DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fanfiction produced for entertainment purposes only. Yu-Gi-Oh! and all related characters are the creations of Kazuki Takahashi.
Chapter 4: The Librarian Appears
By Shadow's Mirror
Yugi and Yami stared into the room through the open doorway, both too stunned to speak.
The library was no small cottage. Beyond the door was a massive chamber. Bookshelves encircled the room, rising up level upon level in a column of wood, leather and gilded pages. On every level, a large platform jutted from the shelves in an impossible feat of gravity-defying architecture. Each platform held a podium large enough to support a large book, with just enough room left over for a quill and pot of ink. The chamber was lit by large, shimmering green balls of energy that hung from the underside of every platform. Their soft light cast an eerie glow over the purple-robed figures who moved with silent ease around the room, gliding from platform to platform with their robes streaming out behind them like large wings. In the middle of the room stood a large wooden table and sturdy chairs that looked as though they'd been carved from living trees, rather than assembled from pieces of cut wood.
Yugi's already wide eyes grew wider still as he stared around in awe. Finally, he found his voice. "Oh Yami! You were right! This place is incredible!" He gazed around in childish delight.
Yami slumped against the doorway, his shocked gaze slowly taking in the scene before him. "No… It… It can't be…" Yugi looked at him in concern.
"Yami? Are you okay? What's wrong? Do you feel ill?" Yugi reached up and put his hand gently on his yami's forehead. "Well, you don't have a fever or anything." As he removed his hand, his dark half caught it. Yugi blinked down at their joined hands, then looked up, questions in his eyes. "Yami?"
The taller boy smiled slightly and lightly squeezed Yugi's hand. "I am well, Yugi. Do not worry. I was merely… caught unawares." He looked away, into the library, as Yugi stared at him in surprise. "It has been some time since I was here last. I had thought that it would have remained exactly the same but… I was wrong." He looked up at the column of bookshelves and winced. "That was definitely not here before." Yami sighed heavily. "I wonder what else has changed?"
Yugi squeezed his yami's hand back, trying to reassure him. "Everything changes at some point, Yami. But just because it changes, that doesn't mean it's completely different. It looks like it's still a library, only even bigger than it was the last time you were here. Right?"
Yami blinked at his light. "I… had not thought of it in that way. Yes, it is clearly still a library, and yes, it appears to be far more extensive now than it was." He smiled as he straightened. "Thank you, Yugi. I was being foolish. Shall we go in? We need to find you a solution to your problem."
"Oh! That's right!" A faint hint of colour stole into Yugi's cheeks as Yami chuckled. "I didn't forget about it! I just… got distracted for a little while."
Impulsively, Yami raised their joined hands into their line of sight. His eyes gleamed with mischief as he grinned. "So… I distract you, do I?"
"Yami!" Yugi giggled. "Be serious!" He pulled away and was inside the room before Yami could reply. The ex-Pharaoh shook his head, smiling at his light's eagerness even as his eyes took on a wistful look.
"I am." He said it too softly for Yugi to hear, then immediately shook himself free of the wayward thought and followed the enthusiastic boy into the library.
He caught up to Yugi in a few strides. The boy had stopped and was staring up at the tower of shelves in uncertainty. "Yami… there's so many books." He turned to his yami and shrugged, a sheepish smile on his face. "I don't know where to begin looking."
Yami smiled gently. "Then perhaps we should ask someone?"
Yugi nodded, but made no move towards any of the robed figures. He fidgeted for a moment before looking down at the floor. "They all seem so busy. I hate to disturb them."
"Oh do not worry, young Master Yugi. They love being interrupted! It gives them an excuse to show off their knowledge. Then they are smug about it for the rest of the day. On second thoughts, perhaps you had best ask me instead. How may I help you?"
Both boys jumped at the unexpected voice. They looked around for the speaker, then blinked at each other. There was no one around! Yami moved slightly in front of Yugi, instinctively protective. "You could tell us who you are. And show yourself!"
"Show myself? What do you mean? I am right… Ah… I see what you mean. Oh my. How embarrassing! I do apologise Master Yami, Master Yugi! If you would not mind coming over to the table, I will see if I can made myself a little more… visible."
Yugi and Yami blinked at each other again before shrugging and slowly approaching the table. As they neared it, they noticed that the pile of papers sitting there was moving, as if someone unseen was going through them! One page suddenly rose up and began to hover in mid air.
"Ah! Here it is! Now let me see… hmm…
Shadows that conceal,
Return to your dark place.
Light now reveal,
My identity and face."
A shimmer of light rippled through the air. Beneath its touch, a solid form began to appear before the two boys' startled eyes. By the time the light faded, the speaker was standing in front of them, now fully visible.
The Shadow Monster was in the form of a humanoid eagle, with tawny feathers, talons instead of hands and feet, and two immense wings sprouting from his back. His lime-green outer robe was open down the front, revealing a second robe of forest-green beneath it. His hooked beak and sharp talons looked rather dangerous, but the eyes that blinked at Yugi and Yami from beneath his feathered brow were gentle and wise. Both boys immediately recognised him.
"There. That's more like it!" The Spirit of the Books turned to Yugi and Yami. "I do apologise for the confusion. I was proofreading a manuscript for a new spell book, you see. Unfortunately, I forgot myself and accidentally read part of it out loud."
Yami blinked. "You cast an Invisibility spell on yourself?"
The Spirit of the Books looked rather embarrassed. "Yes, although I didn't realise it until you pointed it out." He glanced thoughtfully down at the manuscript. "This is obviously not a good book to proofread when you have a tendency to read aloud to yourself." Both Yami and Yugi winced and nodded in agreement. The Shadow Monster chuckled.
"Now that is sorted out, to what do we owe the pleasure, and honour, of your presence here tonight?" He looked from Yami to Yugi and back again, his eyes bright with anticipation.
"Um… well… I…" Yugi sent a pleading glance to Yami, too embarrassed to explain. His darker half smiled at him and nodded, placing a calming hand upon the small boy's shoulder.
"We require some assistance with a troublesome History teacher. I provided Yugi with some information about Ancient Egypt for an assignment, however the teacher does not believe it to be true. He has demanded that Yugi either name his source or rewrite the assignment. None of the books in the outside world contain the information. I am hoping that one of the books here might."
The Spirit of the Books had started nodding as soon as the words 'History teacher' had been spoken. He turned to Yugi and spoke gently to the blushing boy. "What information do you need a source for?"
"I made a list." Yugi pulled a rather rumpled piece of paper from his pocket. His cheeks went bright red and he darted a glance at Yami before handing the paper to the Spirit of the Books. "I… I'm sorry it's like that. I hope you can still read it."
A faint tide of colour washed over Yami's cheeks as he realised how the paper had come to be in such a state. He must have crushed it when he had carried Yugi through the portal. He looked away quickly; trying to act as though there was nothing going on and it certainly wasn't his fault.
The Spirit of the Books blinked and looked at the two boys. They were both blushing and trying to hide it. Yami was also trying to look innocent. The Spirit of the Books hid his smile. Yami was failing miserably. "As I often say to Dark Witch and D. Human, I don't think I want to know." He chuckled as both boys shot him startled looks, then turned his attention to the piece of paper.
"Hmm…" He looked at Yugi again. "Do not worry, Master Yugi. I believe I can assist you."