Capmon'. I'm pretty good—I won the last tournament!"
"Wow," Yami said appreciatively. "I've only just started to play. I'm not that good."
Mokuba smiled sweetly. "Don't be so modest, Yami," he trilled, and then his expression turned fierce. "Get her!"
Like a grotesque, tiny army, the kids surrounding them produced machine guns from their jackets.
"These are my followers!" Mokuba announced like a small megalomaniac in a rugby shirt. "Don't even think of trying to escape!"
Rather than recoiling in horror, Yami leaned her face close to the nearest machine gun. She looked it over for a second, then glanced over at her nemesis. "This is a toy," she informed Mokuba.
Mokuba gritted his teeth, a bead of sweat trickling down his forehead when he saw that his display of force wasn't having the desired effect. How did she know that?!
Yami chuckled. "Please! I work in a game shop, and you don't think I'd know the difference between a toy and a real piece?"
The kids looked nervously towards Mokuba, as if waiting for orders. "Boss?" one asked, unsure of what to do next.
"What are you gonna shoot me with?" Yami teased. "Jelly?"
Mokuba's expression turned furious. "Maybe they're toys—" he said quickly, reaching into his own pocket, "—but this isn't!" He produced a tazer, very much alive and crackling with electricity.
It was Yami's turn to look nervous. "There must be a tazer store around here that I don't know about..." she quipped, putting her hands up. "Okay, you win. Don't shock me, it'll wreck my hair. What do you want?"
"Why, Yami," Mokuba said, pretending to be insulted. "I just want to play a game with you!" He turned to the old man. "Hey, Dentures! We'll take this machine!"
"Oh no, you won't!" the old man started, but shut up when Mokuba threw a stack of money down to land beside the machine on the sidewalk. Quickly, the old man changed his tune. "Please come again!" he yodeled, beaming.
Yami snorted as she let the kids lead her away, their small hands clutching her jacket, her hands. She cast one glance at the old man over her shoulder. Guess I can't count on any help from him, the old goat!
Mokuba leered at Yami. "I'm going to take you someplace really special! Aren't you excited?"
Yami snickered. "Sorry, kid. You're not my type."
"Shut up!" Mokuba gave her a push, sending her stumbling ahead of him. This is it, big brother. You will be avenged!
**
They ended up in an abandoned warehouse. "There must also be an abandoned warehouse store around here that I don't know about," Yami quipped under her breath as she was manhandled into a metal folding chair. In front of her was a Capmon board on a wooden crate, and another folding chair across from hers.
"Don't you see?" Mokuba said, sitting in the chair across from Yami. "You have to play Capsule Monster Chess with me!"
"Is this supposed to be some kind of torture?" Yami asked warily, eyeing the board. "I like games."
"What is with this girl?" one kid asked. "Is it me, or is she actually enjoying this?"
Yami looked over at him, crossing one leg over the other. "Only big wusses and lesser wimps would be afraid of kids your size."
Mokuba had had enough of Yami. "I guess no one's afraid of you then," he growled through gritted teeth.
Yami's eyes went wide and her mouth dropped open as her own insult was turned on her. Then her ruby eyes turned steely and she leaned over the board. "That's it. I'm gonna kick your little punk ass. Let's play!"
"No one insults us like that and gets away with it!" one kid yelled, reaching for Yami's Puzzle. "I'm gonna smash—"
Yami ducked beneath the reaching hand, pressed her own hand flat against the kid's stomach, and pushed. He ended sliding towards the wall on his back. Meanwhile, Yami had leapt forward and pressed one booted foot over his small chest.
Everyone else in the room was on their feet, but Yami was in control. She leaned forward like a predator, slowly, hair brushing over her shoulders like fur. "Have you got anything else to say, my dear?" she trilled dangerously. "No? Then keep your filthy hands away from me and my Puzzle, you little brat."
The kid was pale, eyes wide, chest heaving beneath Yami's foot.
Mokuba fumed from his position on the other end of the board. "Yami, have you forgotten who your opponent is?! I'M the one to beat here!"
Yami turned back towards him with a smile. "You get your arrogance—and your impatience—from your brother."
Mokuba smirked, crossing his arms over his thin chest. "Thank you! And you'll soon see I get my gaming skill from him as well!"
"That remains to be seen." Yami resumed her seat in the metal folding chair. "And we'll also find out if you're as sore a loser as he is!"
Mokuba slammed both hands down on the crate and screamed, "Don't you talk about my brother that way!"
Yami's ruby eyes slitted and she leaned over the board. "Then play," she almost purred. "Come on. Put me in my place. Don't you want to?"
Mokuba was wary, but he regained a little of his composure and tried to become as cool and calculating as his brother. "I...I've chosen Battlefield Seven...'Crisis Hill'. It's the board I do best at..." he said, indicating the board with a small, shaky wave of his hand.
"Then you should have no trouble," Yami sighed. "Where are your capsule monsters?"
This seemed to bolster Mokuba's confidence for some reason. He grinned evilly and pointed towards the coin machine, which had taken three of his pint-sized toadies to lug to the warehouse. "If I used my regular collection, there wouldn't be any challenge!" he bragged. "We're going to draw all our capsules from the machine!" He snapped small fingers at one of his "followers". "You! Draw the capsules! First Yami, then me!"
The kid tossed Yami a capsule. "Tch..." Yami wrinkled her nose. "Level one."
"My turn!" Mokuba barked, and when he caught the capsule that was thrown to him, he chuckled. "All right! I got a level five! Good for me, bad for you! And don't complain! Luck is a part of skill!"
"I can't wait to teach you how a true gamesmaster plays," Yami purred.
"We'll see who teaches who," Mokuba challenged. "Take a look!"
The five egg-shaped capsules he displayed to Yami were numbered from left to right, four, four, five, five, five. Yami's were numbered one, one, one, two, four.
"It looks like the battle is over before it's even started!" Mokuba chuckled at Yami. Gotcha, you dumb girl! The machine was rigged! I even paid old "Dentures" to act his part! Now you're gonna get it, Yami-girl!
Reaching into his vest, Mokuba drew a long, shiny knife. "But before we get going, this game needs a little danger to make it interesting!"
"You're too young to play with toys like that," Yami trilled.
Mokuba frowned. "When you lose, I'm going to enjoy cutting all those pretty fingers off with this!" He waved the knife at her and it gleamed shiny, then dull, the shiny in the light.
Yami held out her slender hands and smiled down at her violet-polished nails. "I have too many rings." Smiling at Mokuba, she ran a tapered finger over the blade. "But if I win, you have to play a penalty game as a punishment!"
"The only game you need to concern yourself with is this one," Mokuba said, arranging his capsules on the board. "You remember the rules, don't you, Miss Smarty-Pants? You arrange your capsules anywhere on your side of the field, but all you know about your opponent's monsters is the level number on their capsules! Now let's go!"
With the signal to start, both Yami and Mokuba removed the capsules from the monsters. Mokuba's monsters looked rather fearsome even in small, plastic form. The level five monsters were a giant mouth full of sharp teeth called Head Sucker, a gargoyle with an axe called Gumbo, and a large winged reptile known as Dinosaur Wing. The level four monsters were a horned, bony head called The Skull and a hooded snake, Cobrada.
By contrast, Yami's monsters were almost cartoony. Flower Man, a large blossom with feet, was probably the most nonthreatening. Devil Castle, a castle with teeth, was just as silly-looking as Eye Mouth, a drooling mouth full of teeth with an eye peering from between the jaws. Level two Torigun seemed to be hiding behind its large feathered wings, but at least The Great "Pa" had a sword. Level four seemed to have its advantages.
Yami's layout is like a beginner! Mokuba's violet eyes slitted in early victory as he surveyed the board and its pieces. "I'll go first!" His small fingers curled around Gumbo, one of his level five monsters, and moved it forward. "And I'll make sure to attack right away!"
"I'll meet you head on!" Yami smiled and moved Eye Mouth forward. "But I should let you know...this is a Shadow Game..."
"I knew this game would be special!" Mokuba cackled. "And you came at me with a level one monster! I'll show you who's the better player!"
The magic of the Shadow Game enchanted the game pieces, and Gumbo's large axe easily cleaved Eye Mouth in half.
Mokuba cheered. "One down, four to go!"
Yami leaned forward, propping her elbows on the table and resting her chin on her hands, dimpling at him with a little giggle.
Mokuba was slightly unnerved by this. "Wh-what at you laughing at, you dumb girl? You're the one who lost!"
"I'm teaching you the rules of gaming!" Yami chirped, her red eyes suddenly steeling although her voice remained cheerful. "No matter what the circumstances, always act like you have the upper hand! That's rule number one!"
Mokuba was getting fed up with Yami. He slammed a hand down on the table and reared from his chair. "Y-You think you can teach me?!" he roared.
Yami was already waving a finger chidingly. "Stay cool at all times," she pointed out in a little singsong voice. "That's rule number two!"
Mokuba gritted his teeth. "Grrr...."
"I'm going on the offensive," Yami said, moving The Great "Pa" forward a few spaces. Cobrada, one of Mokuba's level four monsters, slithered towards it and attacked. "Pa" struck at the snake with his sword, and both monsters fell.
"I'm left with three monsters," Yami mused, eyeing the board, "and Mokuba's got four..."
Mokuba's confidence rose again. "Moron! Even if I lost one monster, I'm still totally going to beat you!" With that, he moved Dinosaur Wing to attack Flower Man. The dinosaur's flame breath easily roasted the plant monster. The flame flickered in Yami's eyes as she moved Devil Castle away to the left in what appeard to be an evasive maneuver.
"You think I'll let you get away?!" Mokuba cried, seizing Head Sucker. "I'll follow and eat you right up!"
The crunch was very loud as the huge jaws closed over the castle, splintering it.
Mokuba leaned over the board and yelled his victory into Yami's face, complete with pointing finger. "I win! I win! You have one monster left, and I've got four! You can't fight them! I win!!"
Yami smiled so sweetly at him, laughing softly, girlishly.
Mokuba had officially had enough. "What is so funny?! Don't tell me that stupid, girly laugh is a rule, too!"
Yami leaned back. "It's a laugh of victory!" she cheered. "Take a look at the board! At your monsters! A good look!"
"What?!" Mokuba shrieked, face tilting down. His eyes widened slowly as he took in the entire game board. "They're...they're..."
Realization dawned on him too late. "They're lined up diagonally!"
They were, and Yami touched her final monster with one slender finger. "See him? My last monster? The Torigun?" The small bird seemed to draw itself up proudly. "It's low-level, it can't make sharp turns, and it's terrible at close combat," Yami explained, caressing the bird's feathers with a fingertip, "but it has one special talent!"
She traced a finger beside the line of monsters on the board. "Once per game, Torigun can defeat any number of enemies, even level five ones, in a diagonal super attack!" She grinned. "And how does it go?...Whirlwind...Razor...Beak...Slash!"
Sweat rolled down Mokuba's forehead as he realized what had happened. Yami sacrificed all her monsters but one—JUST TO DRAW MY FOUR INTO A LINE!!
"Go!" Yami cried, and Torigun, enchanted by Shadow Magic, easily sliced through all Mokuba's remaining monsters.
"Rule number three!" Yami cried. "Remember it well! Hold your trump card till the end!"
Mokuba reared from his chair, nearly knocking the board off the wooden crate and onto the floor. "I lose! Me!!"
Yami had also gotten to her feet, pointing a ruthless hand in the child's direction. "Penalty game!!" she sang.
Mokuba couldn't remember ever feeling so helpless in his life—somehow the pretty girl standing across from him was suddenly the scariest thing he'd ever seen. A shadow fell over him, and before he raised his head he realized, This is what made my brother go crazy!
"A capsule!!" he shrieked, seeing a large egg-shaped capsule closing over him. "A capsule over my head!!"
Before the vision overcame him fully, however, he pointed a small finger at Yami as if he were sealing her fate. "You think you've won, Yami Motou, but my brother's revenge is well under way! "Death T" is coming, and you won't get away!!"
Yami arched a brow. "Death T"?
The hallucination finally overtook Mokuba—a large, egg-shaped capsule bearing the number one, sealing him inside.
"Too bad, baby, but you aren't a match for me, not nearly!" Yami sighed amusedly. "Now you think about that while you're trapped in your capsule!" She turned her back, jacket flaring around her as she walked out of the warehouse.
Mokuba's followers were crowded around him. "Boss?" "Mokuba! What's the matter?" "Hey! Hey, man!"
But their "boss" couldn't hear them over his own screams. "Big brother! Big brother, help me!"
Yami turned back only once to smile silkily at the boy.
"We can play again later...when you've learned the rules!"
**
Author's Notes:
This chapter's references:
"Big wusses and lesser wimps": This line is a reference to another www.homestarrunner.com Strong Bad email, entitled "stunt double". Watch it--I think it's hilarious.
"What are you gonna shoot me with? Jelly?": Yami's reference to a gun that shoots jelly is a reference to one of my favorite Christmas movies, the Rankin-Bass "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", where the toy water gun on the Island of Misfit Toys shoots jelly.
I'm liking the next couple of chapters I have lined up--I always enjoy one-shots better than the huge conspiracy chapters, to be honest.