The Magicians' Realm Chapter 15: Fish Fry, a yu-gi-oh fanfic

Chapter 15, everybody! In which fishing is discussed….Sorry about the delay on this one, by the way—we just got home from vacation, and these past few days have been hectic. We'll be back to our regularly scheduled program next week, though.

Angiembabe, thanks for the review! Maybe. :)

Fromtheashtrees, thanks for the review! Bummer….That sounds like Georgia, actually (the state, not the country). And neither have I—my experience with Middle Earth has been limited to the movies and the book the Hobbit for the time being….It's not for lack of trying, though. Ah, the beauty of Spring weather….

References:

Original characters + setting © Kineil D. Wicks (myself, not the girl in the story)

Fishing could be very exciting or very sedate, depending on how one approached it.

They stayed within sight of the main dock, as per their parents' rule, but they weren't anywhere near the beaten path.

Yami and Yuki were in a clump of trees hanging above the river, dangling lines for fish. They had it down to a science now, and each line had a different insect speared on a hook, just barely touching the river. They already had one bucket-full of fish, and another rapidly on the way.

"Think we should try for some crabs?" Yuki asked as he pulled up another fish.

"We don't have any place to put them," Yami told him.

Yuki opened his mouth, probably to suggest magicking up a bucket, when a voice called out "Look! A pair of Kingfishers, up in the tree!"

Both boys looked as one to see Kels by the bank, watching them fish. She had a fishing pole and a book with her, obviously planning on the more sedate approach to fishing. Yami and Yuki, being boys, were more about action.

"Hello, Kels," Yami called. "Come for the leavings?"

Kels stuck her tongue out at Yami, obviously more than a little irritated at his implication. "No, jerk—I'm here to fish."

"You look like you're here to read," Yuki observed.

Kels hefted the book. "Yes, well, the fish don't bite if they think you're paying attention."

Yami scoffed as Kels threw her line out. She addressed him again as she settled in for the long haul.

"So? Any word?"

"About?" Yami asked, feigning ignorance.

"Your promotion to resident head hot-shot," Kels replied, rolling her eyes.

"Not yet—they're still evaluating my current level of magic, and when they're done, then I get promoted."

"How long will that take?"

"I don't know," Yami said, shaking his head. "Meantime, I can't tell you how nervous I am."

"You? Nervous?" Kels and Yuki started laughing.

"I'm only human," Yami said primly, putting one hand on his chest.

"You'd never know it, to listen to you," Kels jabbed. Her line suddenly jerked, and conversation was cut to a minimum as she excitedly reeled her fish in.

"All right!" Look at that baby!" she exclaimed, holding up a fish that was about the length of her forearm.

"For Commoners it has to be twenty inches," Yami called.

She cut him a glare. "You had better be kidding, or I swear I'll throw this fish at you and knock your magic butt into the river."

Yami grinned. "Of course I'm kidding—who would make up a stupid rule like that?"

*\*/*

Yami had assured Teana of the pleasantness of the Gypsians, but that still didn't stop her from staying mighty close to his side.

They hadn't taken much notice in the two coming from town, but as they neared, some began to look up. She recognized some forest-dwelling Hippies mixed in, talking and trading with the Gypsians.

But once Yami had reached the edge of the brick circle, a raucous greeting arose, which he heartily returned. Teana forced a grin and tried to think of something pleasant.

"Remember, you agreed to give them a try," Yami told her in an undertone.

"Right, right," Teana replied through gritted teeth. "I'll be fine so long as—oh man, here comes one now."

Yami rolled his eyes as one of the fisher-Gypsians came hustling up to them.

"Ho, such a one!" the fisher-Gypsian declared heartily, spiky hair framing his dark face.

"It's nice to see you too, Mako," Yami said. "May I introduce you to Miss Teana Gardenier? Teana, this is Mako—he likes fish."

"Such a pleasure to meet you!" Mako exclaimed, sticking his hand out for Teana to shake.

"It's nice to meet you too," Teana said, gingerly shaking his hand. "You don't have to yell, by the way."

Mako shook his head. "Sorry—we ran into a squall last week that lasted for three days. I'm lucky I can still hear after all that wind and rain."

"The mountains must have swallowed up most of it," Yami said. "We only got a shower."

Mako was about to reply when a smaller Gypsian ran up, clad in piebald colors. "Hey, Yami!" he called.

Mako turned to him with full-blown irritation on his face. "Rikko, you said you'd let me handle it."

"Handle what?" Yami asked.

"We got a notice saying that there were new fishing regulations," Mako said, with a sour look on his face.

Yami waved that away irritably, like he was disposing of a fly. "Ignore those dumb Administrators," he ordered. "You know what fish to keep and which to throw back—what do you need them to tell you about fishing?"

Mako nodded and smiled brightly, obviously relieved. "See, that's what I thought." He turned back to Rikko. "Go tell everyone, would you?"

"Sure," Rikko said, then run off, hands outstretched. "Hey everyone! Yami said those fishing regulations were hooey!"

"Not my exact words," Yami observed drily as a ripple of relief spread through the ranks. Mako clapped him on the side and followed after Rikko.

Yami glanced over to see Teana appraising him. "What?"

"You shouldn't refer to the Administration as 'dumb', even if you are Head Mage."

"But they are!" Yami said, making that irritated wave again. "Whoever heard of regulating fishing? What's next—telling the farmers when and what to plant?"

"Be that as it may, I'd be willing to bet money that that statement will make its way back to them."

"Let it," Yami said firmly. "The day I have to apologize for speaking the truth is the day I'll hang up my cape."

Teana felt a shiver run down her spine at that. She shrugged it off, unsure what could have caused it.

But it had made the day suddenly seem colder.

*/*\*

Their success at fishing had prompted Yami's parents to invite Greg's family over: his parents, Katherine "Kitty" and Edward Montgau; and his in-laws thanks to his brother's marriage, Abby O'Neal and Larry Finkelstein.

The differences between the two family branches were like night and day. Kitty and Edward were from the upper crust of Delvaire, while Abby and Larry were Hippies from the forest. Greg's brother Hotchner had married the Finkelstein's daughter, Dharma, while Greg had married Jenna Skelton from the Commoner section of town. Somehow, the whole thing worked.

And somehow, they always managed to shoehorn everyone into the dining room. Granted, Hotchner and Dharma weren't there, but all the grandparents were—Kitty, Edward, Abby, Larry, and Jenna's father Soguroku. With Yami, Yuki, Greg and Jenna, that made nine people sitting at a dining room table built for eight.

"So, I sent an owl up to the Capitol," Kitty said, as Greg put a filet of fish on her plate. "And I expect a response any day now."

"I still can't believe Hotch wasn't here for the Ball," Abby opined.

"Where were you two, by the way?" Ed asked, pointing his fork at Abby and Larry.

"We don't attend the Masquerade Ball," Larry said determinedly. "It's just another reason for the Delvaire fatcats to flaunt their money and waste food."

"So you watched through the windows," Yami said, smirking.

"Well, yeah," Larry said, giving Horus—who was walking up and down the dining room table—a scrap of his bread. "There was no way we were going to miss you. We didn't, did we?" he asked Abby.

"No, Larry, we didn't," Abby said, winking at Yami.

Abby and Larry specialized in healing herbs and charms. Unfortunately, they also liked to experiment, and Larry's short-term memory had bid him goodbye one day after he tried to improve a memory charm.

"I got a letter from Hotch the other day," Greg said, forking some tartar sauce on his filet. "He said he had some business up at Norkyew, but he was going to be here for the party. He says congratulations in advance, by the way," he told Yami.

"Remind me to tell him thank you in advance," Yami replied.

"So, Yuki, what are you learning up at school?" Edward asked. He pointed his fork at Larry. "And no running commentary from you."

"What?" Larry asked, indignant. "I'm just saying that a place like that—"

"Squanders youth," Jenna muttered.

"Brainwashes children," Soguroku continued.

"And militarizes kids for the Administration," everyone chimed in.

"We know, Larry," Abby said, patting his hand.

"I'm learning maths," Yuki said, obviously unenthusiastic. "We're talking about birds in Biology, though, so that's good."

Horus took this as a sign to puff up and posture. His message was clear: now this is a prime example of birdom.

Yami couldn't help but think of what Anzu had asked him. He had never really given it much thought before, but he had went with the image that had sprang to his head when he wanted to convert the old top hat he found into a bird. What kind of bird was Horus, anyway?

He turned his attention back to the conversation, which had turned to the lack of magical subjects at Hallowed Fields.

"It is absolutely wrong to be limiting our youth like that!" Larry said, thumping his hand on the table for emphasis.

"I agree with you, Finkelstein," Soguroku said, pointing.

"I—you do?" Larry asked. He was used to people disagreeing with him.

"Yes—what kind of school doesn't cover the basics?"

"Some of the upperclassmen are learning basic transfiguration," Yuki put in. "Bastion's upset because Weevil keeps turning his buttons into beetles."

"Yes, but what year are those boys in?"

"They're on their fourth year—"

"Four years to learn how to turn buttons into beetles," Soguroku sighed. "I tell you, the world is a sight different from when I was growing up."

"It is," Edward agreed. "It's because the parents aren't spending enough time with their children. Gregor."

Greg made a face at the end of the table. Yami swallowed his laugh. Greg had connected more with his wonder Yami, while Yuki seemed to connect more with Jenna.

"I blame Administrator interference," Larry put in.

"So Jenna," Kitty said, drawing the women out of the men's arguments. "What kind of refreshments were you planning on for the party?"

Yami listened to the conflicting conversations.

Man, he loved his family.