Well, I'm back with an update! Sadly, I didn't get that many reviews for the first chapter (I only got two, but they were both nice). However, I am continuing to get reviews for my other story For the Sake of My Beloved! Well, this story is the sequel, so… yeah.
Some thanks need to be said to the following folkies!
A. Valentine- thanks for reviewing FSMB, it made me smile! I love your ancient Egypt fics! Woot!
chibineko- well, whoever you are, chips to you for reviewing this story! And, for your sake as well as mine, there won't be any yaoi with Atem, because he's dead now (who knows? Perhaps he shall return… in one form or another…). I really don't believe that any of the characters were designed to be homosexual, but I could be wrong. I'll probably write some other stories with Anzu/Atem. Thanks for reviewing and reading!
Saiya-jin Spice- what an awesome review for FSMB! It was really long, but I'm really glad you thought the whole fight scene with Jounouchi and Seto was funny… I laughed while writing it! Also, thank you very much for your advice on the characters' names!
ImCrazyAndProudOfIt- hey, I made someone shiver! You are correct, by the way- he is back… and unfortunately for our favorite characters (but fortunately for us Yami no Bakura fans drool) he's as bad as ever! Thanks for the review and here you are!
Karasea- thanks for the review!
Disclaimer For Those Who Need Disclaimers: I don't own Yuugiou/ Yu-Gi-Oh. It is the sole intellectual property of Mr. Takahashi (you lucky, lucky man!)...
After The Legend
Domino, Japan-
Mutou Yuugi awoke with a shiver. Bolting upright, he glanced around for signs of danger. That voice in his dream, that laugh, had almost sounded like-
No, it couldn't be. The spirit of the Millennium Ring had been destroyed, and the Ring had been locked away with the other items. It had to be a dream, just another nightmare. But it had seemed so close (whatever that meant), and it had felt like there were once again two Ryous…
Yuugi lay down once again, careful not to awaken the sleeping brunette next to him. Her hair was ruffled slightly from tossing and turning during the night. Yuugi couldn't resist a smile. Anzu's presence always seemed to cheer him, ever since she had returned his affections on that rainy day back in high school.
Yuugi's thoughts shifted back to that foreboding dream. The Millennium Ring, he'd been able to actually feel the dark presence within it. What confused him was that instead of the item being a warm golden color, it was now cold silver. Yuugi shuddered again. He didn't want to think that of all the struggles that had happened five years ago were in vain. He just wanted to leave the nightmares where they belonged: in his memories.
The violet-eyed man shut his eyes, trying to get back to sleep.
The alarm went off at five, and Yuugi felt as though he hadn't slept a wink. He sat up and stretched, trying to fight the urge to go back to sleep. Beside him, Mazaki Anzu was fighting the same urge.
"Morning," she said sleepily.
"Good morning," he replied, leaning down to kiss her gently.
Anzu sat up and stretched, pulling the sheets over her chest instinctively. "Did you sleep well?" she asked her partner.
"Not really, no," Yuugi replied, rubbing his eyes. "And the fact that I have school today doesn't help things."
Anzu smiled, and embraced him. "I still can't believe you actually became a teacher."
"Not just any teacher, Anzu- Professor of Duel History and Strategy," Yuugi joked, placing mock emphasis on his title.
Flashback: One Year Ago
Mutou Yuugi stood overlooking the Domino Park from a bridge. It really was a peaceful scene; the park was nearly empty as the sun began to set, filling the green area with golden light.
He was alone, which was unusual for him- he was almost always in the company of his girlfriend Mazaki Anzu, or his other friends (namely Jounouchi Katsuya or Honda Hiroto). Yuugi was deep in thought at the moment, staring blankly at the clear water of the creek that ran through the park, allowing the clogs in his mind time to turn.
The subject of his thoughts was Mazaki Anzu and his future with her. They had been together ever since shortly after the departure of the Pharoah Atem four years ago, and life had reverted into a normal schedule of dates, work, and school. Yuugi and Anzu were both working part-time jobs and had begun living together in a small apartment. Yuugi was working at the game shop and attending Domino University, while Anzu was attending school on the other side of town.
It had stunned Yuugi (as well as Jounouchi and Honda) to learn that Anzu hadn't gone to America to study dance. No, she had decided to stay with Yuugi and the others and attend the Mikage College of Performing Arts (AN 1), after winning a prestigious scholarship. Yuugi didn't mind the development at all. Anzu was following her dream, and they were able to still be together.
Their relationship had reached its deepest level (at least on a physical level) two years ago; and by all means, the young lovers were already married (save in the legal sense). Yuugi had toyed with the idea of marriage for a while, but hadn't really talked about it with Anzu. They had casually mentioned it, but never really considered it. After all, they were still young, barely old enough to drink legally (AN 2).
While Yuugi was thinking, a figure in a flowing trenchcoat walked slowly up the path, briefcase in hand. Kaiba Seto leaned on the bridge, joining the shorter young man in admiring the view.
"Hello Kaiba-kun."
"Hello Yuugi."
"It's strange to see you here alone."
Yuugi shrugged. "I just wanted a little time to myself to think."
"To think? What about?"
"The future," Yuugi responded.
"HA!" Kaiba laughed aloud. "That's a new one. Usually you obsess about the past."
Yuugi's eyes narrowed. "Kaiba you should know that the past is the key to our-"
"Yeah, yeah," Kaiba rolled his eyes. " I know the saying. Trust me, I've had enough of that 'destiny' bullcrap to last me a lifetime."
"One would think that Isis would have given up on trying to get you to believe in destiny after Battle City." Yuugi grinned. Isis and Kaiba had begun dating (much to Malik's chagrin), after Isis had returned to Domino for an archeology conference, and they had been a couple for about a year.
"Well, you know how she is," Kaiba said. "So, how are you and Anzu doing?"
"We're fine," Yuugi said. "Anzu's starting a teaching job over at the Dance Academy on Main Street.
"Good."
"I trust you and Isis are all right."
"Yep. Isis is the head of the Museum now."
"Great," Yuugi said.
The sun had almost completely disappeared. "So Kaiba-kun," Yuugi started, "On the phone you just said to meet you here. What did you want to talk to me about?"
Kaiba said nothing; instead, he sat his briefcase on the bridge and opened it. He pulled out a blank blue folder and handed it to Yuugi.
"A job proposal," Kaiba said simply.
Yuugi opened the folder with interest and began reading. "A duelist training academy, Kaiba?"
"That's what the plan says."
"Why a school for Duel Monsters?" Yuugi asked.
"It's the most popular game in the world, Yuugi." Kaiba replied. "Even now, the game is still revered as the most successful game in history."
"My question stands: Why a school for Duel Monsters? Why not a tournament"
"Because a school is better than a tournament, Yuugi! Think about it! What if you could attend a school where the focus is on mastering the game? Becoming a champion?"
"I'm retired, Kaiba," Yuugi said. "And don't you pay attention to the news? This sort of thing has been done before."
"I know."
"And they've all failed."
"I know that, too."
"Then why are you wanting to do this?" Yuugi asked.
Kaiba grinned. "Because I'd have something none of them had: the 'King of Games'."
End Flashback
Kaiba had been adamant about Yuugi coming to teach at the academy. Yuugi had been skeptical at first: he didn't really see how a school for dueling could possibly work. Why would parents pay to let their children come to a school for mastering Duel Monsters? Seto Kaiba would not take "no" for an answer, and, being the expert businessman he was, kept pushing Yuugi to take the position. Eventually, (after promising Yuugi a healthy paycheck) Mutou Yuugi accepted the job offer, and began teaching Duel History and Strategy at the Duelist Training Academy.
The academy was in the mountains about 20 minutes from Domino City. It had a fairly large campus, with one main building surrounded by three smaller buildings. Kaiba Corporation had also bought the surrounding land for outdoor dueling practice. It had three sessions per year, allowing students four months of intensive training. Being a boarding school, students got one week of leave during a session to return home and prepare for the finals (travel expenses were covered in the tuition cost). When they returned to the school, the students would have a final test over everything they had learned, and the best competed in the End-of-Year Tournament.
The school had been a resounding success, as Yuugi had seen during his first year at the academy. The classes were completely full, and all the students he had taught were eager to become the best they could be. Yuugi had taught them all he could about structuring their decks properly, and understanding the honor of the game. Some of the students (which were- of course- his favorites) began to embrace the philosophy of the "Heart of the Cards", and did quite well in their tests. Others openly mocked his strategy, claiming it "stupid", and "dumb luck". Yuugi thought it funny that those students who rejected the "Heart of the Cards" often failed to draw the crucial card at the most important moments. No matter; if the duelists didn't want to use his methods to become champions, it was fine with him.
Yuugi was looking for his shoes as Anzu packed him a small lunch. He was looking forward to the winter break immensely… getting together with his friends to celebrate the holidays, and having some "quality time" with his fiancée.
Finding his shoes, Yuugi jammed them on, then took off towards the door, grabbing lunch (and a good-bye kiss) from Anzu, then his bag from the floor.
"Have a good day, Yuugi," Anzu smiled.
"You too. I love you," he replied.
"I love you, too."
Yuugi left, and Anzu returned to the bedroom to get ready for work.
Somewhere over the Pacific-
Yami no Bakura rolled his eyes at the meaningless chatter going on around him. The plane was irritably loud with all the conversations happening at once, and the Thief King was trying to tune out all the noise so he could concentrate on what he would do upon reaching Domino.
His host was expected to attend some sort of get-together with the other companions of the dear departed Pharaoh, but the evil spirit was trying to decide whether or not he should proceed with his plans there, or bide his time further. He knew what he needed to do, but the question was when should he do it?
His thoughts were interrupted (again) by the loud-mouthed little boy in the seat next to him. The child was blathering to his mother about visiting Japan, seeing some boy named Aaron who was going to a school… for Duel Monsters?
Yami no Bakura was immediately interested. "Excuse me," he asked, impersonating his host so not to frighten the young boy, "Did you say something about a school for Duel Monsters?"
"I'm sorry," the boy's mother replied, "If he's bothering you, we can move to another seat."
"Oh, it's no bother at all," the spirit lied, "I was just curious about this Duel Monster school you spoke of."
"It's a school where you can go to learn how to be a champion of the game," the boy said excitedly. "My cousin Aaron's a student there, and he says that the classes are all taught by expert duelists!"
The boy went on to explain about some of the different classes that his cousin was taking, during which Yami no Bakura listened with an occasional "you don't say" or "really, is that so?"
The youth began going on about how great the Duelist Academy was. "….And you know the neatest thing? You get taught by the Game King himself!"
That caught the spirit's attention. "The Game King?" He stared at the boy, "Mutou Yuugi?"
"Yeah!" the boy said, pracically jumping up and down from excitement. "Isn't that awesome?"
Yami no Bakura didn't respond. Instead, he began to think. "This is interesting," he thought to himself. "Very interesting…"
Author Notes (ANs)
AN 1- This isn't a real school (at least to my knowledge). I got the name from Ayashi no Ceres/ Ceres: Celestial Legend- which I do not own any part of (except for a copy of the first manga).
AN 2- the characters from the original (except Malik and Isis) are all 20 years old. Malik is 19, and Isis is 22.
Okay, gonna stop this chapter here, I think. I know there weren't many introductions this chapter, they will come next chapter. Hopefully I can get it up before school starts (When that happens, my stories will probably go on hiatus- I won't know until classes begin) in two weeks- urgh! Hoping for many reviews and input on the story so far…