If we count Seto's birthday as a single section, despite having taken three updates to conclude, then it's still the longest part of the story so far. However, as far as single chapter updates go, this one is the longest. By far. I didn't specifically plan to write 6,500+ words on Halloween, but it happened. I'm not sure why.

But, hopefully this won't be a problem.

This chapter, like the previous one, has 4 scenes instead of the usual 3.

Shall we?

1.

Friday, at school, Yugi is the height of disappointed when his friend doesn't shown up in costume. He doesn't say so, he's too polite for that, but Seto knows all the same. Yugi has picked out a dark robe and a pointed wizard's hat—it looks like the hat to a girls' witch costume, actually, just with little stars glued on it—and he's carrying around a satchel instead of his backpack. He says he has a staff, too, but forgot it at home.

Téa, for her part, dresses in a soccer uniform, personalized with her own last name on the back of the jersey. She carries a ball with her, like a prop, throughout the day.

In all honesty, Seto had forgotten all about Halloween. His brain is still too overstimulated by his birthday just days ago—and the notion that another holiday, another celebration, is just a day away would have been too overwhelming if he'd remembered, anyway.

Seto might have known, though, that his new father of course remembers the day.

As he stands here, outside the front gates of Oakwood Elementary School, thinking these things, he can't help but flinch when he thinks of Pegasus Crawford like that. New father. New parent. New guardian. Does he have such a thing? Can he really hope for such a thing?

Does he deserve such a thing?

Pegasus and Croquet are waiting for Seto in the main parking lot, and they flag him over. They're standing next to a silver sedan—the color of the car is actually a perfect match for Pegasus's hair, something that makes Seto dizzy for a moment—and talking about something when the boy approaches them.

Seto asks, idly and out of nerves more than anything else, what kind of car it is. It's a Signature Series Lincoln Town Car, the same model people usually use for stretch limousines; information that Seto files away just in case it might be useful someday.

Pegasus is dressed in much more traditional "business attire" than Seto is used to seeing: crisp charcoal slacks, a black sport coat, and a soft tan button-down shirt. No tie. Mirror-polished black shoes, matching belt. His hair, instead of flowing down his shoulders like a quicksilver waterfall, has been pulled back into a tail—except for his bangs, which frame his face . . . and cover his left eye.

Seto wonders about that eye. What happened to it? Why does Pegasus hide it all the time?

That hair reminds Seto of various anime characters, who wear their bangs long to cover both of their eyes and look more dramatic when drawn in profile. Does Pegasus like anime? Is he wearing a costume? Seto doesn't know.

Seto doesn't ask.

"Hail and well met, young master!" Pegasus says, laughing. "Tell me, do you know what tomorrow is?"

Seto fidgets. ". . . Halloween?"

"That's right! That's absolutely right! And I can guess from your current attire that you are unprepared for the festivities."

"I kind of . . . forgot."

Pegasus crosses his arms, looking stern. "Well, now. That's a problem, young man. A very serious problem." Seto flinches, looks away. Then Pegasus has a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry. I'm teasing, Seto." He sits on his heels, a move that he's obviously practiced a lot because he does it so easily. "But it looks like I'm going to have to show you a few little somethings. Tell me, have you talked to your brother?"

Seto nods, still fidgeting. He can't look the man in the eye.

". . . I . . . we . . . we'd like to. To . . . live with you."

He dares a glance, and Pegasus's face is split into a grin. His single visible eye is glowing. "Excellent! Well, that just makes it all the more important! It's my responsibility to make sure you stay on top of things, then."

"I-I'm getting the top grades in my year!" Seto blurts out.

Pegasus's grin softens. "I'm sure you've never let yourself get anything less. But that," he taps a finger on Seto's nose, "isn't what I'm talking about. I'm going to bet that you don't have a costume picked out. For you, or your brother."

Seto flinches again. "I . . . no. We don't . . . have any . . . money."

"Well, it just so happens that I do," Pegasus says, "and given that I'm apparently an adult, I daresay it's my responsibility to worry about that."

"But . . . ! But you . . . you've already spent so much money on . . . !"

Pegasus shakes his head. "You misunderstand. Please. Don't think I'm running up a tab. Listen to me, dear boy. I . . . Cyndia and I always knew we would have children. A family of our very own. Our own little world. We dreamed of having that. Celebrating holidays, going on vacations, picking out our own Christmas trees. All with a son or daughter, or both, coming along for the journey with us. Life saw fit to . . . deprive us of that." Pegasus's gaze goes far away for a moment. He comes back to himself quickly. "This is the only chance I'll have to live out my beloved's dream for our future. Please. I beg you. Permit me."

Seto looks down at his feet for a moment.

He remembers how horrified he had been, when he'd found out about the tuition his parents had had to pay, to send him to a private school. He remembers what his mother said:

"Seto, honey . . . providing for you isn't our burden. It's our privilege."

He remembers what Yugi's mother said, on the first day he met her:

"It's ruder to refuse a favor than to accept one."

"So what do you say?" Pegasus asks, startling Seto out of his awkward musings. "What if we were to drive down to the Children's Home, pick up your brother, and see if we can't track down something for you both to wear tomorrow? What would you say to that?"

Seto wipes his hands on his pants. "I . . . I would say . . . thank you. That's very nice of you." He hesitates. Stands there. Bites his lower lip. He thinks of Mokuba, and for reasons that he will never be able to properly replicate in his mind, he half-spreads out his arms and steps into the most criminally awkward hug he has ever experienced.

Neither Seto nor Pegasus are in a proper position for such a thing. Seto leans forward, presses his hands against Pegasus's jacket, stumbles back, starts to spread his arms again, steps forward again, leans to one side, then the other, then closes his eyes against everything and wants to cry because he just can't do it he can't do this it's so simple why can't he do it—

Pegasus shifts himself, presses one hand against Seto's back, and pulls him forward. Seto finally remembers how to work his arms, and wraps them around the man's middle. He leans his cheek against Pegasus's shoulder, and stares at nothing. Pegasus's free hand strokes back his hair.

"You're welcome, Seto." A low, shaky whisper. "You are so, so welcome."

2.

Yugi has gone trick-or-treating early, with Téa and her parents. This has permitted Natsumi and Sugoroku to prepare for the evening party. They've done up the apartment above the Turtle with synthetic cobwebs, various plastic creepy-crawlies, and pretty much everything they have been able to pick up from the handful of Halloween-specific stores that started cropping up over the past couple of months.

Both are thinking of Seto's birthday party, and have decided, nearly independent of each other, that they're going to show Pegasus Crawford that ingenuity can make up for modest funds. This isn't so much a conscious thought as it is a manifestation of Sugoroku's competitive instinct, and Natsumi's tendency to go along with her father's schemes just to make sure that he doesn't hurt himself.

What they are conscious of, they banter about as they decorate.

". . . I don't think he realizes at all," Sugoroku is saying, as he sets up a side table with a small infinitude of miniature figurines: there's a vampire, six different werewolves, even a Black Magician. He also puts various zombies and ghouls, and the table eventually looks like a grand melee is being staged on some wooden battlefield.

"He's sharp," Natsumi says, flipping the lights on and off again, then grabbing a stepladder and positioning it under the ceiling fan. As she steps up, she adds, "But I think maybe you're right. The poor thing probably hasn't ever had a buddy his own age to play with. But he probably thinks Yugi's different."

"Well, now, it's not like Yugi's been alone all this time," Sugoroku says.

"Téa's a sweetheart, but their interests don't exactly mesh, a lot of the time. She's an athlete. She likes camping and soccer and dancing. Yugi . . . tries, but even you have to admit it gets awkward. Seto shares his interests. He doesn't just indulge Yugi because he's nice. He's nearly as obsessed with that game as you are."

Sugoroku points a finger at his daughter-in-law. "You watch your tongue, Missy. That game is the future. You wait and see."

"It's different," Natsumi says, "to come to something independently, then bond because it's something you share. Rather than . . . trying to make someone see the light. I love Téa like my own, but . . . Seto is the only friend Yugi hasn't had to fight for."

"Do you think he'll accept Yugi's invitation?" Sugoroku asks suddenly.

"I can't see why he wouldn't," Natsumi murmurs. "Considering Mister Crawford's apparently made it his mission in life to remind him what fun looks like, I'm not sure he has a real choice in the matter."

Sugoroku chuckles. "Fair enough."

They're silent for a moment.

"From what I hear . . ." Sugoroku says slowly, ". . . it's because of Pegasus Crawford that Seto even approached Yugi in the first place. Something about that wager he was talking about, first time I met him." He chuckles. "Surreal. I'm still kind of star-struck, when I think about that. Crawford's young, but . . . quite the designer, I must say. Quite the designer."

"You should ask him for an autograph," Natsumi says, as she shakes a lightbulb next to one ear. "I'm sure he'll be here tonight."

The phone rings, and Sugoroku picks it up. "Happy Halloween!" he declares. "You've reached the Mutou residence. Sugoroku speaking." He listens for a moment. "Oh?" More silence. "Aha. I see. Certainly! Yes, yes, absolutely. Mm-hm." The old man's eyes go wide, and he grins. "Oh-ho . . . really? Oh, yes. Yes, yes, definitely. I'll set it all up for you. I wouldn't miss this for the world."

He hangs up. Stares off into the distance.

"Care to fill me in, Dad?" Natsumi wonders.

"Speak of the devil," Sugoroku says. "That was Mister Crawford his own self."

"You look entirely too terrifying right now." Natsumi steps down, picks up the ladder, and eyes the man studiously. "What's he plotting?"

Sugoroku raises an eyebrow. "Something . . . special. Dust off your handbook, my dear. It looks like we're introducing the kids to a way of life tonight."

Natsumi stares for a moment, unsure, then Sugoroku gestures to his miniature battlefield, and her entire face brightens.

"Oooooh . . ."

She grins like a fool for the rest of the afternoon.

3.

Seto and Mokuba Yagami step into the apartment above the Turtle gingerly, like they think a trap might be sprung if they aren't careful. Natsumi steps into the living room, takes one look at the pair of them, and squeals. "Oh, my God, that's so precious!" she all but shrieks, and laughs when Seto fidgets and turns away.

He's still dressed in his costume, because that's what is expected of him, but he's heard that reaction from so many different people today that he thinks he might just keel over and die. Right here. On the floor. He adjusts the eyepatch that's covering his left eye—he doesn't know why he's chosen to cover his left eye, but Pegasus Crawford does—and shifts his weight. He watches Mokuba rush across the room to greet Natsumi; the Mutou matriarch, in turn, hunkers down to receive him.

Seto is dressed in full pirate regalia: boots, breeches, a sash, thick gloves, a tunic, three plastic pistols across his chest, a plastic saber tucked into the sash at his left hip, and a tricorn hat—and, of course, the eyepatch. Seto remembers the sorts of costumes that his parents used to get him for Halloween. They were the ones that were sold in stores, with plastic masks and vague patterns on thin jumpsuits that were supposed to look like cartoon characters and superheroes, but ended up actually looking like cheap pajamas.

Pegasus Crawford has no love for such costumes, apparently. He's driven Seto around every department store in Domino City, seemingly, in order to put together—piecemeal—the ensemble he is wearing.

Mokuba is wearing a store-bought costume, though. Primarily because a hand-crafted parrot suit would have taken too long to put together on such short notice. Where would they even begin to find the feathers, anyway?

Natsumi is laughing while Mokuba flaps his arms around and declares himself to be Captain Nii'tama's first mate. She looks at Seto. "Happy Halloween, Seto. Have you been enjoying yourself?"

Seto licks his lips nervously. "Y-Yes, ma'am."

He isn't sure if he's lying or not.

Natsumi looks at Mokuba, bright green and glowing with excitement, and looks back at Seto. "Would you mind if I got a picture of this? You're just too much. This is—fantastic."

Seto shrugs spasmodically. "I . . . I suppose."

"Dad!" Natsumi shouts. "Get the camera!"

It is at this point that Seto becomes conscious of something: Natsumi Mutou is a vampire. She's dressed in a black tuxedo, a high-collared cloak, and she has red streaks running from the corners of her mouth down her chin. Her dark red hair is slicked back. She's wearing white gloves, and there's a black cane leaning against one wall; its handle is shaped like a wolf's head.

Sugoroku steps into the room holding a disposable camera, which he hands to his daughter. He is dressed like a medieval nobleman. He looks similar to Seto, in fact, except he has a jerkin, red cape, and no hat. He has gold chains and trinkets hanging from every spare part of himself. It's probably not real gold. He spies the two boys and laughs. "Excellent!" he declares in a deep, resounding voice that somehow sounds louder than Seto remembers. "Oh, this is fantastic! Well done, boys, well done!"

Seto blushes. "It . . . it was Mister Crawford's idea," he says slowly, sheepishly.

"Details," Sugoroku mutters, waving dismissively. "Get a picture. I'm going to get Yugi and Téa. We need a group shot!"

"Come here, Mokie," Seto says, holding out an arm. Mokuba immediately returns to his brother's side, hanging on that arm like it's a lifeline. He bounces on the balls of his feet, giggling and making strange sounds in his throat that might be his version of whatever sounds a toddler thinks a parrot makes. Seto wonders if his little companion has any idea why he's even dressed like a bird, why it makes sense, given the getup Seto is in. He probably doesn't. All Mokuba knows is that a lot of people are paying attention to him today, and that tends to be enough for him.

It's hard for Seto to remain embarrassed and flustered when his brother is so obviously having the time of his life.

Yugi and Téa are brought in, probably from Yugi's bedroom, for pictures. Predictably, they too have plenty of words for the Yagami brothers' tandem costumes—or, at least, happy sounds and gesticulations. Téa puts her arms around Seto's and Yugi's shoulders, since she's tallest, and Mokuba sits in front of them all. It's hard to tell who is grinning harder: Mokuba or Yugi.

Or Sugoroku, actually.

"Come along, kids," Natsumi says, after a few minutes of random chitchat during which Yugi explains his trick-or-treating adventures, and Seto pries his own experiences, both from earlier in the day and from years past, out of his memory. He still isn't used to this, and only part of him understands that it isn't going to stop anytime soon. This is what having friends means.

"We've got something planned for the evening," Natsumi adds. "Well, actually, Mister Crawford has something planned for the evening. Come on, come on, into the kitchen with you."

The Mutous' kitchen isn't particularly large, but it's one of the bigger rooms in the house. A wide table dominates the middle of the room, and whatever is on top of it is covered by a thick, heavy cloth. There are chairs situated around the table, enough for each of them. Three on one side, length-wise, three on the other, and one at the far end. Natsumi slips over to the oven, where she's been preparing something.

"Sit down," she says. "He should be here soon."

"Mister Crawford is coming?" Yugi asks, excitedly.

". . . He said he was busy," Seto murmurs.

Natsumi smirks. "Busy preparing this. Just sit tight. You'll see."

Sugoroku is chuckling to himself. He rests one hand on something that's underneath the tablecloth. Then Natsumi calls him over, and they both start preparing snacks and drinks for everyone. Seto takes the seat nearest him, at one corner of the table. Mokuba immediately clambers into the chair next to him, and Yugi takes the other corner seat on that side.

Téa sits down on the middle chair on the other side. She makes cooing noises at Mokuba as the toddler smacks his hands on the table and babbles privately to himself. Seto smiles, pats his brother's head, and waits.

Not two minutes later, a boisterous voice proclaims its owner's presence.

"Welcome to the madhouse, children! I do hope you've enjoyed yourselves! Tell me . . . are you ready?"

Pegasus Crawford is dressed in a black cloak and cowl. But the image isn't quite that of the Grim Reaper, so much as a man straight out of whatever court Sugoroku is pretending to hail from. But where Sugoroku looks like a visiting merchant prince or something similar, Pegasus has the look of a mysterious drifter, a fortune teller from far off, come to tell the king his ultimate fate.

Mokuba cries out in excitement. He knows that Pegasus is important now, even if he doesn't quite understand why.

Seto smiles again. "Hello, Mister Crawford," he says.

Pegasus grins, and bows with a flourish. "Good evening, boys. So sorry to have left you, but I do hope our dear and gracious hosts have explained that I had . . . something special to cook up for this evening." He glances at Natsumi and Sugoroku for confirmation. They nod.

He approaches the table, a wide smile on his face. That smile makes him look younger than usual, such that he might just be another trick-or-treater approaching the Mutous' house for candy. He sits down at the far seat at the head of the table and flips the hood on his cowl. He says, "What do my fine lords and ladies know of role-playing games, if I may ask?"

Seto frowns. "I've played Chrono Trigger," he offers.

Téa shrugs. "I think I read a book that's set in a world made for games like that. Maybe?"

Yugi's face brightens. "Like Monster World?"

Pegasus holds up a finger. "Not quite. Think . . . a bit older than that."

"Oooh . . . the tabletop games that Monster World got based on?"

"There you go."

Yugi's excitement dwindles. "Not . . . much." He looks at the table in front of him, then his entire face transforms as it comes back. "Are we gonna play?!"

Pegasus pushes back his hood a bit, leans forward, and rests his chin on his interlaced hands. "Call it a tradition. An uncle of mine used to do just such a thing on Halloween, when I was little. I thought it appropriate to keep the tradition alive." He winks in the general direction of Seto and Mokuba. "Now that there are children looking to me for guidance."

Seto breaks eye contact and stares at the floor, but can't help the twitching of his lips into something like a smile.

"Oh!" Téa pipes up. "Are you going to adopt Seto and Mokuba, Mister Crawford?"

Yugi gasps.

Pegasus leans back, and doesn't speak. He is, however, still grinning.

"It's not . . . official, yet," Seto mumbles. "But . . . but he says . . . maybe . . . by Christmas . . ."

"That's so cool!" Yugi's eyes look ready to fall out of his head. "Then we can stay over, and play games and watch cartoons and stuff!" He frowns suddenly. "Y'know . . . 'cuz the Children's Home doesn't let us. Hey! You should come stay here sometime!"

Seto doesn't realize, at this moment, just how important it is that Yugi doesn't even factor in the fact that Pegasus Crawford is a millionaire. That, when he comes to sleep over, it'll probably be in a manor, or a penthouse. Seto hasn't even allowed himself to think that, because if he thinks about it too much, he won't ever be able to believe it's real.

Seto stopped believing in miracles a long time ago.

"What are you talking about?" Natsumi asks from her place at the kitchen counter. "He's staying over tonight."

Seto blinks. "Huh?"

Yugi blinks. "Huh?"

Mokuba slaps an open hand on the table. "Ha!"

"What Mister Crawford has planned will take a while. Probably you'll be up way past your bedtimes." She winks. "We talked to Mister Elliot earlier today. He gave the go-ahead. We'll set up a place for you and your brother to sleep. Dad, did you find the sleeping bags?"

"Did I find the sleeping ba—of course I found the sleeping bags!"

Natsumi gave her father a look.

Sugoroku shrugs. "I . . . did not find the sleeping bags."

He leaves the kitchen sheepishly. Yugi giggles.

"We should set up a fort in the living room!" Téa says. "We'll all sleep out there, and watch cartoons in the morning. Ooh! We should make popcorn! Can we have popcorn?"

"Of course," Natsumi says, chuckling.

Seto sits back in his seat, face unreadable for a moment.

Then, something lights in his eyes. "This . . . should be fun."

Pegasus leans forward. "Well, then! Now that that's settled . . . what say we begin?"

4.

"Um . . . I know I'm dressed like this, but . . . can I be the wizard?" Seto points to one of the character sheets Pegasus has set in front of them.

"Certainly," Pegasus says immediately. "A fan of magic, are you, my boy?"

"I just . . . I think . . . well, they have to study their magic, right? They go to magic schools, and use what they learn to change the world. Right?" Pegasus nods, gestures invitingly. "Well . . . I kind of do that. I think I should be able to, you know, role-play that. Since . . ."

Pegasus is still nodding. "Good. That's very good."

Yugi looks disappointed for all of four seconds. "Then I'll be the sorcerer!" he suddenly declares. He grins at Seto. "We can be partners! Sorcerers are, like, naturals. They have magic in their blood. So they don't know spells like wizards do. They just use the elements and make stuff happen that way."

Seto is looking at his sheet, a thoughtful frown on his face. "So . . . it would be like . . . making up for our weaknesses. I'm not as powerful as you are, but I have more control. So if we need to trick a dragon into thinking we have an army . . ."

"That would be you."

"But if we need to blow up a castle . . ."

"Me!"

The two boys grin at each other. They shake hands.

"What about you, my dear?" Pegasus asks Téa.

"I think . . ." She looks up at him. "That book I read had a lady who prayed to the moon. She could talk to animals and things. Is there a character like that?"

Pegasus lifts up one of the sheets. "That would be a druid."

Téa smiles, and takes the proffered documentation. "I'll be the druid!"

"Excellent," Pegasus says. "So . . . do we all understand how this works?"

"You'll tell us what's happening in the world," Yugi says.

"And we tell you what we want to do," Seto adds.

"And then we roll these funny dice, and you tell us what happens," is Téa's contribution. She lifts up a twenty-sided die from her set of seven, and rolls it around in her fingers.

Pegasus claps his hands together. "Excellent! Well done. So, then, what we'll be doing for a little while, is coming up with your characters."

"Aren't they right here?" Téa asks, lifting the sheet in her hands.

"The numbers are there," Pegasus concedes, "but nothing else. They don't even have names yet."

Seto eyes his own sheet with far more seriousness than might be considered appropriate. He starts whispering to Yugi. They spend a half-hour like this, with Pegasus slowly and carefully prompting his young players to come up with character concepts. Not just names and genders and appearances, but backgrounds. Motivations. Lineage. Fears and desires. Natsumi puts drinks and various snacks—including leftover Halloween candy—in front of the children as they discuss their ideas with Pegasus.

For his part, the president of Industrial Illusions is somehow more excited than his players, weaving pictures with his words and his gestures as they come to him with vague ideas. Before long, Sugoroku is done setting up in the front room, and comes wandering back into the kitchen to listen. He eyes Natsumi across the table, who smirks and winks at him.

"All right, then!" Pegasus calls out. "I do believe we are ready to begin!"

He reaches for the corners of the tablecloth, and whisks it off the table with the flourish of an illusionist on stage.

Atop the Mutou's kitchen table is a map. It depicts a medieval-style town, with a river running through it. There are shops, houses, a jail, farmland outside the town's limits, a town square with a statue in the middle. Sugoroku has populated the map with various miniature figures, some representing important people, and others—chess pawns—simply representing random townsfolk. At the end of the map closest to Pegasus, there is a cemetery next to a church, with a small cottage off to one side.

"This . . ." Pegasus says grandly, "is Ravengro." He winks at Sugoroku, who grins and takes a small bow. "It's a small, prosperous little farming town in the Immortal Principality of Ustalav."

"Princa-what, now?" Yugi asks.

"A kingdom ruled by a prince," Seto says quietly.

Pegasus points. "You have it, my boy." He clears his throat. "This is hard country, filled with harder people. Governed by religion and superstition." He sets a finger on the map, where the town's name is written in old-fashioned script. "Some towns are built around universities and colleges. Shops and other offerings are built up for . . . scholarly sorts." This time he winks at Seto. Seto smiles. "Others have famous festivals, and various artisans and craftsmen will come from all corners of the world to ply their wares. But Ravengro . . ."

Pegasus pauses, and flips up his hood.

"Ravengro's claim to fame is a prison."

Natsumi is leaning against the counter, listening. A sly little grin is on her face.

"A prison?" Seto asks, leaning forward on the table. "There's no prison here."

"Oh, it's not in the town." Pegasus points south, off the edge of the table. "Old Harrowstone was built on a hill, overlooking the town. You see, this town was built for the sake of the workers, the wardens, and their families. To keep everything running smoothly. But that was a long time ago. Some forty years ago, in fact. The prison hasn't been active for decades."

Seto rubs his chin. "Hmmm . . ."

"So!" Pegasus grips the table and leans forward; this seems to be his cue for everyone to pay attention. Everyone does. "As our adventuring party ventures toward the town's front gates, why don't we introduce ourselves?" He points to Seto first. "Who are you, my boy? What do you look like? How are you dressed? What . . . would other people notice about you?"

Seto frowns studiously. "I'm Crystus the Cold," he announces. "I'm a . . ." he looks down at his sheet. ". . . dragonborn. So I guess I look like a dragon that walks on two legs?" Pegasus nods. "I don't have wings, but I have a tail. I'm silver." The boy's eyes brighten as he pictures the character in his mind's eye. Pegasus is grinning. "I'm wearing robes, but they're . . . uniform robes. Like I got them from a school, instead of a store. They're black, with silver on the edges. I have a walking staff, and there's a fancy gold dagger on my belt that has jewels on the scabbard."

"Scabbard?" Téa asks.

"Sheath," Natsumi says. "What you carry a blade in, to make sure it doesn't cut you."

"Oh." She points to Seto's costume. "Like that?"

Seto lifts up the plastic sword he's carrying, along with its black plastic case. "Yes."

"Oh, okay."

Pegasus nods. "Very good." He gestures to Téa. "And you, my dear?"

"I'm Sylvana," Téa says. "I'm an elf! She's got robes, too, but they're white. She has a staff, too. Um . . . she's got green hair, with leaves in it like a crown, and her eyes are really dark blue." Téa smiles. "She's a druid. She has nature magic and stuff."

Pegasus nods. "Indeed." He glances at Yugi. "And what of you, Master Mutou?"

Yugi grins so hard that his eyes are almost closed. "They call me Four-Fingers McDermott!" he nearly shouts.

Pegasus raises an eyebrow, as Natsumi lets out a quiet snicker.

"My real name is Tim," Yugi admits. "I'm a halfling, but everybody calls me Four-Fingers 'cuz I lost my pinkies in an experiment. It . . . didn't go so good." He lifts up his hands, having folded his pinkies down against his palms. "I don't like to talk about it. I met Crystus a long time ago, when we were still in school! He, um . . . always got better grades than me. I'm a sorcerer, but I didn't know that at first. So I just figured I sucked at everything. But then we started practicing, and I figured out how to work my magic! I've got the same robes as Crystus, but they're all frayed and kinda dirty. Probably I've set them on fire a few times."

The two boys look at each other, then at Mokuba, who's sitting with his hands folded in his lap; the hood of his costume is down. He's listening, but he doesn't seem to understand. He seems more interested in the table, and the little game pieces on it. There's a grid of one-inch-by-one-inch squares all across the map, and each piece takes up a single square. Mokuba seems to like the squares. He traces their outlines with a little finger.

"We were exploring a cave once, after classes," Seto says, "and we found a bunch of goblins. They were forcing different animals to fight in a little pit they had, and we were pretty sure they were gambling. There was one goblin, bigger than the rest of them, and he had a little silver dragon that he liked to bet on."

"It was real small," Yugi puts in. "Probably just a baby."

"A hatchling," Natsumi offers.

"Yeah, hatchling," Yugi agrees. So Crystus and me—"

"I," Seto, Natsumi, and Téa all say at once.

"—decided we didn't like that." Yugi sticks his tongue out at Seto and Téa both; not at his mother. "We used the spells we'd been practicing, and we saved the little dragon from the goblins and brought him home with us. He's been following us on our adventures ever since."

"His name is Steel," Seto says, and here he ruffles his brother's hair. He gives Mokuba a one-armed hug. Mokuba looks up at him and grins.

Pegasus produces a tiny silver dragon figurine, along with a three-by-five index card. He places them in front of Mokuba, which immediately draws his attention back to the table. "I'm sure you'll be able to help him with the math," he says, to which Seto offers a sardonic sort of smirk. Pegasus chuckles. "I thought so."

"Awww . . ." Téa says, grinning. "Mokuba's a baby dragon!"

"Bay-bee dragon," Mokuba says, taking hold of the little figurine and rolling it around in his little hands. He looks up at his brother again. "This me?" he asks. "I play?"

"Yes, Mokie," Seto says. "You get to play, too."

Mokuba laughs, and thrusts his little dragon into the air. "Bay-bee dragon!"

"Your name is Steel."

"Stee-yul."

Seto kisses the top of his brother's head. "That's right, Mokie. Good job."

"You four have come to Ravengro to meet with a man named Petros," Pegasus announces. "He's a professor, and he teaches magic at a university nearby. He's looking for sharp, talented young people to help him figure out something that's been happening in Ravengro. There have been rumors of ghosts, and giant wolves, roving the countryside. Stealing livestock and vandalizing people's homes. Nobody seems to understand what's going on, and there aren't many people who even believe that anything is going on at all. They just figure it's a bunch of children causing mischief, or wild animals sneaking into the farms at night."

"We'll be able to tell if anyone is using magic!" Yugi declares.

"And if it is animals," Téa says, "then I can help with that."

"Exactly." Pegasus smiles. "There's just one major problem. Ravengro is no fan of strangers. You're outlanders. It's going to take some time for the people to trust you to do anything. So that's the goal of our game tonight. You'll need to get a feel for Ravengro, see if there's any work that needs doing, anything that might help the people here to trust you."

Pegasus hands each of the children a figurine to represent their character, and asks them how they approach the town.

"I'm watching to make sure no one is going to do anything to Steel," Seto says with conviction.

"That would require a Perception check," Pegasus announces, "followed by an Insight check."

Seto rolls a twenty-sided die. "Fifteen," he says instantly.

"A few people have noticed your entrance, and more than a couple have taken notice of your draconian compatriot."

Seto rolls the die again. "Eleven."

"No one seems inclined to . . . bother him, as far as you can tell," Pegasus says, smirking. "Honestly, they seem frightened of him. And of you. Dragons are rare in this region. Dragons that walk on two legs . . . even rarer."

"I wonder if I could ride Steel," Yugi muses quietly. At Seto's murderous look, he says, "I'm tiny! I'm, like, two feet tall!"

"What do you say, Mokuba?" Pegasus asks. "Would you like to give your friend a lift?"

"'Kay."

Seto settles back in his chair. With permission thus given, he seems offended no longer. Part of him seems to have forgotten, already, that his brother isn't a dragon hatchling.

"Normally, this would probably require an Animal Handling check," Pegasus says, rubbing his chin, "but since it's between players, I'll allow it. All right. So Crystus, Steel, and Four-Fingers are entering together, through the front gates." He gestures to Téa.

"What's the area all around the town like?" Téa asks. "You said there were farms?"

"Yes," Pegasus says. "The people here sustain themselves by growing their own food. Other than crops, there are open fields all around the area, sweeping across the landscape like waves. The only thing that draws the eye is the old prison. Broken down, like it wants to be ignored. But it can't be. Everyone who lives in the shadow of Harrowstone cannot be allowed to forget it."

Téa frowns. "Hmmm . . . I'll come in with them, but I want to keep an eye out for, like, animal tracks."

"Perception check," Pegasus says, "then a Nature check."

And so it goes for another twenty minutes, as the kids go through the town, interacting with non-player characters, trying to pin down the mystery of Ravengro's seemingly unexplainable vandalism, learning how this game works. They quickly realize that no one is willing to listen to them, not only because they are young, and not only because they are outsiders, but because they are affiliated—even tangentially—to Professor Petros Lorrimor. He is apparently the collective black sheep of the town.

"However . . . it eventually comes to light . . . that two prominent citizens not only listen to you," Pegasus announces after a lull in the action, "but are willing to help you unravel the mystery. In fact, they find you outside Petros's home to introduce themselves to you."

Pegasus waits, leaning back in his seat and crossing his arms.

Sugoroku sits down at Téa's left. "They call me Orvil Rockbreaker," he says in a gruff growl of a voice as he picks up one of the character sheets. "Local smith, I am. You got metal, I got fire. I'll make anything you young'uns might need, and half o' what you wouldn't possibly want in a dog's age." He winks. "Fair shakes with an axe, too, lemme tell you."

Seto blinks. Stares. ". . . You're playing, too, Mister Mutou?"

"Of course!" Sugoroku laughs. "I've been playing at tables just like this one since college! That's so far back that you weren't even born."

Yugi's face is a picture in sly amusement. He says nothing. He seems to be waiting for something.

Then Natsumi sits down at Téa's right, leans back in her chair, and props her feet up on a corner of the table. "Call me Harlow," she says in an offhand, dismissive sort of voice. "Captain of the Watch. Most of these people are brainless livestock. Couldn't track a rat in a traveler's trunk." She grabs the last character sheet and looks at it. "Took I don't know how many years to get them to shove their misgivings down their throats about me. Not inclined to waste much time waiting for you to prove yourselves."

Yugi's smirk is wide, shark-like. He glances at Seto with a smug sort of superiority that looks entirely foreign on him.

Seto pauses a moment to put his eyes back into his head.

He's unable to find words for ten minutes.

After this period of silence, however, he doesn't stop grinning for two full hours, as he rolls dice with his friend's family—and his own—and weaves fantastic pictures in his head. When, at the end of the night, Pegasus reveals that the party's first boss fight is against a magically-animated monster made of paper, with folded fangs and ink-pots for eyes, the young genius actually claps his hands together and giggles.

.

Dungeons & Dragons is a common thread in a lot of my Yu-Gi-Oh! work. It's hard to specify why, other than the fact that I'm a big fan of the game. I run two campaigns and play in two others. Though only two of those are in any way regular.

Anyway, point being, I'm a big advocate for tabletop role-playing, and once the idea struck me to put it into this story for the Halloween chapter, it wouldn't leave. The first game I ever ran (in Pegasus's role as Dungeon Master) was a Halloween adventure.

The adventure that Pegasus is running for the gang is actually adapted from a Pathfinder adventure path, published as "Carrion Crown." Specifically, the town of Ravengro and Harrowstone Prison are from the first chapter of that adventure path, "The Haunting of Harrowstone," written by Michael Kortes and distributed by Paizo Publishing.

It's a fantastic adventure, I've loved running it, and I think it might become a running theme throughout the rest of the story.

Also, something to note. Although this story takes place in the 90's (at the moment, anyway), the specific version of the game that the group is playing is the most recent, 5th Edition of Dungeons & Dragons, which only came about a year or so ago.

I know this doesn't make sense, time-wise, but I beg that this be permitted, just because I've never played the edition of D&D that would have been available in the 90's. We'll just say that it's a modified version of Monster World, which is the RPG/board-game hybrid that Ryou plays with the gang in the final leg of the original Yu-Gi-Oh! manga.