The Gazebo - Shelter from the Storm

Freakin' BRILL

Mon, 19 May 2008 08:31:00 GMT

Climbing. Is. Brilliant. 'Nuffsaid. ^^

NEEEEEEEEW ACCOUNT!

Sat, 09 Feb 2008 05:25:29 GMT

Okay, I've created a new account for myself. It's more personal as opposed to fanfic-oriented, but I'm not going to be posting under this name any more, so... yeah.

Just so you knew.

The new account name's "zhangsizheng". Hope to see you all there!

- The Girl Formerly Known As Arashi-chan

CHAT TIMES (12th January for everyone but Japan, in which case it's the 13th)

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 05:17:39 GMT

Location	Local time	Time zone
London (U.K. - England)	Saturday, January 12, 2008 at 9:00:00 PM	UTC GMT
Vancouver (Canada - British Columbia)	Saturday, January 12, 2008 at 1:00:00 PM	UTC-8 hours PST
Tokyo (Japan)	Sunday, January 13, 2008 at 6:00:00 AM	UTC+9 hours
Berlin (Germany - Berlin)	Saturday, January 12, 2008 at 10:00:00 PM	UTC+1 hour CET
Corresponding UTC (GMT)	Saturday, January 12, 2008 at 21:00:00

New York: 4:00:00 PM (Eastern)

blinkblink

Mon, 18 Jun 2007 00:16:20 GMT

I seem to have joined a harem. This is nice. 'Cept Sugar claims title of Head Bitch, since she's K's girlfriend. I'm ranked third, 'cause I like the letter three. Bitch2 (Charbar) has just informed me that she thinks I've stolen a little of her virginity.

Am not sure what to make of that.

*tired and takes self to bed for a nap*

And all you perverts out there? Sleeping with two girls and a guy is innocent. Nothing untoward happened. Me promises. ^-^

Mmmm...

Wed, 23 May 2007 21:01:02 GMT

Hi.

...I really don't know what to say. I've been AWOL from Livejournal for a long time, and I don't think I've posted something for... *mumble* A long time.

*points finger dramatically at Husband the First* He corrupted me; he was the serpent holding the apple of anime that dragged me into the Naruto fandom. Hence... another fandom switch.

I intend to continue fics like Reality Check (prolly 'cause Wife the Second would tear my arms off and beat me over the head with the wet ends) in addition to writing new stuff. I also think I will get back into posting a lot of 'snippets'.

Thanks to Hrafna and Bimbomushi for getting me off my livejournal butt, unintentionally as it may be. I've a number of random scenes and paragraphs I'll be uploading day by day.

For now, tho... Sarabada!

- Arash-chan

P.S. *Arnold impression: * I'll be back.

Z0MGJOBYEY!

Fri, 22 Sep 2006 00:10:23 GMT

OMIGOSH, I GOT A JOB! *dances around frenziedly* I got it last night, then proceeded to chug champagne on a dare and was tipsy for about four and a bit hours...

BUT I GOT A JOB! Whoohoo!

Back! Yo.

Mon, 04 Sep 2006 05:18:11 GMT

Squee! I'm, liek, back in Kanada!

I'll be uploading pics of some things I got while in China. Besides stationery. z0mgthestuffwassocheapilovedit! ^^

Ehh... Kaiba's brains went ploopy. AHAHAHA! No. -.-;;

Tue, 29 Aug 2006 07:19:53 GMT

Ehhh... drabble. Two am. After reading Desidera's 'Your Song'. And some FAKE fanfics that involved someone's head exploding.

He didn't flinch when his brother's slack face exploded not two inches from his own – didn't cry as he brushed away bone fragments and grey matter. He merely looked calmly over the still-bleeding stump of a neck at his brother's murderer, slanted eyes cool and low voice frigid.

You're going to pay for that, you know.

And he did. Perhaps the largest mistake was leaving a Kaiba alive, and thirsting for revenge. Vengeance drove the young man from then on – hatred kept him alive when food and drink failed to fill him. And his brother's murderer screamed a hundred thousand death-screams, and lived ten thousand lifetimes of despair.

'Niisama, do you hear his cries? They're mine. Do you feel his pain? Because every drop of your blood – my blood – is worth an infinite amount of his... and he spilled an infinite amount of yours, 'Niisama. There was so much...

It wasn't until Kaiba Seto's killer was as dead as Kaiba Seto himself that Mokuba wept. He cried tears of blood, he tore free clumps of dark hair in his grief. Because to dam oneself's anger was to damn oneself. Twenty years of torment, and twenty years of sorrow was howled anew over the sea in which his brother's ashes were scattered.

Because the sea is ever-shifting, ever-moving – like the air. And if you could not fly forever, like I know you wished to, perhaps you would move with the wind, instead.

They had become Kaibas to stay brothers... and to remain brothers, they would stay Kaibas. A Kaiba thrived on vengeance, and fed on the darkest pasts in order to look to the future.

I'm a Kaiba, 'Niisama. Just like you. Ore wa Kaiba Mokuba-sama desu. Ore wa Kaiba Seto-sama no otouto-sama.

--

Yeah. So. -.-;; No comment, 'cause I'm not even sure why I posted this.

Sarabada!

- Arashi-chan

P.S. Like my new icon? I have moooore...

Clone!fic, yo.

Tue, 22 Aug 2006 04:48:40 GMT

Not too long ago, I posted the beginning to my clone!fic. I decided to put up the next two scenes here, because they contain the Kaiba brothers' reflections, and I really need to know if I did the explanation re: the Kaiba brothers' relationship clearly enough.

And yes, this does lead up to the clone thing. But I have to do backstory first, which is easily my least favourite of all things. *sulk*

Anyway! Here it is, and I put in the first scene again, just in case:

Part One – Through the Looking Glass

Four years ago...

“You say you've made a breakthrough.”

“We have, Kaiba-sama. As the last four generations were, this particular specimen is aware, on an intelligent level. We have honed the memory-upload technique so that the failure rate is less than one in four, and found a way to manipulate the genetic code so that the subject will respond on a greater level to outside influence until they have matured.”

Satisfaction. “Excellent. And the mature age is...?”

“Approximately ten years and seventeen weeks, Kaiba-sama.” Deference.

Incredulity. “Ridiculous. That is too long a period of time!”

“I beg your indulgence, Kaiba-sama. My meaning is ten years and seventeen weeks of physical age. We have discovered a way to stimulate a subject's growth so that he or she reaches that 'maturity' in as little a time as three years before their growth slows and they age normally. However, risks in accelerating the physical growth rate range from potentially harmful to the subject to extremely harmful, puts a great deal of stress on their bodies, and requires immense energy –”

“That doesn't matter. This is good, Rikou-san. Tonight you may gather the sample for the final subject, and if it goes well, you can probably retire on your own private island.”

“Thank you, Kaiba-sama. Would you like to see the list I have made of volunteers and possible candidates?”

Amusement. “There's no need. I already have someone in mind.”

“Might I inquire after their identity?” Curiosity.

“You may, but I'm not going to tell you now. Come by the mansion tonight, at eight. Our donor will be at your convenience.”

“Of course.” A rustling of paper sheets.

“Rikou-san, tell me a little more of our current subject. What stage is it at? Have the memories and knowledge you supplied it with been adequate to accelerate its learning rate?”

“It is, Kaiba-sama. Subject five-zero-five is able to function well beyond her physical age of eight years and nine months, and her intelligence far outstrips her true age of four years. She –”

Impatience. “Good. Have you learned all you can from it?”

More nervous shuffling of papers – a brief hesitation. “There is little more we can glean from her at this point. Observations of her can be useful, eventually.”

“'Eventually' is a big 'if', Rikou-san. Dispose of it.” Dismissal.

Another pause.

“Yes, Kaiba-sama.”

~/~

Present Day

Kaiba's POV

T – 00:36:39

Mokuba's eyes were huge in the flashing lights. Turning away, I regarded the blocked passage, and my hands clenched.

I didn't know how a supposedly secure hallway, not set to detonate until at least a half-hour later, had caved in... but I did know that Mokuba and I were almost out of time.

This particular passage would have led to one of two lifts that accessed the plane hangar. The original plan had been to set bombs that merely weakened the island structure to go off at ten-minute intervals, the final detonators on an hour-timer. It would have given Mokuba and me more than enough time to make it to my Blue-Eyes Jet. Now, with the detour, we would be cutting it close – too close.

It had taken us a little over twenty minutes to get from the control room to where we were. It would take another twenty minutes to get to the jet now. Even if we made it, the warm-up sequence would take almost ten minutes to run its course.

We could make it. It'd be insanity, and almost certainly suicide for both myself and my brother, but I had always been good at defying the odds... for us.

But... this time...

I had hoped to eradicate Gozaburo's shadow through the destruction of what had once been the heart of his warmonger's empire. It seemed all I have proved is that Gozaburo lived within me. Alcatraz would burn, true, but I might very well sink with it, and with me...

Mokuba...

There was nothing for it. Pressing a tiny switch sewn into the KC insignia on my collar, I spoke into a hidden radio. “Isono.”

It took a few moments for a reply to come, but in a few moments, Isono's strained voice came through the radio. “Seto-sama! Where are you, Seto-sama?! Are you with Mokuba-sama? We're looking for you!”

“Still here.” I spun on my heel, Mokuba trotting to keep up with my hasty stride. “Isono, has the Battle Ship left yet?”

“The engines aren't working, Seto-sama! We were still here because we were looking for you, and then the pilot said –“

“Good.”

“'Good'?” the aide's tone clearly indicated his incredulity. “We are trapped, Seto-sama!”

“Is the 'copter still in working condition?”

A brief pause.

“Isono, is the medical helicopter still functional?” I snapped.

Fubeta, my other aide, spoke into the radio over Isono's distant shouting. He sounded embarrassed. “We didn't think of the helicopter, Seto-sama...”

Idiots. Isono and Fubeta were my most loyal and resourceful aides yet – they would usually never overlook an escape route that obvious. Nevertheless, their rare oversight was my gain. “Mokuba will join you in approximately thirty minutes or less. Wait for him.”

“Mokuba-sama...? But Seto-sama, what about you? And there's no time –!”

“There will be.”

I ended the transmission and turned to face my suddenly rebellious-looking brother. “Mokuba, it shouldn't take you longer than twenty minutes to get up there, but if any of the other passages are blocked, there are plenty of alternatives.”

“I know my way, 'Niisama,” Mokuba spat. I grimaced. “But we could both get away now –”

“And leave my plane to be blown up with Gozaburo's pile of scrap?” I said dryly, only half-joking. “No.”

“That's not funny,” my brother hissed. “We've got a way out now – it's too dangerous to stay any longer.” We were approaching a fork in the halls. The right led back to the control room. The left, to a series of lifts and stairs that would take Mokuba to the surface.

Walking briskly towards the right fork, I bristled as I realised Mokuba was still half-running by my side. “What are you doing?”

“Following you.”

My temper spiked, and I rounded on him. “Mokuba. Right now, I don't care what you want, or what you think. You will listen to me and get out.” I grabbed his chin and tilted his head so that his eyes met mine. “Do you understand?”

“No.” Mokuba didn't flinch, at my tone or when my fingers dug into his face. “But you'll get yourself out,” he said. It wasn't a question.

Surprised by his sudden acquiescence, I blinked, lost for words. A surge of warmth in my chest brought a rare smile to my face. “I will.” I pushed my brother gently, and he stumbled into the direction of the left fork. There was less than half an hour left now. I had to get to that control room. “I'll need your locket.”

Mokuba looked at me for a long moment before tugging the cord and pendant over his head, throwing it almost viciously at me. “I want that back, 'Niisama.”

Come back to me.

I nodded my understanding, and we turned away from one another, breaking into sprints as the central computer's warning echoed through the island.

“Twenty minutes to detonation... evacuate all facilities immediately.”

~/~

Mokuba's POV

T – 00:19:56

Contrary to what some people thought, 'Niisama and I fought, too, and frequently. He acted as though he knew everything when he didn't know how to feed himself enough, or when to come home from work. I often had to remind him to eat and sleep, and dragged him outside of his office every so often in the hopes he'd get a tan and look healthier.

'Fat chance. With the way he dresses, the only skin that'd darken would be the area around his mouth and nose, seeing as his hair covers his eyes most of the time.'

But we did argue a lot. Usually, it started out as something small, and then escalate until either 'Niisama or me would lose our tempers. It would end up with him sulking in his office while I made it a point to ignore him. This stand-off would continue until I'd decide he'd gone long enough without eating or sleeping, and got Fubeta to drive me to KaibaCorp where we'd yell at each other again before he consented to come home.

It seemed that nowadays, 'Niisama had to turn almost everything into a fight of some sort.

I slowed to a brisk walk as I approached a lift that would take me up to lower-ground level. Luckily, I hadn't been delayed by any other cave-ins, even though the tremors were getting stronger.

Back at the split-way, where 'Niisama had been dead-set on my leaving, and I'd been equally set on staying with him, I'd realised that I hadn't trusted his will too live, enough. Granted, I'd never much trusted it since Gozaburo. Yuugi once said that 'Niisama's heart felt divided, but an army feels united under a banner – maybe my brother thought I was his. Which meant I'd be best off safe and worrying about him, while he risked his life and didn't concern himself at all. Idiot.

Of course, this entire thought process was conceited and revealed just how arrogant a Kaiba – especially a Kaiba who operated from the shadows in his brother's heart – can be. Because I could be wrong, and 'Niisama just didn't want me in the way. He could run a great deal faster without pacing himself to match my own speed, after all.

Still, I decided I could do a great deal better by getting to the 'copter and keeping out of his way. I wasn't going to stop worrying, but I also knew when to back down.

How could I consent to match our wills in a waiting game when time was the one thing we didn't have? When lives were on the line?

I couldn't. We did owe some to Yuugi-tachi, after all.

If I were a little more insipid, and if I hadn't been raised by my brother, who hadn't ever heard of the word 'romantic', I'd be thinking that my locket would represent me in spirit and keep him safe.

That was if I hadn't be raised by my brother, who hadn't ever heard of the word 'romantic'.

I grinned, and drew out a small, collapsible headset complete with 'phones, clipping a silvery bar to my collar. Thumbing on the radio, I spoke into the mic'.

“'Niisama?”

The radio crackled with static before his voice spoke into my ear. “I was wondering how long it'd take you,” he responded. “Where are you right now?”

“Just exiting a lift. I'm on level LG-2, and two halls were blocked, but I'm good now. I'll get to Isono-tachi in a couple of minutes. You?”

“Good. I'm going to give us another half-hour, then. Forty minutes 'til detonation sound good?”

“We'll be far away enough to be safe, and still be able to see the blast!” I responded brightly, knowing that the thought pleased him. “You coming now?”

“As... as I... Blue-Eyes...“ static concealed most of his reply.

“'Niisama?” I asked, feeling kind of anxious. I mean, he was in an unstable portion of underground building...

The radio crackled, and I heard his voice, but couldn't make out any words this time.

“'Niisama!”

A burst of static, then silence.

I felt my entire body go cold, then hot, then cold again.

“'Niisama...” I whispered. I'd already already turned around to retrace my steps, the thought that I had to make sure 'Niisama was okay, half-formed in my head.

'But... Isono-tachi... I –'

Besides, we'd both made promises, and though I didn't really care at the moment about what 'Niisama would think of me if I went back on it, I knew I would in the future.

Setting my jaw, I turned into a stairwell and sprinted up one last set of stairs before walking into the light.

Because if I wanted to make our dreams live, I had to be a Kaiba first, and a brother second.

Commentation, onegai?

- Arashi-chan

Yo. Dood. I have a dragon earring. Lolololol.

Sat, 19 Aug 2006 08:11:14 GMT

H'okez. I fail at life. I can't even write crack any more. *droops*

I'm posting this stuff 'cause it's unlikely too much of it will make it into this next chapter. It's too... too. >> Y'know? And it does't feel like Reality Check. It feels like Kaiba and Yami making out on a dressing room floor, Mokuba catching them, and a lot of useless humour that never happens in real life. Kaiba was less bipolar and more... not-Kaiba. Get it?

Here y'go:

Kaiba Seto could not for the life of him understand how he'd ended up flat on his back on the carpeted floor of his private dressing-room, a 'Yami no Limpet' plastered firmly against his body while a pair of ravenous lips gave him the hottest kiss he'd ever experienced in his virginal life.

'Damn Mutou,' he thought hazily, arching into the other boy's groping hands. 'With his slim hands and beautiful eyes and flawless skin and oh-fuck-that-felt-good...'

Yami moaned into Kaiba's mouth and fisted a hand in the taller boy's hair. “Y'smell like vi'lets,” he observed happily before reattaching his mouth to Kaiba's bared right shoulder. “An' taste like... like something nice, tho' I can't think of anythin' right now...”

“Suck up,” Kaiba sighed, his eyes drifting closed.

“With pleasure,” Yami grinned against Kaiba's collarbone and nipped gently at it.

Kaiba gasped, arching gracefully. “Ngh, oh –”

“Shit,” a caustic young voice supplied. “Seto-chan, since when did Dad give you permission to get laid?”

“You're so hot, I'm hallucinating,” Yami mumbled into Kaiba's neck. “I swear I just heard your little brother say –”

“Shit!” Kaiba gasped, and sat bolt upright in such a way that his and Yami's positions looked all the more compromising. “Mokuba-chan! I can explain –!”

“Yeah. We were about to have hot, mind-numbing sex before you walked your under-age ass through that door,” Yami muttered. “Get your aforementioned, virginal tush lost.”

All arousal gone, Kaiba pushed Yami off his lap and rounded on his would-be lover. “Are you visually molesting my little brother's ass, Mutou?”

Yami tilted his head defiantly from his sprawled position next to Kaiba. “I'm afraid the only ass I'm currently interested in is planted firmly against the floor, and thus optically inaccessible.” Yami's arm snaked around Kaiba's back, and the brunet yelped. “It appears, however, that your delectable behind is not –”

“Yami,” Kaiba gritted, jerking his head towards a now-smirking Mokuba, who was leaning against the changing-room doorframe. “My dear, innocent, pure-minded –”

“He obviously doesn't know Mokuba-chan very well, does he?” Yami asked rhetorically of the ceiling.

“– virginal-hearted, sweet, innocent –”

“You already used that one,” Yami interrupted again.

Kaiba glared, supremely aware of Mokuba's snickering in the background. “– ten-year-old – yes, that means under-aged – younger, littler brother is standing less than five feet from us and you're pinching my ass?!”

“Well, I figured you'd sock me if I tried to grope it –” Yami's cheek stung from the sudden slap. “...what was that for?”

“For being an uncouth, horny, freak-haired debaucher, perhaps.” Mokuba said helpfully, unfolding his arms in order to cross his eyes and pull up his nose into a pig-snout, his right hand glued to his face in a 'loser' sign.

Ignoring the obscene faces and gestures the black-haired boy was making at him, Yami let out a triumphant crow, pointing his finger at Mokuba, who was now pulling down an eyelid and flipping him off. “If that word – de-whazzit –”

“'Debaucher',” Kaiba grumbled.

“That's the one – if that doesn't scream Harly-kin's Romance –”

“Harlequin.”

Yami growled, good-feelings-induced good mood vanishing rapidly. “What I mean is that all this implies that your brother buys fifty-cent smut from used book stores, Hanashoubu.”

“First of all, will you stop calling me that! Secondly, just because my younger brother's vocabulary is considerably larger than yours doesn't mean that he buys cheap erotica. Thirdly...” Kaiba grabbed Yami's as-of-yet pointing finger, bending it back cruelly. “Don't point. It's rude.”

Wide-eyed, the shorter boy nursed his throbbing finger. “But almost breaking it isn't?”

There y'go. ^^ Commentation?

Ganbatte!

- Arashi

I wasn't drunk. I was tipsy.

Tue, 15 Aug 2006 06:32:43 GMT

Apparently, I am a happy/affectionate/lazy drunk. And I can get tipsy on 6.5-thingy apple wine. I can't remember much else.

So much for alcohol-virginity. Plus, I had to go pee three times and I almost fell into the toilet twice, according to my friends. Do you know what an HK public toilet is like? It's a fucking hole in the ground.

- Arashi-chan

P.S. This sucks.

...GAH. Three hours of sleep and I'm awake? Z0mgity.

Fri, 11 Aug 2006 01:47:39 GMT

This is the beginning of a what-if fic set during the DOMA arc. I watched Kaiba kinda go all 'z0MG 'tis HURTFUL' and kinda went: squee! So I wrote it. >3

It kind of speaks for itself, and the real plot doesn't begin to unfold until later.

I'm actually thinking that the fic should have more humour. I mean... well... later. So this might end up being a oneshot or... something? Have no idea. >> << >> Anyway, here it is:

Kaiba heard mou hitori no Yuugi's frantic cries but failed to respond; there was fire clawing from within, and his skin felt suddenly tight – too restrictive, too frail – and how could he fight the inferno? He would be incinerated, helpless...

He gasped as his back and shoulders struck an invisible barrier yes, the curse of the Orichalcos though he had barely felt the sensation of falling back, too busy trying not to scream.

Suddenly, the pain was gone, and he stumbled forward again, feeling nothing but wonder and horror as his limbs began to tremble with sudden weakness. Yuugi screamed again, but Kaiba did not reply, trying to remember – it had been something important... something to do with the holographic image of the face-down card he had laid a couple of turns back... something he could...

Kaiba was standing on a tile. It had a worn imprint of a severe-looking nun, hands clasped piously about a rosary, her features regal, though lined. Kaiba absently shifted his foot so he would not be standing on her hand. She looked like she deserved dignity... perhaps an Abbess of some long-crumbled Abbey...

Her stern gaze sparked something in him, and he realised he had been standing foolishly, the life draining from him as he wasted his last moments. He trembled, lifting a hand and hating how it shook as his head lightened. “Activate...” he gasped, his Duel Disk growing heavier by the second. “...trap card – Hope in Death.”

He heard an obnoxious tinkle as life points were restored and Yuugi's sharp intake of breath as he realised what Kaiba had done.

“When your own monster has been destroyed,” Kaiba continued laboriously, posture sagging, “this card enables the monster's attack points to be...” he stopped. The world was spinning. “Life points.”

Kaiba grunted as he fell to his knees, heard quick footsteps, was caught by reassuring hands. The taller duellist sighed, cold spreading from his fingers and inward as he was shaken frantically. “Kaiba!” Yuugi yelled, his composure clearly shot. “Kaiba!”

'I can hear you just fine,' Kaiba thought dryly. 'I'm not dead, yet.'

The brunet felt strangely content, though the ice had spread past his forearms by now, and up his knees. His brother screamed, but after the first initial wrench at the despair in Mokuba's voice, he found it easy to forget how much he would hate his brother to be alone, and without him.

He lifted his gaze, tried to smile, met an almost panicked red stare. “Yuugi,” he said distantly. “My debt...” What was it about his debt? “I have paid it.” Numb fingers tightened in the other duellist's dark jacket. “Take revenge for me,” his head lolled weakly forward.

“...Kaiba!”

Darkness closed in as the sickly green light of the Orichalcos tightened about the taller duellist's form. Kaiba was almost fully limp by this point, and stared pointlessly into the eyes of the stern nun, eyelids getting heavy.

'I must trust my conqueror to conquer the unconquerable,' he thought, and absently observed that mou hitori no Yuugi and his jacket smelled of fire and sand.

“Seto,” Dartz declared. “Be the sacrifice to my God!”

'Mokuba,' Kaiba thought as the pale dots dancing in his vision expanded, connecting into a sea of white. 'Stay strong.'

And then he felt no more.

~/~

“KAIBA!” Yami shook Kaiba's form uselessly, crimson eyes tracking the splash of blue-white glow that lingered briefly above their heads, as if wishing to rejoin them, before it was tugged forcefully into a limestone tile. An imprint of Kaiba's physical body faded slowly into existence, its hands outstretched in unspoken plea.

Yami's hands clenched in Kaiba's coat, head bowing to rest against a limp shoulder. There was an infinitesimally faint smudge of dirt on the white material by Yami's cheek; on impulse, he wet a finger and rubbed it away, imagining his proud, fiery-tempered rival's response should the spirit have tried that while he was conscious.

'I have no warrior-comrade to stand by my side, now,' Yami realised, despairing. 'My allies can do little to assist me. Kaiba's sacrifice should not be for nothing, but –'

Kaiba's body suddenly moved against him. Yami's heart leapt eagerly, his arms falling from the taller duellist's form, but his hope was shattered as Kaiba drifted upward, head lolling sickly, form still lifeless and doll-like.

Jaw clenching, Yami watched Kaiba's body drift from reach, and looked over to see Dartz's cold smile. “An empty shell is only so much waste of space,” the aqua-haired man stated before a vicious sweep of his arm forced Kaiba's body out of the cursed Orichalcos ring, the body creating sparks as it passed through the barrier.

Mokuba ran forward but tripped; he landed painfully against the ground as his brother did. An audible crunching of bone was heard.

“Mokuba!” Honda and Anzu rushed to the smaller boy's side.

“Out of my way!” Mokuba spat, startling them into brief silence. He pushed away from the two teens, instead rushing to his brother's side and heaving Kaiba's head into his lap. “'Niisama! Wake up! Wake up, 'Niisama!”

“He can't hear you,” Dartz gloated. “His soul is beyond your reach... and it is a powerful one.” A tremor shook the ceiling, walls and floor. “The Leviathan appreciates it a great deal, it seems.”

“Bastard!” Mokuba cried, purple-grey eyes blazing with fury and grief as he stared at the Atlantian lord. “Give him back! Give him back!”

As if in response, the world lurched; Honda, Anzu and Mokuba caught a brief, sudden glimpse of a monstrous eye blinking into existence behind the laughing Dartz, and suddenly –

Nothing.

By the way, all of the dialogue is taken directly from the Japanese anime. So t'aint my fault. >> << >>

Hn. The melodrama issues bother me somewhat, but with a little more fleshing it should be okay. I think. *squinch* Okay, now that I think about it, I don't like it too much. I must be nicer with my first... ahh...

Must not give plot away. >3333333

- Arashi-chan

'TIS ATTACK OF TEH CLOOOONES! Yuugiou-style. cackle

Thu, 10 Aug 2006 02:01:16 GMT

Well, for the price of a clip of evil-sounding!Kaiba cackles from Hem Ntjr Seth, I am posting a snippet of the prologue to my clone!fic. Soooo... I hope you enjoy!

Four years ago...

“You say you've made a breakthrough.”

Satisfaction. “Excellent. And the mature age is...?”

“Approximately ten years and seventeen weeks, Kaiba-sama.” Deference.

Incredulity. “Ridiculous. That is too long a period of time!”

“That doesn't matter. This is good, Rikou-san. Tonight you may gather the sample for the final subject, and if it goes well, you can probably retire on your own private island.”

“Thank you, Kaiba-sama. Would you like to see the list I have made of volunteers and possible candidates?”

Amusement. “There's no need. I already have someone in mind.”

“Might I inquire after their identity?” Curiosity.

“You may, but I'm not going to tell you now. Come by the mansion tonight, at eight. Our donor will be at your convenience.”

“Of course.” A rustling of paper sheets.

“Rikou-san, tell me a little more of our current subject. What stage is it at? Have the memories and knowledge you supplied it with been adequate to accelerate its learning rate?”

“It is, Kaiba-sama. Subject five-zero-five is able to function well beyond her physical age of eight years and nine months, and her intelligence far outstrips her true age of four years. She –”

Impatience. “Good. Have you learned all you can from it?”

More nervous shuffling of papers – a brief hesitation. “There is little more we can glean from her at this point. Observations of her can be useful, eventually.”

“'Eventually' is a big 'if', Rikou-san. Dispose of it.” Dismissal.

Another pause.

“Yes, Kaiba-sama.”

That's it for now. *goes to shut down Windows and the start it up again, all to hear Kaiba's insane laugh* Eee... horniness. ^_~

- Arashi-chan teh Obsessive

OMGOMGOMG!

Tue, 08 Aug 2006 01:01:10 GMT

Okay, I'm in HK now, and it's five to nine in the morning!

Several things have happened already, and all are awesome or amusing.

- I sat next to a homophobe on the plane.

Let it be known I was reading 'Wild Rock' (M-rated, graphic pictures) and there was one shot of Yuni and Selem that I kinda twitched at.

Me: *gasps a little too loudly* Is that a PENIS? *turns book* Holy shit... there are two! O.O Where the fuck are the censoring clouds on these things? (Never mind, I like...)
Homophobe: *grunts and leans over my shoulder*
Me: *happily* Look! *shoves it in his face*
Homophobe: ...*freaks out* OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG! OMGWTFBBQ!
Me: ...*looks at it again* What? Don't you think they're pretty?
Homophobe: *is too busy freaking out, attracts a bunch of flight attendants and demands a seat change*
Me: ...I'd be offended if this wasn't so over-the-top it was funny.
Flight Attendant: I will have to ask you to put that away, Miss.
Me: ...wtf? Fine. *puts it away*
Flight Attendant: *smiles vapidly* Thank you. *walks off*
Me: *pulls out a copy of Gravitation instead* *cackles* *readeth*

- Let it be known I LOVE GRAVITATION! OMGOMGOMG! AND 'FAKE'! SOOOOOOOOO HOT! SOOOOOOOO CUTE! SOOOOOOOOO PRETTY! *fangirls*

I'm afraid I couldn't quite get into Loveless. -.-;; So those two volumes are still all but unread.

Nevertheless, I've already adjusted to the time change, and am prolly going to go out soon... as SOON as I watch the FAKE episode I found. *glomps FAKE OVA* LOVELOVELOVE!

*roars* OMENS ARE GOOD, THE PEOPLE I'M STAYING WITH ARE LOVELY, I HAVE MY LAPTOP AND WIRELESS INTERNET...

LIFE PWNS ALL!

- Arashi-chan

P.S. Kaiba's crazy laugh makes me horny. Yo. If a guy in real life laughed like that, I'd slap him and then molest him. Yo.

Duuuuuude. Check out this here drabble. >3333

Sun, 06 Aug 2006 05:54:34 GMT

I's a tryin'ta make uno drabble-a. >33333333333333

But yeah. Here's teh drabble. For the stupid people, it's Kaiba and the department of backstory after Death-T. For the smart people, I'm considering using it as a kind of... not prologue, not really. Well... dunno. But I've wanted to write sick!Kaiba in Duellist Kingdom. I thought it'd be funny if Kaiba was pretty ill even after he'd put his heart back together, and he tried to go to Duellist Kingdom anyway.

*cuddles plotBEWD to herself* Who cares about bunnies? *feeds it kuribous* Thanks for the tip, Eli-ko!

Anyway, here ish teh drabble. If it's no good, I'll prolly attempt some other way to introduce backstory. Gods I hate writing backstory. >>;;

--
Here's the golden light streaming all about him, pooling in his flaws, wrenching, stressing, splintering, and his screams echo in the silence because it hurts and how can one stop the light when one so craves its cleansing judgement...?

Then, darkness. Silver-grey shards glinting amid the nightmarish mists of the Other-Place, where he'd been devoured by his own monsters for his failure. Oblivion for aeons as he struggles to reassemble his image from a mirror that had been cracked and flawed before its breaking –

A tug on his heartstrings... the brief glimpse of stricken crimson eyes... there's a flash of sudden hatred and the golden presence surges forward to defend him...

He rises to the call of battle alongside his White Dragon to see he faces his destruction-salvation-fascination. He stays his hand and wonders at his hesitation to attack, watches his Dragon dissolve into shadows and disappear – much like he had when he'd been so full of shadows but dared touch the punishing glow of his penalty game.

Now, though, he thinks he is better than before, and the fire flickers back into his eyes. He thinks it is the sun on his skin, and when he blinks, it is. His thoughts flash to a promise kept, and a brother waiting. He finds himself standing, his voice cutting through a startled maid's exclamation and the dark tinkle of splintering glass.

“Yuugi.”

Uh-huh. And that's all, folks.

- Arashi-chan

Eh. Laifu? Ish Cool und ish teh Suxxorz.

Sun, 06 Aug 2006 05:44:07 GMT

Hn. My second last contribution before I take off for China for a month. First three weeks, I'm in Hong Kong; the last one, I'm stuck in Beijing with my brothers and father. I'm predicting the last week will see me sitting on my butt a great deal, because though I love my Baba, I've always held a grudge against his thick-skinned, fool-headed, dumb-as-toad-shit colleagues.

As you can tell, it's a pretty unreasonable grudge, too. ^^ I mean, they can't be all that bad if they're in the movie business, ne? (Baba's a movie director). But I hate his producer. Stupid whore. >.> If I catch her making eyes at Baba again I'll beat the shit out of her. Or just get pissed off and vent here, 'cause Baba's not believe me. 'Isn't that just like a man?' Quoth Miss Cornelia. *shrugs*

Anyway, I'm off to <strike>watch porn</strike> post a random drabblebit I wrote just now. Kaiba-centric, since he's now up on my wall and glaring at me constantly, I've gotta write something other than Reality Check. In Ancient Past continues to elude me, tho. Suxxorz. ^^;;

Swearing death to Bitch Producer Margaret Can'trememberherlastname,

- Arashi-chan

I fail at fluff. Forever.

Fri, 04 Aug 2006 16:44:08 GMT

This isn't finished, but I decided to throw it out there for now. At the moment, I'm at a bit of a crossroads. I tried to force it into fluff - that didn't work. It seems Mokuba wants the flangst, and so I'll keep it that way.

Funny how it started out as a way to introduce Prideshippy fluff (oxymoron, heh-heh-heh) and turned into something that could easily be written into angst. >> << >> I'm hopeless. And I blame Mommy-'Ko. Basically, I've deleted the fumbly attempts at fluff, and the easier ones in which Kaiba attacks Yuugi and kills him to death and that... uh, 'blights' his relationship with Yami forever. Or he gets sent to the Shadow Realm in pieces. Either. I left it at the crossroads. Likely I'll attempt some other try at fluff and do it over later.

~~~
Sleep didn’t seem to be coming, tonight.

Mokuba tossed restlessly for a few more minutes before hissing in irritation as he wriggled free of the sleeping bag’s heavy folds and tore off his shirt, throwing it carelessly away from him. It was hot, his pillow was flat, the sleeping bag refused to yield any more cool spots and he couldn’t stop thinking about his brother’s obstinacy.

Muffling his irritated tsk in his arm, Mokuba glanced over at his brother’s untouched bedroll. Seto had been gone a good while – perhaps Mokuba should go and look for him?

As the eleven-year-old searched for his shoes, he heard movements from one of the other bags. Lifting his head, he squinted where a dark shape rose to its feet.

“Mokuba? Are you awake?”

The pre-teen jerked in surprise. “Yuugi,” he acknowledged quietly. “Where are you going?”

Yuugi’s silhouette navigated itself around the camp-fire before the glow of flame threw his face and form into stark relief, making them all planes and angles. “Yami’s missing.”

For a moment, Mokuba froze, reflecting on just how Yuugi truly resembled his other self in the firelight, face half-shrouded by shadow as the flames sharpened and bronzed his features. Then Yuugi was Yuugi again, his face softer in spite of his concerned expression.

Mokuba forced himself to smile. If he was honest, mou hitori no Yuugi always made him a little nervous, a little angry. He looked away. “So is ’Niisama,” Mokuba finally sighed. “It doesn’t look like he’s gone to sleep at all.”

Yuugi made note of the immaculate sleeping bag and missing boots. “Should we sit up and wait for them?”

“You do what you want,” Mokuba said abruptly. He checked his voice as Jounouchi grunted in his sleep and threw his arm over his face, obviously unsettled by Mokuba’s outburst. “I’m going to look for ’Niisama.”

“But Mokuba, it’s dangerous. What if Kaiba-kun comes back and finds that you’re gone? How do you think he’d feel?”

“Hn,” Mokuba responded shortly, managing to project a little of his brother’s trademark sneer into his voice. “I’ll be back in ten minutes to check back. If he returns before then, you’ll just have to explain to him.”

Mokuba was already lost from sight when Yuugi sighed, muttered something about contrary Kaibas, and scrabbled to follow.

~/~

They’d been ringing the camp in an ever-enlarging circle for a good half-hour. Quick excursions back to their sleeping friends revealed no sign of Kaiba or Yami, and Mokuba’s worry was palpable in his terse responses to Yuugi’s attempted conversation.

Without any real warning, the searching duo stumbled out of the forest and onto a rocky bluff overlooking the sea. The moonlight glittered a pale gold on the dark waters, and the sound of the tide was soothing to the ear.

Less than fifty feet away lounged their quarry, Kaiba leaning gracefully against a smooth boulder, and Yami sprawled precariously atop it. Their heads were bent intimately toward one another, and they spoke in low voices.

Mokuba felt his chest give a sudden heave of relief. “There they are,” he sighed, a little irritably. Before he could hail the two, Yuugi’s hand was clapped over his mouth. Surprised, Mokuba let out a muffled yell before biting him viciously. Though Yuugi flinched, the older boy held firm.

“They’re obviously discussing something important,” Yuugi whispered, dragging the now-unresisting Mokuba back several feet so that the trees concealed them. “If they didn’t mind being overheard, they wouldn’t have left camp like that and risked worrying us.”

Mokuba stilled completely, and Yuugi finally withdrew his hand, rubbing at the bite marks and grimacing. Mokuba tried not to look too pleased at his handiwork, instead pushing a low bough aside just enough to get a clear view of his brother and the other Yuugi. “What do you think they’re talking about?”

“I’m not sure,” Yuugi admitted. “They look pretty cosy, though, don’t they?”

Mokuba was sure the horror he felt was quite evident on his expression even in the dark, because Yuugi let out a slightly embarrassed laugh before nudging him aside in order to check on their not-so-missing comrades. “They’re not arguing, at least.”

“There’s that,” Mokuba mumbled before looking up and bristling.

Yami was trailing the back of his hand down the side of Kaiba’s face, Kaiba leaning easily into the caress. Both action and reaction were tender, and sensuous, and so, so wrong.

“Well… they do look to be getting along nicely, now, do they?”

If Mokuba hadn’t been so slowed by shock and dismay, he would have said something quite cruel and less than called-for in response to the sudden, cheerful manner with which Yuugi spoke. As it was, he was too busy inflicting a thousand pains and agonies on his companion’s other self to be bothered with Yuugi himself.

Why didn’t his ’Niisama fight back?

~~~

And that's it. Tell me whatcha think? Sankyuu. >3

- Arashi-chan

zOMG!

Wed, 02 Aug 2006 22:06:22 GMT

*near-incoherent with joy* I GET MY LAPTOP BACK TODAY! NOW I CAN PLAY THAT SIMS GAME I'D GOTTEN A WHILE AGO... AND KILL THINGS!

*tilts head* I wonder... the instruction manual said it was possible to have homosexual coupls in the game. *gets wicked thoughts* Maybe I should call one guy Kaiba and the other guy Yami and then make them screw. Or something.

*is so pathetic* ...whee...

Tue, 01 Aug 2006 20:17:59 GMT

Aaaaaaaand, here's a Moonsnippet.

Cosmos' madness and Cosmos' ruthlessness. Whee. I gotta revamp it if I'm ever gunna do anything with it - the entire thing's a little too crazy for the tone of the actual story. Still, I'm not sure it's really meant to be a fluff fic. The title is 'When Forever Meets its Demise', coming from an excerpt of a (translated) Chinese poem.

When birds join wings in the sky,
When garden vines entwine,
When forever meets its demise,
May love live 'til the end of time.

It's always been a favourite of mine, though a little bit of its initial meaning and corniness-less is kinda lost with translation from Chinese to English.

Still, I liked that, and here's (part of?) the prologue of the story linked to it:

This is Sailorcosmos, and she is the last of the last.

Eyes of lavender twilight. A soul pure enough to contain Chaos without being subverted. A warrior who loathes fighting. A beauty with no lustre. A lover with no love.

She had first been in love three thousand years past; a princess with secret smiles and forbidden desires and a heritage so close to the Gods she could reach out and touch them.

She had first been ordinary, two thousand years past; a girl with hopes and dreams delighting in the joys and seeming eternity of a single world.

She had first been a mother, a thousand years past; a terrified queen aching for her child, yet fearful of her own ignorance and unassuming love.

She has always been an unwilling warrior. It began as a princess committing ritual suicide to be with her love, and continued into the next life as Sailormoon. She had taken up arms for her kingdom, and when her kingdom had fallen, she had waged war upon the very stars to defend her family.

Perhaps it had been some cruel realisation of the enemy – that there could be no Serenity without her Endymion. They had been horribly, horribly correct.

When there is no Endymion, there is no Serenity.

There is Cosmos, reborn in the light of a darkened moon's night, and freed of the shackles of selfish attachment and material love, that she may do Balance's bidding.

The senshi had been the last to stand against Chaos; Cosmos is the last senshi. She is the last of Terra and Luna and Sol. She is the last of her line, and has lost her sons and daughters in fire and hatred and fear. She is a wife without her husband; a soulshard without its mate.

She is Sailorcosmos, and this is what it means to be alone.

Forever.

~/~

Cosmos watched the gentle rise and fall of the eight-year-old's breast; the child murmured something unhappy and the tall senshi soothed her with a subtle caress to the mind.

Usagi quieted.

With Pluto's demise, the Timegate had stood silent; it had been of little difficulty to break the rusting magic-chain that bound the great doors shut. Cosmos had been surprised that none had ventured to do so before – perhaps the dark phages of Chaos had vanished with the containment of their Master.

Perhaps the curse of being the Last Senshi, when her sisters had once outnumbered the stars, was not in vain.

And yet...

Cosmos was about to render all their sacrifices fruitless by waking the girl before her.

Who was she, truly, other than a lonely, selfish woman keening for her husband? Who was she, truly, to commit such an injustice to their memories?

Who was she to defy Fate herself?

The answer echoed back across aeons and stars and oceans; a whisper transcending time, distance and Existence itself.

You are Cosmos.

She smiled painfully in the dark of the moonless night, and the soundless agony of her soul woke a child.

“Tsukino Usagi,” Cosmos murmured to the drowsy girl. She smiled again, less a grimace and more a shy sharing of something unspoken as she tasted again a language she had long thought forgotten. “Greeting.”

“Hajimemashite,” Usagi returned shyly. “But if you'll excuse me saying so, onee-sama, I feel as if I have met you before.”

Cosmos couldn't prevent the faint upturning of her own mouth. “You are remarkably astute, young one. Indeed, we have met before – but we are closer than sisters, though unrelated by over two thousand years.”

“Onee-sama?” The girl turned confused eyes to the winged woman standing by her bed, young eyes keen as they noted the tiara upon the older woman's brow, and the silver-hued colour of her hair. “I don't understand,” she admitted.

“I am here to make it so you do,” came the soft reply. “Tsukino Usagi, your future contains waking nightmares and ceaseless terrors, though the bad is tempered by the good – you will find a love as endless as the cosmos, if you should only nurture it.”

As she spoke, Cosmos drew her starseed from her staff – the crystal appeared in her hand, and she held it up so that Usagi might see. “This is my soul,” she said bluntly. “I have trapped Darkness incarnate within myself – there is black where there should be silver.”

“There's gold, too,” Usagi pointed at the wings adorning the black globe. “What's that?”

A sharp intake of breath; an undeniable spasm of terrible grief. “Endymion,” said Cosmos. A lingering echo of Serenity's ceaseless love had her lifting a hand to stroke the delicately formed feathers. “It is Endymion; a crystal who guards the Darkness from me. As I guard Darkness from Existence, Endymion guards Me from Darkness.”

A small hand dared touch the winged crystal, gold sparking as a pair of fingers made gentle contact. “It's alive.”

“He died to make it so.” Lavender eyes flashed, and the black crystal was snatched away, the golden wings fluttering feebly. “I told you earlier I was here to grant you understanding, and I am... but I am here also to stop his sacrifice.”

“'His'?”

“Do you accept my gift? Do you accept both blessing and curse? Do you accept memories trickling through the ages and into your young mind? Do you accept the unending fear of madness and unreality?”

And Usagi smiled, because she was Usagi, and her eyelashes fluttered briefly. “I don’t want to, Onee-sama,” she said.

Cosmos’ heart heaved, and she lowered her staff. “I see.” It had never occurred to her that her past incarnation would refuse, though she should have known…

“I don’t want to,” Usagi repeated. “But you’re hurt.”

And children speak with the voices of angels.

“What do you want, Onee-sama? What do you need?”

Cosmos sat next to Usagi on the bed, crystal tresses pooling around them. “I would like you to house my soul… to find my beloved… to lift from me the burden of millennia. I can curse none other with this fate but Myself of Before. Will you do this for me, Tsukino Usagi?”

The answer came in a sweet smile, and Cosmos had her pawn and salvation.

“You will remember things you have never done… but you will not remember Me,” Cosmos murmured. She lifted a slender finger and touched it delicately to Usagi’s head.

The Lunar Insignia flared to life, and…

This is what it means to be Cosmos. Forever.

And in the morning, she would not remember a single moment of the previous night’s encounter. She would wake, and wake with but one thought in her mind, aided by the voices of a thousand stars.

Find Chiba Mamoru.

I'm aware it's rather rushed at the end, but I kinda rushed it just now to wind up something for posting. Like I said, it'd need some major revampage if I were ever to use it.

- Arashi-chan

W00T!

Tue, 01 Aug 2006 04:51:25 GMT

EEEEEEEEE! GOT MY FIRST POSTER!

It's one of Kaiba, a BEWD and Obelisk! AND IT'S DRAWN MANGA STYLE! Meaning the BEWD is pretty!

*shrieks again and attempts to molest it*

Snippet

Mon, 31 Jul 2006 00:28:04 GMT

Ooooookay. Here's a snippet of the adoptedbyPegasus!Kaiba fic I was considering. I think 'Adopted by Pegasus' kind of speaks for itself, but there are several differences in this fic:

- Pegasus didn't take Mutou-jiisan's soul hostage.
- Kaiba - erm, Seto has never met Kaiba Gozaburo in person. (A point to be debated.)
- Seto is still a genius, and still revels in inventing things as well as some gaming on the side, but nothing big-scale.
- Pegasus is his guardian - not his father.
- Seto is still extremely protective of Mokuba, but it lacks the driven, psychotic parent-ish side of it. In other words, he thinks rationally. (Point to be debated).
- Seto has only ever faced Pegasus in a 'Duel'.

This particular scene is set during Duellist Kingdom, after Jounouchi's duel with Dinosaur Ryuuzaki and before the one with the Player Killer of Darkness (Panik). Yuugi has been sent to get firewood, and Honda and Jounouchi have gone off to get fresh water. Note that Kouryuu is translatable to 'Prince of Dragons'. Since Nenya-neechama already used 'Ryuujin' (Dragon God, King of Dragons), I settled for putting Kaiba in the heir's position. ^^

Yuugi brushed away a branch and almost fell into a hidden pool fed by a running stream. “Wow,” he murmured, kneeling to take a closer look at the calm surface. “It’s so clear…”

“Nevertheless, I wouldn’t recommend drinking it,” a dry, sarcastic-sounding voice cautioned. “At least, not before it’s been boiled clean.”

The newcomer’s helpful advice was wasted, for Yuugi had, at the first interjection into his thoughts, spun around in a panic and as a result lost his balance and ended up falling into the pool anyway.

Sputtering as he resurfaced, Yuugi noted that the pool was deeper than it appeared – he could barely touch the bottom. Of course, he had never been commended for his height, but –

“…yes,” the stranger commented dryly, though not without a rather obvious, underlying amusement. “I would commend boiling it after this.”

Yuugi shook his bangs from his face. “Your concern touches me,” he deadpanned, half-treading water and churning up the sandy bottom. For the first time, he took in the newcomer’s appearance, noting the tall, lanky frame, and shadowed features shrouded by the deep hood of a long, flowing, navy-blue cloak.

“Oh, dear…” his teeth clicked together as he wrapped his arms about himself and shuddered. “It’s cold…”

“Then get out of there before you catch something… or before you sneeze and further contaminate the water with your germs.”

“You really are a sympathetic person, aren’t you?”

“Me? I’m the most caring sonofabitch you’ll ever meet. Here –” the hooded figure reached out a hand, and Yuugi took it gladly, allowing himself to be pulled up onto firm ground. His feet slipped a couple of times on the slick bank, but he rolled ungracefully over and onto the grass. “You still cold?”

“F-f-fine.”

“Liar.”

“It’s all v-very well f-for you,” Yuugi murmured, attempting to wring out his school blazer.

“Hn. Strip.”

Yuugi gaped and turned to regard his companion. “I beg y-your pardon?”

“Pardon granted. Strip and wear this until you can get a change of clothes.” Yuugi’s initial attempts to refuse the stranger’s generosity were met the cloak’s heavy folds being dumped unceremoniously over his head. “There, I’m not going to take it back now it’s wet.”

“…thank you.” Yuugi stared blankly at the taller boy, the brunet’s pale face now unobscured by the deep hood. His features were not displeasing to look at, and his mouth was shaped in a way that gave Yuugi the impression he was used to laughing.

“I’m well-aware of my dashing good looks, but you may stare later, after you change. I’ll even turn around.” Now with his back to Yuugi, the other boy made a sort of dismissing wave over his shoulder. “Come on, it’ll be dark soon enough.”

Cheeks warm from being caught staring, Yuugi removed everything but his boxers, and bundled up the rest of his clothes. To his chagrin, the hem of the garment in question persisted in dragging a good foot and a half behind him. “…Well,” he murmured, trying to find the silver lining, “it’s certainly big enough to hide everything.”

Taking that as his cue to turn back around, Yuugi’s companion regarded him with no little amusement. “Are you saying that I’m too tall, or that you’re too short?”

“I –”

“Never mind. The name’s Kouryuu Seto. I’d shake your hand, but seeing as you’re holding the cape in place with both of them, I don’t think you’d take too kindly to the entire affair falling about your ankles.”

“…I guess I should introduce myself also – excuse me –”

“Bless you.”

Yuugi grinned, beginning to grow used to his companion’s strange sense of humour. “Ah, yes.” He attempted to bow, and stumbled. “Damn, that didn’t go too well.” He straightened, blushing as he tugged the heavy garment back to cover his shoulders. “I’m Mutou Yuugi.”

Seto’s eyebrows shot up in faint surprise. “I see. Well, I’ve been hearing some very disturbing things about you from other Duellists, Mutou-san.”

“You have?” Yuugi tried not to look as disturbed as he felt.

“Indeed. From what I gather, you are quite the formidable opponent, and one to be steered well clear of.”

Yuugi flushed. “That’s not true. I –”

“Are you contradicting me? Please don’t contradict me. I did say please. And I do look forward to facing you, but it’s getting late and I doubt you’d appreciate a challenge when it’s about five minutes from moonrise.” Seto turned to go. “You can return the cloak to me later.”

“Are you alone, then?” Yuugi ran to intercept Seto. “Why don’t you join me and the others? I’m actually out for firewood, but I think I should pick up the pace, seeing as Honda-kun and Jounouchi-kun would have gotten water by now.” Seto’s mouth quirked and Yuugi found himself returning the ironic smile. “Yes, water that hasn’t been ‘contaminated’ by yours truly.”

“I like you,” Seto announced, pleased. He draped a comradely arm about Yuugi’s shoulders, retrieving the bundle of clothes from the muddy ground. “I guess that means I will be tolerating the company of other, less worthy, would-be opponents also? I hear you are often accompanied by a Duellist with a Luck and Gamble deck.”

“That’d be Jounouchi-kun,” Yuugi nodded with a smile. “But… how did you know…?”

“I smoked hallucinogenic substances and the tooth fairy came to whisper all the world’s darkest secrets in my ear,” Seto said with a straight face. “The fly agric may or may not have helped. Either way, I know about him, and the happening doesn’t matter so much as the result.” Seto paused a moment, a reflective expression crossing his face.

“Whoa… I think I sounded like some kind of psycho megalomaniac right there.”

Yuugi giggled nervously. “Well, if you decide to take over the world, may I have this island?”

“Why have this hunk of be-forested rock when you could have… hmmm, Japan or something?”

The short boy blinked. “Well… there are less people?”

“Hn. And the average person is remarkably stupid, so I suppose you have a valid point. Is this Jounouchi of yours an average person?”

“He’s a good person.”

“Good people are even more stupid than average ones are.”

Yuugi laughed outright. “You seem to have very little faith in the human race.”

“Do you blame me?”

The shorter boy smiled uncertainly. “Well, you seem to be pretty nice.”

“Nice? I am no such thing,” Seto made a mock-disgusted face. “All philosophical discussions of human failure aside, I think we were going for firewood? There’s a clearing some three hundred metres back that might help. Lots of branches and twigs, and they’re all pretty dry, too.”

Yuugi blinked at the sudden change in subject before beaming. “Thank you – that will help.”

“Of course it will. Did you think I said it just to hear the sound of my voice? No.”

“…Right.” Perhaps Seto’s caustic attitude would take a little more getting used to. Nevertheless, Yuugi could feel his other self’s amusement warming him. You like him, don’t you?

The spirit managed to communicate a vague feeling of contentment and humour before its presence faded altogether. Yuugi touched the Puzzle briefly and looked up only to find Seto had vanished. “…Kouryuu-kun!”

“Don’t get your boxer briefs in a twist,” the now familiarly-wry, sarcastic voice responded. “While you were off gadding about la-la-land, I went back to get my pack.” Seto came into view carrying a heavy-looking silver briefcase, a more nondescript black duffle bag slung over his shoulder. “After all, if I’m to share your fire, I might as well contribute food-wise.”

Yuugi smiled, grateful. “Thank you. How about that firewood, then?”

“Right this way.”

~/~

Yuugi’s return was met with laughter at his yet-sodden state as well as many jokes along the lines of ‘How many Mutous does it take to build a campfire?’

After a few more minutes of teasing at his expense, Yuugi was allowed to change in the girls’ tent, and introductions were made.

“You do make friends easily, don’t you, Yuugi-kun?” Mai observed wryly, eyeing Seto pointedly.

“I’m not his friend,” the tall brunet defended himself. “I was merely a passer-by kind enough to fish the squirt out of his predicament before going on my way. However, I seem to find myself ensnared by his well-meaning gratitude and now sharing a camp with your little… clique.”

“You were merely a passer-by… does that mean you’re his friend now?” Anzu teased.

“How astute of you,” Seto sneered. “No. I’m now a passer-by who has made his acquaintance, and finding his nature somewhat intriguing, has decided to stay on and make sure he doesn’t somehow drown himself while journeying on any further quests for firewood.”

Jou blinked. “…in other words, you’re his friend.”

“Clean out your ears. I said, ‘I’m now a passer-by –’”

“Shut up, you two,” Honda snorted. “Damn it… it’s practically dark already, and we still haven’t made fire yet.”

“Hn. That’s probably because your dim-witted, unimaginative attempts at producing the natural light is limited to rubbing two sticks together in the hopes that the product friction’s slow heat will be enough to spark flame.”

Jou blinked. “Ne… what? How about plain Japanese?”

Seto gritted his teeth as Anzu and Mai chuckled in the background. “That. Won’t. Work,” he enunciated each syllable exaggeratedly. “Morons,” the brunet added as an afterthought.

Jou sat up, indignant. “Hey! I’ll have you know that the first fires were created this way!”

“Considering it’s said that ape-men from some thousands of years ago first ‘made’ fire, it’s highly your limited intellect and slow wit could ever hope to garner any understanding of the art.”

“Uhhh…”

“He basically said that you’re too stupid to do what people with less-developed brains did thousands of years ago,” Anzu supplied helpfully.

“Oh.” The blond thought about it for a moment before going colouring. “…oh. Hey! Listen here, you bastard – I know an insult when I see one!”

“It’s so very easy to come across anything visually offensive nowadays,” Seto’s tone was blandly sympathetic. “In fact, I’m looking at a perfect example of it right now.”

Noticing he was standing in Seto’s line of sight, Jou looked behind him. “…where?”

Seto threw up his hands before rummaging in a pocket. “I rest my case. Here.” He threw something sleek and silver at Honda, who caught it reflexively. “You might want to use that before we all grow old and grey.”

“…you had a lighter the entire time and you didn’t tell us?!”

Seto shrugged, but the hint of a wicked grin pulled at his mouth. “It was funny.”

Watching Jou and Honda chase the snickering Seto around camp, Anzu sighed in despair. “I need some female friends.”

Aaaand, that's it!

Might post the Shada!death scene later. It all depends.

-Arashi-chan

More stuff from last night, yo.

Sun, 30 Jul 2006 20:08:34 GMT

Eeeeeeeeeh! ^________________^;;

Okay, now that I've gotten that out of my system...

Most countries have a national anthem, ne? Well, so does China. This came as news to my very Chinese companion when the anthem began playing and I stood up (mainly out of habit). She kinda poked me and asked me what I was doing.

Arashi: It's the anthem, genius.
Maggie: O_o;; There's a Chinese anthem?
Arashi: *groans* What, did you think that English-speaking countries had a monopoly on them or something?
Maggie: ...yeah.

Le sigh. Just because we're Asian and overpopulated doesn't mean we're barbaric as well. And hang on... isn't she Chinese too? SHE FRIGGIN' IS! She even speaks the same dialect I do - Cantonese. Tho I'll admit she can speak it better, and prolly write it, whereas I'm kinda... well, illiterate.

Okay, another incident.

When walking back from getting bubble tea (we left Grace on the blanket), we ran into some of Maggie's friends. They squealed, hugged, whatsherface stroked at and cooed over Maggie's blue hair before we made a getaway.

It would have been fine if the friends didn't come along with an obnoxious male companion (notice derisive emphasis on 'male'), who'd been bored while the somewhat traditional greetings between our female race commenced.

Dipshit: (with a heavy Australian accent) Crikey, do ya go 'round touching every small blue person in white you see? Do you have some kind of thing for smurfs?

It doesn't sound so amusing while on paper (or webpage) but I assure you, it had me in hysterics for a good half-hour afterwards.

After that incident, there was a sort of confusion as we were squished in by the masses and had no idea where the Hell we'd sat. It was considerably darker now than when we'd first embarked on our bubble-tea-happy quest, and we wandered dumbly about for a good while.

Arashi: Uhh... Maggie?
Maggie: What?
Arashi: I think we're lost.
Maggie: No we're not! We were sitting around... here!
Arashi: *looking blankly around* Ah... Maggie?
Maggie: What?!
Arashi: We're standing on grass. Didn't we get a spot on the actual beach?
Maggie: ...oh yeah.

What's the easiest way to kill two five-feet-and-under Asian teens? Dump them in the crowds of a firework showing with bubble tea and a bag of sushi. They'll likely starve to death before they figure out which way is townward. *hangs head in shame*

I think that's it, folks! There's more, but this entry is also lagging. I'm considering posting some of my extra scenes and fancies on here. It's doubtful I'll ever finish the Sailormoon or HP or some Yuugiou ideas... I can post them here and maybe some time in the future, I'll use them again.

Righto! Talk to theemen (nimen) later!

- Arashi-chan

Fireworks, yo. Or what the fireworks were like. Yo. -.-;;

Sun, 30 Jul 2006 07:31:49 GMT

Ooookay. Where to start?

How about the beginning?

I just got back from China's firework display, and several funny-at-the-time or funny-in-hindsight things happened.

(Yes, I did end up wearing the pleather jacket. Would you believe I didn't know fake leather was called pleather until about a half-hour ago? 'Twas much to the consternation of my firework-going companion.)

Anyway, there was the bubble tea thing... which happened after the smurf thing... and both happened before the birth thing. I think there was more. *tilts head* Uhhh... oh, yeah, we got lost.

There we go.

Basically, we were at English Bay on schedule. After a few moments of distress as to whether we should put our blanket-thingies on this side of the path or that side of the path, a nice family offered us a spare rug. Maggie, Grace and I thanked them before sitting down and promptly deciding we were hungry. And bored.

After a while, Maggie got bored and wanted food. So we ended up trekking some nine blocks to buy an overpriced dish whose name I can't even remember. And then there was the bubble tea. It was good, really, if you count a tapioca pearl shooting itself halfway down your windpipe a pleasant encounter.

In all honesty, I probably deserved it. Upon finding one of the 'bubble pearls' stuck in the straw, most smart people would turn the straw over and retrieve it from the other end to avoid a rather obvious consequence. Me, being less than brilliant at the best of times, decided to continue my vaccuum-esque assault on the straw and hope my idiocy paid off.

It did.

In the form of one spectacularly fat pearl shooting up the straw (think Augustus Gloop from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, my dears) and lodging itself firmly in my throat for something like a half-minute as I attempted to remember half-forgotten instructions for the Heimlich Manoeuvre.

It's actually really funny in hindsight... if you forget that I can't seem to learn from my mistakes and it happened two more times. It's not that I wised up and stopped making the same mistake. It's that I ran out of bubble tea with which to demonstrate my stupidity.

Now, this post is getting a bit long, so I'll tell thee about the smurf incident at some later date.

Ciao,

- Arashi-chan

The Jacket

Sun, 30 Jul 2006 01:57:51 GMT

...mothers can be so supremely unhelpful.

After agonising repeatedly over whether I should start getting used to owning a (fake) leather jacket and wearing it out in public, I finally decided I would. Wear it, that is.

Tonight I was going to a firework showing in English Bay with some acquaintances and decided that it was dark, there were going to be a lot of people, meaning I wouldn't stand out so much. Hopefully.

Fine!

I slouched down the stairs and my Mum's jaw dropped.

Yes. I was wearing The Jacket.

"Mum, please tell me I don't look stu - erm, bad. I know I look stupid. But do I look bad? They're different things, you know." I looked at her pleadingly. Personally, I thought I looked... well. Okay, if about ten years out of date.

Mum's opinion wasn't as kind as it usually was. She inspected me inscrutably from all sides, walking around me twice. By this point I was starting to sweat.

She finally stopped at her original position directly in front of me and then tugged at The Jacket. "Get rid of this and you'll look fine."

And I let out a wall-shaking, ear-piercing, Tsukino Usagi-esque wail (freaking out the cats and earning me a bemused but 'I should be used to this' look from Mum) before retreating back upt the stairs and sitting my ass before the computer and spilling my woes to the journal.

I am such a loser. *slumps*

- Arashi-chan of the (fake) Leather

Sat, 29 Jul 2006 02:16:35 GMT

W00t! Summerschool's done!

Today I wandered around North Vancouver and went into one of them thrift shops with Maggie, a friend from Summerschool.

During our snickering over a man all of thirty-something purchasing a particularly scandalous-looking leopard-print thong, we ducked into the coat section to avoid him. There, I found a cheap, fake leather jacket that I was, for some incomprehensible reason, immediately attached to.

Seeing it was only fifteen dollars, I bought it, and had gone home before wondering whatever the fuck I'd do with a fake leather jacket. I sure as hell wouldn't wear it... no, I'd likely peacock about before mirrors in the house, like I did for five minutes when I came home, but what the hell? *sweatdrops* Impulse purchases... bah.

Oh well. I had so wanted a leather jacket when I was younger. Guess fake leather's just as good. ^^

- Arashinobara