Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction / Fan Fiction ❯ Vacation Blues ❯ Chapter Four ( Chapter 4 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

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Review responses are at the end of this chapter, along with two story adverts.

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*WARNING* This chapter contains some Yugi-torture. There is also YAOI (otherwise known as SLASH) as well as some control issues. Nothing too extreme, but still very unpleasant for Yugi. Plenty of angst and emotional/physical/mental trauma. Everything works out in the end, but just be prepared for some bits that aren't all sunshine and roses. 'Kay?

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There is near RAPE in this chapter, and some scenes which younger readers may find disturbing or at the very least, uncomfortable. I am warning you NOW that if you have ANY problem with male/male non-consensual activities which run just short of actual penetration that I would advise you to click 'Back' NOW.

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-A/N- I'm glad that people like this fic, and I'm sorry the notes are so long... Hope you still enjoy the story. P.s. If I haven't answered your review, it's probably because my brain died or because I wrote this before you reviewed. I'm still mega-grateful to everyone who left me their opinion, and I'm sorry if I rambled in places. Forgive me?

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Love,

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~Shi-koi~

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--->>>*<<<---

Chapter Four

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The room shuddered and shook. Small fragments of stone and mortar crumbled to scatter on the floor, dusting the madly rushing occupants of the room in a greyish dust.

"Get up a counter-shield!" A panicked male voice screamed, as it's owner fell to the floor.

"Shit! Merlin help us!"

"Quick, the wards are failing!"

"Aaagh!"

"Move! Move!"

"He's awake!"

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--->>>*<<<---

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The mid-morning sunlight painted it's golden rays across the bare expanse of Yugi's skin, highlighting every smooth curve of his delicate body with an artist's touch.

Yugi was in no position to appreciate the picture he presented. The man, Adrian, had pointed his wand at his body and muttered something that sounded like 'colour' and 'firmus' before tracing the tip of his wand against the skin of Yugi's body, a thick trail of black ink which rapidly hardened into equally dark rope following the path Adrian had made.

Around his neck, tight enough to make Yugi uncomfortable, down over each shoulder, tying across his shoulder blades and over his chest to his waist, down over each thigh then bound around his ankles. His calves were bound to his thighs before the wand moved back up again, binding his arms to the bonds across his back.

In short, Yugi was trussed. And vulnerable.

Breathing heavily in short, sharp pants, Yugi concentrated on keeping the waves of pain caused by Adrian's marking at bay. Squeezing his eyes closed and biting his tongue whenever he felt the need to cry out.

Yami...find me...find me soon. Please...

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The slim figure lay on a wooden-framed white-sheeted bed. The single focus in the center of the large squarish room. It's slender body was swathed in an overlarge white shift, covering his nudity. Limbs the colour of bronze contrasting sharply with the pale material.

The overwhelming cacophony of shrieks, yells and shouts bombarded the spirit, his crimson eyes narrowing as feeling returned to his body. First one hand was lifted, his fingers flexed, then clenched in a fist. He moved his other hand in the same way, ignoring everything around him.

They didn't matter...these strangers surrounding him.

Nothing did. Except Yugi.

A sudden silence fell over the room as Yami sat upright in one smooth, swift movement, his blonde bangs ruffling against his face as he twisted his head towards the closest presence in the room.

"Where am I?" The rich, dulcet tones of his voice seemed un-naturally loud in the room. The tone brooking no argument or evasions...no room left in his utterly deep, dark commanding hiss of a question for anything other than immediate compliance.

The unfortunate man pinned by his gaze swallowed convulsively, his eyes flickering to a person at Yami's back.

"M-ministry H-headquaters...D-detainment a-and Evaluation." He squeaked out, trying to back even further into the wall behind him.

Yami turned away, dismissing him to scan the interior of the room. His eyes coming to rest on a middle-aged woman who was behind him. His eyes narrowed as he took in her stare. Anger, fear and pride meeting his gaze with only a slight waver.

"You are the one in command here." It was a statement, not a question.

"I am." She said slowly, erring on the side of caution.

"Who placed me here?"

"I'm not at liberty--"

Yami growled softly, a faint hum of warning thrumming in his throat.

"I..."

"Answer."

The woman took a moment, obviously trying to calculate the risk of refusing to answer. The odds were not on her side, and she knew it. "Specials Agent Adrian Waring, Second Commander of the First Line Division."

"I see." Yami frowned, pulling his thoughts together. It wasn't every day that he merged with the Shadows, cast a 2nd level spell, gave up his energy to heal his aibou, was forcibly separated from said partner, caged inside his soul, bound, freed, then awoken in an obviously unfamiliar and possibly unfriendly territory. It took the once Pharaoh a moment to gather his thoughts together and formulate a plan.

"Where is my aibou?"

"I don't--"

"Do not make me ask again." There was a flicker of red around his body for an instant, and the woman grimaced. "Yugi. The young one who saved the lives of the people we encountered last night is hurt. I warn you. Now is not the time for your games. I have a limit on my patience."

"He...he will be in the infirmary."

Yami nodded his head once. A short, half tilt of acknowledgment, sliding off the bed to his feet. The cold stone floor beneath his bare feet was hardly noticed.

"I wish to be shown."

The woman nodded, resisting the sudden inexplicable urge to bow.

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Yugi had a pattern now. One that he followed religiously to keep his mind in one piece.

Shake. Waves of ice. Heat wave curling through his bones. Sharp pain radiating from the ropes. Total numbness when his nerves couldn't cope. Endorphins. The chance to breathe. Shakes...

There had been many occasions in his nineteen years of life when Yami and his enemies had taken advantage not only of the bond he shared with his yami, but of his position among his friends, of his high value to all they came in contact with, in order to coerce his yami and friends into doing things they had no wish to do.

But this was different.

In this case, it was not a person desperate for power. It was not a madman seeking to rule the world. It was not a person wishing to unleash the horrors of the Shadows onto an unsuspecting world. It was not kidnappers wanting money, nor was it even close.

In this case, there was no reprieve available.

Yugi knew about fanatics. About obsessions. Hell, he lived for one himself. His Games...and his friends.

But his obsession caused no harm to others.

This was where Adrian Waring differed.

There was a saying Ryou had once whispered to him in the night, when he and his dark other had had an argument, and Ryou had sought refuge from his pain. Usually emotional, but occasionally physical.

On this occasion that Yugi remembered it had been late, or was it early? Probably touching on the midnight-to-dawn hours. Ryou had walked to Yugi's apartment, using the spare key to let himself in. Each yami had an innate awareness of any of their kind that approached, and this feeling extended to their light halves.

Yami had been waiting in the kitchen when the pastel-haired boy had stumbled in, pale silver tear tracks glimmering under the harsh fluorescent light.

The exchange between the two had been wordless. Yami guiding the distraught youth to a chair, sending a brief pulse through their link to his hikari, before turning to fill a kettle with water.

Yugi had walked in, yawning, coming to stand unerringly beside the other light, his hand stroking the taller youth's forehead gently.

Ryou had looked up then, the pain in his very soul showing in his doe brown eyes. He spoke then. A whispered sentence gasped out in broken sobs.

"No good deed ever goes unpunished."

Yugi understood now. He knew now what Ryou had meant. He would not change what he had done, but unlike Ryou, who had faced his pain and become stronger, who had stood up and fought for his right to exist as and who he was, unlike Ryou, Yugi didn't know if he was strong enough now.

A voice intruded on his thoughts.

"Three...two...one."

Yugi shut his eyes. Mustering every scrap of courage he had. He knew...he could feel it. This is when things would get tough.

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Yami glared at the woman's back as they walked. She was trying to delay him. It was another game, Yami was sure of it. If he could he would have looked for his love by himself, tearing this place stone by stone to it's foundations if it were not for the simple fact that doing so could harm his light.

The dark spirit was no fool. He could feel the spells, enchantments and magic in the air, in the stone, in the people. They wove a web so bright he could follow the traces with his eyes, taste the currents on his tongue and feel the pressure like different layers of air caressing his skin.

The magic could sense him back. It was not alive as such, but it recognised an inherently magical being such as he with an almost instinctual awareness, seeking to familiarise itself with his not-quite similar magic in the most basic of ways.

Yami ignored the sensations. But unfortunately it screwed up his perceptions of Yugi, the layers of magic acting like the layers of an onion. To find Yugi he would have to either peel away each enchantment or spell blocking him, or wait until his strength recharged. Neither was truly an acceptable option.

So he waited.

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Yugi whimpered softly as his head was lifted.

"Open your eyes." The command was whispered, but firm.

Yugi obeyed. He had to pick his battles if he was going to survive this.

"I will ask you a question. You will answer. The potion will be working now and if you try to avoid answering me it will hurt. Do you understand me?"

"Yes." Yugi rasped out, horrified by how swiftly his body reacted even without him thinking.

"Good boy." The gleam in Adrian's eyes softened, and his lips twisted into a pleased half-smile. "I will start off simply. Don't think. Just answer. If you're good I may not punish you."

Oh Kami. Oh Kami. Butterflies danced and died in Yugi's stomach, sending flutters of fear through him.

"What is your name, age and occupation?"

Yugi swallowed. "Mutou Yugi, nineteen, Duelist Elite and current King of Games."

A tinge of confusion coloured the auror's brown eyes. "Duelist?"

"Elaborate." Yugi asked quietly. The potion did it's job flawlessly. He tried to bite his tongue, but it failed to have any effect.

"What is a Duelist, and how did you become one?" Adrian asked clearly.

"A Duelist is a person who plays Duel Monsters. A card game. I became a Duelist due to my knack with games."

There was an amused snort from the tall male. "I see. A child's game then."

Yugi opened his mouth, then shut it, grabbing Adrian's attention. "Is there more to it then?" The auror asked craftily, recognising the conflicting signs in Yugi's actions. Some part of him obviously agreed that it was a child's' game, but if there were more to it than that...

"Yes." Yugi swallowed, clenching his jaw. Nothing happened, his lips moving anyway. "There is magic in the game, and there are rules for those who can call the magic. There are games to the death, and games that will tear your soul from your body. There are Shadow Games."

Adrian smiled, nodding his head as if vindicated. "So I was right. Darkness. Dark Magics. You are a Dark Wizard." A pleased look settled over his features. "You have no rights then. The penalty for using Dark Magic is Azkaban or the Dementor's Kiss."

"I am not..."

Adrian's hand pressed against Yugi's lips gently, even as his eyes hardened. "You should consider yourself lucky that I don't throw you to the Dementors immediately." he said, meeting Yugi's gaze smugly. He let his eyes rove over Yugi's bound form on the table before him, allowing his hand to drop to Yugi's chest, stroking the tender satiny skin down to his stomach with an even hand.

"But then...that would definitely be a crime, especially against such beauty." He held up a finger to quieten Yugi's protests, aiming his wand at Yugi's mouth and murmuring "'Silentium Imperium'" in a calm, even voice.

"When I tell you to speak, you will be able to speak. Until then you will be unable to make a sound."

Yugi looked up, horrified, shaking his head as fast as he was able without setting off the potion.

"Now..." Adrian confided blandly, "...you are mine."

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Arthur fumed silently as he sat on the chair before his desk. He wasn't allowed on the other side, because the two Specials aurors didn't seem to want him being able to use anything he may have in his drawers against them.

"How much longer are we supposed to stay here?" Arthur demanded angrily, his bark-brown eyes flashing.

The two men opposite and perpendicular to him shrugged in unison, not deigning to answer.

"Great." Arthur fumed, slouching in his chair. Molly is going to kill me. He thought with resignation.

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There was something innately pleasing to Adrian about the way the boy seemed to embody innocent seduction. Those large eyes and lush lips, the tiny, yet perfectly proportioned limbs encased in milk-white pearlescent skin that he knew from touching was softer than the petals of a newly blossomed rose. Combined with his touch-me-not air and slightly trembling form created the most tantalising and delicious picture of subjugation he'd ever had the pleasure of witnessing.

He couldn't wait.

Some part of him craved to hurt the boy, to bring his nails down and carve his trail alone the unblemished flesh before him. To make the boy scream with pain and ecstasy together. He could feel the tingling in his groin, and the sparks shooting along his veins as he curbed his impatience to mark the youth, to lick and bite that perfect form, to mar it's beauty, to rend apart the angel before him and crush his spirit. And this boy was nothing if not the vision of an angel.

But Adrian knew better. Regardless of the youth's appearance he'd all but admitted to being a Dark Wizard, in fact, his denials just made it all the more obvious.

And all the more sweet.

He stepped forward until the tops of his thighs pressed against the edge of the wooden table, wrapping Yugi in a hold in his arms that he knew would hurt, pressing his face to those impossibly silky spikes that adorned the youth's head like a crown, breathing in the delicate scent of peach blossoms, before trailing downwards, nuzzling against the slender column of the boy's throat.

He could feel the youth shake, and his mouth open in a silent scream, gasps of air tumbling out of his mouth to glide against the side of Adrian's face.

"Speak." Adrian commanded mid scream, the room filling with shockingly high-pitched sobbing, screeching, rasping pants that sounded like the sweetest of music to Adrian's ears.

The brown-haired auror wasted no time in taking full advantage of his hold over the youth before him, giving a satisfied growl as he licked the pale flesh of the boys collarbone. Without warning he gripped Yugi's shoulders in either hand and bit down. Teeth not used to doing more than eat forcing the skin of Yugi's lower neck to split agonisingly apart, dark crimson blood welling above the two half-circle cuts, before sliding forward down Yugi's chest in a rivulet of red.

Yugi's scream halted mid-way into hysterical choking sobs, his mind repeating the same word over and over again, rational thought trying to flee.

Yami...Yami...Yami...Yami...

Every muscle hurt.

His hands trailing down to cup Yugi's rear hard enough to force the youth's bound body against his own, Adrian moved slightly, uncaring that the boy's blood was staining his robes and ran his hand down to Yugi's most private place, stroking with cruel tenderness to spark off the pleasure which the potion would intensify, even as his bite would have caused unbearable pain to course through Yugi's abused body.

Adrian knew of course. He had learnt of every method in training, how some captors treated their prisoners. It was meant to be read as a guideline...something to expect if they were ever captured and at the mercy of a Death Eater or under He-who-must-not-be-named.

He was just putting it to better use.

Even taking someone by force wasn't usually enough to break them, after all, everyone pities and sympathises with a victim...but...make the victim believe in their own mind that they wanted it...that they participated, shame them with their own body's responses and you could break the spirit of the strongest person eventually.

This boy would be easy. And a pleasure.

His other hand playing idly with a tiny pink nipple, Adrian kept his hands moving slowly, softly. Rewarding instead of punishing. Inflicting pleasure on Yugi's poor, abused, form.

"Silent." Adrian commanded as he felt Yugi's arousal stir, even as the boy shook his head, tears dripping onto his chest in tiny crystal droplets.

Yugi's mouth opened, gasping silently for air and Adrian smiled, leaning down to lick away the blood from the cut, worrying the flesh with his tongue to renew the spikes of pain that the act would cause.

He could feel his own need coiling in his belly, firing his veins with the potent desire to simply take the boy before him. To spread apart those delicate limbs and drive himself into the deepest part of the youth before him, to revel in his helplessness and sate himself in Yugi's vulnerable form.

Adrian dipped a finger against the bleeding bite, wetting them with the sticky life-giving essence. He used his free hand and buried it in the long spikes of hair, gripping them tightly and forcing the youth's head back, capturing his lips in a bruising kiss even as he thrust his blood-slick fingers inside the boy, drinking in the silent scream from the others' lips as he sought and found the heated inner flesh of Yugi's most secret place.

"So beautiful...so tempting." Adrian moaned delightedly against Yugi's lips, pulling the boy's head back so far that the boy's back was bowed in an arch against him.

He scissored his fingers inside the boy, relishing the feel of his heat drying the blood, burying his head against Yugi's neck as he bit back a moan.

Waiting be damned. He had to have the boy...completely.

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There were stares. Of course there were stares.

Yami followed the woman as she led him to a room three floors down and two hallways across, finally ending in a room with a circular seating area.

"What is the reason for this?"

The woman cleared her throat, looking uncomfortable. "I thought you may want to change first." she said, motioning to the shift the spirit wore that came to his knees.

Yami frowned, blinking before pinning her with his ruby-eyed stare. "I see. Fine. But make it quick. I do not wish to be here any longer than is absolutely necessary. I shall hold you responsible for any harm that befalls my light should these games continue."

The woman nodded once rapidly and hurried to a set of cabinets beside the other wall. She grabbed things from three shelves, placing them on a seat before the spirit.

"I'll wait outside." She offered.

Yami's eyes narrowed. "Very well."

The woman left the room, leaving Yami alone to change. A deep sigh of relief coming unbidden to her lips as soon as she left his foreboding presence.

Yami stared at the clothes, tugging off the white shift and leaving it where it dropped on the floor. The clothes she left were odd to say the least, robe-like things that were vaguely alike to the ones the people that he and Yugi had saved the previous night.

Everything was in a deep, pure black and in the same size. Black trousers, a black long sleeved shirt, a coat that reached mid-thigh and buttoned down the front up to his neck, a slight collar feeling a bit like the neck-belt he customarily wore. Over the top was a black robe which billowed a bit at the shoulders and fell to the floor, lightly weighted at the edges.

Equally uncoloured socks and black boots were also provided, each item seeming to shrink to his size as he put them on.

More magic then.

Once dressed, Yami took an extra moment to search again for Yugi, but the half-formed vague impression was still there, muted and distorted.

Sighing in frustration, Yami grabbed the shift from the floor and stalked to the door.

"I want my aibou now!" Yami snarled, the door slamming behind him.

The woman gulped visibly and nodded.

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Something strange was definitely going on.

The Shadows were anxious, unsettled...almost as if their very foundation was being rocked.

Kaiba Seto didn't like this. It had almost made his last spell backfire, and it was not something he would tolerate lightly. If it hadn't been for his quick thinking and mastery of the magic he had been casting, then his mansion and everything in it could have been destroyed, instead of the wards he had been placing on the grounds being activated.

There were only six possible culprits for the sudden oddness and instability being displayed by the Shadow Realm, and each one went by the name yami or hikari.

Now all he had to do was find out which one it was.

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They had acquired an escort somewhere along the way, Yami realised with a blink. He had been turned inward for the last few minutes, enough apparently so that he had failed to notice the people which had, in all likelihood, been requested to join them whilst he had been changing.

Yami couldn't care less.

The procession turned down another hall, and the air changed. The feeling Yami had long associated with his light suddenly intensified to the point that Yami could swear he was in the same room as his light other.

The woman halted outside two double doors, looking slightly confused as she glanced around the empty room they were in. "That's odd..." she murmured, "...where are the nurses?"

"Is there something amiss?" Yami ground out.

She shook her head, turning to face the doors. She reached out to turn the handle before suddenly turning back away and walking back to the spirit. The odd tightness in her face signaling that something was most definitely wrong.

With a spin she faced the doors. "'Finite Incantatum!'" There was a flash of white light around the doors. "A notice-me-not charm." She breathed out, a flash of fear crossing her face.

Yami pushed her aside, the doors slamming open before him.

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Tbc...

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Many, many 'Thank You''s to those of you at Fanfiction.net who reviewed this fic.

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Mimiheart, HikariEryaviel, Yanslana, Fin-Phoenix, Borath, OxBeachFlirtxO1, Anime-fan, Meepa, MiruSedna, Wolfspeaker1, It'sHardToBelieve, Yaoi-Rules, TeeDee, Ghost Whisper, Earth Borne, Ocean, Jenniyah, someoneyoudontknow, shadow-demon18b, Hillary, what name isn't taken, Naomi SilverWolf, Nemi, Anime-Blade, renangel. Blubb-blubb, Amarin Rose, Pharaoh's Dark Hikari, Sabby-chan Yaoi Fan, Karasu8, AmenOsirius, Double Oh Behave, kandra, AuroraIce, Foreign Joy, RyuArashi, Kitty, Neko, Luana Hime, SilverLily aka Blood Moon.

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[Mimiheart] I'm so very sorry to hear about your son. That must be absolutely dreadful. You have my deepest and most heartfelt sympathies for your family. Hugs. You're right, there's nothing in the world quite as scary as fearing for your child's life, and to have to do so more than once is horrible.

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[HikariEryaviel] You're right. Muahahahahaha! ::thumps chest proudly:: I AM evil incarnate! *cackles insanely*

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[Yanslana] Creepy? oO Yep. That's Yami alright...although I was hoping for more of a wet-your-pants-in-terror kind of feeling. Huh. Guess I'll have to work on that. ::gets Writer's Whip out:: 'Oh Yami!' Anyhoo...I was kinda sick about reading fics/crossovers where the YGO cast meeting the HP cast went something like:

YGO Random Person: "So yeah...I'm Dark/Light/Wicked/Insane/Shy/etc...and you are..?"

HP Random Person: "Oh, I'm/He's Harry Potter." ::waits for reaction::

YGO Random Person: "..." :crickets chirp::

HP Random Person: "Aren't you impressed?" ::looks affronted::

YGO Random Person: :eyes blank:: "Er, should I be?" / *cackling* / ::making crazy eyes:: / *preening* / *glaring* / *smiling* / "Huh?" etc...

HP Random Person: "Right...now the introductions are done...lets be friends!"

Everyone else: *Nodding* / *shrugging* / "Okay..."

-end scene-

Er...heh...yeah, you see, the funny thing about too much coffee is...

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[Borath] ::faints:: You...you...you reviewed...me? ::faints again:: Ohmygod! Wow. I feel so honoured! *blinks* Um, that wasn't actually sarcasm...::laughs uneasily:: Oh my, I absolutely love your fics. I'm just speechless here. Wow. I feel like it's my birthday, rolled into Christmas and everything in between!

I couldn't stop bouncing in my chair when I realised I was in your favourites list, and that this fic was in your fave fics list as well. I just went to re-read a few of your fics and your faves...'cos I know from past experience that you have some pretty good fics to read listed there and...wow! I still can't believe it.

Sheesh. I feel like a giddy teenager. Something I haven't been in a while. *grin*

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[OxBeachFlirtxO1] ::glomp:: I'm glad you liked what I did with Arthur. I always saw him as being quite a good, strong character, (well you'd have to be with so many kids, *snicker*) and couldn't see why he wouldn't put his skills to good use, even if it is behind Fudge's back.

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[Anime-fan, Meepa] Wow. You mean you still want to be a parent some day? Sheesh. It's a lot of work. Trust me on it. Don't ever try and have a kid before you're absolutely certain it's what you want. *sweatdrop* Great...now I'm acting like my mom.

But seriously, I don't know how old you are, but I had a slight accident and got pregnant at sixteen, was a mom at seventeen (*snort* and I was always a goodie-goodie two shoes when I was growing up. No parties, no drinking, no drugs, never went out...still haven't ever set foot in a nightclub, was a teachers pet, nicknamed 'Dictionary' and 'Thesaurus Girl' at school...then made one mistake and viola! Nine months later I had a delivery.) *grin* Wouldn't trade my eldest for anything in the world, but sometimes I don't feel like I'm good enough as a parent because I didn't wait, so I'm kind of still a learner at all this.

So...moral of the story...wait! And keep reading my fics. *snicker*

Hugs, and er, sorry about the long, er...well, you know. Luv ya!

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[Ocean]

Ocean

2004-02-11

3

Signed

Hello, and welcome back!
First off, I just want to offer my condolences on what happened with your son, and my praise for the strength you have shown throughout the ordeal. I admire you greatly.
Now, as for your story. I have just recently jumped... or more like, been pushed onto the Harry Potter bandwagon, so I am proud to say that I actually understand what you are talking about! I started reading your story before I knew the Harry Potter world, and I must say, it certainly helps to understand the genre when it comes to enjoying a story. Quite the insight, isn't it? And it only took me twenty-two years to learn it!
I love your rendition of Yuugi. So rarely do you find an author who is willing to write Yuugi in a mature and powerful role. The strength, courage, and sarcasm is refreshing, and humorous in the sense that you have Yuugi think and act exactly as he should in the situation. I know that sounds funny, but I can't help but feel pleased when someone actually writes Yuugi the way he should be written.
I like how you have characterized Yami and Yuugi. You didn't just make them the Light and the Dark, but you didn't just make them Yami and Yuugi either. I think you have blended the person and the magic very well, and have made each of them distinct individuals. Not cliche, just distinct, and believable. It isn't often you find a believe characterization of Yami and Yuugi anymore. Good job.
The plot is developing very nicely. The sequence of events are smooth and well rounded. I do have a little difficulty keeping up with all the Harry Potter characters. Some, if I'm interpreting correctly (and if I'm not, just laugh and move on) to be your own characters don't quite seem necessary to me... please don't take that as a criticism! I'm not trying to be cruel, I'm just letting you know that to me, the number of characters you have introducing is a little intimidating. Perhaps they will prove their worth further down the line. I'm sure you have some ingenious plan that will explain everything to me.
So, overall, I am thoroughly enjoying your story! You have me hook, line, and sinker. I don't care how long it takes, I am anxiously awaiting your next chapter!
Until you write again.
~ Ocean

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Wow! Thank you! Thank You! *bows repeatedly*

You have boosted my esteem over a hundredfold with your lovely, lovely review.

I'm glad you like how I've written Yugi. I have written him in different ways in my fics, but they all have the same core rendition of his character. I don't know if you've ever seen the very, very first anime episodes...the ones that were *really* badly drawn, but a lot of how I see Yugi is based on how he and Yami were portrayed in that first series. (Oh God! His voice! His beautiful, beautiful voice! ::points to Yugi and Yami::)

Yeah, I know he was a bit of a wimp, but then combined with the manga version, then the Japanese anime and the English anime makes for a very interesting contrariety that I love to write.

I hate seeing any of the characters portrayed as two-dimensional beings, especially when the writers themselves could do better. It doesn't matter if I hate the character being written, it's still horrible to forsake the potential inherent to that character and to the writer simply due to their being either favouristic, or just lazy.

Well...PWP's aside that is. I mean, sometimes a bit of good fluff or smut is great. Yanno?

As far as them being Light and Dark singularly, I don't really think that's possible. Without light there is no darkness, and Yami could not possible be completely and utterly of one single orientation without something else existing to prove that he is there. Without the darkness, how can we prove that the light exists. It would be like explaining colours to a person born blind.

There's something I read once which stuck in my head. I don't remember who wrote it, so if you know who did, please let me know.

-sidefic-

There was a woman who had a child. The woman feared for her son's safety so she raised him in a single closet-like room. The child never saw the sun, never saw the sky, never saw flowers, or animals, never met another person.

One day, the boy asked his mother to describe the world outside to him. She explained about the different colours, about how people could fly in planes, about how the sun rose at dawn and set at dusk...she explained about the flowers and about the trees.

A few days later the boy drew her a picture. It was flat, and was not much more than a mess of shapes and colours. It was flat and two-dimensional. But the boy was proud.

"See mama." the boy said, after sticking the picture up on the wall, "this is what it's like outside, isn't it?"

The picture was lifeless and dull, the people flat and featureless.

The mother was horrified. She realised exactly what it was she had done. There was no way she could explain the world outside to someone who had never seen it, because her son had no way of understanding something he had never experienced.

-endfic-

There was a variation of this, about a God-like being who kept his people apart from others...and I've read about two dozen variables...but I have no idea where the first one originated. I've probably got some of it wrong...but it was about thirteen years ago that I heard this...so please, forgive any mistakes.

I think that Yami and Yugi are kinda like this. There is no way to explain them to someone who hasn't met them. They have a life that is dependent on more than their features and voices, more than their abilities and adventures.

Actually, I think that about Ryou and Bakura, and about Malik and Marik. But I just can't get inside their heads as well as I can with Yami and Yugi.

I have added quite a few OCs in this, haven't I? *laughs* Don't worry about them, they're just background. I'm a firm believer that the worth of a character can be determined by those he/she counts as friends, by those who count him/her as a friend and by their enemies. I believe that a character cannot shine unless they are truly thought of as real, which includes the world around them, and as we all know, the real world is a very unforgiving place, with lots of people.

Don't worry about keeping track or understanding them. The real players are the YGO and HP characters, only one or two OCs will last the fic out, and that's just because I need them to smooth the paths. Well...except maybe for Adrian. I may not like him, but he is going to be important later on. *hinthint*

Thank you for being willing to wait. I don't like rushing if it's going to lower my fic's quality, and it's been harder to write...what with my youngest son's operation and everything that's been going on.

Whew...I'd better stop there, ne?

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[Earth Borne] Yep...don't worry, Yami would never let something like this go unpunished. *smirk*

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[Anime-Blade] I glad you like this. I didn't want to do a cliched fic, but I just couldn't get this plot out of my head. I love YGO and HP crossovers...well, actually just about any crossover (yep...I'm an addict) but I never dared to do any before this one. Heh. I'm glad I did.

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[Nemi] *blink* Hogwarts? This soon? Nah. This isn't going to be that easy for our intrepid duo. I'm afraid they're going to be in for some nasty, nasty stuff first before they see the wonderful castle that is Hogwarts. *sigh* Poor dears. But yes, they will be meeting Sev, and soon. *dreamy sigh* Don't'cha just love that voice...*long sigh*

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[Silver Lily aka Blood Moon] Yes! Write some more! Please? Preferably 'Alias of Chaos' or that 'Twelve Days of Christmas'. ::nods head rapidly:: Yes? Then I can stroke your ego...and you can stroke mine...it'll be a whole stroking thing!

*sweatdrop*

I cannot believe I said that.

Talk about butchering a BtVS quote, ne?

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[Luana Hime] Harry/Draco? Hmmn... I guess you'll have to wait and see. You're probably right, since I adore that pairing, but there's a lot the HP crew have to go through before they can get together. Heh. And Kaiba will be entering the picture soon. So...I guess it's going to be a matter of who interacts better with whom.

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[RyuArashi] ::glomp-pounce-huggle:: Ryu-chan!! ::hugs again:: I swear, even if I lost all my other readers I'd still write for you. Wai! Your reviews always make me feel better!

As for Adrian Waring...he'll get what's coming for him. Nasty bad man him. *glares*

There are always fanatics. There are always people who are so determined to do the right thing, or those who believe that they are right and who are willing to do whatever it takes to ensure that their vision of how things should be are carried out. If you've never had to deal with people like these I'll be eternally grateful. I would never wish their type on my worst enemies.

I mean, how much history do you know? Look back on how many wars were started over something as trivial as what God a person believes in. There is no proof that God exists, other than what people feel in their hearts and their faith...yet look at the countless people who have died because of fanaticism.

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[Foreign Joy] Thank you. I hope you get as addicted as me to crossovers...then we could exchange links!

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[AuroraIce] Ooooh! A request for more Yami!angst? Yep...definitely. You know the saying, 'You always hurt the ones you love'? Well, I LOVE Yami and Yugi...so yeah...angst pretty much guaranteed. *wink*

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[Amarin Rose] How did Adrian end up as an Auror? Well, how did Umbridge end up teaching? Or how come no-one ever discovered/did anything about Lucius? Why is everyone refusing to believe Voldie is back? How did Quirrell escape detection for so long?

Face it, in the end, no-one is free from mistakes, no-one is ever truly open, and in times of war, the worst is brought out in everybody.

We don't go our whole lives being completely honest about everything. We routinely say things like 'Good Day' whether we mean it or not, we use white lies all the time, 'Yes, I'm fine' 'Oh, how nice'. And for some, being who they truly are is not something they share all the time.

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At Mediaminer.org, many many 'Thank You''s to:

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Protector of love between Yami and Yugi, Jadesaber, chipperke, vmr, Cherreh, ilpalazzo, Nicky, Holly Trest, Silent Sniper, Ooahati Elf, Vegakitty, Fallen Hikari, bebe, Mood, Shinigami24, C.M.Aeris, Toki Mirage, GemJewel, DMYamiyugi, /Anon/.

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[/Anon/] *bows* Thank you, and many thanks for reviewing this fic.

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[DMYamiyugi] *starry eyes* Ya think so?

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[Toki Mirage] *wails* Nooooo! Please don't kill me! Waaaaah! I'm sorry, I'm sorry...I'm sorry. Please don't put a *sniffle* curse *sob* on me! I'll give you cookies. Nice, yummy, chocolaty-goodness filled cookies. Yes?

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[GemJewel] Heh. I guess you'll have to read and find out. *grin*

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[Shinigami24] Actually, the black fire is my own creation. There's nothing about it in the manga. Granted Yami uses some pretty sadistic methods to subdue and punish those who wrong his aibou and lose the game, but I've never come across black fire. I just felt like it was appropriate for him and this fic.

In my eyes, Yami from the English anime series is as different to the Yami in the manga as a rock is to wine. At least in the manga, for the most part he wasn't afraid to use any means at his disposal to do as he wished. Even if it meant freaking the hell outta people. In the anime he's mainly all talk and little action.

*sweatdrop*

Great, now I'm making him sound impotent. *sigh*

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At Slashfanfiction.net:

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Grasshopper, Dassani, Karachi.

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[Dassani] Ooooh, another reader who sees Draco as a possessive Dom? Heh. If, and I do mean IF I were to pair up anyone with Harry, I'm afraid that Harry would be uke. I don't think he's weak in any way, but, that's just the way I see him. I think he makes a beautiful bottom. (In both senses. *snicker*)

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[Karachi] I don't really think that Draco is a baka in cannon. Yes he is rude, irritating, condescending, full of himself, overconfident, cruel...and many other things, but he is also a young boy who has grown up with prime examples of what he shouldn't act like.

Until he grows up enough to be able to question everything he knows, then how will he ever know that his attitudes and actions are not only not acceptable, but that they are damning to himself as well as to others?

I'm sorry to say that Draco at the beginning of this fic will closely mirror canon!Draco, since no-one changes overnight. Yes, people can be affected by a single second, but it takes time to change, even if that person is actively seeking to change.

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1: Continued Survival by TeeDee

Yu-Gi-Oh! / Harry Potter crossover

As if dealing with the things life has already thrown at him isn't hard enough, now Ryou is being sent off by his Father to England, to stay with a man named Albus... (Harry Potter and YGO, what else!)

http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=1739104

Shi-koi : I really recommend this fic to anyone who likes crossover between YGO/HP and who appreciates more than just a thrown-together fic. This story is wonderful. It is realistic, thought-out, and one of the best renditions of both Ryou, Bakura and the conflict and opposing feelings in their relationship that many people tend to miss. Even if you just take a look it'll be worth it.

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2: Roll the Bones by Vathara

Yu-Gi-Oh! / Sentinel crossover.

Yugi, Seto, and Ryou find chaos in Cascade, Washington. Crossover with the Sentinel.

http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=1667457

Shi-koi : If you like well written YGO crossovers, with a deep plot, spot-on characterisation, action enough to keep you gripping your seats, a full cast of Yugi, Yami, Ryou, Bakura, Seto, Mokuba and Mai...then you have got to read this fic. You don't have to know anything about 'Sentinel' at all, trust me. This fic is easy to read, has excellent spelling, grammar and is actually exciting! There are Duel Monsters, Shadow Games and a whole bevy of angst.

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