Author's Note: Some of you may be familiar with a previous story I wrote entitled "White Reflection," the romance between the Dark Magician and the Blue Eyes White Dragon. This fic, however, is a "what if" story, and so the relationships of these Duel Monsters is in no way related to those portrayed in "White Reflection."

Oh, and though this chapter seems like a side story, it does actually tie into the main plot.

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Intermission

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A beautiful girl stood by a mirror in the Shadow Realm, intently studying the scene glistening on its reflective surface. She had a hand pressed to her mouth, trying in vain to stifle the giggles that threatened to emerge. For the scene before her was not her own reflection, but that of the human world, the world she and other duel monsters like her guarded from their shadowy realm.

A gentle breeze blew past, ruffling her snow white hair. Impatiently, she brushed it back, and yet it persisted in blowing free of her grasp, long strands of hair floating forward to tickle her face and shoulders. But she smiled slightly as two warm hands joined her own in pulling back her long hair, and she felt those same gentle hands she'd come to love quickly braiding her wayward hair into a tight plait.

"I don't know how you stand to keep your hair so long, Hansha," she murmured, turning slightly to look over her shoulder at her husband.

Hansha grinned back at her, the Dark Magician's long purple hair blowing free, and not seeming to bother him in the least. She supposed he probably used a touch of his magic to keep it out of his way. Who cared about dark magic attacks; using magic for simple things like hair care would be much more practical.

"You could always cut your hair if you wished, Midori," Hansha answered, as he usually did, tapping her on the nose.

"Oh, right," Midori huffed. "And then what would people think? I'd look more like a boy than you! I refuse to be married to someone that's girlier than I am."

"I assure you, there's no need to fear that," the Dark Magician assured her. "So, what is it you were so amused over a minute ago?"

"Oh, that." Midori suppressed another giggle, turning back to the mirror, gesturing to human boys pictured there. "Just Seto. He won the Blue Eyes White Dragon cards today, you know? From that silly little boy, Noa. The duel lasted less than four minutes, I swear."

"Noa's not such a little boy," Hansha murmured. "He's as old as Seto is."

"But he still acts like a little child," Midori muttered. "I'd sure hate to be his Guardian. Must have his hands full." Midori smiled fondly at the image of Seto in the mirror, watching him as he walked home with his friends. She was very proud of him.

It seemed very fitting that Seto had three Blue Eyes White Dragon cards in his deck, since he had three of the same dragons as his guardians. Midori was his first guardian, though she was the youngest of the four Blue Eyes siblings. The two eldest brothers, twin Blue Eyes by the names of Gin and Kin, had also been chosen to be guardians for Seto.

Midori's husband Hansha, however, was one of eight Guardians that protected the spirit of an ancient king, Yami, once Pharaoh of Egypt, and still the King of Games. Also among the ranks of Yami's Guardians was the youngest of Midori's brothers, Shiroi.

She sighed as her thoughts turned to that brother. Shiroi was a nice guy, certainly, and Midori had always been fond of him, no matter how many times she beat him up. The problem was… Shiroi was in love, and had been for centuries now. And this wouldn't have been a problem, if the object of his affections didn't also happen to be Midori's husband.

Midori glanced at Hansha again, all the amusement in her expression gone. Hansha didn't know that Shiroi loved him. Midori had made her brother swear not to tell him. She hated to do that to Shiroi, but… damn it, Hansha was hers!

Hansha caught her looking at him so seriously, and he frowned slightly. "Something the matter? Are you feeling ill?"

"No… no." Midori forced a bright smile. "I'm alright, it's just…"

A shuddering thud from the doorway interrupted her, and she and Hansha turned slightly to see what caused it. The massive form of Exodia stood just inside the entryway, looking slightly uneasy, probably thinking he had interrupted something.

"It's alright, Exodia," Midori quickly assured him. "You can come in. Did you need to use the mirror? I was just finishing up here."

Exodia too was one of Yami's many Guardians, and he often came to use the Shadow Realm mirror to watch over the Pharaoh. Midori had to admire his dedication to his work; of all the Guardians in that area, Exodia always seemed to be the most diligent. He was always so busy, that was probably why he had very little time for friends.

Or perhaps it was because he had no friends that he always kept so busy…

Exodia nodded slightly as he stepped into the room. He really liked the Blue Eyes White Dragon girl. It was just Hansha that made the giant uneasy. After all, Shiroi adored Hansha, and Exodia… well, he adored Shiroi.

"I think we ought to go for a walk," Midori was murmuring to her husband. "I feel a sudden urge to move about."

Hansha smiled at her, taking her hands and helping her to her feet. "You're sure it's your urge, and not the baby's?" Grinning in the way that proud parents do, Hansha gently rested a hand over the heavy curve of his wife's pregnant belly.

"It matters not whose idea it was," Midori murmured loftily. She waved up at Exodia as she took careful steps toward the exit. "We'll see you later, alright Exodia?"

Exodia nodded solemnly as he watched the two leave, before crouching down before the mirror. Midori had dismissed the image of the human world, and for the moment the mirror was just that, reflecting Exodia's own face back at him. With a great sigh, he looked away from his reflection as he called up the magic in the mirror to show him the realm of the humans.

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Shiroi leaned against the balcony railing, staring down into the garden below where his sister and her husband took their slow stroll. He loved his sister, most assuredly, but sometimes he couldn't help resenting that. If he didn't care so much for Midori, it would be such an easy thing to steal Hansha away from her. After all, everyone knew that of the four Blue Eyes White Dragons, Shiroi was the most irresistible. No, he could find no flaws with his own charms. It was just that… Midori had claimed the prize first.

And sometimes, Shiroi wished he could hate her.

He's melancholy reverie was momentarily disturbed by a small creature tugging on his pants leg, demanding Shiroi's attention. Shiroi looked down at the tiny thing, a little boy no older than three, his hair and eyes a matching color of pale gold. This toddler, named The Winged Dragon of Ra at his birth, but known as Ra for short, peered intently up at his uncle's face before pointing imperiously up at him and announcing,

"Parp!"

Shiroi blinked at the child, who seemed immensely proud at his baby-nonsense word. Then Shiroi laughed softly, picking the child up and hugging him gently. Little Ra giggled and tugged at Shiroi's hair.

"Well now, how'd you get in here, anyway?" Shiroi softly demanded. "I thought your brother was supposed to be watching you."

As if mention of him had called up his very presence, 13-year-old Slyfer the Sky Dragon came tearing into the room, his intensely red wild hair even more mussed than usual. He skidded to a halt even as he groaned a sigh of relief at spotting his little brother.

"Gods damn you, squirt," Slyfer muttered as he took his squirming brother from Shiroi. "One of these days you'll have to teach me how you can just up and disappear like that."

"He disappears like that because you always manage to get distracted while you're watching him," Shiroi told the boy. "So what was it this time? Girls, mortals, or video games?"

Slyfer grinned up at his uncle sheepishly. "Uhhh… what if I told you I was saving a flock of helpless kuriboh from a rampaging Red Eyes Black Dragon?"

"I'd say you were full of shit, and then I'd probably have to tattle to your mother about you lying to me."

Slyfer glowered up at him. "Oh yeah? Then I'd just have to tell her you were cussing around all her precious children again. Hey, where is Mom, anyway?"

Shiroi absently gestured down to the garden below, where Midori had sat down on the grass to pick flowers and playfully braid them into Hansha's hair. Slyfer watched them for a moment, then made a gagging noise and turned away from the scene.

"Yuck," Slyfer muttered. "I swear, everyone in the world that falls in love goes all wonky."

"You don't know the half of it," Shiroi muttered, casting a last glance down at Hansha, before striding toward the door purposefully. "I'm gonna go find my brothers. You keep a close watch on Ra, understand?"

"Yeah yeah, I know…" Slyfer muttered, grumbling and poking his brother's nose. The last thing Shiroi heard was a loud yelp as Ra bit Slyfer's finger.