The Magicians' Realm Chapter 32: Out the Door, a yu-gi-oh fanfic

Chapter 32, everyone! In which discourse happens, and the writer discovers that Bruce Willis can actually sing—go figure. And happy Presidents' Day, everybody. :)

And for the record, our house is one of those places that are hazardous for tall people. :D

Angiembabe, thanks for the review! Yes, they are…and hopefully not—and maybe. And oh good—glad to know things are starting to make more sense. :D Yeah, emotions are hard (I kept going over that chapter to try and make sure it didn't sound cheesy). I…don't know, actually….And maybe. :)

Fromtheashtrees, thanks for the review! Ha! That probably did happen—and he probably tripped over an ottoman for good measure. XD Oh, I'm sure someone will give him his just desserts….True…and true—waking up with a "where the bleep am I?" moment strikes me as a good example. At least it made it to the class—it might not be completely pointless, though: you could be looking at a question on a test and say "Hey, didn't I bake a cake about that?" (and cake-baking is a practical application of chemistry anyway, so win).

FicReader, thanks for the review! Ah, glad to know you're enjoying things thus far. :D And glad to know you're expanding your perusals because of it! We'll be having another reference to Don't Starve in this chapter too. I look forward to it! And thank you! I'm glad you like my style! :D

References:

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

"Great. Just great," Yami spat at Bakura as they descended the steps of the Administration Building. "My Dad's furious at me thanks to you."

"Hey, don't blame me," Bakura countered. "This was your idea!"

"My idea? How was any of this my idea?"

"You subtly implied that I go in there and steal a few books while—"

"I specifically told you not to! How on earth are you so dun-headed as to get a yes from a no?"

"Come to think of it, that's what my last girlfriend said to me before we broke up," Bakura mused.

"I'm not talking to you anymore," Yami sighed, stomping off.

"She said that too. And where are you going?" Bakura called after him.

"To talk to somebody who makes sense," Yami retorted.

"You must know my ex-girlfriend—she said that too."

*\*/*

Teana was stopped at the punch-in clock of the Highball Bar by her manager.

"There's someone here who wants to see you," he informed her.

"Is this someone a Magician?"

"It's the Head Mage."

Well, at least it wasn't Otogi. But to get back to the matter: ugh. "Would you mind too terribly if I ran out the door as fast as I can?"

"You wouldn't have a job here."

"That seems a little harsh."

"If you don't see him, I don't get my office back."

"Isn't it your office?"

"It's hard to compete with that sort of presence. And then I'd have to make small talk."

"Maybe you could put a lampshade on his head and a lightbulb in his mouth."

"My office. Now."

Teana heaved a sigh and headed for said office. Joy.

Although to be honest, she did enjoy walking in on Yami trying to sit in a chair that was obviously too short for him.

"Oh hi," Yami said, trying to get up. "Uh, hold on…."

He levered himself out and then promptly bonked his head on the overhead light.

"I'm beginning to see a means of avoiding you entirely from now on," Teana mused.

"It's like they don't make these places with tall people in mind," Yami moaned, rubbing the top of his head.

"Why are you in a place that's much too short for you?"

"Because Mr. Tern—which is a weird name for him because he's much too wide to even resemble a tern—he noticed me loitering around and suggested I wait in here once I explained why I was loitering around—"

"I can't afford to lose another job."

"But you're not going to lose another job—wait, how many do you have?"

"My money hasn't accrued interest yet."

"Oh, right, that. I think that's a little unfair, to be honest—I could drop dead tomorrow; the millennia thing is just an estimate."

Teana tried very hard to ignore the shiver that went down her spine. "I don't think you and I are a good idea."

"If I recall, you said I had a year. Besides, I haven't taken you to the Revue yet! It's got a lot more class than this place—and a lot less of guys with ponytails."

"I think I'll take my chances."

"Are you sure? I saw ponytail-guy in there earlier—I think he's loitering around too."

"I love how I'm doomed to have annoying Magicians bother me."

"I can be less annoying."

"I don't think so."

"I could take classes for that. They have classes for that, right?"

"You're killing me here."

"Please? I'm begging." Here he went down on his knees. "And I'm not even making a scene, because there's no one else here to see."

"That doesn't work on me."

"What does, then?"

"Abstinence?"

"What luck! I've got that in droves."

"Maybe I'm the one abstaining from men."

"Oh, for crying out loud!"

They turned at the sound of the new voice as Mr. Tern swung the door open and pointed at Teana. "You, go with him," he ordered, pointing at Yami. "And you: I don't want any more brawling around here."

"I think for it to have been a brawl, I would have had to do more than just be a punching bag," Yami pointed out.

"I'm not talking about last night—I'm talking about today!"

Teana looked at Yami, who looked sheepish.

"I, uh, may have had some words with the ponytail-guy," Yami said.

"I just now finished replacing the lightbulbs you blew," Mr. Tern said. "Now out, both of you—out of my office, and out of my bar."

"Am I still employed?" Teana decided to ask.

"Consider this time off. Now out! I want my office back!"

Teana waited until they were out the front doors before turning to Yami.

"You blew all the lights in the bar?" she asked.

"The bar area," Yami corrected. "The ones in the dining area were just fine."

"Why the lights?"

"Something about magic and electrical impulses. But since we're out and about, come along and I'll tell you all about it on the way to the Revue."

*/*\*

"Say, pal, you don't look so good."

"What do you want, Carter?" Greg asked, not looking up from the spot on his desk he was currently glaring at. If he had any ocular magic, it would have destroyed the desk by now.

"I'm supposed to be seeing if you have those files on that Massenborough potion still done yet," Administrator Carter said, leaning against the doorjamb and lighting another cigar. Despite his height, there was still a few feet of clearance given in the door, to accommodate those whose height was accentuated by their magic. Powerful Magicians were made taller by their magic, although no one knew quite how it worked—some theorized that the magic affected their frames so they could better handle the energy, but it was just conjecture.

It might explain why Skellington's height had been clocked in at seven-foot-seven.

"Say, pal, did I lose you?"

Greg blinked; realized Administrator Carter was still waiting for an answer. "I sent those files up to Grand Agent Hotchner," he replied. "Despite being used for potions, illegal brewing in stills is still a matter for the Civil Branch."

Administrator Carter made a dismissive noise.

"And you're still here because?" Greg decided to ask.

"Because I don't have anything better to do," Administrator Carter returned, waving his cigar around. "And because Sumbinix is looking for me."

Greg stared. "So you're here because?..."

"Because he's looking for me," Administrator Carter said, tapping a finger to his chest. "Which means he'll be sitting in my office waiting for me, because he knows better than to send a page after me."

Probably because the last page sent calling for Administrator Carter had ended up three towns over, in the ruins of Tumbledown near Dais Run. And apparently, on his way to Dais Run to charter passage home, he had run into several problems, from shadow hounds in the countryside to feral cats and giant rats in the town proper, and apparently some sort of tar-beast on top of all that.

The page had promptly quit upon making it back, and every page down in page-ville knew to avoid Administrator William Maxwell Carter from then on.

"I had wondered why you picked an office in the page warrens," Greg said finally.

"And the best part of it is, not only does he have to loiter around in there, they'll probably have to grease the doors in order to get him back out."

"Ah," Greg said, simply because he had nothing else to say. Administrator Carter was a conundrum—if he did anything, it was generally for his own amusement.

Sometimes he wondered if Administrator Carter didn't see himself as a puppeteer pulling the strings on everyone else. He certainly knew how to make others dance when it pleased him.

But that could work both ways too.

"Well, since you're busy avoiding Head Administrator Sumbinix, maybe you can make yourself useful," Greg said, ripping off a page from a notepad he had been scribbling on. "I need some files to cross-reference this case I'm working on—get these from the library, will you?"

"And why would I do that?"

"Well, right now you'd do that because I asked nicely. In a few minutes, you'll do it because the Head Mage told you to."

Administrator Carter pondered that for a moment. "Fine," he sighed, crossing over and snatching the paper away. "But only because I don't have anything better to do at the moment."

"Thanks, Max."

"Whatever."

And with that, Administrator Carter fell through his own shadow, and vanished.

Despite having grown used to the phenomenon, Greg couldn't help but lean over his desk to examine the patch of floor Administrator Carter had vanished through.

"Now that's how to commute," Greg observed, before flopping back into his chair.

Now if only Greg's current problem with Yami would be kind enough to vanish in such a way.