S: Wow, I actually got the five reviews – and here I thought I was pathetic, asking for that many…
Onyx: (smirks behind her hand but makes no comment)
S: Onyx, I saw that!
Onyx: (begins laughing uproariously, leaving her very irritated Hikari glaring at her)
(Kuriboh randomly goes sailing past with the 'Disclaimer See Chapter One' sign)
S: Kuri! You're early!
(Bakura races by, trying to blast the Kuriboh with Shadow majicks)
Bakura: (in passing) And if any of you pathetic weak – (Kuriboh explodes near his face, leaving him blinking and covered in soot while the small monster reforms itself, giggling squeakily)
S: (repeated eye rolls) Rolling story!!!!
LIVES TO LIVE
Chapter Three: Learning
All in all, it was nearly two more hours until everyone had been appraised of the situation and the plan, and somewhat longer than that to get everyone prepared and ready to leave. Crowded into the small room where the planning had initially been taking place were Seto, Yami, Yuugi, Mokuba, Damus, Mirai, Lustire – the Black Luster Soldier – Amystria, and Kuri, as well as Seto's chauffer and a cardboard box large enough to contain a washing machine. Despite the size of the room, which was not inconsiderable, it was fairly crowded.
The monsters seemed to be enjoying themselves greatly. Mirai, who had mastered the remote control with astonishing speed, had found some Loony Tunes playing, and was now lounging, again upside down, on the couch to watch them. Mokuba was sprawled out on the floor next to the couch, and it was debatable who seemed to be enjoying it more. However, another loud crash from outside the room sent Mokuba leaping to his feet and out of the room at a run. Mirai, who seemed to be quite mesmorized by the cartoons, hardly blinked.
Yuugi was attempting to keep a close eye on all of the monsters, although he found his eyes constantly drawn back to the Dark Magician sitting on the nearby couch, next to Yami. The mage was occupying himself with braiding and unbraiding his waist-length fall of indigo hair, staring blankly around as he did so. However, Damus' own eyes seemed drawn back to one particular corner of the room, just as Yuugi's were drawn to him, although for very different reasons.
As Yuugi watched, a faint smile flickered across Damus' face, a spark of mirth appearing in his cerulean eyes.
"I know that look, my friend," the warning murmur of the Pharaoh came to the Mage's ears from beside him. Damus turned an attempt at an innocent look upon him, failing terribly.
"Truly, Master? Have you recovered your memories, then?"
"My memories, no. However, that expression would strike recollection in me no matter what my state… What are you planning, Damus?"
"Little that would concern your Highness?"
A roll of Yami's blood-colored eyes was his only response to that, and the mage turned away, grinning, as he settled on braiding his long hair once again. Even as his fingers worked through the long, indigo tresses, his eyes roved to the broad back of the golden-haired Elf warrior in the corner across from him. Celtos, currently tightening his sword belt, gave no indication that he felt the magician's gaze, but considering how acute his senses were, it was doubtful that he missed it.
As Yuugi was attempting to watch Damus watching Celtos, he found his field of vision abruptly interrupted by a lean form clad in black and white.
"Yuugi."
"Hey, Seto. Is that the new HDMS you were testing?" Eyeing the streamlined device in Seto's hand, Yuugi couldn't help but smile. Although he didn't approach Joey's rabid passion for high-tech dueling systems, he still enjoyed seeing and using the phenomenal systems Seto inevitably invented. As Yuugi examined the System he held, the ice-eyed boy moved on to Yami, pressing one of the Systems into the Pharaoh's hands as well.
"Seto, how good are these things? I mean, really?" Yuugi asked, examining the HDM System he was now strapping to his arm. Although similar to the ones designed for Battle City, it was smaller, sleeker. The edges of the System were rounded, not as angular as those on the previous design, and the holo-emitters were built into the device, instead of being ejected at the start of the duel. Between that and the personality contained in the projections, it was without a doubt the finest portable holographic dueling system to date.
"They're excellent, with the minor exception of the monsters coming to life." Sounding highly irritated, the young CEO jerked his own System onto his arm and tightened the adjustable black Velcro straps that held it in place. "My best yet."
"Hey, big brother!" Mokuba, bounding into the main hallway from the room on the left that he had disappeared into upon Yuugi and Yami's initial arrival, skidded to a stop beside Seto.
"What is it, Mokuba?"
"Isn't anyone gonna take Saggi with them?"
A half an hour later, the strangest collection of beings ever seen by Domino City departed from the Kaiba mansion and proceeded through the center of town, destined for the Game Shop. At the head of this bizarre procession walked the Dark Magician, his staff held high and shooting brilliant purple, black and blue fireworks into the air. Behind him, the Dark Magician Girl, floating a short distance above the ground by standing on her staff, giggled and waved cheerfully to the crowd gathering on either side of the street to watch.
A short distance behind the two mages, a Celtic Guardian performed an astonishing array of acrobatic sword attacks even as he moved along with the others. A Kuriboh, for all intents and purposes serving as a target for the Elf warrior's 'Silver Blade Strikes,' was flying freely in circles around the amber eyed Guardian. It was fairly clear to anyone watching that the Guardian was deliberately missing the monster that Seto now called a 'flying kiwi fruit.' At a fair distance behind him, far enough away to give the swordsman room, walked the Mystical Elf, her long hair and robes flowing about her in the soft breeze. Her silvery voice, although soft, carried enough that the spectators could hear her singing softly in her own tongue.
Walking at the end of the procession, his sword gleaming in his hand, was the magnificent Black Luster Soldier, his armor flashing fit to blind those on the sidewalks. And behind him, sitting on the back of an antique convertible and waving to show the new HDMS disks on their arms, were Yami and Yuugi. And sitting between them, on the edge of the trunk with his feet resting on the seat, was Seto Kaiba, calling to the people on the streets.
"Behold, Duelists of Domino City and beyond! The newest and finest Holographic Duel Monster System, the Duel Disk Gamma Version! Thoroughly realistic, interactive projections, integrated holo-emitters, sound systems, and Life-Point displays! Required spaces for five monster cards, five magic/trap cards, Deck holder, and card Graveyard! These have all the benefits of the previous Duel Disk systems in a smaller, neater package!"
Yami and Yuugi exchanged glances and barely prevented laughing. For even while Kaiba was trying to be serious and continue being an infomercial for his newest product, they were only too aware of Saggi the Clown, who had refused to be left out of the trip and was lying like a nineteen-twenties lounge singer on a piano on the trunk of the convertible and blowing kisses at the crowd.
S: Ok, just a note, Black Luster Soldier's name has a kind of Spanish pronunciation, Loose-tear-a, with a long 'a'. I'm not sure how I came up with that one. Well, hope you enjoyed that. For all you CGDM fans, the next chapter's got plenty more of 'em! Be nice and review, please!!!
Onyx: FIVE REVIEWS BEFORE CHAPTER FOUR!!!!
S: Well, that's…. effective, Onyx, thanks.