Of Dice and Dragons

Disclaimer: no I STILL don’t own anything… :’(

Oh yeah, one more thing… Just in case you didn’t notice the slight lack of continuity… In my world, the entire Battle City tourney took place over a weekend or something…

It just works better that way… ^_^

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Dungeons and Dragons

Lightning struck in the distance, the dark sky seemed to be in agony as the rain came down relentlessly. Just as anticipated, the rain caused many people to stay indoors, so Otogi wasn’t concerned with closing the shop early. He looked at the clock on the wall, 4:58; he should be coming any minute now. Time seemed to slow down as a minute felt like an hour so Otogi’s blood boiled with anticipation as he made himself comfortable atop the countertop. No sooner had he done that than a sleek, silver BMW pulled up and parked across the street, a tallure ure emerged, black trench coat billowing almost unnaturally in the wind.

‘Great, just when I thought I could close up! I bet it’s one of those collectors searching to trade his doubles for the rare cards he doesn’t already have.’ Otogi thought, judging by the overly large silver briefcase. The rain was coming down so hard now that Seto couldn’t be recognized until he was right at the door — the locked door.

Realizing his grave error, Otogi rushed to the door and let his companion gain entrance, apologizing profusely.

"What? No limo?" he finally said, trying to cover his embarrassment.

"I never use it for my personal endeavors. Besides, I like driving alone, it gives me piece of mind." Seto said, merely glaring outside through his dripping bangs.

"Accursed rain…" he mumbled, sighing and shaking some of the excess water from his arm.

"Whoa, it must be raining harder than I thought, you’re completely soaked; here, let me get you a towel or something." Otogi turned on his heel to leave, and smiled at how cute Seto looked standing there, drenched from head to tow with the guilty expression of a child who had gotten into something he shouldn’t have.

"You keep towels in a game shop?" Seto asked stupidly, then after a pause added, "This is a game shop, right?"

Otogi scratched the back of his head and chuckled nervously, "Yes it is. It’s just that I have a room upstairs that I sometimes use when I’m here late doing the administrivia that comes along with running a corporation, and I am far too lazy to actually go home… So I just end up crashing here." He confessed.

Seto pondered for a moment, his eyes closed, one arm held across his chest, and the other hand rested on his chin, demonstrating that was indeed deep in thought. Then he nodded,

"That’s a good idea… a very good idea. I’m surprised I haven’t thought of it now that Mokuba’s old enough to take care of himself." He reopened his eyes, "So are you going to stand there and stare at me, or are you going to get me something to dry off with?"

‘How did he know?’ Otogi blushed unintentionally when he was removed from his contemplation and quickly ran off to the convoluted corridors of the shop, leaving Seto alone.

‘What is it about that kid? Man, he creeps me out me out, yet by that same token, I find him enticing, there’s just something about him, an allure I can’t define. It really doesn’t help that those creepy eyes seem to want to gaze right into my very soul.’

Seto was shaken from his demanding inner monologue by being hit in the face with a towel. Obviously Otogi had returned, and Seto was thankful for the towel because it masked the pink rapidly spreading across his cheeks upon realization that he had been practically daydreaming about the other person in his presence. He quickly dried himself off, wrung out the towel and threw it back to Otogi — Correction, AT Otogi.

"Let’s get to what we came here to do." Seto announced finally. Then he stopped suddenly, "Hold on though, I don’t even think I know your name yet, I’m going to need to know just who it is I’m beating down."

"I guess you’re right, you’d think that since we’ve practically been at each other’soatsoats for the last couple of days, you’d at least know my name. But it matters not, Ryuuji Otogi at your service." Otogi said, bowing dramatically and smiling wryly.

"Seto Kaiba, pleased to oblige." He replied, returning the gesture of the over-dramatic bow.

"Now if you’ll follow me…" Otogi announced.

Within a few turns, Seto was completely lost until they reached an elevator, which took them up a glass elevator shaft, overlooking the sleeping city of Domino. Then the elevator stopped and the doors opened to reveal a dueling arena, although something didn’t feel quite right. The field looked like a huge grid and even with the platforms, something was amiss; furthermore, the three hearts where the life point indicators should be confused Seto even more.

"What’s this?"

"Sorry about that, I forgot the last time I used this particular arena, I was playing DDM. I should have chosen a different one."

"Wait, DDM?"

"Dungeon Dice Monsters. It’s the game I created and Industrial Illusions helped me market a few weeks back."

For the third time in two days, the mighty Seto Kaiba stood speechless, mouth agape as another side of the multifaceted die that was Otogi was revealed before him.

"You must be proud, having something you’ve created take off like that." He said after picking up his jaw from the floor.

"I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Seto. It seems as though we are more alike than anyone would have initially thought, you and I. Although, I consider myself humbled, not overly proud."

"Then it would appear we may be more alike than we are different."

"Perhaps, even more so than we care to admit." A profound silence settled upon them, which Seto promptly broke.

"So are we going to duel, or just stand here being philosophical?"

"Well, I always enjoy a good intelligent discussion of philosophy, but you’re right, perhaps her her time." Otogi snapped his fingers and the Dungeon Dice Monsters arena began to automatically transform into the typical Duel Monsters stage that everyone knows and loves.

"Impressive. Are all the arenas like this one?"

"Yes, that is if you mean they can switch back and forth between the two games. It’s my own personal expectation of them."

"And exactly how many arenas do you have hidden away around here?"

"Let’s see, there are three downstairs in the basement, and two more directly below us, that makes six." Otogi mentally calculated.

"Uh, Otogi-kun, three plus two is five, not six."

"Seto-kun, while that may be true, I was also counting the arena we are currently standing in, making it three plus two plus one, which is six."

Another silence as Otogi went to the far side of the arena and his platform, leaving Seto to count on his fingers and blush seven (not six) shades of red.

"I’ll shut up now." Seto said as hie set his trusty deck on the platform, "Will this be Duelist Kingdom or Battle City rules?"

"It’s up to you, I don’t have a preference as I don’t duel often."

"Alright, but you’ve done the game a great injustice. A tactician of your caliber should be right in the middle of the action, not cheerleading on the sidelines. In any case, I did make up the Battle City rules, so I do know them like the back of my hand, so let’s use the Duelist Kingdom ones, for nostalgia’s sake."

"Very well, but let’s make it more interesting. We’ll use Duelist Kingdom rules, but the Battle City life point count."

"Nice touch, let’s duel."

Outside, the storm was becoming more ferocious by the second, and the only thing separating the young duelists from the meteorological onslaught was the external wall of the building, which on this particular floor, just so happened to be completely windowed. Everyone on the streets below knew insty thy there was a duel going on because that particular floor of that particular building was lit up like a Christmas tree, thanks to the holo-emitters coming online.

"Because this is my arena, the first move is yours, Seto-kun."

"Oh, you’re too kind. Too bad I won’t be able to return the favour. I’ll just summon the invincible Blue Eyes White Dragon and end my turn." Seto announced, placing the card down and letting the holo-emitters do their work. Almost insty thy the Blue Eyes roared to life right in front of them

"I must admit Otogi-kun, you have outdone yourself, these holograms are amazingly more life-like than even my duel disks. Whoever designed this should get a promotion." Seto exclaimed, still in awe at the grandeur of his Blue Eyes White Dragon.

"Seto, you don’t give yourself enough credit. Actually, the main components and technology are of your design. I simply integrated them into my vision and voilà! As for my turn, I’ll place one card face down and a monster in defense mode. It’s your move."

‘Heh, little does Seto know that my Millennium Shield will withstand his dragon’s attack.’ Otogi thought diabolically.

"You asked for it. First, I’ll summon the Lord of Dragons, fully equipped with the Flute of Summoning Dragon, and I intend to use its ability. Of course, this ability is to summon two dragons and I’m only known for one kind…" Two more Blue Eyes White Dragons appeared on the field, "Now, I’ll play the Pot of Greed to draw two cards from my deck in the hopes one is the card I need."

‘Please not Polymerization, ANYTHING but Polymerization!’ Otogi silently pleaded to every deity he knew.

"Damn, not the card I wanted, but it will have to do." Seto finally announced, much to Otogi’s temporary delight (emphasis on temporary).

"Stop Defense!"

‘Shit.’

The Millennium Shield came into view as it switched into attack mode; Seto visibly flinched and could have just about cried.

"Ouch." He exclaimed.

"Indeed, the legendary Millennium Shield, 3000 Defense, 0 Attack." Otogi nodded.

"It almost pains me to do this… almost. White Lightning Attack!"

Just like that, Otogi’s life points were reduced from 4000 to a meager 1000.

"Your move, and good luck trying to dig yourself out of that hole you’ve found yourself in. I have a feeling you’re going to need it."

"I suppose it is truly as they say then, sometimes the only to win, you’ve got to risk it all." Otogi said before turning his attention inward.

‘Come on Swords of Revealing Light.’ He hoped as he drew his next card, ‘No swords, but close enough.’

"Ok, this next turn is going to be huge. First, I’ll play Remove Trap on your Stop Defense, so at least I can defend myself again. Next, Just Desserts to being your life points to a more respectable level… Let’s see, four monsters at 500 life points per monster, that takes you down to 2000, much better. But the fun doesn’t stop there; I’m going to activate my face down card, one given to me by my idol, Pegasus. Activate Toon World!" As Otogi’s field suddenly became the epitome of cartoonism.

‘No, not Toon World, ANYTHING but Toon World!’ Seto thought.

"Don’t worry, this isn’t as overpowered as Pegasus’s, I just like the toon creatures. So mine don’t get arazyrazy toon powers."

‘Whoa, it was like he read my mind. But he probably knew what I was going to say anyway. It’s not exactly a secret that I’m not a fan of Toon World.’

"But I am also going to draw two cards, thanks to my own Pot of Greed." Otogi continued despite Seto’s inner dilemma.

‘I wonder what he’s hoping for.’ Seto thought absentmindedly, ‘If he doesn’t get a defense, I could attack him directly and that would be that, thought I wouldn’t want this to end that way…’

‘Get a hold of yourself Seto. This is a duel not unlike any other, get it over with so we can go home. Wouldn’t want to go soft now, would we?’ a little voice inside Seto’s mind chirped.

‘As much as I hate to admit it, the voice inside my head is right, I’m here for a reason. And that is to salvage what’s left of my pride. Never the less, I wonder what he’s drawing for; he’s so cute when he’s deep in thought like that–adorable in a lost child kind of way.’

"Yes!"

‘Whatever he wanted, he got. If only I were so lucky.’

"Swords of Revealing Light!"

‘I should have seen THAT coming!’ Seto mentally slapped himself, though he couldn’t help but laugh at Otogi’s little victory dance.

"Calm down there Rage,* it’s my turn." Seto said, looking down at the card he just drew.

‘Wonderful. Fat lotta good you do me NOW!’ he thought, glaring at the offending card that had come one turn too late, Polymerization.

"Ok, time to play this blasted card so I can fuse my dragons together. Go Polymerization, create my Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon!"

"Goodie!" Otogi exclaimed excitedly.

"Now I’ve seen everything. First that little squirt summons Exodia on me; then I get my soul stuck in a card; after that I learned I had some crazy, undead, freaky psycho powered adopted brother who turned Mokuba against me; now someone is giddy at the sight of my Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon. The card that will beat them down to the centre of the Earth. I don’t get it, so I’m just going to throw a card face down and be done with it." Seto said exhaustedly.

"You misunderstand me Seto-kun. That dragon is formidable, though it will be your downfall, you screwed up!"

"Is that so?"

"Yup, thanks to another gift from Pegasus, Doppelganger. It copies one monster on the field and places it under my control, in this case, your Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon, creating the Ultimate Blue Eyes Toon Dragon!"

Imagine the Blue Eyes Toon Dragon. Now imagine it with three heads and none of the individual heads get along with each other. Behold the Ultimate Blue Eyes Toon Dragon.

Seto stood mortified. Needless to say, the dragon lacked some of its more ferocious characteristics, aside from it feuding with itself, the three heads almost tying themselves into knots on several occasions.

"You’ve stripped him of his pride and any dignity he may have had left!" Seto pleaded finally.

"But you have to admit, he is cute and how can you ignore those hilarious antics?"

"True, it IS amusing." ‘Wait, why am I agreeing with him?!’ Seto mentally chastised himself. He narrowed his eyes and practically growled, "Just move."

"Fine, as I said earlier, you made a crucial error. Perhaps paying more attention to the effects of Swords of Revealing Light may help. It prevents you from attacking, yet it says nothing about me, and while your Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon would force a draw between it and my Ultimate Blue Eyes Toon Dragon, destroying both creatures…"

"You’re going after my Lord of Dragons! I should have switched him to defense mode!"

"Precisely! Such a mistake will prove very costly, I have to admit, this isn’t how I had envisioned this duel. Well, just to add insult to injury, I’ll add the Shine Palace to Toon World. It raises my dragon’s attack power by seven hundred points. Go Ultimate Blue Eyes White Dragon!"

"Not so fast, Speedy."

Right at that exact moment, the room went pitch black with the exception of the little light coming from the late afternoon sky. The characteristic sound of lights, holo-emitters and like cutting out and powering down simultaneously echoed through the room.

"Ok, what did you do?" Otogi demanded.

"What are you talking about? I haven’t done anything!" Seto retorted.

"Then just what’s going on? And I was doing well, too!" Otogi complained.

"I have no idea, but I would have been able to counter your pitiful attack anyway, so you shouldn’t have gotten you’re hopes up on it." Seto said, turning away and towards the window, "But from what I can see, the power must have gone out because the rest of the city is dark too. So now I suppose we’re stuck in here, aren’t we?"

"My dear Seto-kun, we have become much to reliant on technology, haven’t we? Tsk. As much as I would love to get into that philosophical discussie wee were putting off earlier, the doors here actually do have regular locks on them."

"Oh."

Seto felt suddenly at ease as he caught a looming shadow moving stealthily through the obscurity out of the corner of his eye. His comfort only escalated when a hand reached out of the darkness and landed gently on his shoulder.

"How can you see so well in the dark?" he asked softly.

"I can’t. However, this arena is of my own design, as is most of this building. I have every square inch committed to memory, so I don’t have to see." Came the soft reply.

"I can understand that. I do have the Kaiba Corporation blueprints permanently imprinted on the back of my retinas. At least it seems that way." Seto said, slightly amused despite himself, "So what do we do now?"

"We’ll have to go downstairs to my computer lab, I need to see what has caused this. And you need not worry, there is a generator so we will have lights and all that fun electronic stuff."

"That wasn’t my concern, how are we going to get down there? The elevators--"

"Stairs, Seto!" Otogi said happily and Seto didn’t need to see him to see the huge grin plastered on his face. Somehow, he just knew it was there.

"I should have known that." Seto finally conceded after a few moments of silence.

"Right, so just let me be your eyes and we’ll be there before you know we’ve left."

Noddin agr agreement, Seto stood motionless, waiting for Otogi to give him oral directions. However, he didn’t realize he had misinterpreted Otogi’s words until the hand on his shoulder slid down his arm as Otogi started to lead, his hand finally finding Seto’s and holding it gently as they made their way to the computer lab. As much as Seto found this action unusual (not any more unusual than being blind and led through floor after floor of twisted corridors and stairs by someone who couldn’t see any more than he could), he found the contact intriguing and strangely inviting at the same time. It is for this reason he didn’t pull away, but he held back firmly, partially because he didn’t want to lose his guide in the darkness and partially because there was something about holding Otogi’s hand that would have felt wrong if he hadn’t of been.

After almost losing said guide several times, Seto found himself almost right against Otogi, so close he occasionally stepped on Otogi’s heels. In no time at all, they reached their ultimate destination — Otogi’s computer lab, which was obviously using an independent power source, because all the screens were humming contently. Otogi sat down sideways on a chair in front of a particularly large screen (imagine Kaiba’s underground lab — we’re talkin’ huge) and Seto followed suit on a chair directly behind Otogi. The latter finally reached out and clicked the mouse, shutting off the massive screen saver and revealing a very familiar picture.

Seto blinked a few times and rubbed his eyes to make sure they weren’t playing tricks on him. Then he leaned in closer, so he was resting his head on Otogi’s shoulder from his seat, and said,

"Otogi-kun, why is Jounouchi in a dog suit?"

He didn’t know what surprised him more, Seto’s question or Seto’s head lying lazily on his shoulder. Though he had to admit, it felt kind of nice and every time the taller one spoke, his breath brushed against Otogi’s ear, causing a most delightful shiver to go down his spine.

"Oh, that! When Jounouchi and I first met, I had beaten him in a duel and the punishment was a week in the suit."

"A week?! There must be a ‘but’ somewhere in there."

"There is."

"Then out with it! Because I’m amazed someone finally accomplished one of my life-long dreams. Well, and that I never caught wind of it until now."

"What, shoving Jounouchi into a dog suit? It really wasn’t that hard."

"True, but whenever I did it, it was all metaphorical and abstract. This," Seto said, pointing at the screen, "Is priceless, obvious and humiliating! See, back at Duelist Kingdom, I discovered it was fun to call Jounouchi a Chihuahua. He didn’t like that much." Seto finished, smirking maniacally.

‘Whoa, he just answered my unasked question… that was weird. But at least now it makes sense why Jounouchi started yelling at Seto yesterday and not me. And–hey! How long have his arms been there?!’ Otogi thought, looking down and realizing that at some point, Seto had snaked his arms out and around his waist for no apparent reason, ‘Well, at least this feels really good…’ Otogi stretched a bit then completely relaxed into Seto’s arms, startling the other, who quickly seemed to relax as well.

"Thanks, that clears a lot up." Otogi said

"You’re telling me. I didn’t know others saw Jounouchi’s inner puppy as well." Seto replied.

They both laughed and relaxed into each other in silence, enjoying the moment of being in the other’s company. Seto finally started playing in Otogi’s hair, twirling the dark strands in his long fingers, the latter practically started to purr in response. Then Otogi reached up and guided his lips up to Seto’s for one short, sweet, solemn, almost surreal kiss. So, ime hie his surprise when a) he didn’t get slapped, and b) Seto actually responded by deepening the kiss.

After what seemed to be an eternity, they finally found the need to breathe and had to pry themselves apart. Seto smiled genuinely and pulled Otogi into his lap before whispering in his ear, occasionally nipping playfully at the sensitive lobe,

"Tell me about Yugi".

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Crikey that was a long one… oh well… review time!