Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Beyond The Darkness ❯ a bath and a story ( Chapter 3 )

Yami: so, what's your pathetic excuse this time?

Oni: pathetic excuse for what?

Yami: for not updating this since I was entombed in the puzzle, you baka!

Oni: anou……etto……..

Yami: sheer laziness?

Oni: etto…..hai? >_< that and lack of inspiration

Yami: well, you've got time now, so start updating; you really need to finish and kill some fics, ya know.

Oni; I know, but I've been getting new ideas and I've already got 3 new ones in my notebooks

Yami: these wouldn't happen to be your class notebooks, would they?

Oni: *nods* well, what else am I supposed to do when the teachers reiterate the same shit that's in the books? I have to keep myself occupied SOMEHOW

Yami: *shakes head* I have no comment

Oni: what?! I have an A average, I'll have you know. I'm pulling a 4.0 GPA!

Yami: yeah, at community college……..uresei already! And start the damned fic so you can get it up BEFORE you go to class!

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Yugi awoke in darkness, cuddled snuggly amongst several silk and velvet blankets. The reddish copper harpy was nowhere to be seen, but the nest was still warm with her lingering body heat. The little one yawned and settled back down to sleep. His eyelids had just closed when he heard the gentle flapping of lazy wings then felt arms picking him up, blankets and all.

His eyes flew open, and he glanced up. The copper harpy smiled down at him and made soft, soothing squawks in the back of her throat to calm him down. He snuggled against her and she flew out the cavern entrance, passing her sisters who were finishing with their morning grooming and into a smaller cavern. The entrance wasn't wide enough for her wing span to pass through, so she had to land before entering.

This cavern was a little warmer then the rest and lushly decorated. There were candles in metal sconces along the wall instead of the torches of the other chambers. Tall, thick pillar candles rested in candelabras scattered throughout. On the far end was a canopied bed, lavishly draped with fine, expensive fabrics, tassels, and heaps of fluffy pillows and which the harpy laid him in, removing his current coverings and tucking the covers around him tightly.

She leaned over to run a claw gently through his hair, brushing his bangs back. He looked up at her, still

/Hush. Get some sleep. Mistress Mai must talk with you when she returns from her morning bath. There is much for you to know./

Yugi nodded, hoping that he would finally find out just what was going on. Pushing aside those thoughts for later, he thought a bath sounded lovely; he hadn't had one seen the night of his kidnapping, and he couldn't tell how much time has passed.

/Don't worry, little one. I bathed you. We are not so vile as to allow one to go unwashed/. Sensing his train of thought, the harpy squared her shoulders proudly. Hearing an angry screech echo throughout the cave, she glanced towards the opening then back at Yugi, then took off, deciding that the little one was safe in Mistress Mai's personal chambers and that her sisters' brawl was more interesting at the moment.

Yugi closed his eyes and let his slight weight sink into the down stuffed bed. He certainly didn't remember getting a bath, and he would have awoken if someone bathed him while he slept. The copper harpy had said she'd given him a bath, and he recalled the way in which the harpies bathe. Eyes widening in horror, Yugi turned his head so his nose was near his shoulder and sniffed. Sure enough, he smelled like harpy. He hadn't noticed before, since the powerful stench permeated the cave. He inwardly groaned. Some bath that must have been.

His train of thought was interrupted by Mai coming into the room clad only in a loose silk fabric wrapped around her, which fell off her shoulders, revealing the top swell of her generously endowed breasts and the slit which exposed her fine leg up to the top of her thigh. She went to an elaborately carved, gold tinted wooden trunk and pulled out a tight, clinging white robe with silver and diamond jewelry. She used a silver backed brush and mirror set to smooth her thick blonde locks and to apply her many layers of make up. Setting those aside, she got out a pump perfume bottle and squirted her neck and wrists with it. The scent wafted over to Yugi, and he clung to it. Normally, he would've backed away from such a smell, but nearly anything was better than the smell of a harpy. Yugi closed his eyes when Mai slipped off her wrap and into her robe. When he next peeked out, she was just finishing putting on her many bangles.

Mai closed her trunk, flipped her blonde curls over her shoulder, turned around, and jumped in surprise. Lying tucked in her bed was the little one, watching her with wide violet eyes. "I'll have to have a talk with that damned bird; she brought you much earlier than I expected. I had thought you would sleep longer. Oh well, we might as well get this done and over with."

Yugi's head tilted sideways in confusion, and a few of his jagged gold bangs fell into his soft lavender eyes. Mai nearly smiled and sat down on the bed, brushing them back only for them to fall in place again. She leaned in even closer to pick Yugi up, but hesitated when she strongly smelled the scent of harpy, which never was in her room since the birds rarely came in there. They didn't like being anywhere where the couldn't expand their wings and fly. "They bathed you, didn't they?"

Yugi nodded. "Does it smell that bad?"

Mai's expression answered that. "It's amazing how such beautiful creatures can reek. I am used to it by now, but I am not accustomed to it on my chambers. Come, before we talk, I'll give you a REAL bath."

Smiling, Yugi went to rise when Mai, after a moment's hesitation, swept him into her arms. "Arigato, Mai-san." Feeling the closeness and warmth of his soft, small body, Mai smiled her first true smile in ages. She took him to another candle lit cavern, in the center of which was a big, bubbling hot spring. Mai removed his dirtied clothing, which the harpies, being harpies, hadn't cleaned, and placed him in the pool. Wrinkling her nose in distaste, she discarded those rags that had once been his pjs. Opening a small, ornate trunk, she pulled out fragrant soaps and shampoos then used them on Yugi. By the time she was done, had taken him out of the hot water and dried him off, the sweet hikari was squeaky clean and smelling of vanilla and roses.

From an older trunk in her room she fetched an emerald green with gold trimming robe. It was thick and small, but it was still big for the short sixteen year old. Mai smiled as Yugi rolled the sleeves back several times. The V-neck line was supposed to fasten under his collarbone, but came down to his chest instead. He shivered slightly, but still smiled at her. Mai frowned at this; it was often very cold in the Shadow Realm, and Yami would have her head if his precious prize became ill because of her. She returned to the old trunk, which held items that the harpies scavenged but couldn't use for themselves, and got one of the newest additions to it. She placed a dark blue turtle neck and loose dark blue pants that cuffed around the ankles under his robe. The ensemble was completed by a pair of soft emerald green with gold embroidery slippers. "There; how's that?" The two had hardly spoken throughout the entire bath. Mai had been too wrapped up in these odd feeling the hikari caused in her. She knew this was one form of his power; he was tender, sweet, innocent, and full of love and light. And darkness couldn't help but be drawn to the light. While she was mulling through these feelings that caused her to act in such an odd manor, Yugi had kept quiet, enjoying his bath and wondering what was going to happen next, for he couldn't stay with the harpies forever.

Yugi's smile widened and his lips stopped trembling. "Much warmer! Arigato!" He flung himself into her arms, hugging her neck tightly. Mai's powdered face blushed, but she hugged the small boy back. She pulled away and stood up. "Well, now I think we had better begin. There is so much that must be done; we don't have a moment to spare."

Confused a little, Yugi just nodded and took her extended hand as she led him back to her sleeping chamber. She set him on the bed and sat across from him, her hard violet eyes and his soft amethyst ones locking and holding back no secrets.

"Yugi, you must listen carefully to this tale. It is very important for you to know what happened then, so you can understand what is happening now. Eons ago, when your world was new, during the Age of Empires, I believe, there was a huge, fierce war in the Shadow Realm. A powerful sorcerer, Pegasus, had been gathering demons under his command. His strength and lust for power were tremendous and insatiable. He could never have enough; he set out to conquer all of the Shadow Realm and then the Earth as well. Many demons and creatures from both realms suffered greatly at his hands. Those were dark and dreadful times for our people. Pegasus tortured and killed for his own perverse pleasure. Yes, this doings are very common here, but not to the massive extent Pegasus pursued.

There was only one other being in the Shadow Realm that could stand up to him, and that was Yami, the Dark Magician. He has some of the most powerful beasts you could ever imagine under his command. They are loyal and serve him well; he does not rule through fear as did Pegasus. Yami challenged Pegasus. The Shadow Realm inhabitants were literally split between the two. Either you worked for Yami, or you worked for Pegasus.

The final fight was a very close call. Pegasus' monsters had been destroyed, and most of Yami's as well. Only his strongest and most favored remained. Pegasus had one power left, and that was his Millennium Eye. He would have won, except for Yami's last, courageous and desperate act. He sacrificed himself and his remaining monsters to seal Pegasus away in a Shadow Box for all of eternity. His spell had a reverse affect, and he himself was locked away in the Millennium Puzzle, never to be seen or heard from again.

That now brings us up to modern times. Pegasus has been planning and plotting his way out of the Shadow Box. There is a very powerful spell he plans to use. But, in order for the spell to be done, he requires a sacrifice-"

"-Of a pure heart. Pegasus plans to give my soul energy to the Shadow Realm in exchange for his freedom."

Mai nodded. "Yes, Yugi. He will destroy your soul; the Shadow Realm will absorb your light energy to replace the energy lost when Pegasus is freed. It's a balance that must be kept. And we'll keep it by keeping Pegasus in his Shadow Box." Her eyes hardened and her painted lips twisted into a snarl. Yugi nodded his head, his own eyes showing determination.

Mai leaned over and took one of Yugi's small, fine hands in her own. "You have the pure heart he needs, and more than enough light energy to appease the Shadow Realm. No matter what happens, Pegasus MUST NOT get a hold of you. I do not know what's become of Yami; no one does. So, for the time being, we will protect you and keep you from the madman's grasp."

Yugi squeezed her hand. "We won't let Pegasus win. But what must we do in order to defeat him?"

Mai's thick lashes lowered. "Only Yami has as much power as Pegasus; only Yami will know what to do next."

"Then we must find Yami."

"No, not you. We must play hide and seek with Pegasus. I have already been sending my harpies out scavenging for any news, rumors or whispers of Yami. And none have come our way. I have searched my scrying pool countless times, and have been unable to see Yami in it."

Yugi started to tremble as their talk turned to Yami. He tried to be brave, but he was consumed with panic and worry for Yami. Tears formed in his eyes and poured down his face. He was determined; he would set out and find his beloved Yami. "We have to find Yami. If he's the only one who can save us, then we must find him. We must search; we can't just listen for rumors. We have to go out and find him." His breathing was swift and fast and his heart hurt. He just had to find Yami!

Seeing how upset the boy was, Mai grabbed him and held him to her. "Yugi, no; it's too dangerous."

"I don't care! I want Yami!"

"Yugi! Listen to me! If anyone goes searching for Yami, Pegasus will find out! We must be discreet so as not to attract attention. This is the way it must be done; this is all we can do." Mai didn't know how else to comfort the boy, so she just held him and let him sob on her shoulder until he had cried himself to sleep. Even slumbering, she held him, unwilling to lie him down.

The sound of scurrying claws scraping on stone and angry screeches drew Mai's gaze. A gloriously gold harpy came rushing in, feathers flying and all four sets of claws scratching for leverage on the slick rock floor. Her feathers were rumpled and ruffled, her burgundy eyes were frantic, and her lips were parted, revealing her sharp fangs with her panting tongue hanging out. She screeched and used mind speak simultaneously at her mistress. /Mistress! Hurry! You must come quick! You must see this!/

Clutching Yugi to her tightly, Mai flung her violet over cloak around her and the small hikari then rushed after her harpy to the cavern that held her scrying pools.

Tbc………

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Oni: Whew! That took like 3 hours to type! Things just get more and more interesting, don't they? Well, I'm happy to announce that the action will be picking up soon!

Yami: about time. And when are we ever gonna get to me?

Oni: very soon. We're gonna leave yugi for a lil bit and go see what Pegasus, yami bakura and ryou are up to. Oh, and I know seto kaiba and his blue eyes are gonna be in this, but they're gonna appear much later.

Yami: just how long is this thing gonna be?

Oni: don't know. Depends on how much fun I have, and how many reviews I get! And I think this one wasn't up to my usual standards; I just wasn't feeling the flow, but I HAD to write something; I need to start killing some fics so I can concentrate on others! I'm doing too many at one time, which leads to frustration and no updates for a long time.

Yami: you're the baka who said it. So, if you peops want this to continue some time this century, click the pretty purple box!