WOWOWOWOWOWOW!
Yugi: What is it?
I'm so HAPPY!
Ryou: Does this have something to do with the removal of your Dani Phantom picture?
Malik: And the picture of two random people?
YUPPERS!
Yami: Explain.
I got to meet one of the GREATEST authors of ALL TIME! He was at the Book Fest out here in Arizona.
Yugi: Are you going to tell us who he is?
*Shakes head* Sorry, but I want to see if my faithful readers can guess who he is from the image alone. And, yes, that is me. I had my hair pulled back because it's soooooo long.
Malik: Take away the glasses, do something different with your hair and you look almost like Sister.
Yugi: What incentive do you have for your readers this time?
I'll say after they've enjoyed the chapter.
Just after sunset, a few days after the 'micro-meeting', the doorbell rang and Atem answered it, "Welcome to the Domino East Division of Hunters. I am Atem Higarashi, the one in charge here. Please deposit all weaponry, spelling, and/or Hunting supplies on the table. You will not need it here unless told otherwise."
Various stakes and crucifixes were pulled out of back pockets and other hiding places before tossed onto the table. These were soon joined by a crossbow, a few silver daggers, several bottles of Holy Water, a couple of spell books, a bag containing various supplies, and a heavy duffel bag with unknown weaponry.
Atem looked at the group, taking in their appearances. There were four men, a teenage girl, and two women. The older-looking man wore glasses and a suit reminding him of a librarian he once knew. One man, about his age, had dark brown hair and appeared to be on edge. The third had bleached hair and looked like he would be trouble. The last man looked familiar, like something out of an old Journal he had once read.
As for the women, the blond looked like she was too calm and collected, but for all he knew she could have been the result of various generations of Hunters. The teen was bored-looking and stayed near the blond woman. The last person of their group appeared to be an easy-going and intelligent woman.
"The rest of my team is in the den. We decided to have our dinner in there as our weekly tradition of team-movie night is tonight. You're welcome to join us," Atem offered. "We'll meet everyone better that way."
The seven people followed Atem to the den.
The group was shocked to see three 'children' in a place like the Hunters' mansion. To top it all off, one of them was lying in a 'hospital' bed with bandages exposed from under his button-up shirt. The blond woman glared at Atem, "These children can't be here!"
"Um, excuse me," the child with snowy-white hair stated. "We're not children. We're actually nearly twenty-seven. And before you go around accusing anyone here of any wrongdoing, we are perfectly capable in assisting the team wherever needed."
The sandy-blond next to him nudged him and grinned, "Well said, Ryou. Now please hand me that water for Yugi."
"Malik," the smallest male, who resembled a much younger Atem, whined. "I can ask for my own water. I only have a few broken and bruised ribs, not laryngitis."
Atem cleared his throat, "I hope that isn't Holy Water, Yugi. You know what that does to you three."
Yugi jumped and winced, "Not funny. Yami that hurt. And no, it isn't. Ishizu only gave me plain water this time. Joey was nowhere near it either."
"We know better by now to touch anything with liquids when it comes to Joey," Ryou pointed out.
A shaggy, blond-haired man scoffed, "I only did that once and it was an accident!"
"Alright guys," Atem sighed. "Our guests are here. Is everyone here?"
"Yup," Yugi replied. "The other three are on their way, anyways."
"We're already here, Young One," a smooth baritone voice, nearly similar to Atem's stated as three men entered the den bearing three trays.
Atem nodded and began, "The one in bed is Yugi Mutou. Malik Ishtar is the one on his left and Ryou Bakura is on Yugi's right. Atemu looks like me. Akefia looks like Bakura Parkerson, but with a scar. Mariku is nearly like Marik in appearance and personality, only with a darker tan.
Ishizu and Odion Ishtar are Marik and Malik's older siblings. Teá Gardner, Joey Wheeler, Duke Devlin, and Tristan Taylor make up the original members of the team. The other three are Marylyn and Daryn Parkerson, Bakura and Ryou's parents, and Richard Bakura, Ryou's dad."
"I'm Buffy Summers," the blond woman stated.
The man who looked like a librarian introduced the rest of the group, "I am Rupert Giles, Buffy's Watcher. Dawn is Buffy's sister. Willow Rosenberg is her best friend and a valuable research assistant. Spike and Angel are our Supernatural liaisons. Xander Harris is Buffy's other friend."
Three sets of widened eyes landed on Xander, who immediately backed up in fear, "Don't hurt me!"
"Do you three know this boy," Atemu asked gently.
Yugi nodded slowly, "He picked on me and then started in on Ryou when Malik was grounded, back when we were eleven. I blacked out and didn't know what happened until Ryou told me."
"That one went ballistic and knocked out a tooth and gave me a black eye," Xander cried out, pointing at Yugi. "He even bit me!"
"I wrote you a letter saying I was sorry," Yugi replied. "I normally don't lose my temper like that."
Malik glared at him, "So…you're the one 'black spot' on Yugi's innocence. He never attacked anyone in anger and you made him do just that!"
"Malik, calm down. It was in the past, please just let it go," Yugi pleaded.
Willow looked at her friend, "You told me that you got beat up trying to protect a couple of little kids from bullies. Why'd you lie to me back then?"
"I was ashamed of myself when I sat in the ER waiting for a doctor to look at me."
Giles was staring at Ryou as if he were seeing a ghost. Ryou finally noticed and was hugging the startled man within minutes crying, "Uncle Giles! I missed you!"
"What happened to you nearly eleven years ago? Your father called in tears saying that you were missing."
Ryou sighed, "I was kidnapped and experimented on. We all were. Yugi, Malik, and I were taken from our homes."
Yugi looked at everyone, "I'm kinda glad this happened, because we've got our brothers and more family than I could have imagined. We even got to meet more of our family too!"
Yugi: Incentive?
The first reviewer with an account who guesses my mystery author will get a sneak peak of a future chapter for a random story.
Ryou: So where's Amethyst-Jade?
She's petitioning the Great Yami Council for a name change.
Malik: What name is she going for?
Amethyst Nightmare. Am-ni (Pronounced Am-knee) for short.
Yugi: Who's on the council?
Marik, Yami/Atem, and Bakura.
Malik: She's doomed. They're going to give her a different name.
Her choice.