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Icka! M. Chif ([personal profile] ickaimp) wrote2006-04-10 09:53 am
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[fic] Even more YGO: Guard Dog Con't.

For Mati. Just cause.

On the plus side, found out where Kaito and Saguru are hiding, cause we can't seem to find them or any TGZ plunnies around. Evidently they're waiting until they find out more about their recent appearances in canon. (see, this is what happens when you start hanging around someone -logical-, Kaito. *glares at 'Guru*)
-which means that TGZ is not going to take a Year and a Day like SoG did, but since TGZ is already longer than SoG is, eh.
... unless TGZ decides that it wants the next 10 chapters written in the next two weeks, which I sure as heck hope not... @_@ Geh.



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"Tadaima!" Jounouchi called as he escorted Mokuba inside the Kame Game shop. Mokuba was grateful for the blond's assistance, he didn't feel all that great today. "Yo, Yuugi!"

"Hey, Jounouchi-kun." Yuugi's 'Jiichan looked up from behind the counter where he was helping some young customers. "He's up in his room. Mokuba-kun, you're not looking so well."

"I feel like crap." Mokuba muttered darkly. Thank you 'Jiichan for pointing out the obvious. It was like he had a heavy malicious weight suddenly clinging to his shoulders. He'd been fine when he woke up this morning, but sometime around lunch he'd started feeling like this.

"Sorry." Jounouchi muttered he ushered Mokuba passed the mob of school kids who were plastered against the shop's cases, staring at the cards.

"Tell Yuugi to come down when he has a chance. I could use some help!" 'Jiichan called after them. Jounouchi waved back.

"Why are we here?" Mokuba muttered. He just wanted to climb into his bed and sleep for a week. But Jounouchi had argued for them to stop by here and he didn't have the energy to argue.

"Cause I somehow ended up with Yuugi's mobile." Jounouchi muttered, pulling him up the stairs. He'd already explained it several times. "And you didn't have to come with me."

"Yes, I did." Mokuba sulked. Once Yuugi and Jounouchi got within a certain radius of each other it was almost impossible to get them apart again. Like human magnets. If he didn't go with, he'd be stuck in the limo for HOURS.

"Yuugi!" Jounouchi called as he opened the door to Yuugi's bed room, ignoring his whinging. The short spiky-haired duellist was sitting at his desk, sorting through a stack of Duel Monster cards. "I got your phone!"

"Hey, Jounouchi-kun. Hey, Mokuba-kun.... oh." The pleasant expression on Yuugi's face faded as he looked at Mokuba. "You don't look so good."

"So I've heard." He growled.

"We're just stopping by to drop off your phone and pick up mine." Jounouchi explained, picking his phone off of the desk and putting Yuugi's back. Mokuba never should have given them matching phones, but with Noa calling Yuugi to talk frequently, it made sense to give Yuugi a company phone too.

Yuugi walked over to him, putting his hands on Mokuba's shoulders. "Yuugi?" Mokuba questioned, vaguely worried.

Vaguely worried upgraded to near total panic as a glowing eye appeared in the middle of Yuugi's forehead, blinding him. He screamed as a feeling of some sort of -force- or -pressure- ripped through him.

It faded as abruptly as it came. "Huh." Yuugi commented mildly, looking at a card in his hand. "Someone certainly didn't like you."

"What?" Mokuba blinked, taking a step back. The tiredness he'd been feeling was gone, as if someone had flicked a switch, or taken a weight off his back.

"Yuugi..." Jounouchi was giving Yuugi a strange look. "You've been holding out on us, haven't you?"

Yuugi flinched, looking nervous. "Um..."

Mokuba grabbed the card out Yuugi's hand. "Onmen No Killer Doll" He read out loud, glancing at the psychotic puppet looking doll in the picture. "Attack, 1600. Defence 1700. Four Stars, it's a 'Fiend/Effect' card." He gave Yuugi a serious look. "I've never heard of this card."

"No." Yuugi admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "You wouldn't. It didn't exist before a few minutes ago."

"I thought only holders of the Sennen items could make cards." Jounouchi frowned. "Way back in Egypt, some sort of mystical hoo-doo that required several of them."

Yuugi closed his eyes. "The Ankh to see the darkness in the person's heart, the Eye to draw that darkness out and give it form and the Rod to seal it in the stone tablets, yes." He repeated, resting a hand on his belly, where the puzzle had rested for so long. When he opened his eyes again, they were that near-ruby colour, like dark garnets. "I have my Other Self's memories of the time, Jounouchi-kun."

"Looks like that's not all ya got." Jounouchi grinned, slinging an arm around Yuugi's neck. Yuugi blinked, looking up at him, his eyes returning to their usually friendlier shade of violet.

"Do you have any more of these cards?" Mokuba asked, ideas flickering through his head.

"Um... yeah." Yuugi went back to the desk, quickly sorting the cards he'd been looking at and placing some of them on a black handkerchief. He handed the handkerchief, cards and all to Mokuba. "Be careful with them."

The fabric was silk, smooth and clinging to his fingers. He sorted through the cards, looking at the art and reading the stats. Spell cards, Monster cards, Trap Cards, Effect cards... "I... I've never heard of any of these."

"No." Yuugi agreed, looking wistful. Jounouchi pulled the smaller man closer to him. Yuugi smiled at him, looking relieved. "When you disappeared when you first got hired by Mokuba-kun, sometimes I would go out walking at night. After my Other Self left... I started seeing Duel Monsters everywhere. Some were nice... some not so nice. One tried attacking me... and that happened. Later, one of the nicer ones asked me to do the same..."

Yuugi shrugged, leaning against Jounouchi. "I guess... it passes them on to the next realm or something. Not all of them are souls, sometimes it's just a malicious aura or energy around someone."

"Like what happened with me." Mokuba mused. He'd been doing well in school again, a little too well, and several of his classmates weren't happy about it. A killer doll sounded about the right mentality for some of them too. Wasn't that called the 'Evil Eye' or something? Passing a curse on to someone by glaring at them? He made a mental note to look into researching that later. "And the cards?"

"I don't know." Yuugi said apologetically. "I guess it's a familiar form for the magic to take."

"I see." Plans began forming. "May I borrow these? I'll return them tomorrow, undamaged."

Yuugi looked hesitant. "I can't tell you why right now." It was Mokuba's turn to be apologetic. "Trust me? Please?"

"All right." Yuugi nodded, releasing Jounouchi to take the cards back, wrapping them in the black handkercheif. He put them in the golden box that had formerly held the pieces of the Sennen Puzzle. He paused, hand resting on the box's lid before handing it to Mokuba. "I trust you to take good care of these."

Mokuba nodded, firm and resolute. "We'll see you tomorrow. C'mon, Jounouchi."

"Right." Jounouchi gave Yuugi a quick hug, messing up Yuugi's spiky hair. "Oh, and Jiichan needs your help with the store downstairs."

"No, he doesn't." Yuugi shook his head. "The after school crowd just wants to hear stories or challenge me to duels. I'll just make it worse right now."

Yuugi was a celebrity in Duelling circles, something that seemed to embarrass the small duellist. Stories from Duellist Kingdom, Battle City and some not so true stories that were apparently made up were passed around like he was some sort of super hero. 'Niisama did too, but it didn't effect him as much, he could hide behind his security guards and skyscraper. And bad-ass attitude.

"Right. Will pass that on. Later, Yuugi!" Jounouchi waved, following Mokuba out of Yuugi's room and back downstairs into the store.

"You're looking better, Mokuba-kun!" Jiichan hollered as they quickly scrambled through the crowded store.

"Thanks, Jiichan!" Mokuba waved, diving out of the door.

Jounouchi was on his heels, calling over his shoulder that Yuugi said that Jiichan was on his own. Jiichan's response was loud, but indecipherable over the noise of the customers.

"Kaiba Corporation Headquarters." Mokuba ordered the driver as they scrambled inside, Jounouchi shutting the door behind them. "Fast as you can make it."

The acceleration of the car threw them back in their seats. Oh, yeah. Mokuba -liked- this driver. He pulled out his mobile phone and pressed a few numbers, speed dialling 'Niisama's number. "Kaiba." 'Niisama's barked crisply.

"How clear is your schedule?" Mokuba demanded, forgoing the usual pleasantries. 'Niisama took no offence, tapping his keyboard and bringing up his schedule.

"I can re-schedule a few things." 'Niisama said warily. "How important?"

Mokuba petted the cool lid of the ornamental Egyptian box. This probably could wait, but at the same time, if they could pull this off, the sooner they started, the better it would be. "Reschedule. We'll be there in fifteen."

"Eleven." Corrected the driver, switching lanes with malicious glee. Jounouchi grabbed Mokuba to keep him from toppling over.

"Right. See you then." 'Niisama cut the connection.

Jounouchi whistled, grabbing his seat-belt and wrestling it on. "Whoa. What's going on, Mokuba?"

He smiled apologetically. "I hate to do this to you Jounouchi... but you're probably better off not knowing. At least, right now."

The blond thought it over, then nodded. "Okay. But if you need me...." He let the offer dangle.

"Thanks." Mokuba smiled tensely, gripping the box. Jounouchi nodded, falling into silence which Mokuba was quietly grateful for.

They made it Kaiba Corporation Headquarters in ten and a half minutes. Mokuba was a ball of nervous energy at the end of it, but he had a plan in mind. He bounced out of the car before the driver had even a chance to turn off the engine, barely aware of Jounouchi calling thanks for both of them behind him before the blond trotted to catch up to him.

They caught the express elevator to the top, ignoring the people who mulled around the bottom floor. Jounouchi had his hands in his pockets, watching the ceiling as they sped their way to the top floor. The express elevator tended to make the blond nervous, as he was never entirely sure when it was going to suddenly go sideways. Not that it did it very often, but just often enough for Mokuba to keep him on his toes.

Sometimes it was the little things that kept life entertaining.

The doors opened and Jounouchi was the first one out, keeping an eye out for people who attempted to approach Mokuba. That happened before, people who figured he'd be easier to approach than 'Niisama with an idea, a plea for money or something. Fortunately, no one was around save for the usual secretary, who smiled at them and waved them through.

Jounouchi opened the door to 'Niisama's office, poking his head inside. "Oi, Blue Eyes." He called. "We're here."

"Punctual, I see." 'Niisama commented blandly, ignoring the nickname. Mokuba had heard Jounouchi call 'Niisama that before, he still wasn't sure if it was intended as a complement, an insult or one of those 'Jounouchi' things. "Thank you, Blondie."

"Welcome." Jounouchi waved Mokuba in. "I'm gonna go take a nap." Probably right in front of the doors, so no one would disturb them, like a good guard dog.

"Thanks, Jounouchi." Mokuba smiled at him as he walked inside. Jounouchi saluted, then shut the door behind him, the door locking with a click. The pleasant expression faded as he stood in front of 'Niisama's desk, knowing better than to take a seat in one of those instruments of torture 'Niisama called chairs.

"You cleared the place for bugs recently?" He questioned instead, putting Yuugi's box on the desk in front of 'Niisama.

'Niisama blinked at him impassively. "Of course." He hit a switch on the side of his desk anyway, a white noise generator to block any possible bugs they might have missed. "What's this about?"

"Look." Mokuba instructed as 'Niisama took the box and began shuffling through the cards. As 'Niisama's eyes went large, Mokuba began to talk, outlining a Plan.

It wasn't a perfect plan, just the loose outline of a plan, but they could fill in the holes later. As 'Niisama listened, he frowned, but nodded in silent agreement as Mokuba talked.

Pegasus had formerly been the person to make all the Duel Monsters cards. From what he'd heard from Yuugi and Jounouchi --he'd been frozen in a card at the time-- Pegasus could see the Monsters, like Yuugi could now, which he then painted into the cards. That was why certain cards had more spirit to them than others, they -had- actual spirits tied to them.

He had been the Game King, quite literally controlling the game from the background, using Industrial Illusions to do it. They made the cards. They had the copyrights, the patents, everything. Kaiba Corp made the systems that the cards were played on and held the tournaments, but it was all through contracts with Industrial Illusions.

Industrial Illusions who wasn't doing quite as well without Pegasus in control.

'Niisama listened, taking private mental notes, until Mokuba was done. He set the Yuugi's cards down, rewrapping them in the black silk, a thoughtful air around him. Mokuba waited as 'Niisama mulled it over. Mokuba was good at reading people, but 'Niisama was the one with the business connections and power.

"You want to take over Pegasus' old company." 'Niisama finally summed it up, his expression bland.

"Well," Mokuba smiled, relaxing as he realised his brother wasn't arguing. "I figured we ought to return the favour."

'Niisama -grinned-.


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Now if you'll excuse me, I need to stick our tent in the shower and start laundry. @_@;;

[identity profile] sapphirus.livejournal.com 2006-04-10 01:57 am (UTC)(link)
Boy am I glad I decided to reread that... You even updated it! D: ♥

[identity profile] ickaimp.livejournal.com 2006-04-10 05:20 am (UTC)(link)
Yup. Been updating it quite a bit... ^^;;
So fic is okay?