Deus Ex Machina
by Dallin Mendenhall
Disclaimer: I do not own the names or characters of "Yu-Gi-Oh!", "Yugi Muoto", "Téa Gardner", "Tristan Taylor, "Joey Wheeler", "Capmon", or "Duel Monsters". These names and characters are owned by Kazuki Tashahasi and 4Kids Entertainment. And probably Microsoft, too. You never know. I am not distributing this work for money. This is a work of fiction in no way officially affiliated with any company or corporation. I do not intend to devaluate the work of any individual.
Setting: After Battle City series. I envision Battle City Tournament rules being adopted as general rules, except for the "Sacrifice" rule. Actually, on second thought, this could be anytime.
There is a long-hidden power present on the earth, utilized by pharaohs long ago. This power was so great that the smallest scarab and the greatest sphinx had no choice but to succumb to the will of any who utilized it. However, the pharaohs were ignorant of the true potential of this power. When it overcame their own control, they decided to lock it away…
In the absence of this power, man created his own. Machines. Machines that men never believed could become as great as themselves.
Deus Ex Machina: the god in the mechanisms. The fortuitous and unlikely event that brings closure to an impossible situation. But what if the god is the machine? And what if it works against you?
Yugi Muoto and his friends were wandering aimlessly around town. It was just past noon and Yugi, cheered on by Téa, Tristan, and Joey, had already dueled every willing opponent. Now they had nothing to do, but wander the streets and hope some action would turn up.
"Excitement is seriously lackin' in this town!" Joey said out of boredom, "What a guy gotta do to…"
"Or a girl…" Téa added.
"Or a girl," Joey agreed, "to find some excitement around here?"
"Rob a bank," Tristan joked, and Téa and Joey emitted half a laugh. It was true, though. The only time there was ever any conversation-worthy topics was when a crime was committed. Yugi showed no signs that he was listening. He was buried deep in thought. Tristan tried to start a conversation with him.
"Don't I get even a head nod, Yugi? C'mon, what's eating you?" Yugi's head snapped to attention.
"Wha…? Oh, nothing. Nothing's wrong," Yugi said, not entirely convincingly. Tristan gave him a "yeah, right" look.
"Well, it's just that, well, there's no one to duel anymore."
"What do ya' mean, little guy? You and Joey just took on, like, half the kids in the town."
"Well, yeah. But it's never challenging anymore. Not like any of the adventures we used to have." Téa sighed mentally. She'd been noticing for a while now that Yugi seemed to be growing tired of Duel Monsters. He'd progressed as far as he could. Sometimes she wished she could just tell him to move on to some other game, liked he'd been doing just after they all met. But even deeper down, she knew she could never tell him that. If Yugi didn't refute the idea right out, Joey certainly would for him. The only time Yugi ever seemed satisfied with himself was he was facing near-impossible and sometimes dangerous "adventures".
"Let's go make an adventure then!" burst Joey, "Cut the chatter!"
"Yugi," Téa intoned, "How can you pine for the adventures we've had? They were full of danger. You're Millennium Item, if not your soul, was always at stake." Yugi looked at his shoes and scuffed them against the asphalt.
"I know," Yugi replied, "but it was a challenge." He half smiled, remembering. Yugi could almost laugh at himself; such a little kid facing such perils.
"Don't worry, Yugi. We're about due for another adventure," Tristan said, prophetically.
In the shadows of an alley, a hunched figure eavesdropped on the group. The cogs of his brain turned. He calculated multiple scenarios in his mind, playing out the results of each one. Carefully scrutinizing Yugi, his eyes focused on the Millennium Puzzle thumping against his chest with each step. He, mechanically, felt the Millennium Ring that rest there. After a moment's pause, he slipped deeper into the shadows and disappeared.
by Dallin Mendenhall
Disclaimer: I do not own the names or characters of "Yu-Gi-Oh!", "Yugi Muoto", "Téa Gardner", "Tristan Taylor, "Joey Wheeler", "Capmon", or "Duel Monsters". These names and characters are owned by Kazuki Tashahasi and 4Kids Entertainment. And probably Microsoft, too. You never know. I am not distributing this work for money. This is a work of fiction in no way officially affiliated with any company or corporation. I do not intend to devaluate the work of any individual.
Setting: After Battle City series. I envision Battle City Tournament rules being adopted as general rules, except for the "Sacrifice" rule. Actually, on second thought, this could be anytime.
There is a long-hidden power present on the earth, utilized by pharaohs long ago. This power was so great that the smallest scarab and the greatest sphinx had no choice but to succumb to the will of any who utilized it. However, the pharaohs were ignorant of the true potential of this power. When it overcame their own control, they decided to lock it away…
In the absence of this power, man created his own. Machines. Machines that men never believed could become as great as themselves.
Deus Ex Machina: the god in the mechanisms. The fortuitous and unlikely event that brings closure to an impossible situation. But what if the god is the machine? And what if it works against you?
Yugi Muoto and his friends were wandering aimlessly around town. It was just past noon and Yugi, cheered on by Téa, Tristan, and Joey, had already dueled every willing opponent. Now they had nothing to do, but wander the streets and hope some action would turn up.
"Excitement is seriously lackin' in this town!" Joey said out of boredom, "What a guy gotta do to…"
"Or a girl…" Téa added.
"Or a girl," Joey agreed, "to find some excitement around here?"
"Rob a bank," Tristan joked, and Téa and Joey emitted half a laugh. It was true, though. The only time there was ever any conversation-worthy topics was when a crime was committed. Yugi showed no signs that he was listening. He was buried deep in thought. Tristan tried to start a conversation with him.
"Don't I get even a head nod, Yugi? C'mon, what's eating you?" Yugi's head snapped to attention.
"Wha…? Oh, nothing. Nothing's wrong," Yugi said, not entirely convincingly. Tristan gave him a "yeah, right" look.
"Well, it's just that, well, there's no one to duel anymore."
"What do ya' mean, little guy? You and Joey just took on, like, half the kids in the town."
"Well, yeah. But it's never challenging anymore. Not like any of the adventures we used to have." Téa sighed mentally. She'd been noticing for a while now that Yugi seemed to be growing tired of Duel Monsters. He'd progressed as far as he could. Sometimes she wished she could just tell him to move on to some other game, liked he'd been doing just after they all met. But even deeper down, she knew she could never tell him that. If Yugi didn't refute the idea right out, Joey certainly would for him. The only time Yugi ever seemed satisfied with himself was he was facing near-impossible and sometimes dangerous "adventures".
"Let's go make an adventure then!" burst Joey, "Cut the chatter!"
"Yugi," Téa intoned, "How can you pine for the adventures we've had? They were full of danger. You're Millennium Item, if not your soul, was always at stake." Yugi looked at his shoes and scuffed them against the asphalt.
"I know," Yugi replied, "but it was a challenge." He half smiled, remembering. Yugi could almost laugh at himself; such a little kid facing such perils.
"Don't worry, Yugi. We're about due for another adventure," Tristan said, prophetically.
In the shadows of an alley, a hunched figure eavesdropped on the group. The cogs of his brain turned. He calculated multiple scenarios in his mind, playing out the results of each one. Carefully scrutinizing Yugi, his eyes focused on the Millennium Puzzle thumping against his chest with each step. He, mechanically, felt the Millennium Ring that rest there. After a moment's pause, he slipped deeper into the shadows and disappeared.