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The Queen's Gambit: The Story

The most powerful piece in chess is the queen.

When this piece joins the game of Duel Monsters anything will change.

With two dragon sisters, a magician and her descendant, the queen will take her rightful place.

As it should have been.

Okay, Real Talk!

What is wrong with my YU-GI-OH! story the Queen's Gambit: The Story?

Be brutal.

I can take it.

I want to know why I get clicks but no comments, besides from my dear friend Light guardian35 (I LOVE YOU, MY CUPCAKE!).

WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT???????

Chapter 15: Enter the Castle

Kihana was worried.

Not only for Yugi but also for her dear Sehrazat.

After the duel with Seto Kaiba, both small duelists were absent-minded.

Yugi kept staring at the door to Pegasus Castle and Sehrazat gripped her Milliunmin Fragment tight in her hands.

It was clear not only Yugi was in shock after his duel with Seto Kaiba, but also Sehrazat.

The white-haired beauty suspected Sehrazat wanted Afya to answer why her other ancestor, Yami, would risk the life of another to win in a card game.

Whatever Afya had told her, it had deeply shocked Sehrazat.

For the first time in her life, Kihana didn't know what to do. Sehrazat didn't react to her, or Maja or Sadiye.

Same with Yugi, he didn't react as Jonouchi wanted to give him his Star Chips to enter the castle, nor as his best friend tried to punch him.

Then Mai Kujako arrived.

Since she felt in debt to them, she wanted to give Yugi the extra Star Chips she collected.

Again, Yugi didn't react, which angered Mai. She challenged Yugi to a duel for the Star Chips, but surprisingly, Anzu stepped forward to duel in Yugi's place.

Finally, Sehrazat reacted.

"Wait, guys.", she said loud and clear, stopping anyone. "This is not something a duel can fix...this is something Yugi and I have to talk out with Yami and Afya."

Of course, Mai mumbled who these Yami and Afya were, however, no one gave her an answer.

Sehrazat stepped to Yugi, laying a hand on his shoulder.

"Yugi, do you hear me?"

Incredible...!

Yugi reacted to Sehrazat's sweet voice.

He looked at her, his purple eyes still full of fright and terror.

"I know you are scared.", began Sehrazat and took his hand squeezing it. "But I will be with you...we have to face them."

The boy gulped and then... slowly nodded.

Sehrazat gave him a sweet smile and asked him to close his eyes, which he did.

(*)

When Yugi opened his eyes again he was with Sehrazat in a long corridor. On the left side were two rooms, which sent an aura of innocence and calm over him.

On the right side were two closed doors, with an Eye of Horus in the middle.

They were mysterious and dark.

He squeezed her hand in comfort.

"Where are we?", he whispered silently, afraid that something might jump out of the shadows of this place.

"Remember when I told you how Puzzle and Fragment are connected?"

The boy nodded.

"Well, this is the mental scape we share and with Afya and Yami. The innocent rooms are our Soul Chambers, while the dark ones are the ones of them."

"So...we are really doing this?", he mubled, unsure.

Gently Sehrazat turned his head towards her.

Her topaz eyes shimmered otherworldy.

She was so beautiful and were she gently caressed his cheek, the skin burned.

"We can't run away from them.", she told him. "Afya and Yami are parts of us. Let's at least give them a chance to explain themselves. Remember all the good things Yami did for you, as Afya did for me. I...I don't want to be afraid of them."

Yugi signed and put his hand over hers.

"You are so courageous Sehrazat, I admire you for this."

She gave him a sweet and shy smile.

"Will...will you stay with me?", he asked.

"Forever.", she promised.

Both felt these words meant much more...they could feel how their relationship changed.

It was their promise, the core of their partnership.

Staying on each other side...forever.

Infinite.

Strangely it felt like they did something familiar...a long time ago...and when they were other people...

(*)

The battlefield was chaos.

Damn Dartz and his cursed monsters!

He already lost sight of Critias and Hermos.

Where was his beloved Sophist?

Then a golden shine caught his eye and Timaeus raced and fought his way to her.

Sophist's golden sword slashed and hacked, her once beautiful golden armour was full of enemy blood.

"Timaeus!", she screamed as she saw him.

He screamed her name back: "Sophist!"

They stood side by side now, back to back, facing the incoming enemies.

"Will you stay with me?", she asked.

"Forever.", he promised.

(*)

Princess Yanara walked into the Palace Garden.

She had a feeling where her little brat of a cousin was hiding.

No, she shouldn't call him this right now, not even in her head.

Aunt Amunet's death, his mother's death, had hit them all hard.

She found the big vase he liked to play hide and seek with Mana and looked inside.

There he was, her cousin and fiancee.

Rolled into a ball and cried his little eyes out.

Yanara's heart bleeds seeing him like this.

Even if she didn't want to marry him, he still was her family.

In a way, she DID love him.

Gently she placed her hand on his spikey locks.

Tearful he looked up, the proud smirk and the confidence in his purple eyes were gone.

Both said nothing as she just caressed his hair.

When her father had died, he had done the same for her.

It was better than the empty words of sympathy the adults spouted.

"Will...Will you stay with me?", he asked with a choked voice.

"Forever.", she promised.

(*)

Sehrazat and Yugi blinked in confusion at each other.

What were these memories they have seen and felt?

"Man, this place just got weirder.", found Sehrazat, which made Yugi laugh.

She smiled, happy to have made him laugh.

Yugi gave this amazing girl a loving look.

He felt how his feelings for her got deeper.

As she held out her hand to lead them to their Yami he took it without hesitation.

Wherever she would go, he would follow her, because she gave him the courage to face anything.

(*)

Even if Yami's Spirit Chamber was a Labrinthy with traps behind the countless doors, a few rooms were normal.

He also had a bedroom.

Afya and he just lay together in his big lavish bed holding hands...for more, they didn't feel like it.

The guilt of causing Yugi and Sehrazat pain weighed heavy on them.

But...it seemed to be the only option at the time.

Sacrifice Kaiba to get into the castle to save Yugi Granpa and Sehrazat's Mother's soul.

They may be ancient spirits, however, they had to learn a lot, it showed.

That's when Yami felt how someone or more someones entered his Spirit Chamber.

He sweetly called out to Afya.

She understood him, without saying more.

Hand in hand they got out to the room.

It was time to face their Hikari's.

(*)

Yugi would lie if he said he wasn't in aww at Yami's Spirit Chamber.

A maze, full of stairs and doors that lead to who knows.

It perfectly reflected the mysterious nature of Yami.

"They are coming.", whispered Sehrazat to him.

Indeed a door on the left was opening.

The two young to-be lovers held each hands tighter, as the royal couple came towards them.

As the four stood before each other, for a moment no one said a thing.

Then...

"We 're so sorry.", cried Afya, putting a hand on her heart. "We never wanted to make you scared of us."

Yami took over: "I didn't think...no I only thought about getting you into the castle, Yugi, for your grandfather's sake. I know this is not an excuse, but even if we don't remember a lot of our past some things still linger. Like the thought that sacrificing one life to save another is worth it."

"Or you sacrifice a whole flank of your army to save the rest.", added Afya.

Her husband nodded in agreement.

"What we wanted to say.", they said together and then bowed before them. "We are sorry. We still have to learn a lot about this new world."

Sehrazat and Yugi looked at each other.

They felt that their spirits were truthful.

"Thank you for not lying to us.", said Yugi. "Please don't bow before us. We wanna talk eye to eye."

Immediately the royal couple stood straight.

"I think, Yugi and I get your points. In war, this is probably the only way to save some people.", admitted Sehrazat.

"But this is not war.", reminded Yugi. "I can't and I won't pay with another life for my grandpa's one and Sehrazat wouldn't for her mother. Maybe if it had been a different situation, we would, but it was a card game."

Sehrazat nodded.

"All in all the situation was out of control. Kaiba was desperate and used this against us. The only way was to stop the duel."

"Yes, we see it now too.", spoke Afya, for herself and her husband.

All four smiled at each other.

They could feel, how their bonds repaired themselves.

"So...we are good, Yugi?", asked Yami.

The younger boy nodded and held his fist out.

"We are good, Yami."

Both grinned and made a bro's fist and then high-fived each other.

Meanwhile, Afya and Sehrazat hugged each other tight, relieved they had each other back.

"Now your turn pops!"

The pharaoh couldn't look so fast as he had an armful of Sehrazat.

She hugged him.

A sweet forgotten feeling came up to him. He swore he heard the beautiful laugh of a little girl and felt her soft arms before he hugged Sehrazat back.

The girl was his descendant, his flesh and blood and the closets Afya and he had in a child in this modern world.

Of course, he loved her.

Yugi smiled happily at this scene before him, Yami and Sehrazat looked really like father and daughter, as he felt how Afya hugged him and kissed his forehead.

Surprised he blinked up to her, a tiny blush on his cheeks.

The queen laughed softly.

"You aren't our flesh and blood like Sehrazat, but we love you too Yugi. You are also our child."

"You are too kind Afya.", he told her, but hugged her back.

Finally, all was good between them all.

(*)

The others stared at how Yugi and Sehrazat held hands with closed eyes for a few moments before they opened them with relieved smiles.

This made hope return in each heart.

They must have cleared things with Afya and Yami.

Good.

Amazing.

With a big thank you to Mai Yugi took the Star Cips from her and they made their way into the castle.

The Hair Guy was waiting for them before the entrance door.

"You guys? You collected Star Chips?"

"Yeah!", said Mai.

"But only five more participants are allowed to enter the finals."

So Mai, Kihana, Sehrazat, Yugi and Joey stepped forward showing him their full Dueling Gloves.

"And we're the five.", proclaimed Mai.

"We met the requirements.", added Jonouchi. "So there's nothing you can say."

Smiling Joey walked past Hair-Guy, the other duelist following him.

"Excuse us.", smiled Mai and was so kind to open the entrance door with her Star Chips.

"We finally reached the castle.", said Yugi happy.

"It felt really like two years to stand here now.", mussed Sehrazat.

Our Duelist waited for the others to join them, but Hair-Guy was sadly not that stupid.

He saw they had no Star Chips, one was even a little girl!

Only thanks to Mai's charms and her heavy bag which hit Hair Guy in the face, the whole group could enter.

They followed the long corridor, coming to a stop at one of the balconies of a marmour hall.

There were other duelists already on the balcony.

Beside Bandit Keith, there was Dinosaur Ryuzaki and a good-looking boy with black hair and a tan, wearing a leather jacket and simple jeans with sneakers.

No...Sehrazat started to shake and hide behind Kihana.

"Sehrazat?", whispered Kihana. "What's wrong."

"L-Look.", was the only thing she managed to whisper back.

As Kihana saw the other boy, she understood why Sehrazat had reacted like this.

They both know this asshole!

A growl came from Kihana and she wanted to bite and claw him.

He would never again get close to her Sehrazat!

The others, beside Sadiye, who also recognized the boy and stood now at the site of her sister to protect Sehrazat, squabbled with Bandit Keith.

Joey tried to punch him for entrapping them in the cave, yet the older man was stronger.

"An entertaining sideshow is about to start.", told Bandit Keith.

"You guys should take a look.", added even Dinosaur, who already looked down from the balcony, like Asshole.

Making sure Asshole didn't see Sehrazat, all looked.

There was Seto Kaiba on a metal gangplank!

Bandit Keith said how a duel between him and Pegasus was about to start.

And sure enough, there was Pegasus.

Kaiba wanted to use his Duel Disk to battle Pegasusu, however, the creator of Duel Monsters played dumb, as if he didn't have a clue how it could work.

Then he told Kaiba if they really should use the Duel Disk someone else would play for him.

And this someone else was...Mokuba?!

Finally, all made sense.

Pegasus had snatched Mokuba right from Seto's nose and was now keeping him hostage.

That's why Kaiba pulled the stunt in his duel with Yugi and Yami to kill himself.

Kihana understood this as a big sister herself really well.

She would do for Sadiye and Sehrazat anything.

So Seto and Pegasus played in a normal duel arena.

The whole duel was a joke, till Pegasus pulled out Toon World.

Even Sehrazat, who still hides behind Kihana and Sadiye from Asshole, was shocked.

Toon World was the rarest and most powerful card in Duel Monsters.

Of course, Pegasus would keep the only one for himself.

His toons destroyed Kaiba's monster and then it got just humiliating, as Pegasus managed to get a Blue Eyes from Seto and turned it into a Toon.

Seto, Kihana and Sadiye made all the same disgusted faces.

Kihana felt even offended on behalf of Blue Eyes White Dragon.

This was so wrong!

In the end, Seto lost and Pegasus took his soul, as he did with Yugi's grandpa, Sehrazat mother and Mokuba.

(*)

Scared Sehrazat trembled from nerves in one of the bathrooms of Pegasus Castle.

She couldn't believe Asshole was really here!

Her past was catching up to her.

But why now and here?

Till now, thanks to Kihana and Sadiye, he hadn't seen her, but dinner would be served soon and all Duelists, as the non-duelists, had to participate in it.

Maybe she should just stay here and ask Kihana to smuggle some food to her.

That's when the door opened...and He stepped inside!

"When I saw the two Schariq's I wonder why I didn't see you, doll.", he grinned like the slimeball he was at her. "Must say you still are tiny but your amazing tits are bigger."

"L-Leave me alone, Javier!"

Javier Alphonso, stepped closer to Sehrazat, grinning wider.

He loved that he still had power over her.

"Come on, doll.", he took a strain of her hair and inhaled its smell. "We were so good together. I miss your titfucks."

With all her anger Sehrazat showed him away, she felt how Afya wanted to take over, to protect her, but she had to do this alone or he would forever haunt her.

"We were NEVER really together!", she shouted. "You used me as a fucktoy and had 4 other girls too!"

"Oh come on doll, you were my favourite you know that."

A loud slap could be heard and Javier had Sehrazat's handprint on his cheek.

He blinked surprised...the doll he knew would have never done this.

"You got feisty...I like that!"

"Fuck yourself!"

With this Sehrazat ran out of the bathroom, tears streaming down her cheeks.

For now, she had managed to fight against him...the dark blue-haired girl hoped she would still have it for the rest of the tournament.

REAL TALK

Okay, Real Talk!

What is wrong with my YU-GI-OH! story the Queen's Gambit: The Story?

Be brutal.

I can take it.

I want to know why I get clicks but no comments, besides from my dear friend Light guardian35 (I LOVE YOU, MY CUPCAKE!).

WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT???????

The Queen's Gambit: The Story

The most powerful piece in chess is the queen.

When this piece joins the game of Duel Monsters anything will change.

With two dragon sisters, a magician and her descendant, the queen will take her rightful place.

As it should have been.

I hate writing duels but I hope you will like it anyway.

Sacred Warrior of Isis is a card of my own creation so don't steal.

Take a look at my DeviantArt to see her in all her glory.

Also, I want to give a huge shout-out to my dear friend Light guardin35.

She has a wonderful series going on with KaibaXOC.

Give them a try.

Here are the links:

Book 1:https://www.quotev.com/story/12353010/Yu-Gi-Oh-book1-Lost-Purpose-Kaiba-X-OC/1

Book 2: https://www.quotev.com/story/14760910/Yu-Gi-Oh-Book-2-The-return-of-Kaiba-Noah-KaibaxOC/1

Now on with the story!

(*)

Chapter 14: For What We Fight

The first turn in the Tag-Team-Duel between our Royal Couple and the Labrinthy Brother had Green Twin.

"I play this card!", dramatically he summons it. "Labrinth Wall!"

That's a monster card with zero attack points but with 3000 defence points. It will be hard to take down these walls!, thought Afya, already trying to find a strategy to destroy the forming Labrinthy on the Duel Battle Field.

Their watchers were surprised to see the Labyrinth, while Yami also thought what they could do.

Such a battlefield he had never seen!

Green Twin started to talk: "Since my turn is done, I'll explain the rules. Each player begins with 2000 Life Points as usual. But if either teammate loses all their life Points, that team loses."

"Each team alternate turns, as do the players.", took Orange Twin over. "Next, I'll explain how to solve this Labyrinth Field. All monsters played on the field will be similar to chess pieces. If the monster is in attack position, it can move the same number of spaces as its Level during that turn. But if it loses in battle, it can't escape the labyrinth. If you win and exit the labyrinth, you can open one of the two doors."

"It's your choice which door to go for.", told Green Twin.

"Choose the door that you think is correct.", said Orange Twin.

Afya and Yami stared them down in anger.

The twins were playing with them.

Yami, called Afya in their minds. Can you hear me?

Yes, dear. I know what you are thinking and I agree, they will try anything to trick us.

Right, we have to out-trick them.

Fast they discussed what they were going to do before Afya turned regal to the twins: "It seems unfair that you don't give us even a hint, don't you agree?"

Both twins grinned evil and promised that one twin would from now on say the truth, while the other would lie. But who lied and who not they had to find out.

"Better than nothing.", said Afya.

The twins were a bit stupefied about how she didn't try to ask more, no, her orange eyes glimmered dangerously as if they stepped into her trap, but it was absurd.

Right?

Yami had the next turn and played Beaver Warrior in attack position.

Beaver Warrior: (ATK1200/DEF1500)

He lets it advance four spaces into the labyrinth.

The Orange Twin let out an evil laugh and played Shadow Ghoul and Polymerization to fuse it with Labyrinth Wal.

They saw how a shadow raced on the walls of the maze towards Beaver Warrior. Coming out was Shadow Ghoul who destroyed Beaver Warrior.

Yami Life Points drop to 1600.

"Hey, this isn't fair, you can't do that!", shouted Jonochui, waving angry his fist around.

Did these stupid twins trick Yami and Afya?

Orange Twin calmly said it was perfectly legal since Shadow Ghoul had become Wall Shadow and moved onto the Wall, which had no spaces.

"Calm down, Joey.", said Afya to him. "These twins think themselves so high and mighty with their Labrinthy but I will take it down!"

This made the Twins laugh.

"How are you going to do that?", they asked amused.

Afya grinned dangerously, a smile promised danger and pain in their future and they started to sweat.

Why was she so sure of herself?

"I play the Magic-Card De-Fusion and use it on your Wall Shadow!"

"No!", shouted Orange Twin, as Wall Shadow became Shadow Ghoul again.

Shadow Ghoul stood where Beaver Warrior had stood.

Shadow Ghoul: (ATK: 1600/DEF: 1300)

"Then I play Dark Magician Girl in attack position. And make her move up before your Shadow Ghoul."

Dark Magician Girl made an elegant flick-flack to her position and stood ready before Shadow Ghoul.

Dark Magician Girl: (ATK2000/DEF1700)

Shadow Ghoul: (ATK: 1600/DEF: 1300)

"Now my Dark Magician Girl destroy Shadow Ghoul. Dark Burning Attack!"

The female Spellcaster twirled her staff before she sent her enemy to the Graveyard.

Orange Twins' Life Points dropped to 1600.

Angry he gritted his teeth, while Afya and Yami's friend celebrated.

"Wonderful move, my dear.", praised her Yami.

Afya flicked her long dark blue her and winked.

"Child-Play, my darling."

Green Twin swore revenge for his brother and placed a card face down.

He also played Labyrinth Tank in attack position and moved it up seven spaces.

Labyrinth Tank (ATK: 2400/DEF: 2400)

It's Yami's turn and he summons Celtic Guardian and has him move four spaces.

Celtic Guardian (ATK: 1400/DEF: 1200)

Since Wall Shadow was destroyed Orange Twin hadn't any Monster, but he used Monster Reborn to get Shadow Ghoul back.

Shadow Ghoul: (ATK: 1600/DEF: 1300)

Orange Twins doesn't move him, let's him guardine for now the Labrinthy Exit.

Now it was Afya's turn again and she prayed she would get the card that she needed to destroy the Labrinthy.

I believe in you, she heard Yami's voice in her head, Believe in the Heart of the cards, my love.

She nodded and dramatically drew her card, looking at it and she laughed.

"Why are you laughing?", asked Orange Twin.

"What is so funny!", shouted Green Twin.

The queen just smiled wickedly.

"Your little Labrinthy was fun for a while, but I told you will defeat it! I play...Sacred Warrior of Isis!"

A beautiful red-haired woman in an Egyptian top and skirt with two slits and golden jewellery with a silver sceptre appeared on the field.

Sacred Warrior of Isis: (ATK 2900/DEF 3100)

The Twins got a bit nervous, the girl had such a rare and powerful card, but how did she want to destroy the labyrinth?

The next card was the answer.

"I also play Shield and Sword, switching the attack and defence points of all the Monsters for one turn including your stupid Labrithy Wall!"

Labyrinth Wall (ATK: 3000/DEF: 0)

Sacred Warrior of Isis: (ATK 3100/DEF 2900)

Shadow Ghoul: (ATK: 1300/DEF: 1600)

Celtic Guardian (ATK: 1200/DEF: 1400)

Labyrinth Tank (ATK: 2400/DEF: 2400)

Dark Magician Girl: (ATK 1700/DEF200)

"Say bye-bye to your Labyrinth Wall, Sacred Warrior of Isis attack with Judgement of the Goddess!"

Sacred Warrior of Isis swung her sceptre powerfully and with a loud boom the Labyrinth was no more.

Green Twin Life Points were now 1900.

Both twins' mouths clapped open, they...they couldn't believe it, no one had ever taken down their Labrinthy Wall!

What should they do now?!

In the end, they lost spectacularly since all their strategies were relaying on the Labrinthy Wall so it was easy for Afya and Yami to take down their pathetic monsters.

Now only which door was the right remained, but Yami tricked them and they walked out of the underground with all Duelists having 10 Star-Chips.

It was time to go to Pegasus Castle!

(*)

"We did it!", celebrate Joey as they were finally outside. "We're back to the surface!"

"Where on the island are we?", wonder Honda.

That's when Bakuras Ring pointed upwards at the same time as Anzu.

"Look."

"We are directly at the steps of the castle, awesome!", grinned Maja.

"Finally, felt like nearly two years to reach this point!", mumbled Sadiye annoyed.

Kihana patted her head in comfort.

"We finally made it here, Yugi, Sehra and Hana!", said Joey, while the other duelists nodded in agreement.

It had been a long and hard way, but they could now enter the finals.

One of them would surely face Pegasus and get not only the prize money but the souls of Yugi Grandpa and Sehrazat's mother back!

Jumping from nerves Sehrazat shouted: "Come on guys, let's don't waste time! Up the stairs."

All groaned.

They had to go up all these stairs again?

Were was an elevator when you needed it.

However, they couldn't do anything so they started to climb them up.

Sadiye was the only one who had it good. Her sister took pity on her and carried her piggyback style.

"Dammit.", groaned Maja, as they were half the stairs up. "I gonna find the guy who invented stairs and make him fall down these stairs, so he will break all his bones and his wife will leave him to be with the guy who invented elevators!"

"Because elevators are much sexier than stairs, we know Maja!", chorused all together.

She had been mumbling this for a while now.

The Magician in training pouts.

So mean.

When they finally reached the last flight of stairs they saw...Seto Kaiba waiting for them before the castle?

"Kaiba?", said Yugi in suprised.

The Schariq sisters looked around, yet they saw no Mokuba.

"Kaiba-San.", called Kihana out to him. "Where is Mokuba-Chan?"

"Yeah where is Mokuba?!", demanded Sadiye to know.

Seto didn't say a thing, he just couldn't.

What had happened was alone his fault!

Because he had not been careful Pegasus did something to Mokuba, making him soulless and keeping him a prisoner.

He couldn't admit it before...Kihana and Sadiye...if he remembers their names right.

Mokuba had talked about them so full of gratefulness, how Kihana had cared for him and Sadiye had become his friend...he felt it would make the sisters angry.

"You won't go any further.", told Seto the whole group.

"What's wrong, Kaiba? What's going on?", asked Yugi.

"Why aren't you answering where Mokuba is?", added Kihana.

She had a bad feeling in her stomach.

Instead, to give them a straight answer he spouted this: "I realized what my destiny is on this island. Yugi, my existence is not favourable for you. When we face each other, the winds of battle swirl forever."

"Kaiba, stop fighting!", begged Anzu.

"I'll face you, Kaiba!", shouted Jonouchi. "I'll crush you!"

The brunette CEO just huffed, like Jonouchi could do this!

Joey was ready to smash his face in but was stopped by Bakura and Honda. Bakura even reminded him how he was no match for Kaiba and Joey defeated looked down.

Sadly his friend was right.

Anzu told Bakura that he had gone too far, while Maja whispered it was still the truth.

So Anzu stared Maja down and she grinned sheepishly at her crush.

That's when Kaibe noted how Jonouchi had 10 Star Chips and mockingly upgraded him from loser to nobody, which in turn made Joey angry again, only Honda and Bakura stopping him.

"It must be a miracle.", mussed Seto stern. "Since that time, I've been searching for an answer. On why I lost my duel against Yugi. How did Yugi achieve a miracle? I think I found the answer. It was something Yugi had and I didn't."

From his shirt, Seto pulled his Duel Monster Card locket with the photo of little Mokuba out. He stared at the picture of his beloved brother and wondered if a person became stronger if they had something worth protecting.

There was only one way to find out...

"Yugi!", Kaiba yelled. "Defeat me if you want to enter the castle! This is the duel of destiny"

All saw the fire in Kaiba's eyes, whatever happened, this time he was serious.

Nearly everyone told Yugi he shouldn't accept this duel. It was nonsense, he had already 10 Star Chips.

However, Kaiba called down how Yugi would understand why they had to duel.

Their Duelist Blood brought them back together.

Dramatically the wind wiped around them and Yugi and Yami switched places.

"Fine, Kaiba! I accept this duel!", said Yami. "And I will defeat you."

Since they were actually doing this, they all followed Kaiba to a place in the castle.

Kaiba stood at one side of a little flat tower and Yami on the other, while the others all somehow managed to squeeze in the little gangway, which led to the little towers.

The wager in this duel was 5 Star Chips.

If Kaiba won he would have 10, if Yami he would have 15 also 5 extra ones.

Gran Gran asked Sehrazat her Yami. Why does pops want to duel Kaiba so much?

Duelist Blood...once it was called Warrior Blood. It's something inside you which doesn't let you back down on a fight. Never.  

Of course, you have it too.

Of course, child of mine if Kaiba-San would have asked to duel me, I would have accepted. It's something about honouring you and your opponent.

Sehrazat didn't quite get it, but maybe you had to be a warrior queen like Afya to understand this.

The duel between Kaiba and Yami was brutal from the beginning till the end.

For the longest time, it seemed Kaiba had the upper hand, crushing Yami's whole deck with the Trap Card Crush Card Virus making every monster in his deck that has 1500 or more ATK useless.

Not only that Kaiba even managed to fusion his three Blue-Eyes White Dragons into the mighty Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon.

It seemed clear who would be the winner but with Kuriboh and Multiply combined Yami had the ultimate defence, saving so his Life Points, till he drew the cards to make a special combo.

Yami uses Polymerization to fuse Mammoth Graveyard to Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon.

Since Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon is a living monster, it cannot properly fuse with the undead Mammoth Graveyard, so it loses ATK equal to the ATK of Mammoth Graveyard during each of Yugi's End Phases.

When the dragon is so down on Life Points Yami summons Celtic Guardine to finish this duel.

That's when all hell breaks loose.

Kaiba steps to the zines of the tower and proclaims he will jump to his death if Yami attacks.

All shout in agast not believing how Kaiba will actually do this because of a card game and only shout louder as Yami declares his attack.

With tears in her eyes, Anzu races to Yami begging him to not do it.

This reaches Yugi, who takes control of his body and commands the Celtic Guardian to stop.

Crying the young boy falls to his knees as Kaiba finishes off with one of the revived heads of the dragon the Celtic Guarding making Yugi lose the duel.

Now all his friends run up to Yugi who shouts how scared he is of this games and Yami.

Only Sehrazat stays clued where she is and grips her Millenium Item.

In the next moment, she is in the corridor where she and Afya Soul Chambers are separated.

The young girl knocks hard on the door of her ancestor.

"Afya!", she shouts. "Why did Yami try to do this?! Is winning so important to you both that you would sacrifice a human life?!"

But the door stays closed.

Sehrazat sniffs and finally realizes there are two more doors in their Soul Chambers.

One is like hers, innocent and pure and the other is like Afya dark and mysterious.

Wait...did it mean the Puzzle and Fragment were now connected?

Well, better for Sehrazat!

She stomped to the other door, Yamis, and knocked hard.

"Hey you two!", she screams. "Give me an answer! I know you are inside!"

Again no one answers her, but Sehrazat hears how Afya and Yami are whispering with each other.

The girl cries out harder and hits the door.

"Cowards! COWARDS!"

(*)

Afya's heart bleeds hearing Sehrazat crying behind Yami's door and seeing how Yugi is still crying on his knees too.

She turns to her husband.

"The children are suffering...Was it really the right choice to declare the attack?"

Yami was sitting before her on one of the many stairs in his labyrinth-like Soul Room.

"Afya...I couldn't lose! I needed to get Yugi inside the castle so he could save his grandfather. It was the only way, you know in war there needs to be sacrifices.", he said in a voice full of guilt.

"And yet I hear the guilt in your voice, my love.", pointed Afya out. "This is not war...this was a game getting out of control."

Yami looked up at her.

"What would you have done?"

"I don't know...Sehrazat needs to save her mother. A life for a life is normal in war but like this? Maybe we are cowards for not finding a better way."

Silence fell over them, only Sehrazat and Yugi's cries could be heard.

The Queen's Gambit: The Story

The most powerful piece in chess is the queen.

When this piece joins the game of Duel Monsters anything will change.

With two dragon sisters, a magician and her descendant, the queen will take her rightful place.

As it should have been.

Chapter 13: A Haunted Cave?

A new day began in the Duelist Kingdom, the last day our heroes could collect the Star Chips they needed to enter Pegasus Castle.

The girls were first up and cleaned themselves as well as they could by the nearby river, while the boys still slept.

Kihana cleaned the face of a grumpy Sadiye, Anzu combed her hair, Maja put some waterproof mascara on and Sehrazat cleaned a dirty stain on her maroon pants.

"Can we wake up the boys?", whined Sadiye, trying to escape Kihana's wet tissue. "It's unfair that they can still sleep."

"Well Sadie-Chan, do want to smell like a boy?", asked Maja.

"No?"

"Then it's good that we woke up."

Sadiye still grumbled, which made the other girls laugh.

When they were fresh enough they returned to their campsite.

Ah, the boys were awake too.

"You're all awake.", greeted Anzu, while the other girls waved.

"Good Morning.", greeted Yugi back.

"So who wants, breakfast?", asked Kihana in the round.

Everybody yelled 'me', which made Kihana laugh.

So the boys washed themselves and Kihana and the girls prepared the breakfast.

Some warm rice and Onigiri Maja had with her.

It was a simple but filling breakfast.

After that, our group of friends started to walk around to find duelists to duel for Sehrazat, Yugi and Jonouchi.

Kihana already had her 10 Star Chips.

Yugi with his 6 needed 4.

Joey had 7 and needed 3.

And Sehrazat had 8, which meant she needed 2.

They could do this before the 48 hours were over to enter the Castle.

"How many duelists are left on the island?", wonders Bakura.

"Ten or so duelists were sent home yesterday.", answered Jonouchi.

"And the Player Killers must have eliminated others.", added Anzu.

"That means out of the 40 participants, about half were eliminated.", said Yugi.

"We still can get our Star Chips.", was Sehrazat sure. "There are still enough people left and I bet they will take more risks, we can win the Star Chips we need in one or two duels."

All nodded in agreement.

It was manageable if they stayed calm and duelled with intelligence.

"But we can't take too long.", reminds Yugi. "The remaining Duelists have to be powerful to have survived the first day."

This made Joey stop in his tracks.

"They're even stronger?"

Kihana put a hand on Joey's shoulder.

"It's okay Joey, you need three, you can win them in one duel."

"Thanks, Hana. However my opponent is, I will defeat them!"

"That's the spirit!", chorused the other three duelists together.

Unknown to our friends they were watched by Bandit Keith lackeys, who searched for duelists to duel.

Seeing Yugi and the famous Amazon Princess of the Nile and the Lady of the Dragons, made them scared, which they told their boss.

Bandit Keith never heard of Yugi, but he knew who Sehrazat and Kihana were.

Number 1 and 2 in Europe.

So it was decided they would go for Joey since he was an amateur.

Poor Joey had no idea what would await him!

(*)

A bit later our heroes were still looking for other duelists.

"I haven't seen any duelist for a while.", pointed Joey out what everyone thought.

"Maybe we walked too deep into the forest.", said Anzu.

"Since there are fewer duelists, finding one is hard work.", found Honda.

The group came to a stop as Joey told them he needed a bathroom break.

So they waited for him.

And waited.

And waited.

And waited a bit more.

Till Sadiye yelled: "What kind of shit is he taken that he isn't back?!"

"Sadiye Kisara Schariq!", gasped Kihana affrondet. "Don't use such words!"

"But she is right Hana-Chan. We have been waiting for a half hour or so.", said Maja also annoyed.

"Maybe he got lost?", wonders Anzu.

"Maybe someone challenged him to a duel.", guessed Yugi the most likely scenario.

"That's a possibility.", agreed Honda. "Joey would love to surprise us by secretly winning some Star Chips."

"Let's split up and search for him.", suggested Bakura.

All nodded.

So they split up in dues, Honda and Bakura, Anzu and Maja, Sehrazat and Yugi and the Schariq sisters.

Every due took a different direction.

Hopefully, they would find Joey soon.

Sadly neither of the Dues found him and they meet up again, looking together now.

It was Anzu who found Joey's wallet with a picture of Shizuka, his little sister, in it.

Honda declared as absentminded as he was, Jonouchi would never lose something so important to him.

Something bad had happened to him!

Since the wallet was found before the entrance of a cave our friends decided to look around there for him.

The cave was already creepy, but as they stumbled over the coffins it got scary.

Kihana formally squeezed the hand of Sadiye, who deadpanned, while Sehrazat hid behind Yugi.

Courise Anzu and Bakura walked over to the coffins.

Maja and Honda warned them to not get close to them, however, it was too late.

The coffins open and the skeletons inside fall on Anzu and Bakura!

Protective Kihana put Sadiye behind her, who looked couriers on, while Sehrazat formally threw herself in Yugi's embrace with a shout.

Honda and Maja helped to get the fake skeletons off of poor Bakura and Anzu.

"Pegasus is playing a prank.", said Honda.

"A sick one!", added Sehrazat from her place in Yugi's arms.

The boy blushed crimson red but hugged her back in comfort.

"It's okay, Sehrazat-Chan, they are surely fake."

After all who needed to calm down, calmed down, they continued their search for Joey.

They ran what seemed like hours, till Honda stopped, asking if anybody was still there.

Besides Bakura, no one was missing. (And Joey of course)

That's when they heard the scream of the white-haired teen.

He had a skeleton on his back!

All got so scared, besides Sadiye who got picked up by her sister and ran away from Bakura, who yelled at them to stop and wait for him.

Somehow Honda managed to get the skeleton away from Bakura, while all the others lay on the floor defeated.

"Don't bring creepy things with you!", scolde the brunette boy.

"I can't move another inch.", whined Anzu.

Maja took her hand in comfort and squeezed.

Only Sadiye was sitting up and looked at all in a deadpan.

"Why are you so scared of some old bones...I mean they aren't even real?", wonders the youngest.

"I think it's the whole atmosphere of this place that gets to us, Sadiye.", explained her sister.

The little girl seemed not happy with that answer but said nothing.

Yugi sat up and said: "On the bright side, we made good progress."

Bakura said sorry for bringing the skeleton to them.

"Yugi, where should we go?", asked him Honda.

They had reached a fork, illuminated by skulls with candles in it.

Anzu sweetdropped and hold Maja's hand tigther.

"This place is getting creepier and creepier."

"Jonouchi can't handle this occult stuff.", said Honda worried.

They all stood up.

"We have to find Jonouchi as quickly as possible.", declared Yugi.

That's when Bakura stepped on a switch on the ground.

Like if they suddenly were in Indiana Jones a giant boulder comes rolling towards them!

All screamed.

"Oh my god, a giant rock!", shouted Sehrazat, as they ran for their life.

"I can't believe it!", shouted also Maja. "It's a rock and it's giant!"

"What kind of crack are you on?!", yelled Sadiye on the back of her sister.

The giant rock...erm...boulder even followed them as they took the left cave, Anzu wondering how this was possible and Honda answering he had no idea.

Poor Bakura stumbled and fell victim to the giant boulder.

They all shouted for him, but it was too late, they had to save themselves.

Sadly they ended up in a Dead End.

That's when Honda got the crazy idea to punch the boulder, everyone yelled it was crazy, yet it worked!

The boulder explodes like a balloon.

Stupified the teens and one child realized it had been a balloon with a speaker inside all the time.

They raced back to poor traumatised for his life Bakura.

Anzu and Kihana looked after the white-haired boy, while Honda and Sehrazat, with Afya anger beside her, swore to make Pegasus pay for this scare!

Finally, they found Jonouchi who was duelling in a Graveyard Duel Ring against a boy who looked like a Zombie himself.

Joey was happy to see them and explained to them how he was practically kidnapped in this cave to duel against the Zombie-Boy.

Two guys stepped in the way of the group, saying how they would not let them interrupt this duel.

They needed to use force.

Bad, bad choice.

For Bandit Keith lackeys.

Honda they may get, but the famous Amazon Princess of the Nile, seemed to have grown taller and hotter and kicked their ass brutally.

The two lay on the ground defeated and you could swerve little birds were flying in circles around their head.

"Jonouchi.", called Afya up to him. "It's your choice are you willing to continue duelling or shall I end this?"

"I need to Sehra...erm Afya! If I win I will have all 10 Star Chips!"

The queen nodded but made the famous I-Got-My-Eyes-On-You pose to Bandit Keith who gritted his teeth.

"But I don't know how.", admitted Joey.

Honda managed to get up and threw Joey Shizuka's photo, reminding him of who he was battling for.

He could and would find a way!

In the end, Joey indeed managed to win thanks to the Spell Card Shield and Sword, which switched the attack and defence points of monsters and since Zombie Monster had no defence points they had no zero attack points and were easily destroyed by Joey Battle Warrior.

Our friends celebrated hard, while Bandit Keith and his lackeys got out of the cave.

It was high time that our heroes left the cave.

They had enough of creepy places for a lifetime.

As they saw finally the cave exit they ran happily towards it only to stop in their tracks as a boulder was shoved before it.

Trapping them!

With all their might they tried to shove it away, yet it was no use.

Oh no!

(*)

"WHY! WON'T! YOU! BREAK!", shouted Afya angrily swinging her Millinium Fragments in its sword form over the boulder.

She made huge scratches sure, but nothing more.

Kihana laid a hand on Afya's shoulder.

"Your Majesty. It's no use. We have to find another way."

Angry Afya switched places back with Sehrazat, while the Hikairi turned the sword back into its Fragment form.

"What now?", she asked into the round.

Suddenly Bakura with his Millinium Ring in his hand walked away.

All followed after him surprised.

What was he doing?

"I think Pegasus's castle is this way.", told the white-haired boy.

"Why?", wondered Anzu.

"If I remember right, the Millennium Ring can sense other Millennium Items.", though Sehrazat out loud.

Bakura nodded.

"Right, follow me."

So they did.

Again it was like they walked for an eternity.

"Bakura, are you sure this is the right way?", broke Joey the silence over their group. "We've been walking for ages and the path is getting narrower."

"The walls look different too. They used to be rough, but not anymore", pointed Anzu out.

"This is definitely man-made.", said Joey.

Yugi told them that it felt like they were walking in a maze.

"Cool.", deadpannend Sadiye. "Has someone red garn?"

"Hopeful no Minotauros awaits us.", shuddered Sehrazat.

"Erm what?"

"Greek Mythology, Jonouchi-Kun.", said Kihana. "The Minotauros was a beast half man half bull who lived in a maze. The red garn was used by the hero Theseus to find his way through the maze."

Anzu groanend and made a facepalm.

"We had learned this in school, Joey and you already forgot?"

"Sorry, that I'm not a history nerd!"

In the meantime, Bakura Millennium Ring formally dragged him towards what he thought was the exit and the others were right behind him.

They reached a room, which looked Chinese and had a Duel Ring with four places!

Out of nowhere two guys with shaved heads dressed in traditional Chinese clothes appeared and gave them a little Kung-Fu show.

All stared in confusion and disbelief at them.

What was that?

The twins stopped with crossed arms, side by side.

One in orange and one in green.

"We are...", they began and made more Kung Fu Poses. "...guardians of the underground dungeon! We are the Labyrinth Brothers."

"Labyrinth Brothers?", repeated Joey. "Is this a Hong Kong action movie?"

Maja leaned down to Sehrazat and whispered: "Still afraid of the Minotauros?"

"I think I take the Minotauros over these freaks.", whispered Sehrazat to her. "They seem crazy."

The orange twin said how it had been a while since travellers got lost inside the labyrinth.

"But it wouldn't be a labyrinth if you didn't get lost.", added the Green Twin.

"Lost ones, you wish to learn the correct path."

"The correct path."

Together they shouted and made again Kung Fu Poses: "In that case...if you want to know the answer...Defeat us in a duel!"

They pointed at the four-man Duel Ring.

At the end of the room were two doors and Green Twin explained that only one would lead them outside. If the Twins were defeated, our heroes got to choose one. But careful if they didn't escape they will wander the labyrinth for eternity.

"So if we don't win this duel, we can never leave?", summarized Anzu.

"That's extreme.", added Maja.

"This duel will be a special two-on-two match.", told Orange Twin.

"Two duelists, step forward.", invited Green Twin.

"Two-on-Two.", repeated Bakura.

"A tag match.", said Joey surprised.

"Be careful.", warned Honda. "It could be a trap."

Since Kihana and Jonouchi had now 10 Star Chips each it was clear who would duel.

Yugi and Sehrazat nodded at each other.

Their Milliuniums Items shone in gold and Yami and Afya were now in control of the bodies.

Like a gentleman, Yami offers his hand to Afya.

"My queen, it would be my honour to duel with you."

Afya put her hand in Yami's with a smile.

"It is my honour too, my pharaoh."

Both smiled lovingly at each other before Yami led her down the stairs to the Duel Ring.

Afya was on the side of Orange Twin and Yami was on the side of Green Twin.

"Welcome to our Labyrinth Field.", said the brothers together.

Yami had his arms crossed, while Afya studied the field.

It may not look like a Labyrinth right now, but the queen was sure it would change soon.

"Wager your Star Chips.", called Green Twin.

Elegant Afya holds up 2.

"Two for me!"

"I wager four.", said Yami. "That's a total of six Chips."

"Understood.", chorused the brother.

"Let's do this, my dear.", called Yami to his wife.

She winked at him and nodded.

"We will show them the might of the pharaoh and queen!"

"And if we win.", they said together. "We will have 10 Star Chips each and can enter Pegasus Castle!"

"Do your best, you two!", wished them Anzu.

"Beat them so we can get out of here!", shouted Honda.

"Show them why you are the greatest duelists I know!", cheered Jonouchi.

"We believe in you!", assured Kihana.

Maja and Sadiye shouted together: "Yami and Afya, you can win because you are the game queen and king!"

Bakura gave them a thumbs up.

The royal couple nodded at their friends, as the Labrinthy Brothers declared the duel began.

It was game time!

The Queen's Gambit: The Story

The most powerful piece in chess is the queen.

When this piece joins the game of Duel Monsters anything will change.

With two dragon sisters, a magician and her descendant, the queen will take her rightful place.

As it should have been.

Chapter 12: Fights

Our heroes raced as fast as they could towards the familiar female scream.

At the end of their path, they found Mai, with a defeated look on her face, descending from a Duel Ring and a huge guy dressed in black who laughed cruelly.

"Mai!", called Yugi out to her.

"Yugi.", she answered back.

"Are you okay?", asked Jonouchi. "What happened?"

Surprisingly, the scary guy answered, "Thanks for making it easy. The prey has come to me."

Honda, like the rest of our group of friends, wondered who the heck this big guy was.

"Be careful.", warned Mai. "He's a Player Killer who roams the island and takes Star Chips from duelists!"

Oh no, that didn't sound good at all.

The Player Killer gripped Mai's arm, where her Duiling Glove was, shoving them, how she hadn't any Star Chips.

"Hey, let her go!", yelled Sehrazat, feeling also Afya's anger.

He didn't and turned to Yugi: "I'll eliminate you, just like her. Battle me."

Anzu was shocked that Mai, this strong duelist, had been really defeated, and Yugi called out to her, worried.

Poor Mai looked at them with a sad defeated look.

"Yugi, it's over for me. My dream of duelling you won't come true."

"Listen to this loser whine.", mocked Player Killer, shoving poor Mai away.

Thankful Kihana catched her.

"Mai, are you alright?", asked the white-haired beauty. The blond nodded shaking and Kihana turned with blazing blue eyes to the Player Killer. "Who gives you the right to treat someone like this!"

The cruel man just laughed.

Jonouchi was ready to beat the shit out of him but was stopped by Honda and Bakura. This was so not a good idea to fight this big guy, he would snap Joey like a twig.

But someone was faster and couldn't be stopped by our friends.

Player Killer saw just burning orange eyes and a flash of long blue hair before he felt extreme pain in his stomach.

All the air left his lungs and he fell to the ground, where he threw up.

However, a leg in maroon pants kicked him in the face, making him smash against the Duel Ring, knocking him out cold.

All stared at the one who had defeated Player Killer in three steps.

It was Sehrazat or better Afya who had taken control of the body and looked down in disgust at the Player Killer.

"Pegasus games go on my nerves.", declared the queen under the flabbergasted looks of anyone. "Also I didn't like how he treated Mai-San."

"Sehrazat or better Afya is scary.", mumbled Bakura and Joey, Honda and Anzu nodded with wide eyes.

Mai stepped towards the ancient spirit.

"Sehrazat-Chan you didn't need to do this. He beat me fair and square."

"Fair and square and why did you scream?"

This made Mai flustered.

Afya touched her shoulder in comfort.

"Whatever he did to make you scream...this was a foul strategy, one only a weakling uses, he got what he deserved."

The blond looked at this girl she knew, who seemed suddenly wise beyond her years and nodded.

"Well, what done is, is done!", said Maja cheerful and took from Player Killer 8 Star Chips and gave them Mai. "Here Mai-San, this are yours."

Anzu shook her head in disbelief.

"So we not only knock out a guy, we steal his Star Chips?"

"Is it stealing if he played dirty and they belong to Mai rightful?"

"Maja, you can't be serious!"

"You children still have much to learn.", told them Afya, her hands on her curvy waist. "Not anything in life can be solved with diplomacy or card games. Sometimes fighting is the answer."

"Afya...a word.", spoke Yami suddenly, looking at his queen with a hard look and making clear she should follow him.

Afya groaned.

"He is so gonna lecture me.", she mumbled but followed after Yami.

The married couple stepped some good meters away from their friends and well the others could see they had a heated discussion with a lot of hand gestures.

"They act like a married couple.", stated Mokuba.

"Well Yami and Afya are.", remind him Sadiye.

He nodded.

True.

Meanwhile, Mai stared at the Star Chips in her hands.

"Take them Mai.", said also Kihana. "Whatever it was right or wrong how we got them, in the end, you first were played dirty and deserve them back."

Slowly nodding the beautiful blond put them back into her glove.

"I will repay you one day. I promise."

(*)

"Yami you can't be serious!", yelled Afya at her husband. "You really think a children's card game would have solved the problem better?"

"Afya, you can't just go around and knock people out because you don't like them.", reminds the pharaoh frustrated.

"Yeah, you already said it!"

"Because you don't seem to listen!"

"Why should I listen to this?! Yami do you really think when we ruled over Egypt we only solved problems with diplomacy? My Millenium Item can turn into weapons of any kind!"

"I know this and before you repeat it, yes you are a Warrior-Queen, I know this, we all know this, but Afya, this is not our home or our time!"

(*)

Tired the others had sat down not far away where the royal couple was arguing.

Mokuba and Sadiye already had fallen back asleep and cuddled up to Kihana, who was yawing.

"How long are they arguing again?", she asked into the round.

Anzu cheecked her wrist watch.

"Since a good hour."

All groanend annoyed and sleepy.

(*)

"If you can't take the hard decision Yami, I will do them. I don't have any remorse for what I did!"

"Afya, alright, maybe sometimes you have to fight with violence back, but here I could have won Mai Star Chips simple back!"

The queen groaned and rubbed her eyes.

"I fucking hate this century. Card Games here, card games there, if I could I would storm Pegasus castle and kick his ass into submission to give us back the souls of Amira and Yugi's Grandfather!"

Slowly Yami reached out to her and hugged her.

"Afya...love, I get your feeling. We may not remember our lives, but we still feel out of place in this world."

"It's too much sometimes, Yami."

Sniffling Afya and buried her head in his shoulder.

He kissed her temple, gently rocking her.

Yami got why Afya had just punched the Player Killer out.

She was frustrated.

This was not anymore their world.

A world where she had been a warrior and probably led armies into battles.

His queen felt out of place.

Oh, how he understands this.

(*)

"I think they are finally making up.", noted Anzu.

"Thank Isis.", yawned Maja. "I wanna go to bed!"

Agreeing sounds from all came.

(*)

Afya and Yami hold hands looking into each other eyes, the queen signed softly.

"I'm happy we talked, I feel better now, my darling."

"So no more just random punchin' the lights of people out, love?", he teased.

She giggled and kissed him on the cheek.

"I will try to behave...but maybe you should punish me...I was a bad girl.", she purred and oh...there was this spark in her eyes.

He leaned over to her ear, whispering: "You indeed were bad. But let's give Yugi and Sehrazat their bodies back, we can continue with THIS in our Spirit Chambers."

Eagerly Afya nodded.

Both let go of each other hands and let their Hikaris take over their bodies again.

Sehrazat made a face.

"I didn't need to hear the last part!", she groaned and seemed green in the face. "Isis they are like my grandparents and just no!"

Yugi laughed bashfully and patted her shoulder in comfort.

Yeah, he didn't need to hear this either.

What Yami and Afya did was their business.

(*)

Finally after changing campsite and saying goodbye to Mai, even if they told her to stay, the blond said she had to take care of things, our friends could sleep.

The girls and Mokuba spread themselves in the two tents, while Honda and Jonouchi slept beside the tents on the ground.

A bit far from them, Yugi and Bakura were talking about the power of the Millenium Ring, and how its spikes pointed at other Millenium Items.

Yugi suspected that this was its power, as Bakura admitted he had no idea where the Items came from or for what they were good.

"Sehrazat told me there are 8 in total.", said Yugi. "All come from Egypt and were made in the times of the great pharaohs and queens. Each has their own power, but more I don't know."

Bakura nodded in understanding.

The two boys decide then to go to sleep too, but Yugi has a bit of trouble falling asleep.

He remembered how Sehrazat had also said that it was worrying that four Millennium Items were out in the world.

And then there was the big ominous danger which was returning, the one that cost Yami his life in the battle for the world.

Was this the sign it was back?

Did he and Sehrazat with their Yamis and friends need to defeat it again?

Yugi came here to save his grandpa's soul, yet it seemed something bigger was coming.

He signed and closed his eyes. He needed his sleep for tomorrow.

It was then they not only him, but everybody, heard the unmistakable sound of a Helicopter, its lights hurting them in the eyes.

Everyone wondered what a helicopter was doing here, but only Mokuba formally ran out of the tent.

"Nii-Sama!", he shouted.

A Kaiba Corporation Helicopter could only mean his brother was finally here.

And indeed Seto Kaiba left the helicopter with a suitcase in his hands.

When he saw his little brother running towards him, there was surprise, and then clear happiness and relief in his face.

"Mokuba.", he called back, dropped to his knee and the Kaiba brothers hugged each other tight.

"Nii-Sama.", cried Mokuba, burying his head in the strong shoulder of Seto. "I was so worried for you. I missed you."

Seto gently shushed him, stroking his black hair.

"It's okay, Mokuba I'm here, all is good. I'm sorry, I made you worried."

Our friends looked at this lovely and heartwarming moment between the two Kaiba brothers.

They all felt the real pure love these two shared for each other and some may had to wipe away a tear or two.

When the Kaiba brother stopped their hug, Seto took Mokuba's hand in his and with the free one the briefcase. He wouldn't let go of his precious brother for any reason, not after he was kidnapped from him.

Yugi stepped to the Kaiba brothers, greeting Seto and telling him how glad it was the Kaiba family was back together.

Seto nodded.

"It's been a while, Yugi.", greeted Seto back. "I assume I have to thank you for Mokuba's rescue."

This made Mokuba giggle and led his brother to Kihana and Sehrazat.

"Yugi and all kept me safe, but these two saved me. That's Kihana and Sehrazat.", introduced Mokuba.

Sehrazat waved shyly at Kaiba.

However, Kaiba took barely note of this tiny girl, even if he strangely felt familiar with her, and tried not to stare at...this vision of the girl before him.

Long white hair, some falling into her pretty face and these eyes...in his head he heard the roar of his beloved Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

Kihana stared with the same intensity back at Seto and felt a so deep longing in her heart, that she nearly cried.

Both thought the same: Why do I feel that I know you?

"Erm...are you two okay?", asked Sehrazat who broke the spell.

Both blinked and tried to compass themselves.

Mokuba and Sadiye each raised an eyebrow at their older sibling, while the rest was muttering what had happened.

They never saw Kaiba staring at a girl in...interest?

It was weird even thinking about it.

Seto wasn't Seto if he didn't get himself fast under control.

"I want to thank you Kihana-San and Sehrazat-San, I'm in your dept.", he said in his typical Kaiba fashion.

Both girls waved their hands.

"Oh please, it was no problem. I'm a big sister too.", explained Kihana and hugged Sadiye to her. "I would wish someone would help my Imoto too if she is in danger."

"And I couldn't just let a little boy get kidnapped before me.", added Sehrazat.

"I understand your points, but I'm still in your debt, I will pay them up someday."

Dramatically Kaiba turned around, towards Pegasus Castle.

"Let's go Mokuba and take our company back from Pegasus."

"Yes..oh and here is your Deck Seto."

"Thanks, Mokuba."

So the Kaiba brothers started to walk away, with Mokuba waving at our friends and shouting a loud bye.

"Wait, Kaiba.", called Yugi for him. "Did you learn about the heart of the cards?"

The Kaiba brothers stopped.

"What is it?", wonders Yugi.

"I don't have an answer yet.", admitted Seto. "To take revenge for Mokuba's kidnapping and to save Kaiba Corporation, I'll do anything to defeat Pegasus."

Then the brother started to walk again, only for Jonouchi to run up to them and grip Kaiba by his collar.

Jonouchi told him how he just couldn't cut in line when others were fighting for their dreams and a chance to duel against Pegasus.

Unimpressed Kaiba flipped Jonouchi away like an annoying fly. The blond fell down hard on the ground.

All called worried out to Joey and Yugi ran up to him, checking if he was hurt.

However, Seto wasn't done to humiliate Joey.

He told him how he couldn't believe a loser like him was actually in the tournament and what a lame tournament it must be if he actually qualified for it.

It ended in a Duel between Kaiba and Jonouchi since Jonocuhi wanted to show Kaiba how he had grown as a duelist.

They used Seto's newly invented Duel Disk System.

From start to finish it was a brutal massacre.

Poor Joey and his monsters had zero changes against Kaiba.

The duel ended in a final battle between Jonouchi Red Eyes Black Dragon and Setos Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

Both Schariq sisters made painful faces and rubbed their heads.

No...this wasn't right.

Blue-Eyes and Red-Eyes had to fight together and not against each other!

In the end, Kaiba won, since Blue-Eyes was more powerful than her sister Red-Eyes.

Defeate Joey fell on his knee and punched the ground. Hadn't he gotten better? Why couldn't he have won against Kaiba?

Our friends ran up to Joey, to console him, while Seto stated how terrifying dueling really could be.

He told them the story of how he saw with his own eyes how Pegasus defeated the American Champion Bandit Keith, by picking a random kid from the audience and giving him instructions on a paper.

With that he and Mokuba made their way towards Pegasus Castle, leaving pensive minds behind.

Pegasus's power was really scary, but Yami and Afya nodded at each other.

They would find a way to defeat him...together!

The Queen's Gambit: The Story

The most powerful piece in chess is the queen.

When this piece joins the game of Duel Monsters anything will change.

With two dragon sisters, a magician and her descendant, the queen will take her rightful place.

As it should have been.

I gave Dark Magician Girl one extra ability or Yami would have lost the duel, so yeah, hope it's okay. ^^

Chapter 11: A Shadow Duel

Afya sat beside Yami, glaring at the evil Spirit of the Millennium Ring.

She still couldn't believe that the faith of her Sehrazat and her friends lay in winning in a children's card game!

What happened to the good old times, when you faced your opponent in a sword fight?

The 21. century was crazy!

It's even crazier how Yami Bakura and her husband just got with the flow.

Ultimately, it is what it is and she had to believe in Yami's duel talents to win the children's souls back.

The first turn had Yami.

"I play Cyber Commander in defence position."

Surprised and shocked the royal couple saw how Honda, dressed as the Cyber Commander, appeared from the card.

"Honda?"

"What's going on?", wondered Honda. "What happened to me?"

The brunette looked around till he turned towards them, shouting the names of their Hikari's.

Of course, he thought Yugi and Sehrazat were currently duelling.

"Everyone's souls are inside their favourite cards?"

"Seems like it.", answered Afya Yami in a worried tone.

This was not good at all.

Yami Bakura laughed.

"You're realizing this too late. It's my turn. I play this card. White Magical Hat! Attack!"

The monster in the card appeared on the duel field too and before anyone could do something White Magical Hat defeated Honda. He vanished in red light.

"Honda!", shouted Yami and Afya.

"Destroyed cards are sent to the graveyard, along with the souls that are trapped inside it.", explained Yami Bakura, like Yami and Afya didn't know this. "The Reaper will soon arrive at the graveyard. If the Reaper takes Cyber Commander away, Honda's physical body will die."

"You sick bastard!", insulted Afya him.

The Spirit of the Millennium Ring just laughed in her face.

"Flattering will get you nowhere little queen."

Afya gritted her teeth, but only Yami holding with his free hand hers, stopped her from attacking the evil spirit.

"A Shadow Game cannot be stopped!", reminds Yami Bakura. "It's your turn. What will you do, pharaoh?"

Yami thought about how he would get Honda back from the Graveyard, he promised this.

But first, he had to take care of White Magical Hat.

The problem was the only card strong enough for this task was Jonouchi Flame Swordsman.

Not having another choice, he summons the card to the field.

Surprised Jonochui as Flame Swordsman appeared on the field and turned to Yami, as he called out to him.

"Is that you, Yugi and Sehra?", he asked the royal couple.

Afya shook her head.

"It's me Afya and this is Yami, the spirit of the Millenium Puzzle former pharaoh and my husband. Yugi and Sehrazat's souls are still in their favourite cards."

The blond blinked slowly and let out a long okay.

"What's going on?", he wondered.

"Stay calm and listen.", began Yami. "Your soul is trapped inside that card, so you've become Flame Swordsman."

"What?!"

"If I don't win this duel, you can't return back to normal. And if you lose in battle, you'll be sent to the graveyard, just like Honda."

"The graveyard?!"

"But I need your help to end this dangerous duel and return everyone to their bodies."

"Leave it to me!", promised Jonouchi. "Don't worry."

"Jonouchi, are you sure you understand the situation we are in?", asked Afya worried.

"This is just a dream anyway. I'll finish this quickly. Who's my opponent?"

He turned back around and saw Yami Bakura.

Shocked he stated what a crazy dream that was, since one of their friends was their enemy.

"That's not Bakura. That's a shadow duelist that took over Bakura's body.", explained Yami.

"A dark spirit and an enemy.", added Afya.

Joey admitted he didn't get what was going on, but he would beat him. He attacks White Magical Hat and sends Yami Bakura monster to the graveyard.

Yami Bakura Lifepoints dropped to 1200.

Now it was his turn.

He placed a card in the defence position face down. Yami and Afya wonder what it could be, but before they could tell to Joey to not to attack it he did.

It turned out to be a Morphing Jar. When it's flipped faceup, all duelist have to send the cards in their hands to the graveyard.

"Luckily, I don't have anyone's soul card in my hand right now.", said Yami.

Afya let out a relieved breath, while Joey said sorry that he was so careless.

Both Duelists took five new cards and Yami nearly had a heart attack.

Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl.

Yugi and Sehrazat's soul cards!

Since it was Yami Bakura's turn he again placed a face-down card in defense position and one face-down in attack position.

All thought the same.

Another Morphing Jar?

It was way too risky to keep Yugi and Sehrazat in Yami's hands.

So he played them.

"I play Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl in attack position!"

Yugi looked adorable as Dark Magician found Afya, while her descendent made a pretty Dark Magician Girl.

Poor Yugi stared lost around and Sehrazat blinked confused.

Next Yami played the spell card Monster Reborn to return Honda to the field.

"Jonouchi, Yugi and Sehrazat?!", shouted Honda surprised. "You too? What's going on?!"

Jonouchi explained: "We've turned into Duel Monsters monsters cards."

"I don't understand why.", admitted Yugi.

Shy Sehrazat touched her Dark Magician outfit.

"I didn't think it would be so tight..."

She felt looks on her and stared at the boys. They all had blushed on their faces and tried not to look at her.

For Yugi it was especially difficult, he could see his crush's long legs on full display, her soft curves and her big cleavage.

The Dark Magician Girl robe left nothing to the imagination.

This made Sehrazat turn only more bashful, her ears burning.

She wasn't used to getting such looks, more importantly from Yugi! People mostly found her just cute and not...sexy.

It was weirdly nice, but only regarding Yugi. She wanted that he felt attracted to her.

Love was crazy.

"Wait a second!", said Honda and turned to Yami and Afya. "Aren't Yugi and Sehrazat up there? How can you be down here too?"

It was Sehrazat who answered: "These are Afya and Yami, you know? Remember how we told you how mine and Yugi Millennium Items hold the soul of a pharaoh and queen? Well, that's them."

"We are also Sehrazat's ancestors.", added Afya.

Smiling Sehrazat waved at Yami.

"It's nice to meet you pops, even in such a situation."

Yami raised an eyebrow and repeated pops, while the others had to stifle a giggle.

"It's nice to meet you finally, Yami.", called Yugi up to his partner. "Thanks for always helping me."

"No problem, Yugi.", gave Yami his Hikari a smile.

Yugi was for him like a younger brother he needed to guide and also protect. It was good they finally met eye to eye.

"Okay, dears, we have a game to win.", remind them Afya.

All nodded.

"Where are Anzu and Kihana?", asked Joey. "If we had Kihana as Blue-Eyes White Dragon on the field she would make toast out of Bakura or whoever he is."

"They are still inside the deck. I agree that Kihana would be a big help, but let's try to end this duel before they are played.", suggested Yugi.

"I'm with him.", agreed Sehrazat and Joey and Honda nodded.

"Okay! Let's finish this fast!", declared Joey, ready to battle.

"Wait!", called Yugi and Sehrazat together, stopping him in his tracks.

"It's mine and Sehrazat-Chans turn."

Yugi and Sehrazat looked at each other and nodded.

They put their wands together, declaring a combo attack.

Luck was not on their side, since it was again a Morphing Jar and the Duelists had to discard their cards again and draw five new ones.

Both were sorry, but Joey consoled them since he made the same mistake too.

Yami stared at his card in thought.

He got Anzu and Kihana.

They were safer in the battle field and also with Kihana's power as Blue-Eyes White Dragon they could end the duel!

However, it was Yami Bakura's turn, who again put a card face down in the defence position and activated his other face-down card Just Desserts.

This trap card took 1500 Life Points from Yami, leaving him with only 500.

Worried Afya held her husband by the shoulders, he seemed in pain.

"Yami!"

"I'm okay...don't worry."

Normally since Yami had four monsters on the field he would have lost all his Life Points because Just Desserts took 500 Life Points for each Monster Card, but thankful one of Dark Magician Girl's abilities was, if she was played with a Dark Magician, they counted as one monster for a turn.

"But if I take one more hit, I'll lose.", admitted the pharaoh to his worried wife and friends. "If I lose, everyone will die."

He had no choice, he needed to play Anzu and Kihana and let Kihana end the duel.

"I play one card face down and play the Blue Eye White Dragon Kihana in attack position!"

Now Yami Bakura gritted his teeth.

Not the damned Blue Eyes!

Anzu crawled as Magician of Faith out of her card, greeting everyone, while Kihana as Blue Eyes White Dragon, flowed over them.

"Guys are you cosplaying'?", asked Kihana and looked down on herself. "How the heck did I turn into a dragon?!"

"Bakuras has an evil spirit in his Milliumium Ring who put our souls in our favourite cards.", explained Sehrazat, as she and the boys tried to hide Anzu from the evil Spirit. "It's like out of a fever dream!"

"Why are there two Yugi's and two Sehrazat's?", asked Anzu before she remembered. "Oh wait, are this the pharaoh and queen?"

"You remember it?", shouted Joey and Honda in disbelief.

"I just get there is a cool Yugi and a regular Yugi.", added the blond.

Poor Yugi fell down anime-style why Sehrazat shouted a rude to Joey.

Since Yugi wanted to show he could be cool he attacked the hidden enemy on Bakura's side.

Big Mistake.

Not only didn't lose Yami Bakura any Life Points but Yugi was also paralyzed for the next turn and couldn't attack.

Sehrazat wrapped an arm around Yugi's shoulders to keep him upright and he leaned heavy on her, shaking from the pain.

Yami Bakura played Man-Eating Bug face down. Joey asked Sehrazat what the card did and she explained if it turned up, it would destroy one of them.

Even with Kihana on their side, when she attacked, they would win but lose a friend, so Yami told Kihana to do nothing for now.

They were now in a pickle.

Yami had a Trap Card Horn of the Heaven, which could destroy Men-Eater Bug, but it needed a monster sacrifice too.

In the end, Joey heroically sacrifices himself for his friends, which makes Anzu activated with her tear her Magician of Faith special ability. Yami can get a spell card back from his Graveyard and he chooses Monster Reborn to bring Joey back!

"You should all have been buried in the graveyard by now.", said Yami Bakura annoyed.

"Their friendship creates miracles. Always.", shoots Yami back.

"Friendship? Don't make me laugh. I'll show you that your buddy-buddy games can't last forever."

The evil Spirit plays Lady of Faith in attack position and shows all the real Bakura favourite card.

The Spell Card Change of Hearts!

Laughing Yami Bakura tells them how he will use it to turn Kihana against them since they want to win with her power.

But a miracle happens again.

Not only is the real Bakura Soul in the Spell Card, but he also takes control of the Lady of Faith and declares they should attack him.

Of course, it would mean death for Bakura yet he shouts he rather die than be the slave of an evil spirit.

So Yami uses the power of the Millennium Puzzle to switch Bakura with Yami Bakura, putting the evil Spirit in the Lady of Faith's body.

Now Kihana attacks and destroys the evil spirit, sending him to the graveyard!

The Shadow Duel was over and won.

(*)

Back in the real world Sehrazat and Yugi stand with Bakura.

"Are you okay, Bakura?", ask Yugi.

"Yes. Thank you."

"Out of curiosity how come you have a Millium Item Bakura-San?", wondered Sehrazat.

"My father is an archaeologist and travels around the world.", explains the white-haired boy. "When he went to Egypt, he bought me this Millennium Ring and a card as souvenirs. The man who sold the Ring and the card to my father was from the Shadow Realm."

Sehrazat crosses her arms in thought.

"With yours are now four Millennium Items out in the world. That's half of them. I don't like this."

They couldn't talk more as they heard how the others woke up.

"I feel like I've had the longest dream.", yawn Honda.

"Yeah. With a scary dark version of Bakura.", added Joey.

That's when Bakura stepped to them with a friendly smile, making the boys shout in fright and embrace each other.

They immediately let go of each other, which made all laugh.

"Come to think of it, weren't there also two Yugis and Sehrazats?", mussed Anzu out loud. "Was it really just a dream?"

"Guys why are you screaming around?", they heard Maja's voice.

Sleepy the girl stepped out of the tent Sadiye and Mokuba behind her yawning cutely.

"Did we wake you up, we are sorry.", told them Kihana.

All gave them their sorry's too.

That's when they heard a loud female scream they knew!

"That sounded like-!", began Joey.

"Let's go!", shouted Yugi.

The group of ten ran toward the direction of the scream as fast as they could!

The Queen's Gambit: The Story

The most powerful piece in chess is the queen.

When this piece joins the game of Duel Monsters anything will change.

With two dragon sisters, a magician and her descendant, the queen will take her rightful place.

As it should have been.

Chapter 10: Star Chips here, Star Chips there

The sun was setting over Duelist Kingdom as our group of nine walked around in search of other duelists who would duel, Yugi, Joey, Sehrazat and Kihana.

Currently, their Star Chip count is like this:

Yugi and Kihana had 6 each.

Joey had 5.

And Sehrazat was in the lead with 8 Star Chips.

In total, they needed 15 Star Chips to enter Pegasus Castle.

The group discussed what they should do.

Soon it would be night, surely no one would duel at this time and they had a day left to collect the necessary Star Chips, however, they had noted how fewer duelists were around.

In the end, they decide to split up again.

It was faster this way to collect the missing Star Chips, they would meet again later.

Thank god, they had the Walkie-Talkies to keep track of the other group.

Mokuba stayed with Sehrazat group because he felt safer with Kihana and Sehrazat around.

The two had saved him from getting kidnapped again by Pegasus Lackey, no offence to Yugi and his friends, but yeah Sehra and Hana were badass.

Currently, Mokuba and Sadiye are sitting together on the ground and watching the duel before them.

Maja and Sehrazat were cheering on Kihana, who had found an opponent, the price being 4 Star Chips.

If she won, she would be the first with 10 Star Chips.

"Your sister has a lot of dragons in her deck.", noted Mokuba to Sadiye.

"She isn't called Lady of the Dragons for nothing.", answered Sadiye proudly. "The only ones who ever beat her were Sehrazat and Afya."

Oh yeah, this magical mambo-jumbo they had told him about.

"Again, explain to me how Sehrazat's amulet has the spirit of her ancestor, a queen of Ancient Egpyt inside?"

Sadiye laughed pretty and Mokuba felt a soft blush on his cheeks. He always thought his classmate was a cute girl, but they never interacted with each other till now.

Yet, it felt like he had known her for ages.

Strange.

"It goes like this.", begins Sadiye. "There are 8 Milliunim items, powerful magical tools created in the times of the great pharaohs and queens. One day an unspoken evil threatened the whole world but a courageous pharaoh and his queen faced it. The pharaoh lost his life in the fight, but the evil was defeated. The strong queen married his successor, leading Egypt into a time of prosperity. Then came the day she was on death's doorstep, but she knew the soul of her first husband, her great love, was forever in prison in the Millennium Puzzle. The queen couldn't accept it and prayed to goddess Isis, who not only promised her she would be reunited with her first husband, but that they would need to face the ancient evil again one day. So her soul was banned into the Millennium Fragment, and as a price, she lost all her memories. The founder of the Faizan bloodline, one of the daughters of the queen, swore an aid that the family would protect it, till it was time the queen awoke again. The founder of my family, the Schariq, has always served the house of Faizan and helped them to keep the bloodline and the Millennium Fragment safe. Then when Sehra put the Fragment on the first time she awoke the spirit of the queen. Since she can't remember her name, so Sehra-Nee, named her Afya."

Mokuba nodded and rubbed his neck.

"This sounds too fantasy-like to me...and in Yugi Puzzle is the pharaoh right? That's why he is so different when he duels."

"Right."

"My brother would declare us all mad for this story, he doesn't believe in magic and all this."

Sadiye crossed her arms and hummed.

"I always half believed it, Sehra-Nee didn't believe one bit, but once you encounter a Milliunim Item you start to believe that there is more."

"Well, Sehra and Afya ARE different from each other, I mean she is taller when Afya has control over her body, so you can't mistaken."

"Yugi too when Yami takes control.", added Sadiye.

"And his blond locks go up! Strange I never realized it."

"My mommy says people see what they want to see, so you didn't see the difference till you really looked.", said Sadiye, sounding wise.

"Your mom sounds cool.", told her Mokuba and got a bittersweet look on his face. "I can't remember my Kaa-San well...Seto and I were really young when we lost our parents."

He felt how Sadiye put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. The boy understood she wanted to offer him comfort, but didn't want to use the same old words anybody said to him when he told this.

Mokuba was thankful for this.

Then the two youngest heard how Maja and Sehrazat cheered loudly and saw how Kihana Seiyaryu destroyed the remaining life points of her opponent.

The oldest Schariq won and now has 10 Star Chips!

(*)

"What's wrong with Sadiye-Chan?", asked Anzu Maja worried.

It was night now and our friends were back together.

All congratulated Joey and Kihana to have won more Star Chips today.

Now Kihana was in the lead with 10.

Joey had 7.

Yugi 6 and Sehra 8.

Tomorrow the remaining three had to give their all to reach Kihana and then enter Pegasus Castle.

But this had to wait till the next day since it was night.

Yugi and his friends were so glad, that Sehrazat's group had not only brought food with them to the island but also two tents.

Sure in the tents could only sleep max three-person pro tent, yet it was better than nothing.

At least they had enough food.

Currently, Kihana was cooking for all curry with rice over the campfire Joey and Honda made.

Joey and Honda put up the tents, while Sehrazat and Yugi brought back two buckets of water.

Anzu and Maja had helped Kihana prepare the food and now could sit down since the white-haired beauty shooed them away.

When she cooked, she didn't like to get looked over the shoulders.

So Anzu took the time to ask Maja what little Sadiye had.

She was pouting since she had seen Joey battling and then winning the Red Eyes Black Dragon card.

Not even Mokuba could make his friend laugh.

Maja was shaking her head amused and whispered in Anzu's ear: "Don't say it aloud, but the Red Eyes Black Dragon is not only Sadiye's favourite card but she also has it in her deck. She feels offended when someone other than her has it. But I think she will accept Joey."

"What? She has such a powerful and rare card in her deck?!"

"Oh Anzu-Chan you have seen nothing, Kihana has one of the rarest cards too, but never uses it and in Sehrazat deck hides a card that is as powerful as a god."

Suprised to hear this Anzu blinked.

What did Maja mean by that?

"Oh, what a surprise...your group got bigger.", a female voice greeted them.

It was Mai Kujaku!

"You again?", shouted Joey surprised.

"Hello Mai-San.", greeted Sehrazat, having manners. "How are you?"

"Sehrazat-San, Kihana-San, nice to see you again and you hang out with Yugi's little group? And who are spiky haired girl and the two little ones?", wondered Mai.

"I'm Maja. Sehra and Hana's friend, the little girl is Sadiye, Kihana's sister and the boy is Mokuba."

"Nice to meet you.", said the three together.

Mai had a small smile on her face.

"I see you have a nice campsite, so I won't disturb you."

Finally, Kihana looked up from the pot and said to Mai: "You are not disturbing us, why don't you eat with us?"

This made Joey, Honda and Anzu look at her in disbelief and Joey even whispered what Kihana was thinking inviting Miss Arrogant.

For this Kihana sent him such a cold look with her blue eyes, that Jonouchi thought he was staring down Kaiba Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

Scary.

In the end, Mai took the invitation and even shared her food and her tent with the others.

She even had a portable shower!

The boys, Sehra, Maja and Sadiye sat around the campfire, as Kihana finished cooking, while Mai stood guard before the shower, as Anzu took the first turn.

Anzu and Mai had a nice chat, getting a better understanding of each other, as suddenly Anzu gasped.

Mai stepped into the shower asking what was wrong and Anzu told her she heard something, but when Mai checked there was nothing.

Strange.

After Anzu, Sadiye and Kihana showered together, Sehrazat took over the cooking, then Maja and then Sehrazat. Mai already had taken a shower.

No more strange noises were heard.

The food was finally ready and all dug in happy.

Jonouchi and Honda shovel the curry and rice down like it was their last meal.

Yugi said loud how delicious it was and Anzu added what a great cook Kihana was.

The girl in question blushed and thanked them.

"Mai-San, you already have 8 Star Chips.", noted Yugi. "You might be the first one into the castle tomorrow."

"Yeah. But I want to battle you someday, Yugi.", she told him.

Surprised Yugi blinked.

"Let's forget about duelling for now.", proposed Anzu.

"Yeah. That kind of talk will spoil our dinner.", agreed Joey.

"We're sitting together for now.", began Mai. "But you're my enemies tomorrow. That's what duelling is all about."

All looked at her surprised.

The oldest girl declared she had finished eating and would take a walk.

Joey mumbled something about how she was not charming at all.

"Mmh, mmh, that's why you stare at her cleavage.", sassed Sadiye.

This made Jonouchi turn bright red, trying to find an excuse, while the others started to laugh, Honda even playfully ruffled his hair.

After all finished eating Sadiye and Mokuba started to yawn.

"Okay, you two, time for bed.", said Kihana to them.

She took both sleepy kids by the hand and led them to one of the tents.

"Wait!", called Maja. "I'm tired too, good night guys!"

"Night Maja.", chorused the remaining ones around the campfire.

Kihana joined them back a few minutes later, as they all heard soft snores coming from one of the tents.

Seems like Maja and the kids were already asleep.

Cute.

The others talked for a bit more, till Joey declared that they should probably go to bed too.

"Where did Mai go?", wonder Anzu.

"She does whatever she pleases.", reminds Jonouchi her. "Leave her be."

Out of nowhere behind Anzu, the bushes moved.

Joey and Honda stood up, ready to face whatever there was!

"Who's there? Come on out!", demanded Joey.

Sehrazat got ready to switch places with Afya if the person was dangerous, but a nice-looking and friendly boy with long white hair and brown eyes stepped out of the bushes.

Huh?

Who was this?

Apparently a friend of Yugi and the others, named Ryou Bakura.

After they introduced Sehrazat and Kihana to him, they all sat down beside the campfire.

To Honda's surprise, anyone pulled out a deck of duel monsters.

"What? Everyone brought their cards?"

"What did you expect?", asked Joey rhetoric. "This is a kingdom for duelists, after all."

"Yeah."

"Everyone on this island is putting their hearts into their cards. That was corny!", laughed Jonouchi.

"What's your favourite card, Jonouchi?", asked Bakura.

"This one of course. Call me Flame Swordsman from now on!"

"My favourite is Cyber Commander!", told Honda.

"You guys act like little kids.", said Anzu amused.

"But Jonouchi's right.", said Yugi. "Anzu you must have a favourite card."

"Well, this is my favourite card."

"What? Magician of Faith?", read Honda aloud the card's name.

"She looks suspicious.", added Joey.

"You idiot!", yelled Anzu at them.

Both boys embrace each other in fright.

"What's your favourite card, Yugi?", wonders Bakura.

"Dark Magician, of course."

This made Kihana giggle, while Sehrazat got bashful.

"Fits with Sehrazat's one.", told the white-haired beauty.

"Oh do tell!", said Anzu eager.

Shy Sehrazat raised The Dark Magician girl.

"Oh, is there not a legend about these two cards...who has them are soulmates?", remembers Joey, what they had heard from the Egyptian girls.

Yugi blushed, and Sehrazat's ears formally burned while all gave them knowing looks.

Bakura laughed softly and turned to Kihana: "What is your favourite card, Kihana-San?"

"You have to promise not to tell anyone.", she asked the ones who didn't know it.

Of course, they agreed and from her deck, she pulled...

"Blue-Eyes White Dragon?!", shouted nearly anyone.

"So the last card is in your hands Kihana-San.", summorized Yugi astonish.

"Yes, but I don't use it, I keep it as a Lucky Charm."

"But with such a strong card, you could win easily.", said Joey.

"Truth, but I will only use it, when it's a really dire situation, till now, I never needed it."

Anzu hummed and said: "I'm starting to understand how it feels to believe in your favourite cards and duel."

"Grandpa always talked about the heart of the cards.", added Yugi. "You can't truly duel until you play with cards that have your heart."

All nodded in agreement.

"What's your favourite card, Bakura?", wanted Yugi to know.

"This one."

"Change of Heart?"

"A spell card, interesting.", said Sehrazat.

All had picked monsters cards, besides Bakura.

"That's a weird card to like.", shared Joey his opinion.

Bakura just narrowed his eyes and asked Yugi if he wanted to duel him, just for fun, no Star Chips.

All were in favour of it.

A nice friendly duel was what they needed after all these competitive ones.

"What if you put your favourite cards into Yugi's deck?", suggested Bakura.

Well, no one had a problem with that, even Kihana was all right with it. It was just a friendly duel, not a competitive one.

So they got out a Duelling Map and put their cards in Yugi's deck.

"Okay, we are ready!", said Yugi to Bakura.

Anzu wished them both good luck.

Joey didn't think Bakura could beat Yugi, but he should give it's best.

"Just have fun.", said Kihana smiling.

Suddenly they all heard something that sounded like windchimnies.

"Sehrazat! Look out!", screamed Afya in their minds, but it was already too late.

A Millenium Item appeared around Bakura's neck, the Milliunim Ring!

The atmosphere changed around them, they were now in a dark shadowy place.

"What's that?!", shouted Jonouchi.

"This is a Shadow Game!", yelled Yugi.

The Millennium Ring started to shine and our friends knew no more.

They all fainted.

(*)

Yami Bakura laughed as he saw the pathetic soulless humans on the ground.

"This was too easy.", he laughed in triumph. He walked first over to Yugi. "The Millennium Puzzle is mine."

He reached out for it, but at the same time, both Puzzle and Fragment started to glow.

Yami and Afya took control of their Hikari's body and stood up.

"What?!"

"I'll face you in this Shadow Game.", declared Yami, while Afya stared Yami Bakura down with a burning look.

"So the pharaoh and queen have shown up.", giggled Yami Bakura creepily. "I've been waiting for you."

Afya took a step forward, gripped her Millliunim Fragment and turned it into a beautiful golden sword.

She pointed it at him.

"What did you do to the children?!"

Yami felt how Afya was ready to just straight up slice the person before them into nice pieces, but they needed him to get the souls of Yugi, Sehrazat and the others back.

So he gripped her free hand and whispered in her ear.

"Calm down, my queen. Right now, he has the upper hand. Starting to murder him, will not bring back the children."

From Afya came a little growl, but she nodded.

Her husband was right.

She turned the sword back into the Fragment form.

"Still so disgustingly in love mmh.", mocked Yami Bakura.

"Bakura, I didn't know you were a Shadow Game duelist.", stated Yami.

"Bakura? I'm not Bakura."

"Then what do you want?!", shouted Afya, only Yami's tight grip on her hand stopping her from punching the white-haired boy in the face.

"You should know, little queen. Whoever collects all the Millenium Items will have the power to rule the world. If the pharaoh wins, I'll return everyone's souls. But if I win, I get the Puzzle and Fragment."

"Kick his ass, Yami!", said Afya, as both males got ready to duel.

Second Chance

Hiccup has many regrets that are catching up with him. His marriage is a joke, his kids hate him, and Berk suffers under his leadership. Life was better when Toothless and Leandra were with him, and they flew together under the sky—just enjoyed being together. Yet even his dragon left him. And the girl he realized too late, he loved had moved on a long time ago. But sometimes life gives you a second chance. Unofficial Sequel from To Belong

Chapter 1

Second Chance

Hiccup has many regrets that are catching up with him. His marriage is a joke, his kids hate him, and Berk suffers under his leadership. Life was better when Toothless and Leandra were with him, and they flew together under the sky—just enjoyed being together. Yet even his dragon left him. And the girl he realized too late, he loved had moved on a long time ago. But sometimes life gives you a second chance. Unofficial Sequel from To Belong

Okay, I really have a problem, but when my plotbunnies plot I have to write it down and publish it to see if somebody likes it. Again if you liked To Belong, don't read it, but if you want Leandra and Hiccup together, that's the fic for you :D

Chapter 1: Regrete and Betrayel

Hiccup made a face as Astrid stormed out of the house with their kids.

They had (again) a fight over how they could expand the Trade Routes for New Berk.

Astrid wanted to do it the old Viking way and just pillage weaker tribes, but Hiccup wanted a more diplomatic approach.

It had worked for them in past.

This had made his wife's famous anger appear.

Why couldn't he do once something the Viking way?

No wonder the other chiefs took him not seriously.

Which in turn made Astrid as chieftess look bad and when something the proud Hofferson (in this moment she called herself not even Haddock anymore) hated was appearing weak.

Equally angry Hiccup shot back he never did things the Viking way, that's why they had made peace with the dragons and had lived good years with them.

And she...she really dared to say he should let go of this!

The dragons (Toothless, oh buddy) wouldn't return, Hiccup needed to become a real Viking now.

He had shouted back, that she knew he was never the perfect Viking, why did she then marry him?!

Why was she even together with him, if she hated so much his un-vikingness?

Astrid had been for a second still.

A second which was an eternity for Hiccup.

Till she answered...she didn't know anymore.

Punching him in the face would have been mercifully than her words.

Once, she said, he had been this cool boy who showed her another way of living, but he needed to grow up finally and lead the tribe like a real Viking.

Striking him down with her axt (the axt he so loving took care of for her) would have been merciful.

It was then that Hiccup realized...had he never taken Astrid on her first dragon flight with Toothless, she would never have taken an interest in him.

He was still the weak, dumb, useless fishbone in her eyes.

The young chief told her this and he saw for a moment the truth in her eyes, before she lied, saying how wrong he was.

She wanted to help him nothing more.

He just told her to get out.

Get out of the house.

The house he had built for them.

Astrid had been furious, they shouted and screamed at each other very unkind things, before she took the kids and slammed the door shut behind her.

Zephyr and Nuffink hadn't even looked at him or told their mother they wanted to stay with him.

Hiccup had noted how his kids came more after Astrid.

Of course, no love was lost on their side too.

Defeat Hiccup sit down on a chair and let the tears flow.

He hated all this.

He hated his life.

How he wished he could tell his younger self that the few years he had with Toothless would have been the best in his life and he should have never let his bud go.

What was he thinking?

They fought so long to live with dragons in peace and then just let them go to the Hidden World?

It sounded like a bad book!

The brunette man wiped his tears and signed.

He shouldn't think about this.

No one could change their past.

You could only move forward.

What a load of crap!

The gods really hated him.

Giving him a hellish life, a few wonderful years and then back at the hellish part.

What did he do to deserve this?

Oh you know why!, hissed a voice inside him. You chose Astrid over Leandra who truly loved you. Don't be surprised that is how it ended.

He had to agree with his inner thoughts.

He had realized way too late and did nothing when he admitted his feelings for the Spanish girl to himself.

Her Goodbye Letter was still his most precious possession, along with scales from Toothless.

Tired emotionally from the day, Hiccup decides to go to bed.

You couldn't change the past.

(*)

On the other side of the globe, Leandra was facing a storm with Starchaser, but the storm in her heart was worse.

How could Xia do this?

How could have she been so stupid?

Her wife had betrayed her.

Xia's family had never liked how Leandra had "seduced" Xia to a life of sin. That was what same-sex relationships were for them.

But...but Xia had chosen her.

They had married and adopted children.

Six girls and four boys!

They had lived years with Starchaser happily in a little village near the Silk Road where they were accepted.

Then as all the kids were grown she thought, she and Xia would continue to be happy.

Yet, after Ulf, Leandra's brother, visited them, the next days her wife had been weird.

Asking her about Hiccup, if she still had feelings for him...Leandra was speechless.

And maybe that moment in which she stared in disbelief at her wife, had made Xia lose trust in her.

Other than that she couldn't explain why she found her wife, with the owner of the noodle shop in their bed!

Leandra had screamed, nearly returned to her old ways as an assassin, but Starchaser stopped her.

They grabbed their things and left China.

Her wedding ring she had thrown into the ocean.

Shall Xia be happy with her noodle guy!

Leandra was done.

She should have never left the brotherhood and lived a normal life. In her veins flowed the blood of the First Civilization, making her a perfect assasin.

And how she had loved the Levithan Brotherhood and Syria.

Her mentor, her brothers and sisters in arms.

She had been born for this life...but for her Xia, she had given it up.

Because she loved her.

What a foul she had been.

Now she and Starchaser were homeless.

Flying from one place to another.

Leandra was unsure if she could join the Assassin Ranks again.

She may still train, but wasn't she too old now?

Or didn't want her to face her once family after she left them?

Signing Leandra told Starchaser to dive down.

She had seen a cave where they could rest.

After they made themselves comfortable, the last dragon rider and her dragon fell asleep.

While Leandra was thrifting off she remembered Ulf's words: "Come visit me and father and Sigrùn. They miss you, Leandra."

Back then she had laughed, why should she return to the Barbaric Archipelago?

Why should she step foot in New Berk?

She was happy, so she sent Ulf with words of love back there.

However...maybe seeing family would be good again.

Leandra decides to talk with Starchaser in the morning about this.

For now, she dreams of a time were she was still young, for the first time experience flying on Starchaser...with Hiccup and Toothless by their side.

The Queen's Gambit: The Story

The most powerful piece in chess is the queen.

When this piece joins the game of Duel Monsters anything will change.

With two dragon sisters, a magician and her descendant, the queen will take her rightful place.

As it should have been.

Chapter 9: Ghost Kaiba

It couldn't be true!

Seto Kaiba was here in the Duelist Kingdom and ready to face Yugi in a duel.

But what shocked our heroes more was how Hair-Guy proclaimed that this was a ghost.

The Ghost of Seto Kaiba!

"What did you say?!", shouted Mokuba, gripping Kihana's hand tight.

The older girl gripped back and Maja put a protective hand over his head.

"Just like I said, Seto Kaiba is dead.", repeated Hair-Guy.

All were deeply shocked.

What?

How?

Why?

"That's a lie!", screamed Mokuba. "My brother isn't dead!"

"It's not a lie. He died hating Yugi Muto. Standing there is Kaiba's ghost."

"That's ridiculous!", stated Yami.

"And highly unlikely!", added Afya.

What she knew of Seto Kaiba was he was a young healthy teenage boy, he couldn't just have dropped death!

Unless of course, he had an accident or...

No, Afya wouldn't dare to think this, for Mokuba's sake.

"Well, Yugi?", turned Hair-Guy to him. "Will you battle him or not?"

"Fine! I'll uncover that fake's true identity!"

With this Yami made his way to his side of the Duel Ring, while the others and Hair-Guy, stayed to watch.

More they couldn't do for now.

Just calming and protecting Mokuba.

"Yugi, I died.", said 'Kaiba' in a calm voice.

"That's a lie!", disagreed Yami.

"Since I lost to you, I lost everything, including my life. I'll never forgive you. I'm wandering through Hell, and I'll drag you down here to join me."

"Did you really think a fake ghost would scare me?"

"You can only say that after you defeat my deck."

"Even if you can imitate Kaiba's appearance, you can't imitate his deck."

"You'd like that, wouldn't you."

Yami just gritted his teeth.

"You can't kill my brother that easily!", said Mokuba, waving his free fist around.

"Yugi, don't listen to him. It's all lies!", said Jonouchi.

"That's right!", agreed Anzu.

"I wouldn't be so sure.", thought Afya out loud, which shocked their friend group.

"What do you mean by this, Your Majesty?", asked Kihana for all.

"This person says he IS Kaiba, he looks like him, but it can be a good disguise. What I'm worried about is he seems so sure to make us believe he is Kaiba."

This made all look worried at each other and Afya called up to Yami: "Be careful! He will surely try mind tricks on you, Yami!"

Yami nodded.

He had the same feeling as his queen.

"We'll each wager three Star Chips.", decided 'Kaiba'.

The pharaoh didn't back down: "Fine! I'll wager my three remaining Star Chips!"

So the Duel began.

Ghost Kaiba summoned Hitotsu-Me Giant to the field.

Hitotsu-Me Giant: ATK1200/DEF1000

Seeing this monster made Yami feel unsure. The real Kaiba had the same card in his deck too.

But it didn't mean anything, as Jonouchi also stated loudly.

It wasn't a rare enough card to pinpoint if this was the real Kaiba Deck or just a fake.

Yami draws his Dark Magician.

Dark Magician: ATK:2500; DEF: 2100

Since it was way stronger than Hitotsu-Me Giant, Dark Magician destroyed Ghost Kaiba's monster and left him with 700 Life Points.

Ghost Kaiba mockingly told Yami how he was as strong as ever, while Yami just stared angrily back at the imposter.

"Yugi seems to be losing his cool.", worried Jonouchi.

The others looked equally worried, as Ghost Kaiba stated: "Yugi, I can read your mind like the back of my hand. You're thinking, 'Is that really Kaiba's deck?' And you are right. This is Seto Kaiba's real deck. Kaiba is dead, and his hatred resides in this deck."

"Kaiba isn't dead! I don't believe your ridiculous lies!", shouted Yami back.

"You're bluffing."

"No, I'm not!"

"It's better for you if you believe me."

"What do you mean?"

Ghost Kaiba laughed.

"You don't have Exodia. Can you beat Seto Kaiba's deck without it?"

"Yami, ignore him!", called Afya up to him. "He is using psychological warfare to confuse you. You know the truth!"

The pharaoh found the eyes of his queen and nodded.

She was right.

The imposter was playing mind games with him.

"It's your turn.", said Yami to Ghost Kaiba.

The faster they end this duel, the better.

The imposter draws the card which shouldn't be possible.

It was the Blue-Eyes White Dragon!

Blue-Eyes White Dragon: ATK:3000; DEF:2500

But how?!

Kaiba, the real one, had three in his deck, Yugi Grandpa one and the last...Afya looked to Kihana, who shook her head.

Then it couldn't be Kihana's.

So...was this really Seto Kaiba's Ghost?

Or was this his deck they somehow stole from him?

"Suprised?", laughed Ghost Kaiba. "Let me guess what you're thinking. 'Kaiba really died?' Am I wrong?. No one can imitate Kaiba's deck. This really is my deck. My Blue-Eyes-"

Before he could continue Afya yelled loud and clear: "Oh stop it with this nonsense! This might be Kaiba's Deck, but you could have stolen it, somehow!"

The once queen of Egypt had now all the attention.

Confident she had her arms crossed under her breasts, staring Ghost Kaiba down with her orange eyes.

"You go on and on about you are the real Seto Kaiba, but your only proof is the Deck. You can steal cards! Do you think you can outsmart us? Forget it!", laughed Afya. "I fought against real masterminds and enden always up victouries. So shut your mouth and just play the game. Yami, don't believe anything he says."

Ghost Kaiba made an angry face, Hair-Giy seemed nervous, while our friends got back hope.

"Yes, this is not my Nii-Sama! I would know if he is dead", agreed Mokuba.

The other shouted their agreement too and Yami was free from his doubts.

Still, it IS the Blue-Eyes White Dragon without Exodia I have to be creative to take it down.

Angered Ghost Kaiba decide to not attack this turn and lays a card face down.

Since Yami wasn't sure if it was a Spell- or Trap card, he played safe. Switching Dark Magician in defence position and also Curse of Dragon.

Curse of Dragon: ATK:2000; DEF:1500

Luck was not on Yami's side, since Ghost Kaiba had a feeling he would do this. His face-down card turned out to be Defense Paralysis, meaning as long this card was in the game no Monster could go in defence position.

Then he attacked Yami's Curse of Dragon with Blue-Eyes White Dragon, which dropped the pharaoh's lifepoints to 1000.

Hair-Guy wanted to say something, but one look from Afya's bloodthirsty orange eyes and he shut up.

She had enough with this whole Ghost Spiel.

"Yami!", she called up. "Stay calm, focus. There has to be something in your Deck which can help you. You are an extraordinary Duelist."

"Afya is right, you can do it, man!", agreed Jonouchi.

"Give you all, Yugi!", cheered Anzu.

"You defeated my brother's deck once, you can do it again!", added Mokuba.

The others also shouted their support.

With this and his own belief in how the real Kaiba was alive, Yami played Magical Hats, hiding his Dark Magician from Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

Yami formally lured Ghost Kaiba to attack one of the hats, even if his chance of success was one in four.

However, Ghost Kaiba stayed calm and commanded the Blue-Eyes White Dragon to attack one of the hats.

Unfortunately for Ghost Kaiba, the hat he attacked was empty.

Yugi's friends all cheered loudly.

Oh yeah, Yugi/Yami would show him.

Since it was now Yami's turn he played a card under one of the hats.

"There are still three Magical Hats left.", stated Yami. "If you destroy the one that's hiding Dark Magician, I'll lose life points. But I hide a trap card in one of the Magical Hats."

"What?!", exclaimed Ghost Kaiba.

Meanwhile, Afya smiled approving up at Yami.

"Smart, my pharaoh."

He winked down at her and she winked back.

"Is this really time for flirting?", wonder Joey. "What is Yugi trying to do? The odds are one in three."

"Believe in him, Jonouchi. All will be good.", answered him Afya.

"It's incredible how you can stay so calm Afya.", told Anzu impressed.

"That's our queen for you.", said Maja proud of her spirit friend.

After a few seconds of thinking Ghost Kaiba let Blue-Eyes White Dragon attack the middle hat.

Bad pick!

So he activated Yami trap card Spellbinding Circle.

This card lowers the attack points of any monster.

Blue-Eyes White Dragon: ATK: 3000 → 2300

Now Dark Magician with his 2500 attack points was stronger than the dragon and destroyed it.

Ghost Kaiba's Lifepoints dropped to 500.

"You did it, Yugi/Yami!", cheered Mokuba and Sadiye together.

Kihana embraced the two youngest, smiling brightly before her smile fell.

"Oh no!"

The fake Kaiba summons the second Blue-Eyes White Dragon, which in turn destroys Dark Magician and drops Yami's Lifepoints to 500.

"Are you serious?", said Honda a loud, what all thought.

Creppily Ghost Kaiba laughed: "Dark Magician is destroyed. My deck contains three Blue-Eyes White Dragons. Don't tell me you forgot."

"Oh I said before stop with this nonsense!", yelled Afya angrily. "You aren't a Ghost, you just have Kaiba's Deck, stop with this child play!"

"You just don't won't to realise the truth!", shot Ghost Kaiba back at her.

The Millennium Eye appeared and glowed brightly on Afya's forehead as she said calmly: "I know more about Ghosts and Spirits than you...and you are neither."

The ancient magic which swapped from Afya to anyone made all shake, some in fright others in awe.

"Incredibal.", gasped Anzu. "I never felt such an energy!"

"Not energy, magic.", correct Maja smiling.

Afya turned back to Yami.

The married couple looked at each other and nodded.

Yami believed his queen more than Ghost Kaiba, if she said he wasn't a ghost, he wasn't.

However, he had nothing which could beat the second Blue-Eyes White Dragon and with Defense Paralies on the field he couldn't even save his life points this way.

Without any options, Yami played Feral Imp in the attack position.

Feral Imp: ATK:1300; DEF:1400

"It's time for the end.", declared Ghost Kaiba laughing.

"Yugi/Yami!", shouted Anzu and Maja.

"Can't anything be done, Afya?", asked Honda the queen.

Outside she seemed calm, but inside she searched for a way how Yami could turn this duel in his favour.

"I will be open with you guys...only a miracle can help Yami now."

And a miracle did happen to all their surprise.

Blue-Eyes White Dragon was rapidly losing attack points.

But how?

His attack points were now at 2000, still more powerful for Feral Imp sadly.

The Dragon got ready to destroy the Imp and take all of Yami's life points.

However another miracle happened, Yami heard Kaiba, the real one, calling out for him and the attack vanished as the monster himself too.

Yami's life points were safe.

"A miracle did happen!", gasped Kihana, hugging Mokuba and Sadiye to herself, who were celebrating hard.

"Impossible.", groaned Ghost Kaiba, desperate gripping with his hands his hair. "Why did that happen?"

"Kaiba is still alive.", told Yami.

"Be quiet! I died!"

"No, Seto Kaiba is alive, as my queen said the whole time you are nothing but a fake!"

"You did it, Nii-Sama!", Mokuba happily shouted.

"What's going on?", wondered Anzu.

"Is it not obvious?", turned Mokuba to her. "Only my brother could have deleted Blue-Eyes. My brother did that! I knew my brother was alive!"

Back to Yami and Ghost Kaiba, the pharaoh stated: "I was able to confirm that Kaiba is alive. Now I can concentrate on this duel. Why don't you just reveal your true identity? Your tricks will no longer work!"

"Dammit! I told you I died!"

Out of nowhere Ghost Kaiba formally exploded and a heavy-weighted man in a cape was now in his place.

Kihana hid Mokuba and Sadiye's faces from this vision of nightmare, while all shudder in disgust.

Even Afya made a face!

"I'm more comfortable in this form.", stated the nightmarish man. "I am the Impersonator of Death, sent here by Industrial Illusions. Yugi, let's play. Let's have fun."

"I'm the only one allowed to have fun with Yami!", made Afya clear, while the other was still railing from this transformation.

"He is disgusting.", gaped Anzu and Maja nodded in agreement.

"Yugi, there's only one course of action! Pummel him!", told Jonouchi.

Somehow Mokuba could pull Kihana's hand away from his eyes, but still stayed close to her and Sadiye, waving his fist around and calling up to the man: "A nobody can't master my brother's cards. Serves you right!"

"Word!", added Sadiye also waving a tiny fist around.

"Children, time to celebrate is not yet.", said Afya to them. "There is still a Blue Eyes left. Yami has to be careful still."

This did give the kids a damper and they signed.

Sadly the queen was right.

Back with the two duelists, Yami told Impersonator of Death how he had no monsters on the field and how he should hurry up and play something!

The Impersonator plays Grappler in Defense Mode.

Grappler: ATK:1300; DEF:1200

Yami sets one card on the field and plays the Celtic Guardian.

Celtic Guardian: ATK:1400; DEF:1200

Since Celtic Guardin was stronger he destroyed Grappler, sadly since it was in defence position no life points were lost.

Now it was the Impersonator's turn he set Mystic Horseman in Defense Position and another card face down and ended his turn.

Mystic Horseman: ATK:1300; DEF:1550

Yami sets a card, then summons Mystical Elf in Attack Position and activates Book of Secret Arts increasing her ATK and DEF.

Mystical Elf (ATK: 800 → 1100; DEF: 2000 → 2300).

The beautiful female monster is in a praying position, chanting.

"I don't know what she's chanting, but it's pointless.", giggles Impersonator creepy, lifts his cape and turns his face into Pegasus. "Give up already."

"What a freakshow.", mumbled Maja and all mumbled back in agreement.

The impersonator stops and draws the last Blue-Eyes White Dragon!

Oh no!

"It's okay, my brother will help him again.", reassure Mokuba all, only Hair-Guy tells them: "You fool. That won't happen again. Look at Blue-Eyes. If Kaiba did that trick last time, wouldn't he do the same thing this time? But the third Blue-Eyes is completely unaffected."

"Damn!", curse Jonouchi. "That means..."

"Kaiba can no longer help you."

Hair-Guy laughs, while Kihana gives Mokuba a hug to calm him down. He indeed feels better in the embrace of this older girl which reminds him so much of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

The Blue-Eyes White Dragon starts his attack on Yami monsters, but Yami intercepts the attack by activating Mirror Force, hoping to reflect the attack back at the dragon, only Impersonator blocks the attack with the Trap Card Negate Attack.

All besides Afya started to lose hope, so the queen gave them a pep talk: "Don't despair children. Look at Yami. He still has a triumph card!"

And she was indeed right as Yami played Reborn the monster to call back one of the Blue-Eyes White Dragons to his side of the field.

Then thanks to Mystical Elf's enchanting he increased the dragon's attack points from 3000 to 4100!

With the words to feel Kaiba's wrath, Yami's Blue-Eyes destroyed the Impersonator one in an incredible golden light show.

All had to close their eyes thanks to the light, while Yami sent the Impersonator to the Shadow Realm and promised Pegasus he would come for him!

After the light vanishes, the Impersonator is not there anymore, his life points at zero, making Yami the winner.

The pharaoh picked up Kaiba's deck and the Starchips he won.

"You did it, Yugi!", cheered Jonouchi.

"Amazing duel!", congratulated Kihana.

Honda crossed his arms and nodded.

"I was worried for a moment."

Afya met Yami as he stepped down from the Duel Ring and embraced him.

"I never doubted you.", she whispered in his ear and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek.

Yami looked at her lovingly and put his forehead on hers.

They stayed like this for a while.

Unaware of how the others grinned at them.

Yes, Yami and Afye were indeed a married couple.

They could all feel their love.

Well besides the youngest who just deadpanned.

Kihana caressed loving the hair of Mokuba and Sadiye.

(*)

A while later our group of friends made a stop in a meadow.

Mokuba hadn't eaten to whole day, so Kihana gave him some of the sandwiches she had prepared.

After he finished eating, Yami gave him Kaiba's deck.

"It's better left with you.", told him the pharaoh.

Mokuba nodded and pocked the deck.

"Thank you, really. I think I get this whole heart of the cards now."

Then he frowned.

"What now?"

"You stay with us.", answered Afya, petting his hair. "I'm sure your brother will come here, he still thinks you are kidnapped."

Kihana wrapped an arm around his tiny shoulders.

"We will protect you from Pegasus henchmen, just stay close to us, till your brother comes for you."

The boy nodded and gave all a thankful smile.

"So Mokuba-San do you perhaps know the answer to our math problems from chapter 26?"

"Sadiye Kisara Schariq don't tell me you didn't even do your homework before you came here with us?!"

"I pledge the Fifth, Nee-Chan!"

"Sadiye!"

This made all laugh heartful, after the emotional duel they had/witnessed, they had needed it.

The Queen's Gambit: Season Zero

Sehrazat never believed the ancient magical stories of her family and the Millium Fragment they had kept safe for over 3000 years, was just an amulet.

Nothing more.

This all changes the day when she meets Yugi Muto and his unfinished Millennium Puzzle.

Where was Kihana when she needed her?!

Yugi/OC, Yami/OC

Chapter 2

The next day a very nervous and excited Sehrazat waited for Yugi to pick her up on the crossroad which partet their two homes.

In her sweaty palms, she holds a Bento-Box, wrapped in a cute cloth with little Kuribohs on it.

"I hope he likes it.", mumbled Sehrzat unsure. "I hope he doesn't think I'm weird."

Yesterday evening she had called Kihana, to not only tell her how she found another Milliunium Item (Even THE Puzzle!) but also in regards to Yugi.

Sehrazat was...inexperienced in this kind of feeling.

When your stomach was full of butterflies, your knees so weak and you just want to be close to another person, in any way possible.

Yeah, she realised...she had a crush on Yugi.

Kihana had said this was love at first sight and had cooed at her, saying how grown up Sehrazat was now.

In answer, Sehrazat had mumbled some embarrassed words.

Anyway, Kihana had already a relationship behind her, so she was prepared to help Sehrazat with her love life.

Her best friend told her, she should make Yugi a Bento, like in anime!

It seemed also to be a custom in the normal world here in Japan.

Sehrazat had worried that she would come on too strong, but Kihana said from what she told of Yugi and how he reacted towards her, it would go well.

Sehrazat could only hope.

She doesn't want to miss this chance with Yugi!

Never in her life did she want someone like she wanted Yugi!

It was so crazy!

They only met a day ago and talked a bit, however, the dark blue-haired beauty had a feeling she had known Yugi for an eternity.

Love was really crazy.

Signing she looked at her wristwatch.

Yugi would be here any second.

Under no circumstances she would make a complete idiot out of herself.

She could do it!

SHE COULD DO IT!

"Good Morning, Sehrazat-Chan."

"Gaaah!"

Not expecting Yugi to just pop up during her own pep-talk the poor girl jumped nearly two meters in the air and with love made Bento-Box slipped from her hands!

Before she could cry out in sadness and anger, Yugi caught it.

Puh!

Thank Isis!

"I'm sorry Sehrazat-Chan.", whinend Yugi. Awesome, he scared his crush! Way to go Yugi! "I didn't mean to startle you."

After taking a deep breath to calm herself, the girl answered: "No, no, don't worry Yugi-Kun. I was in thought. It was not your fault."

"If you are sure...I'm again sorry...Here!"

The tri-coloured-haired teen holds the Bento-Box out to her.

"I'm sorry I nearly made you drop your lunch."

Oh, dear Hathor...Sehrazat felt how her ears got hot from embarrassment.

She coughed and shuffled with her feet.

"It's...it's for you..."

"Erm, what Sehrazat-Chan?"

Oh, damn it!

"I-I made this for you!", said Sehrazat loud and clear, feeling her ears burning hotter. "I hope you enjoy it!"

Stupified Yugi looked from this girl goddess to the bento in his hands and then back to her.

An enormous blush formed on his cheeks.

Did...did he hear right?

"Y-You made this for me?!", he stuttered in disbelief.

The beautiful girl just nodded rapidly.

Yugi's brain formally short-circuited.

A girl, a beautiful and kind girl, made him a bento?

Made HIM a Bento?!

What?!

He was...speechless.

This made Sehrazat in turn unsure, seeing Yugi imitating a statue.

"I'm sorry! This was stupid. I will take it back."

"No, please don't!"

Now Sehrazat was looking at Yugi stupified.

Yugi with flaming red cheeks, who was sweating buckets, formally hugged the Bento-Box to himself.

"I was just surprised...I'm really thankful for this Bento-Box. Thank you Sehrazat-Chan!", declared Yugi with a bow.

Relieved the girl said: "Please Yugi-Kun, it was my pleasure you don't have to bow."

"No, I have to. No one ever made me a Bento-Box, I feel honoured."

Both their eyes found each other and suddenly they felt calmer.

Yes, the butterflies were still there, but looking at the other's beautiful, familiar eyes, helped them.

They chuckled and made their way to school.

"Wait...that's Kuriboh on the cloth?! Do you like Duel Monsters, Sehrazat-Chan?!"

"Like it? I adore it! I have my own Deck!"

"No way, me too!"

For the rest of their walk, they talked about Duel Monsters and strategies.

Both of them felt how they grew closer.

It was an amazing feeling.

When they arrived at school, Ushio was waiting for them.

What did he want?

"Yugi-Kun and Sehrazat-Chan, may I have a moment?", asked the big buff guy.

"What do you want us to see, Ushio-San?", wondered Yugi, as they followed him behind the school.

"Just come with me. I bet you two will be delighted."

There were certainly not.

Shocked Yugi and Sehrazat stared at a beat-up Jonouchi and Honda!

Yugi tried to run up to them, while Sehrazat stayed frozen in place scared.

She knew Ushio was bad news.

Where was Kihana?

She needed her best friend!

Ushio stopped Yugi.

"What do you think, Yugi-Kun?"

"What's the meaning of this...?", answered Yugi back with his own question.

"I told you and Sehrazat-Chan. I, Ushio, have become your bodyguard. So I decided to teach these little bullies here a lesson!"

"No way!", shouted Yugi in disbelief. "Ushio-San! This is too much! Are you alright, Jonouchi-Kun?! Honda-Kun?!"

Sehrazat heard how Jonouchi under pain mumbled to Yugi if he was satisfied now and Yugi answered that he never asked for something this cruel.

Then Ushio came between them and showed Yugi away, so he could kick Jonouchi in the stomach.

The only girl whined and started to cry.

This was too much for her.

She wanted to help, but couldn't.

Why was she so such a coward?

Without Kihana she couldn't do anything!

Other than Sehrazat who was paralyzed by her own fears and self-doubts, Yugi courageously stepped before Jonouchi and Honda, spreading his arms.

"Stop this already!", demanded Yugi from Ushio.

"Hey now, Yugi-Kun. Are you protecting them? What a weird guy you are.", stated Ushio. "It's a good chance to pay them back for everything they've done. Punch them! Kick them!"

"There's no way I can do that to my friends!"

Not only was Ushio surprised about this statement, but also Sehrazat and the poor beat-up boys stared in disbelief at Yugi.

Ushio laughed.

"You're a special case, alright...Friends, you call them? These two have been freakin' bullying and using you as an errand boy for a long time, you know!"

"They weren't bullying me...", disagreed Yugi. "Jonouchi-Kun was just teaching me to be a man!"

"God, you're weird, alright. Forget it. By the way, Yugi-Kun and Sehrazat-Chan it's time for you to pay up. My bodyguard fee of 400000 yen!"

What the?!

"400000 Yen?!", gasped Yugi shocked.

With the words, he would wait that they paid him Ushio left them.

Finally, Sehrazat could move again.

"Y-Yugi-Kun, let's help Jonouchi-Kun and Honda-Kun!"

Her crush nodded in agreement, while the two beat-up guys looked at them in disbelief.

The most Jonouchi.

"Why?", he asked. "Why are you helping us?"

"You are my friends."

"I rather have friends than enemies.", added Sehrazat.

Somehow the two short teens managed to help the two taller boys up, so they could walk to the Nurse's Office.

Yugi and Sehrazat wanted to still help them, but Jonouchi said it was okay.

So the two stayed behind and watched them go.

(*)

Later, when they were walking back home, Yugi and Sehrazat talked.

"You can't be serious.", said Yugi and shook his head. "You can't pay Ushio alone."

"Yugi, my family is well I can pay him. I don't want him near us again."

They stopped at their crossroad.

"Sehrazat-Chan, please don't pay him...I will think of something.", promised Yugi.

The girl frowned.

"I will still take the money with me, only just in case."

Since both felt the other wouldn't give up, they waved goodbye to each other and got to their homes.

Sehrazat was doing her homework when she saw Yugi running towards school again.

She got a bad feeling in her stomach.

Ready to follow him, she stopped in her tracks as she felt a pull.

The Milliunuim Fragment...like this, she couldn't help him, this showed today...even if she didn't believe the magic powers behind the Milliunium Items...maybe it could still give her courage.

So she took the teardrop-formed amulet with the eye of Horus out of the box and put it on.

At the same time, Yugi put the final piece of the Millennium Puzzle in it.

And both know no more.

(*)

She had slept for so long, the world was not what it once was, however thanks to the memory of the girl who awoke her she found HIM.

He was standing proudly, the Eye of Horus, shining on his forehead, ready to punish this Ushio who had tormented their young hosts.

"You wouldn't start without me, would you?", she purred.

He greeted her with a sexy smirk.

"I knew I felt a familiar presence. Welcome my queen."

"My Pharaoh."

The Spirit of the Puzzle took her hand and kissed it, while with her free hand, she caressed his cheek.

Both smiled devilishly and proclaimed: "Now...it's time for a game...!"

Suddenly Ushio found himself bonded on a rope, hanging from a water tower.

"What in the hell?!"

He looked up and saw Yugi and Sehrazat standing side by side on the water tower.

But something was strange about them.

Not only did they wear jewellery he never saw, but both were taller and seemed older.

Yugi's hair was wilder, and his eyes were blood red.

Sehrazat hair reached her bottom and she was more curved than before.

However, both had in common the evil sadistic look they sent him.

"Hey Ushio-San.", greeted Yugi.

"The money you're after is right here.", told Sehrazat, holding an envelope up.

"What?! You mean the money?!", asked Ushio. "Then Yugi really didn't need to go through all that! Now hurry yo and give it to me!"

Sehrazat tutted him and with tape fixed the envelope on the highest point of the Water Tower.

"That' wouldn't be fun.", she proclaimed, wrapping her arms around Yugi's shoulders, while Yugi had an arm around her waist and nodded in agreement.

"What did you say?!"

"Well? Feel up to playing a little game with me?", answered him Yugi with a question.

"A game?!"

"But this will be no ordinary game."

Together the pair grinned even more sadistic and declared together: "It's a Shadow Game."

"Ha! Interesting! I, Ushio, have never lost a game in my life! I accept"

"That's our Ushio-San for you.", said Yugi to Sehrazat, kissing her throat.

She laughed sinfully and showed him a bit away.

"You can later get your prize from me after you defeat him."

With a last cheek kiss to Sehrazat, Yugi jumped down to Ushio, he was tied by the rope as well and put cards in a straight line on the water tower.

The game was simple, they moved up paces by the number of the cards they drew, who reached first Sehrazat, would get the money.

Ushio and Yugi played for a while, till Yugi was nearly beside Sehrazat.

The last draw would proclaim the winner.

Sadly for Ushio, he got the Joker, which was zero points.

He didn't like it one bit and started to move paces without drawing cards anymore.

"Someone is being naughty.", said Sehrazat to Yugi, being back in his embrace.

"If you do that, the consequences will be fierce.", reminded Yugi, gripping Sehrazat's curvy waist tight.

"Shut the hell up, both of you!", shouted Ushio back.

He didn't care anymore for their stupid little game.

He wanted the money!

Ushio reached Yugi and Sehrazat, hitting them, so they fell down together.

"As we thought, it seems you just can't follow rules.", called the two while falling.

"Now fall!", laughed Ushio as he broke the robe.

It seemed like Yugi and Sehrazat fell to their doom.

What did Ushio care?

He had the money!

However, as he opened the envelope he found only a letter with the words 'Cheater' on it.

From under him, Ushio could hear Yugi and Sehrazat calling: "The Door of Darkness has been opened."

Ushio didn't understand how he lost grip, but now he was falling down the water tower.

As he fell, Ushio saw, that Yugi had pierced with his upside-down pyramid the water tower and he and Sehrazat were hanging from it without problems, still in an embrace.

"The Shadow Gamnes bring out a person's true characteristics.", explained Yugi. "You shall be swallowed in darkness by the form of your own greed."

Laughing in triumph Sehrazat and Yugi saw how Ushio was 'eaten' by giant worms.

Of course, it was an illusion, but this scumbag didn't deserve it better.

"My Pharoah, if you don't mind.", began Sehrazat taking her Milliunium Fragment off.

"As you please my queen.", he answered back.

The Milliunuim Fragment turned into a golden whip and Sehrazat swung them both to safety.

"So about my price?", purred Yugi, kissing along her throat.

"My pharaoh you will get it, alright, but we should bring our hosts home."

With a sign, Yugi let go of her.

"Indeed you are right, my queen, let's go."

They took each other hands and walked Yugi and Sehrazat's body to their homes.

"Mmh."

"What is it my pharaoh?"

"We need names...can you remember our names, my dear?"

"Sadly not."

"Then how about Yami for me and...-"

"I will be Afya."

"Sounds perfect."

(*)

The next day Yugi and Sehrazat walked together to school, none the wiser that they now shared bodies with ancient Egyptian spirits.

No, both wore their Milliunim Items happy.

They didn't know what exactly happened, but Ushio wasn't in school anymore.

Smiling Sehrzat looked at how Jonouchi declared himself a friend of Yugi before he ran off and Yugi after him, with the shoe Jonouchi lost.

The young girl couldn't help but giggle, following after them.

Maybe she could be happy in Domino with such friends!

(*)

Meanwhile, in the deeps of the souls of Yugi and Sehrazat, four rooms had formed.

On the left side were two childish, innocent and pure rooms and on the right two dark and mysterious doors with the eye of Horus.

This showed how the Puzzle and Fragment as their host were now connected.

Which was perfect for the two Yami's.

They were in Afya's soul room, a giant Egyptian palace, in her Sleeping Chambers, getting reaccounted with each other.

Naked and spent they lay in each other embrace.

"I missed your warmth.", mumbled Yami into Afya's shoulder kissing it.

Afya, who was buried under him, turned her head so she could kiss him on the mouth.

"We forgot so much...but I'm glad we didn't forget each other."

"I could never forget you.", Yami growled and started to move again.

"You are mine for eternity as I am yours!"

"Ah! Yes, my love!"

Afya let out a soft moan, as she moved with him.

Their physical connection was incredible, they still remember how to pleasure the other.

And they had the whole day to do so.

(*)

In the outside world, Yugi and Sehrazat had no idea why they suddenly felt so hot and bothered.

They couldn't even look each other in the eye.

It was so weird.

From somewhere deep in their minds, both swore to hear amused laughter.

(*)

So I gave the Millium Fragment a new power. It's not a shield anymore, but it can turn in any weapon. Atem's Mother preferred a shield to protect her, but our Yanara was a warrior queen and used the Fragment in any weapon form she knew about. ^^

Demeter Somerset and the Ancient Magic Index

Long before Harry Potter stepped into the halls of Hogwarts another young witch fought against Dark Forces.

Her name was Demeter Somerset and this is her story.

One

Demeter Somerset and the Ancient Magic

Long before Harry Potter stepped into the halls of Hogwarts another young witch fought against Dark Forces.

Her name was Demeter Somerset and this is her story.

Yeah, I can't stop making new stories, it's a sickness. But I just can't concrete long enough to finish one story, I get writer's block. T.T

So have the first chapter of my Hogwarts Legacy Self-Insert/Character story!

Cheers!

One

(*)

Demeter Somerset had been a normal girl...well as good as normal when your mother was a real-life witch.

Thanks to her Mom Demeter knows quite a bit about the Wizarding World.

She read the Daily Prophet, like the London Times.

Enjoyed walks in Diagon Alley, as in Piccadilly Circus

Chocolate Frogs were no strangers to chocolate bars.

Yes, Demeter had a good grip on both the worlds she belonged to thanks to her parents.

But she admitted, the brunette girl always wanted to go to Hogwart, like her mom, and study to become a full-fledged witch.

Sadly her 11 birthday came and went and no letter from Hogwart arrived.

She was a Squib it seemed.

Her muggle father tried to console her the best he could, she could still be part of the magic world thanks to her mom and mom's side of the family, like he was.

Her witch mother had been sad like her and both had hugged each other tight.

Demeter felt like a broken toy.

Why her?

Why does she have to be a Squib?

In muggle London you didn't count much as a woman, but in the Wizarding World, she could have been anything!

Life was so unfair.

Years passed and slowly Demeter accepted her status as a squib.

It's not like it would change from one day to another.

Till it did.

(*)

Full of excitement and happiness Demeter watched her mentor, Professor Fig, packing their carriage which would bring them to Hogwarts.

When a few days before her 15th birthday her Hogwarts letter arrived, the whole Somerset family cried.

It was unheard of to go to Hogwarts at such a mature age, however Demeter didn't care!

She didn't care!

She was a witch and would learn at Hogwarts!

She wasn't a squib but a Half-Blood.

Maybe there was a God, who took pity on her and made her awake her magic powers.

Anyway since she was really far behind in Hogwarts curriculum the Ministry of Magic as the board of Hogwarts Professors made her meet Profoessor Fig who had taught her over the summer basic spells.

The wand was not hers, yet it had been amazing to do magic!

It was a thrill Demeter never wanted to miss again.

And now on the 1st of September, she would finally step into Hogwarts.

Wicked!

(*)

Okay, so she didn't have imagined her first day at Hogwarts if you even can call that like this.

Seeing strange traces of Magic, the Dragon Attack, then Gringotts, the Vision in the Pensive and also Ranrok?!

Yeah, no, totally crazy.

At least she managed to get sorted into a house.

Hufflepuff.

Just like her favourite Aunt Peony!

The common room was exactly as her aunt had told her.

So warm, and comfy, in golden hues and pretty plants everywhere.

Demeter felt right at home already.

The girls she shared her bedroom with seemed nice enough.

As she fell asleep in her bed, she hoped she would make a lot of friends in her House.

(*)

The next day, was her real First Day at Hogwarts.

After she talked with some of her fellow 5th-grade Huffelpuffs, Poppy, one of the girls she shared her bedroom with, told her how Professor Weasly was waiting for her.

Demeter already licked the Deputy Headmistress, way more than their Headmaster Black who had banned Quidditch this year.

She had wanted to try out for Quidditch.

Bugger!

Anyway, Professor Weasly gave her a magical special book to help her with her studies.

So she had to wave Revelio at anything that could be interesting and would learn more about Hogwarts and the Wizarding World.

It was really cool.

After Professor Weasly showed her how the Floo Flames worked, Demeter talked a bit with Professor Fig.

He had found something in the medallion from Gringotts and would tell her when he knew more.

For the time being, she should concentrate on school.

So Demter had her frist lesson.

Charms by Professor Rohen.

A black girl from Gryffindor whose name was Natsai Onai waved her over to her table.

Glady Demeter took place beside her and they chatted a bit.

Natsai or Natty was a nice girl.

The Charm Lesson with Professor Rohen was amazing.

Not only did learn Demeter Accio, no they even played Summoner Court on the school grounds.

Somehow Demeter managed to beat Natty and got her House points.

As the hour was nearly over she chatted more with Natty and learned about Uagado and how her new friend could actually do magic without a wand!

Wow!

Then Professor Rohen called Demeter over explaining to her how to catch up on her classmates her professors would give her special assignments.

Well, she could only nod and then made her way to her next lesson.

(*)

Defence against the Dark Arts had been a favourite subject of her mother, so Demeter was curious how it would go.

When she stepped into the classroom she saw a Gryffindor boy and...and a really good-looking boy from Slytherin having a match.

The Slytherin boy had a devilish handsome smile as he fought against the Gryffindor.

Demeter felt herself getting warm and a blush formed on her cheeks.

Oh no, she wouldn't start to crush on someone just because they were hot.

She came here to study, not to have a romance!

The brunette was brought back from her inner tumults, when Professor Hecat arrived, saving the Gryffindor from getting crushed by a huge dragon skull.

Then Demeter learned a new spell Levioso, which she should now use against the handsome Slytherin boy?

Okay, God was cruel!

"Time for a proper Hogwarts welcome.", said the Slytherin boy to her.

Demeter bit her lip and got ready for the Duell.

He may be hot, however, she would show him how good she was already!

And indeed she showed him.

She won!

"Not bad for a beginner.", told her Slytherin boy. "You give as good as you get."

She just smiled in thanks, as he walked past her.

Oh, her heart was beating so fast and not only from the duel.

After Prefosser Hecat talked to her, and then dismissed class, Demeter walked with shaking knees over to the Slytherin boy.

Finally, she knows his name.

Sebastian Sallow.

They talked and...maybe it was wishful thinking but Demeter had a feeling Sebastian was flirting with her.

He invited her to the secret Dueling Club in the school and when he told her how he would meet her somewhere unsanctioned...that tone and that look...oh god take her now!

Maybe it was only in her head, but okay she was gone.

She was already so gone.

Aunt Peony was right about Hufflepuff and Slytherin: they formally flocked to each other.

The best example was her aunt herself, whose husband Uncle Desmond had been Slytherin too.

And her mom, a proud Gryffindor had warned her to not lose her heart to a Slytherin.

Yeah, when she wrote her letter home, she would only tell her Aunt Peony what was going on.

She surely could help her, determined if Sebastian was really flirting or if it was just his way of talking.

Whatever it may be, Demeter had a feeling her school year would be really interesting.

Really, really interesting.

The flap of Butterfly wings...

Once upon a time, Hiccup had a best friend and Toothless a mate.

But through his decision to pick Berk and Astrid over them, they lost the girls.

In one world Hiccup and Leandra lived their lives away from each other…yet destiny is a funny thing.

Their first story "To Belong" was just one of endless possibilities and this here is another one.

Will Hiccup and Leandra finally be together?

Or will destiny repeat itself?

Chapter 2: Freedom

The next few days our dragon riders try to coax out the scarred and confused Christa.

She had to be for a long time a thrall, she mislearned what it meant to be free.

What it meant to not be hurt for the singles thing.

Trying to get her to eat or doing something nice for her, was too much for the girl.

She couldn’t handle it.

Hiccup and Leandra were starting to get desperate.

How could they help this traumatized child, if they didn’t have a clue how to even work through such terrible experiences she had to endure? What they had suffered on Berk was a joke against Christa’s life.

At night when they slept, Christa stood often up and sat down out in the cold.

She didn’t understand Hiccup and Leandra at all.

Why were they so nice to her? Treated her like a human being?

She was a thrall and nothing more.

Anybody could do with her what he wished.

That’s when the dragon with the golden eyes would join her, Starchaser was her name and sat beside her without touching.

The dragon only purred to her.

Like she was singing a lullaby to a babe.

Like her father once did, before the Eldians came for their tribe.

This…she could handle.

Since the dragon didn’t talk, didn’t want to do something for her, wanted to take care of her.

Starchaser just sat with her and purred. Expecting nothing in return.

Before the Eldians came she remembered that her village had been raided sometimes by dragons too.

It was tiny raids, but still a hassle for her people. Her father told her to be careful around dragons, that they would kill you given the chance, yet neither Starchaser nor Toothless was hostile.

They were loving towards each other and their riders and respectful around her.

But given what she had lived as a thrall for the Eldians it shouldn’t shock her that dragons were much kinder than humans.

So that’s why she let Starchaser sit with her.

Sometimes for hours long, while the others slept.

Never tried the dragon to touch her.

She was just near her.

A comforting presence that Christa nearly had forgotten what it felt like.

After a month of living with Hiccup and Leandra on the vacant island, Christa touched Starchaser for the first time.

She had seen the day before how Leandra had given her dragon a good scratch and pet session and…something like curiosity came to the surface.

Christa wanted to know how Starchaser felt.

It was scaly and warm…and comforting.

Starchaser just stayed still and let Christa pet her to her heart’s content. The little human girl was scarred like a rabbit, you needed to be careful around her.

Now, when they were alone together Christa always gave Starchaser pets.

First came the purring to show her that she liked the pets.

Then came the leaning on more for more pets.

Then begs for more pets.

Two more weeks passed and Christa could pet Starchaser as Leandra did.

It was an amazing feeling.

She didn’t know that Leandra was standing in the shadow of the entrance of the cavern and saw her petting Starchaser.

Leandra got an idea and hoped it would work.

(*)

The next day Leandra sat on Starchaser’s saddle and petted behind her.

“Come, Christa, let’s take a morning flight.”

Hiccup and Toothless were shocked to see that the little girl still carefully walked up to the girls and actually sat down behind Leandra!

Sure she wasn’t touching the other human but had no problem holding into the saddle or Starchaser.

Smiling happy that the first phase of her plan worked, Leandra gave Starchaser the go-to fly.

So they flew up the sky, high where the clouds were.

Christa was feeling things…she couldn’t describe them.

No wait…it felt a bit like before her tribe was attacked by the Eldians.

Full wonder she touched the clouds.

Is that what Leandra and Hiccup always felt when they rode their dragons?

This feeling…was it freedom?

A tear escaped Christa’s eye.

Was she truly free now?

After the first successful flight together, Leandra took now Christa always with her to her morning flights with Starchaser.

It seemed to do wonders for the girl.

Later when she talked with Hiccup about it, he agreed that Christa probably was just like them.

A dragon rider at heart.

Maybe her own dragon could help her?

(*)

“It’s so crazy, I really hope it works.”, mumbled Hiccup to Toothless.

It was now six months after they had saved Christa and our quartet with their guest flow together over the Barbaric Archipelago.

They were looking for a herd of wild dragons, in the hope, Christa would bond with one, which in turn would her help to fight against her inner demons.

“I see some Deadly Nadders!”, called Leandra back to them and pointed at a clearing. “Should we try?”

“Why not?”

So they made their dragons land near the Nadder herd.

Christa looked at them in question. She didn’t get why the flow till here and were now near wild dragons.

The girl trusted Starchaser and Toothless, but wild dragons were something different.

“Christa, do you wanna see how one befriends a dragon?”, asked Leandra softly.

Oh…!

They wanted to show her how to make friends with a dragon.

This…this sounded nice.

Shyly she nodded.

Hiccup and Leandra smiled at her.

She still was not used to seeing people smiling at her.

“All right, then watch closely how Hiccup will do it.”

With that Hiccup carefully walked up to the Nadders.

The dragons stared at him curiously. A human who didn’t attack them on sight was not the norm.

A blu-ish Nadder was close to him. So Hiccup did what he did with Toothless long ago and waited for the Nadder.

After a few seconds, he felt its snout.

Smiling he petted his new Nadder friend.

Christa was astonished.

Incredible so you made friends with a dragon?

That’s when she saw something shimmering on the side. For the first time in a long time, she got curious and walked up to it.

“See, Christa, that’s how you make a dragon friend!”, told her Leandra smiling. She turned to the girl beside her. “Do you want to try-“

Leandra stopped herself from talking as she saw that Christa wasn’t beside her anymore.

No, she was petting a dragon.

But not a Nadder.

“That’s a Changewing!”, shouted Hiccup in disbelief, what Leandra thought.

The blond-haired girl didn’t even notice that Leandra and Hiccup were freacking out behind her, feeling truly happy after a long time as she petted her new dragon friend.

As she inspected the shimmer it had turned into a big brownish dragon, who had titled his head curiously at her.

When her blue orbs meet the dragon’s yellow one, Christa feels something strange but wonderful.

Like she had found something she had lost.

She had done it like Hiccup.

Touching the dragon gave her even more of a strange and welcoming feeling.

The dragon liked her pets, purring at her.

Could she take the dragon with her?

Yes, she could.

It came gladly with her and Hiccup, Leandra, and their Night Furries.

So Christa flows for the first time in her life a dragon and feels true freedom.

Up in the sky, where the clouds were, she was just a girl with a dragon.

No slave.

No burden.

No coward.

Just a normal girl.

It meant she was really, really free finally.

She wasn’t a thrall anymore.

After Hiccup told her, that her dragon friend was male, she knew what to name him.

Frihet, freedom. 

(*)

Two weeks after Christa tamed Frihet, Leandra, and Hiccup asked her if she wanted to travel with them to Spain.

It was high time for the Night Furries riders to be back on the road, but they wouldn’t leave their new friends behind.

Christa didn’t need long to think about it.

Of course, she would stay with them, follow them.

Her village was no more.

She didn’t have a death wish to return to the Eldians and their mad chieftain Fritz.

There was no place she could go besides into the unknown.

No, she rather stays with her friends. That is what Leandra, Hiccup, and their Night Furries were for her and Frihet.

So two dragon riders became three.

In the early morning, they started their journey to Spain.

Our trio flows for some time above the clouds, thinking nothing bad as Toothless' and Starchaser’s ear plates perk up. Frihet also gets tense, he sensed it too.

The dragons glance over their shoulders to see a disturbance in the blanket of clouds.

A strange and arresting masked warrior rises from the clouds, standing upon something unseen. It's armour and cape flap in the buffeting turbulence.

This warrior eyes the dragon riders, pulling up alongside them.

The teens and the young girl sense the approaching figure in their periphery.

“What in Thor’s name…”, Hiccup trails off as he sees the masked warrior.

Is he dreaming?!

“Is this person flying?”, shrieked Leandra shocked out loud, what he thought.

Little Christa hugs Frihet’s long throat tighter, while her dragon purrs at her in comfort.

The warrior stares blankly at them, tilting his head in curiosity while cutting a menacing silhouette.

Then, just as gradually as he rose, the warrior dips back beneath the clouds, disappearing.

“Okay. No sudden moves!”, tells Hiccup his friends.

Suddenly, the warrior explodes out of the clouds before them, standing atop a large unknown dragon.

They circle the three dragon riders forcing them to tread air. The warrior points a staff toward Hiccup, unnervingly, as he returns to face them.

“Hold on, hold on!”, yells Hiccup.

“We are dragon riders like you, we come in peace!”, adds Leandra.

Christa nods her head rapidly.

Toothless, Starchaser, and Frihet growl in warning.

Suddenly, they're ambushed from behind.

Hiccup, Leandra, and Christa are plucked off of their dragons by other dragons and carried off.

“Toothless!”, screams Hiccup for his dragon, who can’t fly on his own.

Starchaser and Frihet try to reach to falling down Night Furry but get ambushed by other dragons too.

The last what our three dragon riders see is Toothless who falls into the ocean.

(*)

Hiccup shivers in the claws of the dragon, surrounded by the strange flock full of breeds he's never seen. He looks back for Toothless, now long gone.

“HEY! YOU LEFT MY DRAGON BACK THERE!  HE CAN'T FLY ON HIS OWN! HE'LL DROWN!”, growls Hiccup at the masked warrior, who leads the dragon flock.

“WHAT DID YOU DO TO STARCHASER AND FRIHET?”, yells Leandra for herself and Christa.

The young girl shivers also in the claws of her dragon kidnapper and has to fight her tears.

First a human prisoner and now a dragon one?

Wasn’t she free?

Why did this happen?

The warrior offers no response to them, seemingly immune to the cold as he leads the dragon flock across the polar night an alien landscape, harsh and foreboding.

Out of the fog looms epic ice formations, jagged, and spiked, like an impregnable fortress.

The young dragon riders would be sure in awe if they weren’t currently worried for their dragons and themselves.

The dragon flock dives into its jagged folds. The wild ride suddenly gives way to multilevel, cavernous chambers made of ice and columns of basalt rock.

It's heavily populated with dragons of all kinds, looming in the shadows.

Leandra, Christa, and Hiccup get dropped in the centre.

Both teens help Christa up, who formally clings to Leandra for protection. The older girl hugs her back, trying her best to comfort her.

Hiccup knows he isn’t built like a warrior, but he would protect the girls as best as he could.

He stands before them calling out into the darkness: “We have to head back for my dragon! Also, give my friends their dragons back. Christa needs Frihet.”

As to prove his point he hears how Christa whimpers, as best as she can with a cut-out tongue.

“It’s okay, it’s okay.”, mumbles Leandra to her. “We won’t let anything happen to you.”

A hissing dragon closes in, sniffing, leering, and aggressive.

Hiccup holds his hands up to show he isn’t armed, then puts a handout and looks away.

The warrior watches keenly from the shadows, as the dragon coo curies at Hiccup, before he touches with his snout the hand of the young boy.

Several aggressive dragons close in behind the three dragon riders. Hearing their hisses, Leandra pets Christa on the head and says to her: “Just do what you did with Frihet. You know that dragons are our friends.”

Still, a bit frightened Christa lets go of Leandra and does as the older girl says.

Leandra does the same too.

After a few heartbeats, both girls feel a dragon snout in their hands.

This seems to calm down the other dragons as well.

The warrior tilted his masked head, curious. He dismounts his dragon and approaches Hiccup and the girls.

“Who are you?”, asks Hiccup.

Christa is again hugging Leandra who looks at the warrior in caution.

“You must be a dragon rider like us, why did you kidnap us?”, she wants to know.

He circles them in silence, taking them in.

This boy who is clearly from a Viking village, the tanned girl in a Viking dress but clearly a foreigner, and the little scarred girl in a dress who seems a bit too big for her. Clearly, it belonged to the older girl once and was sewn to fit the younger one.

“Do you even understand what we are saying?”, wondered Hiccup frustrated.

In answer the warrior whirls and hammers his staff.

In response, three large dragons ascend from the depths, carrying Toothless, Starchaser, and Frihet.

Hiccup and Leandra say the name of their dragon relieved, while Christa smiles big.

Toothless is dumped on the ground next to Hiccup, sopping wet. Hiccup rushes to him, petting him reassuringly. Toothless coos in relief.

“It's okay. I'm glad to see you, too, bud. You really had me worried there.”

Next Starchaser and Frihet get dumped before their riders.

Christa just hugs Frihet tightly, who wraps himself formally around her, while Leandra gives Starchaser a lot of kisses on her head.

“Oh Star, thank the lord, you are okay!”

Her dragon nuzzles her in a way that spells that she is glad that Leandra is okay too.

The warrior rattles his staff at a nearby dragon.

In response, it and the surrounding dragons produce firelight from their throats, spotlighting the three dragon riders and their dragons.

Then he sets down his staff and shield, and approaches Hiccup, cautiously and animal-like.

Toothless snarls and circles Hiccup defensively, but then instantly yields to the stranger's outstretched hand. With a quick, disarming gesture, the warrior lays Toothless down in a state of bliss.

Of course, Starchaser wants to protect her mate, but the same trick works on her too.

Now two blissful Night Furries lay on the ground.

Frihet gets ready to spit his acid, yet one upward gesture from the warrior, and he is a blissed-out dragon too.

Hiccup and the girls are astonished.

The warrior's hand continues toward Hiccup's face. He recoils, but the warrior persists, finding the faint scar on Hiccup's chin, glinting in the firelight.

Their kidnapper gasps and retreats a few steps.

“Hiccup?”, says surprisingly a female voice, shaking with emotions. “Could it be? After all these years? How is this possible?”

“Uh, should I... should I know you?”, asks Hiccup and looks to Leandra and Christa who shrug their shoulders at him.

They haven’t the faintest idea what is going on right now too.

“No. You were only a babe...”, starts the strange woman who slowly removes here mask.

A beautiful woman with green eyes and her auburn hair in three braids was hiding behind it.

Leandra and Christa look from her to Hiccup and back.

These two… look like they could be related!

What?!

The woman’s eyes meet Hiccups, equally wide-eyed and aghast.

“... but a mother never forgets.”, she ends her sentence.

Hiccup stammers, tongue-tied, aghast.

Christa has wide eyes and blinks.

Leandra is the only one who sums up the situation in perfection: “What the heck?!”

(*)

Our three dragon riders run after the woman through tightly winding corridors.

“Hold on! Wait just a minute! Come back here!”, calls Hiccup after her.

“This way. Come.”, is the only answer of the woman.

“You can't just say something like that and run off! You're my mother?! I mean, what the -- do you grasp how INSANE it sounds?!”, he shouts after her. “I have questions!”

“We all have questions. Didn’t you tell me your mother was eaten by a dragon?!”, reminds him, Leandra, holding hands with Christa, so she can keep up with them.

They follow Hiccup’s supposed mom over the difficult terrain. Together and helping each other clamber over a tall rock.

“That’s what everyone told me back home, I mean-“

He is lost for words as he sees where they are now.

A giant ice chamber teeming with ferns, waterfalls, hot springs, and thousands of new dragons.

Even Leandra and Christa stop walking with their chins on the floor.

Neither of the three has seen something that beautiful.

Their dragons join them, curiously looking around.

Hiccup spots his….mother clinging to a basalt overhang, watching him and the girls.

“This is where you've been for 15 years?”

“You believe her!”, whisper-shouts Leandra shocked, and even Christa gives him a look alla are you crazy?

“She looks how my father always described her.”, he gives them one reason. “Also she knows my name. Leandra, you didn’t use my name the whole time we were here with her, so how else should she know it?”

The two girls look at each other and then shrug.

Well, they can’t say anything against it and so long as Hiccup’s mom didn’t hurt them they would accept this.

Crazy as it was.

Hiccup’s mom nods from her perch answering the question of her son.

“You've been rescuing them.”, declares the boy.

She nods again, this time with a smile.

“Unbelievable.”

“I wanna add an uff to it.”, pipes Leandra up.

Christa nods in agreement.

This whole thing got crazier by the minute!

Hiccup’s supposed dead mom wasn’t dead but a dragon rider, like them, and a dragon rescuer.

Wow!

“You're not upset?”, ask him his mother unsure.

“What? No. I don't know. It's a bit much to get my head around, to be frank. It's not every day you find out your mother is some kind of crazy, feral, vigilante dragon lady.”, blabs Hiccup what comes to his mind.

He is still reeling too, okay?

She chuckles, and using her dragon's wing, lowers herself to the ground like a skilled acrobat.

“At least I'm not boring... right?”

“I suppose there is that... one... specific... thing...”

Excited dragons rush up to greet the three dragon riders and their dragons. The humans pet a few, marvelling at the vast dragon utopia before them.

“Maybe it’s time we introduce ourselves.”, says Leandra and grins crookedly at Hiccup’s mom. “It’s not every day you meet the dead mom of your best friend. I’m Leandra Alvarez, it’s nice to meet you…erm…Mrs. Haddock?”

Mrs. Haddock gives her a reassuring smile.

“Please a friend of my son can call me Valka.”

“Valka, okay, noted.”

“And who is the little one?”

Valka crouches down to see into Christa’s eyes, she is approaching her as one would do with a baby dragon.

“That’s Christa…mom.”, tests Hiccup for the first time calling her this. “She is a former thrall, her old master cut out her tongue so she can’t talk.”

 “You poor dear!”, Valka gasps. “No one will hurt you here, I promise.”

Christa gives her a shy smile.

That’s when Frihet snuggles up to Christa like he wants to say just try it and I will acid you back to the stone age.

“Incredible, you three made friends with dragons.”, can’t Valka help herself to say.

She never imagined her son would become a dragon rider. When she thought about him, she hoped he was more like his father. No one should be like her on Berk.

But these three weren’t on Berk.

Valka wonders what the story is behind this.

Asking now wouldn’t be wise, besides she was so curious about the two Night Furries before her.

“Can I... ?”, she asks her son and Leandra for permission, who nods at her.

She pets the two black dragons, who nuzzled her softly.

“Oh, they are beautiful. They may be the last of their kind.”

“Then it’s good that they are mates.”, explains Leandra. “Green eye is Toothless Hiccup male dragon and gold eye is Starchaser my female dragon. And our Changewing friend is Frihet, male too.”

“Night Furrie hatchling I would love to see this.”, gushes Valka, inspecting the talons as Toothless and Starchaser roll onto their backs, nuzzling her.

“And look, he's your age! No wonder you get along so well.”

Hiccup smiles, astounded by Toothless' affection for Valka.

“Our girl here is actually older, seventeen. How old are you Leandra?”

“Sixteen, Valka.”

Leandra gives her dragon a smug look.

“So you are older than me, heh Star.”

Starchaser gives a little huff.

“Toothless your mate is older than you? Do you have a thing for older girls or what?”, jokes Hiccup with his dragon, who huffs also at him.

Meanwhile, Valka checks Toothless teeth. They recede into the gums at her touch.

“And retractable teeth? Ah! How did you manage to—“

“--I found him in the woods. He was shot down and wounded. Starchaser found us a few days later.”

Valka winces and offers a sympathetic nod as she stands to caress a few of her own rescued dragons.

“This Snafflefang lost his leg to one of Drago Bludvist's iron traps.”, she tells the kids, who look at each other in confusion. Who is this Dragog Blood Fist? “This Raincutter had her wing sliced by razor netting. And this poor Hobblegrunt was blinded by a tree snare... then left to die alone and scared. And what of this? Did Drago or his trappers do this, too?”

“Erm…mom…”

“Erm…Valka…”

“Yes, dears?”

“Who is Dragog Blood Fist?”

The older woman blinks at them before she turns white as a sheet.

“You kids don’t know? Drago Bludvist is a madman who captures dragons! He is a vile human being who does anything to get his hands on dragons. I still don’t know why he does it. He doesn’t kill them…he just keeps them in cages.”

“Asshole!”, declares Leandra.

Christa frowns and Hiccup nods in agreement.

“Heh. Well, the crazy thing is...”, starts Hiccup to explain to his mom Toothless condition. “I'm actually the one who shot him down.”

His mother glares, confused.

“Because he wanted to be a Viking.”, adds Leandra. “Turned out he isn’t on and doesn’t want to be one.”

“What did your father think of your Night Fury friend?”

“I will never know… Me and Leandra actually run away from Berk and saved Christa from being hunted down like a pig.”

Valka blinked at the sheepish grins the kids gave her.

“All right, I think we need to sit down and talk. Come with me.”

(*)

The humans and the dragon riders are all around sitting in the cave Valka has turned into a little flat.

Hiccup and Leandra are finishing their tale, Christa drinking a cup of tea Valka had made for her and the older woman listening attentively.

“…And that’s about it. We were on our way to Spain before you snatched us up Mom.”, finishes Hiccup.

Valka can’t help but shake her head and smile bittersweet at him.

“To think you are just like me. You couldn’t kill a dragon. I hoped for you that you were more like your father, no one should get through what I expired on Berk, but hoping was fruitless.”, she signs.

“Valka do you mind telling us your story?”, asks Leandra. “I think it’s only fair.”

Of course, she would and the two teenagers and child listened to Valka’s story of the faithful night that changed her life.

“…It broke my heart to stay away, but I believed you'd be safer if I did.”, she ends and you can clearly see the remorse in her eyes.

If she only had known what her son had to endure without her, that he was like her…she would have snatched him and Leandra up and Christa too.

Hiccup considers his mother’s tale, then raises his eyes to hers, seeing the sting of remorse.

“How did you survive?”

Here she smiles and pets her owl-like dragon.

“Oh, Cloudjumper never meant to harm me. He must've thought I belonged here...come I will show you.”

So they follow her out again to the edge of the raised natural terrace, overlooking the steamy oasis with its flowing hot spring waterfalls.

Half-submerged in the warm lake below, a massive white dragon with pronounced, mammoth-like tusks rests benevolently on the banks, his stately countenance like that of a lion surrounded by his pride.

“Dios mio, it’s huge!”, can’t Leandra help herself.

Hiccup is speechless, while Christa’s chin is on the floor.

“In the home of the great Bewilderbeast.”, continues Valka her sentence from before. “The alpha species. One of very few that still exist. Every nest has its queen, but this is the king of all dragons.”

Dragons land and bow reverentially to the Bewilderbeast. Valka gestures to the spiked ice ceiling that acts as a sweating greenhouse.

“With his icy breath, this graceful giant built our nest. A safe haven for dragons everywhere. He protects us. We all live under his care. And his command.”

“Incredible.”, declares Hiccup, while Leandra and Christa nod in agreement.

They pass an eggshell-littered nursery.

Hatchlings dart out of it, greeting them excitedly and inciting chaos. Toothless, Starchaser, and Frihet are overwhelmed by their manic picking and scratching.

Cloudjumper baulks and sends them scattering.

“All but the babies, of course...”, chuckles Valka, as the hatchlings clamber on top of the Bewilderbeast and play on his massive tusks, despite his authority. “... who listens to no one.”

The Bewilderbeast lets out a frosty snort, sending off the youngsters to spread more mischief.

Now awakened, the Bewilderbeast raises his gargantuan head to take a closer look at the three young dragon riders, coming eyes to massive eye.

Valka bows in his presence, as do Toothless, Starchaser, and Frihet.

“I've lived among them for 15 years, Hiccup, Leandra, and Christa learning their ways, discovering their secrets...”

The gentle giant dragon acknowledges Hiccup and the girls with another icy snort, slicking back Hiccup's hair in a frosty veneer. Icicles are formed on the dresses of the girls.

The older woman laughs.

“He likes you three.”

“Wow.”

“Dios mio.”

Christa smiles just happy.

“You kids must be hungry.”, says Valka to them.

“Uh, yeah. I could eat.”, agrees Hiccup.

“Me too!”, tells also Leandra.

Shyly raising her hand, Christa means she could eat too.

“Good. It's feeding time.”

(*)

Christa is actually Ymir Fritz or as I like to call her more Ymir the founder from Shingeki No Kyojin or Attack on Titan.

My headcanon is that King Fritz, this bitch ass motherfucker cocksucker, gave Christa the name Ymir after Ymir the Norse Giant God since Eldians are based on the Vikings.

Christa is her real name I believe because when Frieda read the story of the devil and Ymir to Historia she called the girl Christa.

It makes sense that the direct descendants of Ymir and King Shit knew the real name of Ymir the founder.

So she will be called by her name Christa and not the slave name Ymir.

I choose the Changewing for Christa as a dragon because I think a dragon who spits acid is really cool and special for our Christa.

I was tempted to call him Eren, but Frihet-Freedom is better. XD  

Tatakae! XD

I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

Till next time my loves .3.

The Queen's Gambit: Season Zero Index

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

The Queen's Gambit: Season Zero

Sehrazat never believed the ancient magical stories of her family and the Millium Fragment they had kept safe for over 3000 years, was just an amulet.

Nothing more.

This all changes the day when she meets Yugi Muto and his unfinished Millennium Puzzle.

Where was Kihana when she needed her?!

Yugi/OC, Yami/OC

So yeah, watched Season 0 on YouTube and the plotbunnies plotted. So have this little Spin-Off Series to Queen's Gambit. It's not canon in the normal Queen's Gambit Universum, but more of an alternative universum.

I'm making Au's of my AU's, that deep I'm now XD

Anyway, enjoy Season Zero with Sehrazat and a very dark Afya :P

Chapter 1

Sehrazat wondered where all had gone wrong in their lives.

Was she dramatic?

Perhaps.

Her mother wasn't supposed to teach at Domino University yet! She should have begun teaching there next half year.

However, the Professor, who currently had the job, decided one day after another that he was sick of city life and not only quit his job but also moved into the wilderness of Japan.

So Domino University called desperate her mother, who still taught in Lisabon, if she could come sooner.

Domino in Japan had a special place in her mother's heart, that's where she had met her husband and Sehrazat's late father.

This was the main reason why she wanted to teach there.

So she said yes.

Also started the Faizan and the Schariq's, Kihana (Sehrazat's best friend) family to pack their things for Japan.

Of course, that's when Uncle Djamal had an accident at his work, breaking both his legs.

He couldn't travel like this!

For the first time in 3000 years, the Schariq and Faizan had to go for a while their separate ways.

Unbelievable!

Sehrazat and her mother Amira would move first to Domino and wait that the Schariq's, Rahila, Djamal, Kihana and little Sadiye, would join them after Djamal was healthy again.

The big house they had decided to move into together, stayed empty and Sehrazat and Amira moved into a flat.

It was so weird.

Sehrazat wasn't used to being really alone with her mother.

Since she could remember, there were Aunty Rahila, Uncle Djamal, Kihana and Sadiye with them.

Let her rephrase it, not weird, it was just plain wrong.

She missed them all so much, the most Kihana.

What should she do without her best friend at a new school?

Or even in life?!

Kihana protected and loved her.

Sehrazat never faced the first day in a new school alone.

Oh dear Isis, she felt like throwing up.

Brushing her mid-length dark blue hair, the Egyptian girl looked into the mirror.

By the Goddess Isis, Domino High School Uniform was an eyesore. Orange Blazer with green skirt and bow.

She may have orange eyes, like Topasz, but still what a colour combination, it didn't make her look good.

Unenthusiastic she made her way to the kitchen where her mother had made her pancakes.

At least something nice.

"Now princess, I know you are nervous since you will be without Kihana.", began Amira, looking at her daughter, who poked her pancakes more than eating them. "So I want to give you this."

Amira placed a little golden box with hieroglyphs all over it before Sehrazat.

The 14-year-old nearly choked on the bit of pancake in her mouth.

"You want to give me the Millenium Fragment?!", yelped Sehrzat, eeying the box. "But...but don't I have to wait for my 15th birthday to inherit it?!"

Her mother signed and caressed her hair: "My little princess, all is so different now. I think the gods will forgive us if I give it to you now. I think you will need its strength."

Oh no, not the magical mambo-jumbo bullshit!

The dark blue-haired girl wanted to protest, yet she saw the worry in her mother's eyes.

For Amira, it wasn't easy either to be away from the Schariq's, from Rahila her best friend.

She should accept how her mother just wanted to protect her extra, now that they were only in two.

"Okay, Mama."

Sehrazat put the box in her backpack.

How bad could it be to carry around a rumoured ancient magical item?

(*)

In Domino High School a young and really short boy named Yugi Muto listened to what his classmates were so excited about.

Since he really didn't have any friends, he could only so get the newest gossip, rumours and information.

"Did you hear?", said Anzu Mazaki, a girl who was the closest he had to friend, to Miho Nosaka. "We get a new student!"

"Oh is it a boy or a girl?"

"A girl, and she is so short. It's really adorable!"

"Oh, cute!"

Yugi admitted he got excited.

Maybe...he could make friends with the new girl?

If he managed to talk to her at all.

Soon their teacher enters the classroom with the new girl beside him.

Whispers broke out, about how tiny and beautiful she was. Some even said they never saw someone black so up close.

"Kids, this is your new classmate Faizan Sehrazat-Chan.", introduced Sensei her. "Please welcome her to our class."

Faizan-San made a perfect bow in greeting.

"It's nice meeting you all."

Oh, this was interesting she had a soft British accent.

"Would you like to tell us something about yourself Faizan-Chan?", asked the teacher.

The girl turned bashful and played with her fingers.

"Erm...there is not really much to say. I'm 14 and was born in London, but I'm originally Egyptian and I like games?"

She made it really sound like a question.

Yugi had to agree when nearly to whole class whispered she was cute.

Sehrazat was really, really cute.

Their teacher had mercy on her and told her to sit down beside him.

Beside him!

Happy Yugi raised his hand to show her where to go.

Maybe he really could talk to her!

Faizan-San sat down and he turned with a friendly, hopeful not creepy smile to her.

"Hi I'm Muto Yugi, you can call me Yugi."

When Faizan-San turned to greet him, their eyes met.

Topaz and Amethyst found each other.

And both gasped for breath.

Now that she was up close, Yugi noted how utterly beautiful Sehrazat was.

Not only cute but so beautiful it took your breath away.

And these eyes of hers...so brilliant and unique...he had never seen orange eyes...like topas...nonetheless he felt he had looked into these eyes a thousand times...like he was coming home.

Meanwhile, Sehrazat had similar thoughts crossing her mind.

This Yugi...his eyes reminded her of beautiful Amethyst. Eyes that she knew...even if it was impossible...it was like she had found a missing piece of herself.

He was a handsome young man!

Yugi turned red like a tomato, while Sehrzat hid behind her hair.

Both were sweating buckets.

None of them knew what do to now.

Unknown to them Yugi unfished MilleniumPuzzle and Sehrzat Millenium Fragment glowed for a brief second.

It was like the two items wanted to say hello to each other.

Somehow Sehrazat found the courage to crook out to Yugi: "I'm Sehrazat or just Sehra, nice to meet you."

Still, they didn't look at each other.

"Likewise...", mumbled Yugi back.

To their luck, their Homeroom Teacher started the lesson.

They could worry later if they made a complete Buffon before the other.

(*)

Finally, it was Lunchtime at Domino High.

Happy Sehrzat got her Bento-Box out and read in her little old family book hieroglyphs.

All Faizan learned from a young age to read the writing of their ancestors.

The classroom was nearly empty beside her, Yugi, who was building a card house and a boy with a basketball.

"Hey Yugi!", called the boy with the basketball out to him.

This in turn made Yugi lose his concentration and his card house fell down.

"Quit playing by yourself.", said Basketball Boy. "And come play basketball with us for a change, will ya?"

"Well, no thanks...The Team I join usually ends up losing...", reminds Yugi bashful.

"That's true."

With that Basketball Boy left and only Yugi and Sehrazat remained in the classroom.

The girl tried to eat and concentrate on her hieroglyphs.

She wouldn't look at the handsome boy and get tongue-tied around him.

Where was Kihana when she needed her?

For away in Spain was the answer.

However, she didn't look, but Sehrazat heard how Yugi talked to himself about how to finally finish something.

A treasure he always carried around with him.

The sunlight hit his treasure and its golden shine made Sehrazat aware of it.

She looked over, gasping shocked.

"You have a Millenium Item with you?!", she shouted.

This suprised Yugi so much that he nearly fall from his chair.

"Huh, what? What are you saying Faizan-Chan?"

Faster than he could look Sehrzat stood at his table, gripping the edge and staring at his treasure.

"I can't believe it! This must be the puzzle!"

"Excuse me Faizan-Chan.", asked Yugi wondering. "Why are you so excited and how do you know it's a puzzle?"

Without a word, Sehrzat took a similar, yet smaller box from her backpack and put it beside his.

"See? I have one too, it's the Millenium Fragment."

Now Yugi was the one who gasped.

Both boxes seemed to be a pair.

"Incredible!"

The blue-haired beauty nods in agreement.

"I never thought I would find another Millenium Item here in Japan! They are originally from Egypt."

Before they could talk more, a tall blond guy took Yugi's box.

Surprised Sehrazat blinked up at this intruder, while Yugi said his name in question.

Jonouchi.

"Yugi, whatcha talking about with the cute new girl? Are you boring her?"

"He didn't bore me!", talked Sehrzat, yet Jonouchi ignored her.

Okay, rude!

Grinning he held Yugi's box up and poor Yugi tried to reach it.

"G-Give that back!", begged Yugi.

"You are really rude.", mumbled Sehrzat, she wasn't courageous enough to say it louder.

Without Kihana she had zero courage.

Jonouchi didn't listen to either of them and threw the box away before he caught it.

"Man, caring so much for a box like this...", grumbled Jonoichi. "You know, Yugi...It's that part of you that...well, it really pisses me off. So I'm gonna have to put you through some trainin' so you can be a man and talk to girls right. How about it? Ya want this box back, right? Then come at me with all you got!"

Sehrazat made a face, while Yugi shouted: "I hate fighting and violence!"

Both Jonouchi and Sehrazat hold their ears.

Damn, Yugi could be loud.

"You may not have got any guts but you sure got a freaking loud voice!", pointed Jonouchi out.

"Anyway, just give me back that box!"

"That's right!", said another boy's voice. He was a brunette with really pointed hair. "Knock it off, Jonouchi!"

"Oh did you say something? Honda-Kun, the first year, who wants to make the school a better place by running for Student Council president but ended up rejected and falling to Janitor Patrol!", sassed Jonouchi.

"It's not Janitor Patrol!", corrected Honda angrily. "It's called the Beautification Patrol!"

"Your voice is friggin' loud, too!"

Then Honda started to talk more, but since Jonouchi and Yugi talked over him, Sehrazat didn't get what was going on.

Too many voices at once.

She only saw how Jonouchi opened the box and proclaimed the inside as boring.

Out of nowhere a tall brunette girl took the box from him and walked over to Yugi.

"Masaki!", said Jonouchi and Honda together.

"Anzu!", said Yugi happy.

Ah, was she his friend?

Jealousy raised its ugly head in Sehrazat.

This Anzu was taller than her and a pretty girl too.

Sehrazat had only bigger breasts.

Anzu scolded Jonouchi for taking Yugi's box and didn't back down as Jonouchi started his spiel about making Yugi a man.

Then another girl appeared, with lilac hair and a yellow bow in her hair, and thought Anzu was scolding her.

"Miho-Chan!", called Honda out to her.

This Miho took a few steps back.

"S-Sorry."

"That wasn't directed to you, Miho.", explained Anzu.

"That sure surprised me!", told Miho. "I wanted to eat lunch, but there's still so many people in line..."

Like horny horndogs Honda and Jonouchi stated they would get her something and off they were.

"Those two are hopeless...", summed Anzu perfectly up.

Miho just followed after them.

Sehrazat looked at how Anzu gave Yugi back his box.

"You're sure something.", praised Yugi with a tiny blush. "One word from you and they were scared off, Anzu."

"Guys like that would just get cocky if I didn't tell them off.", she explained. "You need to stand up for yourself once in a while, Yugi."

Oh...she reminds Sehrazat of Kihana...

That's when Anzu saw the other golden box on Yugi's table.

"Is this your too?"

"No, it's Faizan-San."

Anzu smiled friendly at her and Sehrazat felt bad that she had been jealous of her.

"Both your boxes seem to be a pair, that's cute."

The brunette sat down on the table before Yugi, Yugi back in his seat and Sehrazat in hers, so turned that she could talk with the other two.

"We were talking about them before this blond guy showed up.", told Sehrazat.

"Yeah, Jonouchi has the knack to interrupt everybody."

"Jonouchi-Kun is not really that bad of a guy.", said Yugi shy to the girls.

"It's because you think like that you get picked on.", rebuked Anzu. "By the way, what are your boxes, if you don't mind me asking."

"I wanted this to explain to Yugi-Kun before the blond interrupted us.", began Sehrzat and had the attention of the two others. "These are Millennium Items. Mine is called the Fragment and Yugi the Puzzle. There exist 8 of them and they all come from Egypt."

"Wow.", chorused Anzu and Yugi together.

"Do you know more, Sehrazat-Chan?", asked Anzu.

"I only know that the Fragment and Puzzle are supposed to be connected to each other, but the way it is right now, we can't check."

"What do you mean?"

Yugi answered her: "I'll show you, Anzu, if you promise to keep it a secret."

"Sure. I won't tell anyone, so show me, show me!"

Dramatically Yugi opened the box and the pieces of the Millennium Puzzle were shining in gold.

"Wow! It's pretty!", said Anzu and Sehrazat together.

Anzu picked a piece up.

"I understand now, why it's called the Puzzle, these are all puzzle pieces, right?"

Yugi nodded.

"My family runs a game shop. We've got games from various countries. I found this in the corner of a shelf, covered in dust, and I was allowed to keep it."

Then Yugi told how Sehrazat had been right about the Puzzle coming from Egpyty since it was found in a tomb there.

"Here! See these strange hieroglyphs written on the front? I bet they translate to something along these lines...Whoever solves this ouzzle, shall be granted one wish. Yeah right.", laughed Yugi. "That'd be too good to be true! You must be making fun of me with that look..."

Anzu laughed and promised she wouldn't then asked Yugi what he wished for.

Now he was a bit cheeky and said that this was his secret.

"Erm...if I can say something...", shyle Sehrazat raises her hand.

Her two classmates turned curious to her.

"What is it, Sehrazat-Chan?"

"Erm...the box actually says: Ye who solves me shall gain the power and knowledge of darkness."

For a moment, all was still.

Then...

"You can read hieropglyps?!", yelled Anzu surprised.

"Family Tradition.", Sehrzat shrugged her shoulder and got bashful. "Everyone has to learn how to write and read them."

"That's so cool.", complimented her Yugi, which made Sehrazat only shyer.

"What does your box say, Sehrazat-Chan?", asked Anzu excitedly.

"Erm...It says: Ye who inherited me shall gain the power and knowledge of darkness. Pretty much the same."

Then she put the two boxes besides each other and pointed at the back.

"To you see this, here is another text. Only when you have both boxes you can read it."

The brunette girl formally jumped in her seat.

"Oh, tell us Sehrazat-Chan!"

"Please.", added Yugi.

"Okay, it says: Alone we are nought, together we are one. Thy great pharaoh and thy great queen shall rise again."

Anzu and Yugi let out surprised sounds.

"So these items belonged to a pharaoh and queen.", summed up Anzu.

Sehrazat nodded.

"Yeah, pretty much the same is told in my family. The Fragment has been with us since 3000 years."

"So long, wow, and you kept it safe, that's impressive.", told her Yugi.

"Meh, I actually believe this is all a scam...some stories around the Millenium Items are just too crazy."

Before either Anzu or Yugi could ask what she meant by that Luchtime was over.

Both owners of Millenium Items put them back in their backpacks and Anzu made her way to her seat, as their other classmates came in.

When it was getting interesting, darn it!

(*)

Finally, the school day was over and Sehrazat could walk home.

Well, she would have if she hadn't stopped to watch some buff guys train.

What were they doing in Osiris' name?

And the boss from these buff guys had huge eyebrows.

Wow!

"Faizan-Chan!", called Yugi out to her and came beside her standing. Damn, he was at least five fingers taller than her. Sehrazat was really tiny. "Are you going home?"

"Yes, Muto-Kun, you too?"

"Mmh-Mmh."

Awkward silence falls over them.

"Erm...do you need something Muto-Kun?"

"O-Oh...Please call me Yugi!"

"Then call me Sehrazat or Sehra."

"Alright, Sehrazat-Chan I wanted to thank you for showing me your own treasure and reading the hieroglyphs, it's nice to know that my wish could come true."

Well, how he got that from inheriting dark powers Sehrazat would surely not know today, since Big Bushy Browns came over to them.

"Stop you two...You're Muto Yugi-Kun and Faizan Sehrazat-Chan, right?"

"Yes?", they said together and got a bit shy that they said it together.

"I actually have something I'd like to ask you.", said Bushy Eyebrowns. "Are any of you being bullied by any particular students in your class?"

"I just moved here.", answered Sehrazat confused, while Yugi disagreed with Bushy Browns.

"Now wait. People who are bullied often say that they are fine.", counter Bushy Browns. "I've been looking into the matter. But you two can rest at ease, Yugi-Kun and Sehrazat-Chan. Starting today, I, Ushio, shall take responsibility for you as your bodyguard."

"But we are really okay!", told Sehrzat. "Please we don't need your service. Let's go home, Yugi-Kun."

"R-Right!"

With that both turned towards their homes, not knowing what Ushio already had planned.

"That guy gave me the creeps.", confessed Sehrazat as she walked with Yugi home.

Both lived in the same neighbourhood as they found out.

"Yeah, me too.", agreed Yugi and shuddered.

Together they signed and then looked at each other with little shy smiles.

"Hey Yugi-Kun...shall we walk from now together to school and back?", took Sehrazat all her courage together.

Yugi's brain formally short-circuited.

Did a beautiful girl ask him to walk with her to school?!

"R-Really you want to walk with me?"

"I-I mean we talked a little bit only, but I would love to get to know you..."

"Me too!", shouted Yugi, which made Sehrzat smile pretty and the boy had nearly a heart attack.

"Okay, this is my stop.", told him Sehrazat and pointed at an apartment complex. "I live there."

"A-Alright, I will pick you up then tomorrow."

"Awesome! Till tomorrow Yugi-Kun."

"Bye Sehrazat-Chan."

Waving at each other they turned to their homes.

Not knowing what tomorrow would await them.

The flap of Butterfly wings...

Once upon a time, Hiccup had a best friend and Toothless a mate.

But through his decision to pick Berk and Astrid over them, they lost the girls.

In one world Hiccup and Leandra lived their lives away from each other…yet destiny is a funny thing.

Their first story "To Belong" was just one of endless possibilities and this here is another one.

Will Hiccup and Leandra finally be together?

Or will destiny repeat itself?

I know I said in the previous chapter that this would be a new version of  My War but then my brain went: What if it's a mix of Together, We Map the World and My War? SO Hiccup-Runeaway Fanfic and them after their traveling the world need to return to Berk to avoid the end of the world!

Yeah!

Also, the first half of the chapter comes from Chapter 5 from To Belong.

So enjoy!

Chapter 1: Runaway's

“Astrid, Toothless, and Starchaser. Toothless and Starchaser, Astrid.”

“They are so not charmed to meet you!”, adds Leandra dry and pets her growling dragon.

Astrid backs away, eyeing Hiccup, Leandra, Toothless, and Starchaser together with pure disgust. She turns and runs for the village.

“We're dead.”, deadpans Hiccup.

Satisfied with Astrid's departure, Toothless and Starchaser turn away. Leandra flicks her long black hair and turns to their baskets.

“Where do you think you're going?”, asked Hiccup the Night Furries and then turned to Leandra who picked up her basket. “And what are you doing?”

“If I remember right, we wanted to leave stupid Berk. Just getting my stuff.”

“Lee, you can’t be serious. Astrid is going to tell everybody about Toothless and Starchaser!”

“And? It’s not like we stay here. Let her blab about it all she wants. No one is seeing us again.”

From Hiccup comes only silence.

Frowning Leandra turns to her best friend and sees the fight in him.

“Hic, Hiccup, please no! Let us just go! What has Berk ever done to us besides making us feel miserable? We will be much happier in Spain with my Abuela or we can even see the whole world! Think about it, we will be free finally!”

The boy looks at the ground and makes a fist. He needs to make a decision now.

In another world, Hiccup chooses Astrid and Berk over his lifelong friend, who loved him unconditionally, setting things in motion which would separate them forever.

But this is not this world!

Hiccup saw a beautiful blue butterfly fluttering past him.

The boy had a feeling that destiny, his and Leandra's destiny was about to change with his decision.

Why is he even thinking about running after Astrid and making her see the truth about dragons?

She was a Viking, a perfect Viking girl who always ignored and even looked down on him.

Now she even hated him for being better at Dragon Training!

And he really thought he could change her?

If the years of bullying and the indifference of the adults taught Hiccup one thing, that all thought HE should change because they were right.

Only Leandra didn't want him to change.

She accepted him for who he was!

He could never choose her over stupid Berk.

"You are right.", he told her and grabbed his own basket. "Let's get out of this dump!"

His best friend gave him such a brilliant smile, that Hiccup felt himself blush.

He never saw her this happy.

"I know you wouldn't leave me hanging."

The black-haired beauty gave him a short hug and a kiss on the cheek before she mounted Strachaser.

Blushing red, Hiccup touched his cheek. His skin burned formally.

When they were little Leandra had given him cheek kisses, but this...this was different.

It made his stomach all tingly.

That's when Toothless with a huge gummy smile came to him, nudging him.

Was his best bud mocking him?!

"Hiccup!", called Leandra from Starchaser back. "Come on get going, before Astrid brings all Berk back here!"

Oh right!

Still blushing, he mounted Toothless and they flowed into the sky.

Towards freedom.

(*)

When Astrid reaches the village she makes haste to find their chief.

She can’t believe, no actually, scratch that she can totally believe that Hiccup made friends with a dragon. She feels like throwing up.

How could he do such a terrible thing?!

She didn’t care for Alvarez, she was a foreigner, no Viking, and she could never understand what honour it was to fight dragons who invaded them.

But Hiccup should! He was even their heir! The next chief!

Hah, he was a fraud and a traitor to all humanity!

He never was a Viking!

She finds Stoick talking with Gobber in the Great Hall. He seems so happy, surely because Hiccup was given the honour to slay the Monstrous Nightmare.

It didn’t sit well with Astrid that she had to take this away from the chief. He deserved a better and worthy son.

And what did he get?

A species traitor, who chooses them all over a dragon.

Like she goes into battle she makes herself ready to tell anything.

(*)

The night sky is beautiful today.

Were the stars always so bright?

Was the moon always so pretty?

Or was the world beautiful now, because they were finally free?

Leandra takes a deep breath and lets it out.

All her worries, all her sadness, all her struggles.

They will stay on Berk.

On this miserable rock, she had to endure for ten years.

She would have turned crazy if she didn’t make friends with Hiccup.

The black-haired girl turns her head to her best friend who flies beside her on Toothless.

He also seems…serene, and calm…like a huge burden was taken from him.

And it actually was, he didn’t need to kill the Monstrous Nightmare, he didn’t need to be the heir of his father, and he could finally be himself without worrying about disappointing someone.

Now he was only Hiccup.

A boy who loved to invent, learn new things and spend time with his best friends.

A Night Furry and a Spanish girl, who never treated him like he was useless.

Leandra was right, should Astrid tell his father about Toothless and Starchaser, they would never return to Berk.

They would make the whole world their home.

But first, they wanted to make a stop.

“So how long will it take us to go to Spain?”, ask Hiccup Leandra.

“If I study the map of my father right and how fast our dragons are flying and need breaks, maybe a week, two tops.”, answered Leandra.

“I can’t wait to see how you grew up.”, tells Hiccup her exited.

“Oh guys, you are going to love it. The colours, the lifestyle, the food! The village of my Abuela is on the seaside so Toothless and Starchaser can eat plenty of yummy Mediterranean fish!”

The Night Furries practically salivated at that, which made the Riders laugh.

“Do you think we are far away enough from Berk?”, wonders Leandra.

“Let’s fly for a bit more.”, tells her Hiccup. “Just to be sure. Toothless, Starchaser, you guys can still go on, right?”

From the dragon come agreeing huffs.

And so they fly under the starlight sky, full of new possibilities.

(*)

Meanwhile, on Berk, it was pure chaos.

Stoick didn't want to believe that his son was a traitor, that even Leandra was one, but one thing was clear.

Both children had vanished without a trace.

"I keep telling you, the flow away on their dragons.", spat Astrid, who was beside her parents.

Her mother told her to be still, which made Astrid pout.

Why didn't anybody believe her?

Instead, they had a search party going on for the traitors.

She hates that she is so young and no one will listen to her!

When she will slay the Monstrous Nightmare, they will have to believe her!

(*)

“Uurgh, I’m so tired.”, groans Leandra from her makeshift sleep place.

She has her head buried in her pillow and Starchaser wing wrapped around her like a blanket.

Her Night Furry cooed at her, giving her a gentle nuzzle.

Hiccup, who is like Leandra, cuddled up to Toothless yawns.

“Today was crazy. Let’s sleep in before we continue our travel to Spain.”, he proposes.

“Good idea.”, mumbles Leandra and cuddles up to her dragon.

Not even a second later she is in dreamland.

The boy chuckles at the soft snores his best friend makes and cuddles himself to Toothless too.

His dragon crooks at him.

“You will see bud, this will be an awesome journey.”, he whispers to his dragon, petting his snout. “Maybe we can find more Night Furries. So you and Starchaser aren’t alone anymore.”

At this, Toothless cooed.

Finding more of his and his mate’s species would be wonderful. They may have each other, but they still miss the flock they grew up in.

It doesn’t take long for the boys to fall asleep.

The last one to fall asleep is Starchaser.

She looks in the direction where they came from, this Berk.

The place that hurt her girl and also her boy.

Starchaser hopes with all her heart that these people will get what they deserve.

(*)

“What kind of giant-ass tree is that?”, ask Leandra fascinated.

They are flying over a great big forest, bigger than the one in Raven Point, but this tree takes the cake.

It nearly reaches this high up where they fly.

“Don’t know Lee.”, answer Hiccup also fascinated with the plant life. “I never saw something like that or read about it.”

“Oh, I wanna look at it, you think we can take a break?”

“Well, I don’t see why not, it’s nearly lunchtime. What do you say, Toothless and Starchaser?”

From the dragons come agreeing sounds.

So they take their lunch break under the enormous tree.

Leandra can’t help herself and enters it through the hole in the trunk, Starchaser follows her girl without thinking twice.

“Don’t hurt yourself.”, calls Hiccup, sitting by their fire with Toothless to her.

“It’s a tree, what can it do to me?”

The inside of the tree is really…creepy.

Even Starchaser is hissing at the small pool of water which is inside the tree trunk. Leandra guesses the water isn’t pure enough to drink.

Why else would Starchaser hiss at it?

A bit disappointed the girls rejoin the boys.

“And?”, asks Hiccup.

“There is a little pool of water in it, but Star hissed at it like it was an eel, so we better not touch it.”

Hiccup agrees and the humans start to pack their things.

They ate and explored a bit that was enough.

If they wanted to reach Span in a week, or two they needed to be on the road so to speak.

Hiccup puts his last thing away when he hears it.

The sounds of someone who is breathing heavily.

His company seems to hear it too because they stare in the same direction he is looking.

Not a second later some stumbles out from the bushes. Leandra gasped shocked and even Hiccup couldn’t help himself.

A girl.

A bloody dirty girl with an arrow sticking out of her shoulder, not older than ten perhaps falls on the ground before them.

She has blond hair with a band on her head and a simple dress.

Her eyes are blue.

There is so much pain in it, so much suffering and sorrow, that Hiccup wants to cry.

The girl looks at them and their dragons with a resigned look. Like she is expecting them to kill her.

This doesn’t sit well with either of them.

“You poor sweetheart!”, coos Leandra at her and slowly kneels down beside her to not spook her. “Who did this do you?”

“Can you help her, Lee?”, asked Hiccup, looking around for the danger the girl ran away from.

Their Night Furries are alert, staring into the forest too.

“Maybe. But whoever did this to her, has to be near, we should take her with us.”

It’s like the gods or Leandra’s god wants to prove her words right since they hear the barks of dogs, the galloping of horses, and the shouts of men.

“She has to be here!”

“She can’t hide from us!”

“You will pay in the name of Fritz!”

“Let’s go!”, commands Hiccup practically.

He and Leandra help the younger girl up and get her on Starchaser. The little girl let it just happen, without a fight, without a word.

Leandra grips her around the frail waist, making her sit before her.

Hiccup jumps on Toothless and the five fly up in the sky right on time, before one of these men breaks into the bushes.

They wouldn’t be safe here.

They needed to find an isolated island or something.

Leandra and Hiccup just hoped the younger girl would survive this long.

(*)

Hiccup was sitting with Toothless and Starchaser by their new campfire. He was staring at the flames and thinking about what happened in the last few days.

After they took the little girl with them, they found fast a little uninhabited island and made camp there.

They chose a cavern for it, so they would be protected from the elements.

Leandra didn’t waste time and used all her healing knowledge to help the unknown girl.

This was five days ago.

She still hadn't woke up.

His best friend said that their guest had lost a lot of blood, and she needed time to regenerate it.

But he had seen the fear in Leandra’s brown eyes. The fear that the little girl wouldn’t make it. That all her efforts to save her life were for nought.

Hiccup self didn’t know how to handle all this. Healing was Leandra’s field and he didn’t want to make her more hopeless by voicing his opinions.

As he had seen today the little girl, she seemed even more white than before.

This couldn’t mean anything good.

Frustrated he throws a little stick into the flames.

Toothless, whom he was leaning on, made a question sound.

“Just thinking, bud.”, he assured his Night Furry. “Don’t worry.”

Even Starchaser, cuddling up on Toothless’s side, gave him a wary look.

He grinned crookedly at the dragons.

That’s when Leandra stepped out of the cave after her hourly check-up on her patient.

Hiccup just looked at her. He didn’t need his best friends to use words.

“Her heartbeat is normal and she breaths better. She got even a bit of colour back. I’m sure, she will make it.”, said Leandra and leaned herself on Starchaser.

“That’s good, Lee. Any idea what we should do after she wakes up?”

“Asking her if she has family we can return her to, but seeing she has been hunted down…”

The boy understood.

“You are afraid that she doesn’t have anyone who would take her back because she was treated like a criminal.”

“Yes.”, signend Leandra. “Even if I can’t comprehend what crime a ten-year-old child could do, that allows such a manhunt for her.”

Yeah, but he could imagine a few things.

The Vikings on Berk weren’t like this, but he knows from his fat- from Stoick that other Viking tribes are ruthless with humans. Even more so if they did a crime in their eyes. It didn’t matter how old the person was.

Our quartet stays silent, each of them with their own thoughts occupied when they hear someone coming out of the cave.

It’s the girl, Leandra’s fur blanket wrapped around her, looking at them with confusion and a bit of fear.

“Ah, you woke up!”, calls Leandra, standing slowly to not spook her. “How are you feeling?”

Silence is her only answer.

Leandra titles her head, while Hiccup and the dragon try their hardest not to stare at the girl.

“What’s your name?”, tries Leandra with another approach.

Again only silence from the girl.

Not knowing what do to now, Leandra turns with a pleading look to Hiccup. He gets it.

“Do you understand us?”, he asked the girl.

Finally a reaction!

A tiny nod.

“But you can’t talk right?”, guesses Hiccup and gets a bad feeling when she nods again. It’s probably not sensitive to ask, but he needs to know. “Are you a thrall? Did your master cut off your tongue?”

“Hiccup!”, hisses Leandra.

How can he ask her if she is a slave? And if someone hurt her that bad? Leandra knows that other Viking Tribes have them and call them thralls, Berk never had them, they cared more for their dragon killing.

The little girl experienced enough trauma for her whole life!

Her hiss turns into a gasp and even their Night Furries crook shocked when the little girl nods.

Hiccup is the only one who stays calm, the lessons about Viking Culture Stoick gave him, help him to handle the situation better.

“Can you write?”, he wants to know. “Maybe your name?”

As an answer, the ten-year-old kneels down on the ground. With her pointer finger, she writes the runes of her name.

“Christa, that’s a pretty name. I’m Hiccup, this is Leandra and the golden-eyed dragon is Starchaser, and the green-eyed Toothless. No one is going to hurt you, Christa.”, he promises her.

Christa looks with vacant eyes at him. No child should have such a look on them.

She writes on the ground: The Eldians were hunting me, the chief Fritz orders it so. Why did you intervene? This was my punishment for freeing the pigs.

“Did I read it right, you freed pigs and they hunt you down like one?”, repeats Leandra shocked. “This is not a punishment this is cruelty!”

Starchaser and Toothless grumble in agreement.

“Eldian and Chief Fritz? Stoick told me that Fritz likes to hurt his thralls and slaughter whole villages.”, explains Hiccup to them.

“What an asshole and that’s still too nice of a word for this trash of a human being!”

Hiccup agrees wholeheartedly and turns back to the confused Christa.

Confused is better than the death look she had going on.

“Christa, Fritz has no power over us. No one has.”, tells Hiccup her. “We and our dragons are free and decide our own way in life.”

The blonde-haired girl stares at them for an eternity it seems, before she writes: You…are truly free? No masters?

“Yes, you will be safe with us, Christa.”, assures Leandra. “No one will come for you, you are free.”

Christa turns formally into stone. A single tear rolls down her cheek and Hiccup and Leandra can’t even look that fast as the girl runs back into the cave.

“Well…that could have gone better.”, signs Hiccup.

Leandra and the dragons nod.

(*)

Can you guess who Leandra and Hiccup just saved and which Anime I just made not exist? :D

We will meet more characters from different fandoms and also a bunch of OCs, hope you are okay with it.

Till next time.

The Queen's Gambit: The Story

The most powerful piece in chess is the queen.

When this piece joins the game of Duel Monsters anything will change.

With two dragon sisters, a magician and her descendant, the queen will take her rightful place.

As it should have been.

Chapter 8: Mokuba

Our young heroes were currently walking along a forest path of the Duelist Kingdom, sharing with each other the duels their other friends hadn't seen.

Currently, Yugi retold his Duel against Ryota Kajiki, who had been third in the Japanese Championship, and his underwater monsters.

Sehrazat's group listened in excitedly and asked questions.

After Yugi ended his tale Jonouchi said: "Ryota Kajiki is a hard guy to hate."

"Well, he did give you fish!", reminds Sadiye, holding hands with her big sister Kihana.

"I still can't believe you didn't think of bringing food to the island.", tutted Kihanan gently, which made Yugi's group all look sheepish.

"And I can't believe this is not butter."

All stared at Maja, all beside Sehrazat who nodded in understanding.

"Is it time to spout cryptic nonsense Maja-Chan?"

The brunette with the long wild spikes nodded happily, which made all sweatdrop.

"All duelists came here with their own hopes and dreams.", tried Anzu to steer their conversation back to something normal.

She liked Maja but experienced for the first time this side of her was a bit strange, Anzu won't lie.

"Yeah.", agreed Yugi. "They have their own problems, just like us."

"Problems...", repeated Jonouchi and thought about his dear sister Shizuka. "You're right."

That's when they all heard a cry for help. Surprised they looked around.

In the distance they saw the lackey of Pegasus with the really pointy hair, having a boy in a chokehold who screamed for help.

They all run up to them.

"Hold it right there!", shouted Honda.

Hair-Guy Lackey stopped and turned around, still with the boy in a chokehold.

Again the boy asked for help and courageous Honda Judo threw the Hair-Guy over his shoulder, freeing the boy in the pink shirt.

Long Honda couldn't celebrate his victory, because Hair-Guy got up again and kicked him in the face.

Poor Honda fell down defeated and Hair-Guy grapped again the boy in the pink shirt.

While Kihana, Maja and Anzu helped Honda up and checked for injuries, Jonouchi commanded Hair-Guy: "Stop it! You won't get away with this!"

"What's your problem?!", added Sehrazat ready to let Afya take over to beat Hair-Guys ass.

"There's no need for violence.", called Yugi.

Joey and Sehrazat looked at him surprised and the girl tried to control her Yami who was ready to slaughter Hair-Guy.

"It's for your own good that you don't interfere.", told Hair-Guy turning around with the boy in his arms and showing them his empty Dueling Glove. "This guy lost all his Star Chips."

The boy cried out: "You're wrong! My Star Chips and cards were stolen from me!"

"It doesn't matter. If you lose all your Star Chips, you're deported from this island."

With this and the words those are the rules and he should give up, Hair-Guy walked with his "prisoner" away.

"Guy's we can't let this poor kid be kicked out!", said Sehrazat.

"Truth, if his cards and Star Chips were stolen it is unfair.", agreed Kihana.

The others also nodded in agreement and so they ran after Hair-Guy.

They reached him by a little port, where he threw his prisoner with the other duelists who lost in a tiny rowing boat.

"What did the person who stole your Star Chips look like?", wanted Yugi to know from the boy in the pink shirt.

"I didn't see his face because he covered it with a bandanna.", explained the boy. "He suddenly challenged me to a duel."

"Was it at the Duel Ring in the grasslands?"

"Yeah. When I placed my Star Chips and my deck on the table, he stole them and ran off!"

"We'll find that thief, so just wait!"

Hair-Guy informed them all how the boat departed in 30 minutes. That was their time limit.

"We'll find the thief.", promised Anzu.

"You will get your Star Chips back in no time.", assured Kihana.

"Just be patient!", added Maja.

"We'll find him and teach him a lesson!", growled Honda, hitting with one fist his open palm.

With Afya in their shared minds, who called for bloodshed, Sehrazat nodded rapidly.

"Yeah! For a duelist, Star Chips are the same as his own life!", said Joey. "I won't forgive anyone who steals those Star Chips!"

"Is this not a bit too dramatic?", mumbled Sadiye to herself.

The only real ones who were in a life-or-death situation were Aunty Amira and Yugi's grandpa...oh and Joey needed the money for his sister's eye operation.

Maybe that was a Duelist thing?

Sadiye also played Duel Monsters, but she wasn't as obsessed with it as Sehra, Nee-Chan and Yugi and Joey.

The boy in the pink shirt said thank you to them and Joey, of course, had to make a joke saying he would take as a reward for catching the thief half of his Star Chips.

All sweatdropped and stared unimpressed at him.

After this, they made their way to the Duel Ring where the theft had happened.

Honda asked Jonouchi what this reward nonsense was, however, Joey laughed, confirming he was only joking.

The blonde wondered then, why they returned to this Duel Ring and how they should catch a thief without a clue.

Now, Yugi explained that he only knows how criminals always return to the place of the crime.

"That's so smart, Yugi-Kun!", praised Sehrazat and sat down beside him on the ground.

Yugi laughed shyly and blushed red, one because of her compliment and two because they were so close.

He could smell her nice perfume.

Lotus blossom if he wasn't wrong.

The others also sit down on the ground.

They didn't even need to wait long as suddenly a short masked boy with a wool hat and a bandana on his face sprung out from the bushes.

"I found you, Yugi!", he shouted...in a voice Sadiye know.

Confused the youngest in the group blinked.

Huh?

Where did she hear this voice before?

"He must be the one we're looking for!", said Joey, as all jumped back up from the ground. "I'll beat him up!"

"No! Don't use violence!", shouted Anzu and Kihana together.

Bandana-Boy growled Yugi's name and Joey and Honda growled back he should give back the Star Chips he had stolen!

"Wait.", stopped them Yugi, before really fist were swinging. "I think he's here for me."

Suprised all looked at him.

Yugi turnend to the boy.

"Do you want to duel me?"

The Bandana-Boy nodded.

Okay, so a children's cards game shall clear the situation, alright.

Only poor Sehrazat rubbed her temple because Afya still demanded blood.

Sometimes she forgot how her loving Gran-Gran could be a bloodthirsty Warrior-Queen.

While Yugi and Bandana-Boy took each their place on the Duel Ring, Honda promised he would make the thief pay if he tried to steal Yugi Star Chips.

Joey agreed and how they wouldn't let him escape.

As the voice of reason came Kihana: "Guys, there has to be a reason why he wants to battle Yugi so much. Let's watch the Duel, maybe we will find out."

In one second Yugi was there and then...not anymore.

Since Sehrazat and her friends saw Yami for the first time they all gaped and even blushed or got bashful.

The pharaoh was hot!

Only Sehrazat just looked neutral.

Meh, she liked Yugi better.

Also, the pharaoh was her 3000-times Grandfather so, ew, no!

However, she couldn't help but tease Afya a bit.

"Gran-Gran, Pops is hot. You have good taste."

Afya just flicked her forehead.

"Not now child of mine, also I'm pretty sure we had an arranged marriage, you know, like it was used in the old times."

"I see how you are practically undressing Pops with your eyes...don't lie!"

"I pledge the Fifth!"

"Gran-Gran!"

Meanwhile, the others noted how the boy didn't have a Duel Glove, so he was definitely the thief. Then they wonder why Yugi would duel him if they only had such a short time to return the Star Chips.

It was Anzu who pointed out that maybe Yugi knew who the boy was!

Yami and Bandana-Boy wagerd 5 Star Chips and began their duel.

The first turn was Bandana-Boy.

"I play Man-Eating Plant in attack position."

Man-Eating Plant: ATK 800/ DEF 600

Yami countered with Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress.

Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress: ATK 1400/DEF 1200

Bandana-Boys monster was destroyed and his Life Points dropped to 1400.

"You can't defeat my monster using stolen cards.", lectured Yami. "Because your heart doesn't dwell inside stolen cards."

"Yugi, I don't believe in your 'heart of the cards'! Cards aren't about the heart! Cards are about power!", shouted the thief back.

"Like I thought, you're Mokuba, Seto Kaiba's younger brother.", revealed Yami.

Angry the thief took off his disguise.

It was really Mokuba Kaiba.

"Mokuba-San?", shouted Sadiye. "What are you doing here?"

"You know him?", asked Anzu.

Sadiye nodded.

"We go to the same school and class. He sits on the bench before me."

"Sadiye-San, my brother vanished because Yugi hurt his pride.", answered Mokuba his classmate, before he turned back to Yami. "It's your fault that Pegasus is now trying to take over Kaiba Corporation!"

"What? Pegasus?", asked Yami, while the others also looked worried at Mokuba.

This didn't sound good at all.

Mokuba explained how Pegasus spread the news of how Yami defeated Seto Kaiba worldwide. Since then, Kaiba Corporation has lost the trust of its investors and business has plummeted. Pegasus had just waited for this moment. He talked in private with The Big Five, Kaiba Corps Board, telling them to transfer all their chares to him. Only like this, they could save the company. The Big Five agreed under the conditions that Pegasus would defeat Yugi in a duel. Of course, Pegasus agreed, saying how easy this would be.

But since Mokuba had the key to the Storage Facility, where all the important documents were, Pegasus kidnapped him to the Duelist Kingdom as his prisoner, before he could flee.

"Yugi, it's all your fault!", accused Mokuba.

"I understand the situation, but that's no excuse for stealing other people's cards.", told Yami.

"Be quiet! I play this next!"

Krokodilus appeard on the field.

Krokodilus: ATK 1100/ DEF 1200

"Go, Krokodilus!"

The monster attacked Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress, but was of course defeated by the more powerful monster.

"It's pointless to keep duelling.", said Yami. "This game isn't so simple that you can win with stolen cards."

Jonouchi agreed: "That's right! Stealing Star Chips for revenge is the worst!"

"You're wrong! You have the wrong idea! I have to protect Kaiba Corporation in my brother's place!", shouted Mokuba back.

It's then that Anzu realized if Mokuba managed to get Yugi Star Chips, this would disqualify him, meaning Yugi technically never lost a duel.

"What do you mean?", wondered Honda.

"You don't understand?", asked Joey.

"Do you?"

"Well, no. What do you mean?"

"She means: If Yugi doesn't lose in a duel, Pegasus's agreement with The Big Five is void.", answered Kihana.

All beside Anzu made an oh sound.

They got it now.

"I see.", mumbled Yami, before he saw that Mokuba wasn't anymore on his Dueling Platform. "Mokuba!"

As it turns out Mokuba climbed Yami Duel Station and managed to grab Star Chips, leaving him with only three, before the younger Kaibe started to run off.

However, he was stopped, by Sadiye who stood in his way with her arms open.

"Sadiye-San! Let me pass!"

"No, Mokuba-San, what you doing is wrong!"

"It's the only way!"

Before he could just run around her Kihana, Maja and Sehrazat blocked his way too.

"Mokuba-Chan.", began Kihana. "Please there is another way, just listen."

Under the ice blue eyes of Sadiye's older sister, Mokuba felt he looked at Seto's beloved Blue-Eyes White Dragon, which made him stop in his tracks.

Sehrazat took over: "You have to trust Yugi. If he beats Pegasus, nothing will happen to Kaiba Corp."

Maja and Sadiye nodded in agreement.

"Kaibe is suffering right now.", called Yami. "But that's so he can learn about the heart of the cards. He's fighting to win his pride back. Kaiba will return when he learns about the heart of the cards. Are you willing to abandon your brother and the trust in Kaiba Corporation?"

"But...But what should I do?"

"Like Kihana and Sehrazat said...I promise to defeat Pegasus. If you want to know what Kaiba is struggling with...If you want to understand the heart of the cards, give that boy back his deck and his Star Chips."

The younger Kaiba thought for a second and looked at his classmate and her sister. Again his eyes found Kihana, who nodded at him.

He really had a feeling he was interacting with the Blue-Eyes White Dragon...it was strange but nice.

Mokuba turnend back to Yami.

"I undertsnad. I trust you, Yugi."

"The boat is leaving in three minutes!", reminds Anzu.

"Let's don't waste time!", shouted Sehrazat.

They all ran as fast as they could back to the little port.

Sadly the boat was already leaving!

They meet Hair-Guy at the port who smugly said: "The losers' boat already left."

"But they shouldn't have left for another minute!", disagreed Anzu.

"That's unfair!", shouted Sehrzat with balled fists.

"I don't care.", said Hair-Guy.

Joey accused Hair-Guy of tricking them, which all our friends agreed on.

Mokuba holds out his hand with the Star Chips to Hair-Guy.

"I'll return these Star Chips, so call the boat back."

Hair-Guy just slapped the Star-Chips from his hand and they fell into the ocean.

Oh no!

"Some of this were Yugi's!", exclaimed Sehrazat.

Feeling guilty Mokuba said sorry to Yugi.

"If you have your Star Chips stolen, then you're a disgrace as a duelist.", mocked Hair-Guy. "That alone is enough to disqualify you."

Then he gripped Mokuba.

All shouted shocked.

"Unhead, Mokuba-Chan!", growled Kihana, while Sehrazat felt, beside her own, Afya's anger.

In one second both switched places.

Before anyone could realise what happened, Afya and Kihana stormed the Hair-Guy, Afya punched him hard in the face and Kihana took Mokuba from him.

With the boy in her arms, Kihana ran back to the group and they all huddled protective around him.

Afya had her feet on Hair-Guys back to keep him down.

"Don't move or you will regret it.", the once queen of all Egypt hissed.

"You bitch...!"

"Insults won't get you far."

To demonstrate it Afya stomped Hair-Guy harder into the ground.

All were fascinated by that and Yami was immensely proud.

His queen was truly a strong woman.

A real Warrior-Queen.

...It was so hot!

Hair-Guy realized how he was in a pickle and decided to change his tactic.

"Alright, alright, the boy stays with you but...The only way to gain Star Chips is through duels."

"What do you mean by that exactly?", growled Afya, pressing her foot harder into his back.

"If I see right Yugi has still three Star Chips left.", began Hair-Guy. "I don't duel but in an hour I will find an opponent for him, so he can stay on the island."

"And what is the catch?"

"That you let me go."

Afya hummed and turnend to Yami.

"What do you say?"

"Any funny business and Afya will throw you in the ocean.", said Yami seriously.

"No funny business I swear!"

"Alright, Afya let him go."

"No you guys should go with Mokuba away, I will catch up to you and tell you the details from this guy. I don't trust him not to try to grap Mokuba again. Kihana protect him!"

"Of course, your Majesty, it's not even a question."

So the group without Afya walked away and when she was sure they were far enough, slowly she lifted her foot from Hair-Guys back.

He stood up, shaking and gasping for air, but told her where this duel for Yugi/Yami would be.

In an hour at the grasslands, where they had duel Mokuba.

Afya gave Hair-Guy a last look which screamed murder, which made the man shake and then caught up to her friends.

(*)

An hour later our group of nine now returned to the Duel Ring.

Kihana held hands with Mokuba and Sadiye, Maja and Anzu stood protective beside Mokuba, Maja ready to unleash magic in case something went wrong, while Joey and Honda stood before them and before them were Yami and Afya leading.

"We should be careful.", whispered Afya to Yami, she didn't want to worry the others. "I bet with you Pegasus henchman has a surprise in store."

"We will be careful and keep one eye on Mokuba."

"Kihana is strong and Maja has some surprises up her sleeve."

"Care to tell me?"

"The magic we use isn't the only one."

This made Yami blink for a second surprised before he gave Afya a smile.

"How you and Kihana saved Mokuba and you kept the henchman in place was incredible."

Bashful Afya put a bit of her long blue hair behind her ear.

"It was nothing. I couldn't watch a child being kidnapped!"

"Of course, but you reacted the fastest of us. You are a true warrior."

"Well...I might be your queen but I won't disagree how I'm a warrior too."

Both smiled flirtatiously at each other.

They couldn't before all flirt as they normally would.

First, it was their private affair and second, they didn't want to give the others second-hand embarrassment.

Hair-Guy already waited for them.

Yami came straight to the point: "Who's my opponent?"

"He's already here. Look!"

All let out surprised shouts.

"Kaiba?"

"Nii-Sama!"

Kaiba laughed.

"Yugi, I'll get my revenge!"

The flap of Butterfly wings... Index

Once upon a time, Hiccup had a best friend and Toothless a mate. But through his decision to pick Berk and Astrid over them, they lost the girls. In one world Hiccup and Leandra lived their lives away from each other…yet destiny is a funny thing. Their first story "To Belong" was just one of endless possibilities and this here is another one. Will Hiccup and Leandra finally be together? Or will destiny repeat itself?

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

The flap of Butterfly wings...

Once upon a time, Hiccup had a best friend and Toothless a mate.

But through his decision to pick Berk and Astrid over them, they lost the girls.

In one world Hiccup and Leandra lived their lives away from each other…yet destiny is a funny thing.

Their first story "To Belong" was just one of endless possibilities and this here is another one.

Will Hiccup and Leandra finally be together?

Or will destiny repeat itself?

Yeah, I'm back with Leandra and Hiccup it's a new version of My War since To Belong ended with Leandra happy in China. 

For all of you who liked this ending better, you can ignore this fanfic, for all of you who want Hiccup and Leandra together, this is the right fanfiction!

Prologue

Long ago when he was still a young lad, Hiccup had a best friend.

Her name was Leandra, a foreign girl and outcast like him.

Together they faced their agemate's bullying and the adult's indifference.

Then when he shot down Toothless, Leandra was with him.

She was with him when he freed Toothless.

She was with him when he got to know Toothless.

She was with him when they met Starchaser, Toothless's mate, who became Leandra's bonded dragon.

Along the way...he made a mistake.

It took him a long time to realise it.

As Astrid found out their secret...he could have flown away with Leandra...with the only person who ever loved him as a Hiccup!

Who never demanded he change, because she liked him the way he was.

Sadly he was a stupid 15-year-old boy, still with a crush on Astrid and hope in his heart he could change Berk's mind about dragons, that he run after the blond Viking girl.

And with this simple decision, Leandra walked her own way.

Sure, she helped against the Red Death and stayed till he woke up from the fight...however Leandra left with Starchaser Berk and never returned.

It was like Hiccup had a hole in his heart.

Not a day passed where he didn't look for a sign that she returned.

However, years passed and even Toothless left him.

Hiccup married Astrid and had two kids.

It...it was nice.

It was okay.

This was how it was supposed to be.

Then Ulf returned, from his own world travelling, the grown man and little brother of Leandra and talked with Hiccup.

"She is really happy.", told him Ulf as they drank together a cup of meat. "She married a Chinese woman named Xia and Starchaser stayed with her. Oh, and she has ten adopted kids, six girls and four boys."

"Did she ask about me?", couldn't Hiccup help but ask.

"Yeah...she was happy for you, she didn't say more, only that it was good that you let her go since she is happy with Xia."

With burning eyes, Hiccup drank his cup.

"Yeah, sure, I love the kids and Astrid."

Ulf didn't seem the least convinced but said nothing, just gave him a friendly shoulder pat.

That night, while Astrid and the kids slept, Hiccup looked out one of the windows.

He wondered how this all had to come to this.

He lost both his best friends.

His dragon.

And the girl he realized too late he loved.

His feelings of regret were nearly crushing him.

But what he could do?

Nothing, long ago he took the decision which led to Leandra's departure.

He still remembers the goodbye letter she wrote to him.

Dear Hiccup,

when you read this I'm on my way to Spain.

Other than you, I didn't forget how the people on Berk treated us, I will not play friendly with a bunch of lairs and assholes!

Go live your little perfect Viking Life with little perfect Viking Bride Astrid and make lots of little Viking Babies.

You showed me clearly how I meant nothing to you.

We could have run away together with Starchaser and Toothless, be free from all this, but I guess I didn't know you really.

All the times you cried on my shoulders because your dad was so hard on you and the other bullied you, you seemed to have forgotten.

I didn't and I will never.

I will never forgive them.

Hiccup...you were my shining light in the darkness that was Berk for me.

I love you, like really love you, but I know you will never love me back.

You showed me this clearly.

And I deserve someone who loves me unconditionally.

So this is my goodbye to you.

I will always love you Hiccup and never regret the time we shared.

Forever yours,

Leandra

He had read that little letter so often that it was all crumpled.

She said she would always love him...he had hoped till his wedding day she would come back and sweep him away, yet it didn't happen.

Leandra managed to move on.

She had a wife and children and her dragon and didn't seem to miss him one bit.

Hiccup signed, looking at the stars.

He heard once, that many different worlds existed, built from different discussions they took.

The chief hoped with all his heart that at least one Hiccup and one Leandra stayed together.

He clearly failed.

With another deep sigh, he joined Astrid in bed.

It was time to move on and forget.

Nothing would change.

(*)

The flap of a butterfly's wings can cause a hurricane.

One small decision can change your whole life.

We can never know what the outcome is, but the thought that different realities exist where maybe we are happier can console someone.

Hiccup and Leandra didn't manage to be together in one reality.

But what about another one?

Are they even meant to be?

One thing is clear...in this timeline, the Butterfly Effect will cause more than a hurricane.

It could bring doom or salvation.

The Queen's Gambit: The Story

The most powerful piece in chess is the queen.

When this piece joins the game of Duel Monsters anything will change.

With two dragon sisters, a magician and her descendant, the queen will take her rightful place.

As it should have been.

Author Note: Here it is after nearly two years the newest chapter of this story! It is an Episode with its own duels. Since I suck at writing duels I found a solution which makes it easy for me. I hope you will still enjoy this story even without big duels. Also, I use it from now on the Japanese dub since it's way better than the 4Kids dub. I highly recommend reading the past chapters, because I corrected them and deleted or added new things. Shout out to all who didn't give up on my story, we are back and better than ever! So Enjoy!

Chapter 7: Getting more Star Chips

"So...how it's going on your side Anzu-Chan?", asked Maja happily into the Walkie-Talkie, while in the background Sehrazat aka. Afya was demolishing her current duel victim with her Dark Magician Girl.

"Well, Maja-Chan, Jonouchi has two Starchips, while Yugi has five!", told her Anzu cheerfully.

Then the Schariq Sisters shouted in celebration, meaning Sehrazat /Afya won.

Good!

Awesome!

"Hear that Anzu-Chan?", mussed Maja. "This means Sehra-Chan won and now has five Star Chips too."

The other girl giggled and Maja couldn't help but sign dreamy.

Anzu had a pretty laugh.

"What about Kihana-Chan?"

"Hana-Chan has six."

"Do you think we should meet up, Maja-Chan?"

"I will ask the others, but I think it's time we meet up again."

Both said bye to each other before Maja jogged back up to her friends.

Sehrazat was again in control of her body and put her new Star Chips on her Dueling Glove.

"Maja-Nee!", was Sadiye who took note of her first. "What did Anzu-San said?"

"Yugi has like Sehra five Star Chips and Jonouchi now two. You are in the lead Hana-Chan."

Kihana just rolled her eyes playful. It was a competition, but not under friends.

For now.

"Can we meet up again with the others?", asked Sehrazat in the round.

"Is someone missing their crush.", teased Maja, making Sehrazat bashful and the Schariq Sisters giggle quietly.

"You are one to talk Maja-Chan!", shouted Sehrazat grinning back. "I even heard from the Duel Platform how you were signing dreamily because of Anzu."

Now it was Maja's turn to be bashful.

"You both are hopeless.", stated Sadiye laughing.

Maja and Sehrazat deadpanned at the little black-haired girl.

"Let's forget your Lovelifes for a second.", began the white-haired beauty Kihana. "I think we can meet up with the guys. We made all good progress."

This made her little sister frown.

"Joey has only TWO.", she reminded them.

"The day is still young.", disagreed the holder of the Milliunuim Fragment. "Jonouchi-Kun will get soon more Star Chips."

"If you say so, Sehra-Nee."

"Then it's decided, I will give Anzu-Chan a call!"

After a bit of frustrating where-the-heck-are-you-guys, the girls managed to meet up with Yugi's group.

All were happy to see each other.

Strange how they grow so close after this short time.

Maja took Anzu by the arm, both talking about how glad they were to see each other again...and maybe Maja flirted a bit, which made Anzu blush.

Jonouchi and Honda talked with Kihana congratulating her on her six Star Chips, while trying to hit on her, but the white-haired beauty just ignored the flirts.

Sadiye held the hand of her big sister and mouthed at them "pathetic", which of course made the boys blush embarrassed.

"Yugi-Kun.", greeted Sehrazat the boy softly. "Congrats on your five Star Chips."

"You too, Sehrazat-Chan.", he talked just as softly back to her. "It was without a question you would win."

This made Sehrazat giggle shy and batting her eyelashes at Yugi, who of course turned red, yet couldn't help to smile tenderly at her.

Unknown to them their two Spirits were watching this exchange.

Gods, these two were adorable.

Afya wanted to pinch both their cheeks, while Yami wanted to help Yugi with Sehrazat.

However, both Spirit saw how the other was out of their Milliumim Item.

Smiling flirtatious Afya waved Yami over to her.

He was at her side in a second.

"Eager, are we?", purred Afya.

Wordless Yami took one of her hands and gave it a sweet kiss.

This made Afya gasp.

She felt herself getting hot by the touch of his lips on her skin.

"To be in your lovely presence again is worth it to make a fool out of myself.", purred now Yami back.

Afya giggled, a sound Yami already adored and gripped him by his jacket collar.

"You are a charmer."

"Only because you are so damn charming, beautiful Afya."

Bashful, yet still with a flirtatious smile, Afya leaned over and gave him a cheek kiss.

Yami swore his skin was burning!

The fire of desire in him who had slept so long roared to life.

Afya felt quite the same.

Both stared into each other eyes, seeing the same desire and lust for the other in them.

By Ra, it was insane.

Yes, they were married once.

However, neither could remember it or the other.

It was unique to feel already so attracted to each other.

Mmh...maybe their minds forgot...but not their hearts.

Sadly they couldn't go further, since both felt the tug of their respective Millennium Item.

Yugi, Sehrazat and their friends were moving again.

This meant they had to return to their Millennium Items. They were called back in it.

With a last smile for the other, they each return to their Spirit Chambers.

Of course not knowing they had interrupted a moment between their Yami's Yugi and Sehrazat walked and talked with their friends.

They were doing good with their hunt for the Star Chips.

Sure Joey only had two, however, this would probably change soon.

"There you are, Faizan!", growled a male voice behind the group.

All turned around and-

"Paulo Ramirez!", shouted Sehrazat and Kihana together.

This Paulo was a tanned boy with black hair and brown eyes, wearing a simple red jacket over a white T-shirt, blue jeans and black sneakers.

"Ah, so you do remember me you hoe's!"

All the girls gasped affronted and the guys got angry on behalf of their female friends.

"Yo, what's your problem man?!", shouted Joey, waving his fist around. "You don't talk to girls like that and no one talks to my friends this way!"

"Oh shut up blondie! It doesn't concern you!"

"Since you insult our friends it does!", adds Honda, seeming ready to knock the light out of Paulo.

At the same moment, Paulo rolled his eyes.

"Got yourself some bodyguards or what Faizan?", he asked Sehrzat directly, ignoring Joey and Honda's shouts for his head.

Feeling Afya's presence beside her, which gave her courage, Sehrazat stepped forward.

"Ramirez, what do you want?", she hissed. "You are Europe Champion now, you won!"

This angered Paulo: "I won only because you and Schariq moved to Japan. Everywhere I go, all tell me how you are the true Europe Champion and I'm just a fraud! But this ends now!"

"How so?"

"I challenge you to a duel! I will beat you and prove I'm the true European Champion. Your win in the finals was just luck."

What now happened made Yugi's group think they were hallucinating...from one moment to another Sehrzat seemed to grow, gain more womanly curves and even her hair reached her bottom.

What was even crazier, her friends didn't seem to care for Sehrazat's sudden chance, even when Sehrazat spoke in a more mature voice: "Very well, Ramirez. I will duel you and do us all a favour to kick you out of this tournament."

Gleeful Ramirez led Sehrazat to the next Dueling Station, where both got ready to duel.

"Is it just me...", mumbled Anzu. "Or is Sehrazat suddenly...different?"

"Nah, Anzu, you are right, something is up. She looks kinda older and hotter now.", agreed Joey.

"Kinda like when Yugi duels.", pointed Honda out.

The Schariq Sister and Maja held their breath, curious if their new friends would see more similarities and maybe finally ask Yugi what's up with him when he duels...yet nothing.

They just accepted it and stared at the Duel Station.

All three girls facepalmed hard.

Sadiye was the first to end the facepalm and her red eyes fell on Yugi.

Huh?

Interesting.

Yugi was staring and staring at Afya and holding his Milliunim Puzzle.

Other than his friends Yugi had "felt" how a moment Sehrazat was there and now...there was this woman in her body?

It made no sense, yet it did.

Didn't...didn't he feel like this too, when he dueled?

Like there was someone older and wiser than him in his body, helping him?

When the duel ended, he needed to talk with Sehrazat!

He needed answers.

After shuffling their decks both opponents were ready.

The price was three Starchips, which meant if Afya won her and Sehrazat would have 8 Star Chips and Ramirez would get kicked out of the tournament.

He was so obsessed with his revenge, that he barged all his Star Chips.

So sure he would win.

Well, Afya would gladly show him the door, no one calls her children hoes!

The duel started well for Afya she had a strong defence with her Amazoness and was making Shish Kebab out of Ramirez Warrior Monsters.

Unknown to all, Ramirez planned for this.

When it seemed he was done for he used a rare spell card which destroyed all of Afya's Monsters and left her with merely a few Life Points.

All her friends gasped.

"Oh no, Sehrazat!", shouted Anzu for her new friend.

"That bastard tricked her into summoning all these Monsters to destroy them with one shot!", spat Joey angrily.

"Guy's calm down.", called Kihanan, having a serene expression on her face. "Afya and Sehrazat aren't done for."

Yugi and his friends blinked confused.

"Afya, who is Afya?"

It was Sadiye who answered with a little smirk.

"The Spirit of the Milliuim Fragment and Sehrazat Ancestor. Afya is cool, she is like a mom to all of us."

"And when Sehra and Afya battle together.", began Maja grinning. "No one stands a chance...look at Afya."

Indeed Yugi's group did and Sehrazat or Afya just looked with a regale expression down on Ramirez.

She didn't seem troubled at all.

"Why are you looking at me like that!", growled Ramirez, spit flying from his mouth. "You are done for Faizan, the chance that you draw a Monster to defeat my Gem-Knight Crystal is zero!"

Gem-Knight Crystal: ATK 2450/DEF 1950

From Afya came just a tiny laugh.

"You were so fixed on your revenge that you didn't look at the card I placed my last turn."

Shocked Ramirez checked.

Indeed there was a card face down!

Oh no, what was it?!

"And other than you I believe in my cards, I know they will answer my call."

Elegant she drew the card which would make her win or lose the game.

Anyone stopped breathing.

Afya looked at the card, a smile on her face.

"I summon...The Dark Magician Girl!"

"Dark Magician Girl?!", repeated, not only Ramirez but also Anzu, Jonouchi and Honda surprised.

Yugi gasped also quite shocked.

The Dark Magician Girl appeared on the playing field with sparkles twirling around before she posed protectively before Afya and sent Ramirez a challenging look.

Dark Magician Girl: ATK 2000/DEF 1700

"You didn't have her in your deck before.", reminded Ramirez. "But she is still too weak to beat my Gem-Knight Crystal..."

He trailed off, seeing the calm expression on Afya's face and remembered...!

"Your face down card?!"

The once Queen of Egypt flipped it up.

"It's the magic card Magic Formula which raises the attack points of my Dark Magician Girl to 2700!"

Dark Magician Girl: ATK 2700/DEF 1700

Gem-Knight Crystal: ATK 2450/DEF 1950

"And now my dear Dark Magician Girl, let's finish this! Dark Burning Attack!"

The Dark Magician Girl twirled her staff and sent her magic attack at Ramirez's monster, destroying it and leaving him with zero life points!

His loud wail could be heard from miles.

"I never thought there was a female Dark Magician.", gasped Anzu. "And she is so pretty."

Somehow this made Maja feel shy...she wonders why?

"Some say who has a Dark Magician and another a Dark Magician Girl are Soul Mates since both cards are the strongest as a pair.", told Kihana the little legend around these cards, which she know because of her grandparents.

"Oh really...?", sing-song Joey and Honda together, both wiggling their eyebrows at the blushing Yugi.

"Oh does Yugi-San have a Dark Magician?", asked Sadiye excited.

Jonouchi and Honda nodded and now Sadiye was grinning also, while Kihana's shock amused he had, Maja still thought about what Anzu said about the Dark Magician Girl and why she reacted to it and Anzu realized...that Maja and the Duel Monster card looked quite alike.

Huh?

More time to think about it Anzu didn't get because Sehrazat or Afya walked up to them.

"Your Majesty.", greeted her Kihana. "As always an amazing duel."

"Where is the slimeball?", asked Maja.

"Took off after he threw his Star Chips down.", explained Afya. "What a pitiful man."

Then Afya walked up to Yugi and smiled down at him.

Now no one could avoid the truth.

Sehrazat was tinier than Yugi, now she was taller.

So...this was really somebody else in her body!

"Yugi Muto.", said Afya and gave him a kind smile. "It's nice to meet you my boy and of course, you Anzu, Jonouchi and Honda."

"Are you really a spirit, like Sadiye-Chan said?", asked Anzu astonished, while Joey mumbled something about crazy ghost mumbo-jumbo.

"I was once a great Queen of Egypt, now I have lived in the Milliunm Fragment for a good 3000 years. Sehrazat is my descendant, my flesh and blood, we share her body."

Yugi and his friends let out surprised gasps.

Afya just smiled regal at them.

"Yugi, if you ever have a question just ask me...I know quite a bit of the Milliunm Item and about your puzzle."

And with that Afya and Sehrazat changed places.

Sehrazat grinned at her flabbergasted new friends: "So do you like my Gran-Gran?"

(*)

A while later we find our big friend group in a meadow where they have taken a break.

They had a lot of discussion.

"What you told us...", hummed Anzu with a finger on her chin. "It sounds like a folktale."

"I'm surprised Sehra's family could keep the Millium Fragment safe for 3000 years, that's amazing.", shares Honda his thoughts.

Yugi had a thoughtful look on his face as he gripped his puzzle.

"I admit... sometimes it's like I hear another voice in my head or feel another presence beside mine...but to think that Afya's husband's soul is in the puzzle is just..."

"Crazy?", chorused everyone.

The short duelist nodded.

"Yugi-Kun, don't worry about this now.", assured him Sehrazat. "I had weeks to get used to Afya...I'm sure you will find a way to talk to the pharaoh when you are ready. And if you ever need help, you can ask Gran-Gran."

Relieved Yugi nodded.

He really needed time to understand all this.

Also, he was a bit scared to meet his lodger. Not because he thought the pharaoh might be evil, not if he always helped him, just...it made all that the girls told him true.

How Pegasus tournament and saving Grandpa's soul was just a tiny problem against saving the whole world from destruction.

One problem at a time.

"Alright guys!", jumped Jonouchi up from the ground and raised his fist in the air. "We still have work to do, for now, let's get this Star Chips, so we can enter the castle!"

Kihana nodded.

"Jonouchi is right, let us concentrate on the things we can do and not on the things that might happen."

All agreed and so the group started walking again.

(*)

"I still can't believe it!", whisper-shouted Sehrazat to Kihana. "Mimi Kawaii! THE Mimi Kawaii, my favourite idol is here and she doesn't want to duel me!"

After our friends left the meadow they stumbled over Idol Mimi Kawaii with her two bodyguards.

Apparently, her management wanted Mimi to be a duelist too, since Duel Monster was so in trend right now.

Good publicity, you know?

But Sehrzat didn't care for this she had asked for an autograph and Mimi had given her one!

Aaaah!

Then Mimi actually challenged Joey to a duel.

This had made Sehrazat sad.

Since Mimi was so beautiful Joey got distracted so easily by her flirts that he made one mistake after another, which made all facepalm and Anzu declaring him a horny horndog.

However, Joye got back into the game as it showed how Mimi had no real idea what she was doing.

She merely had cuteys monsters in her deck and tried with her flirts to distract her opponents.

Not a good strategy for long, when you face someone who fought for his sister.

So in the end Joey won and earned three Star Chips.

Mimi apologized for her tricks...she actually didn't want to participate in the tournament and only got in thanks to her manager.

Singing was her passion, not Duel Monsters.

Sehrazat told her she should follow her passion and not be the puppet of her management.

It showed she didn't like Duel Monsters, it only would anger her fanbase if she pretended to be someone she wasn't.

For this not only Sehrazat got a thank you from Mimi, but also a hug.

She nearly fainted!

The idol and the bodyguards left them and our friends were again in eight.

Together they looked at their gloves.

Sehrazat had 8 Star Chips.

Kihana six.

And Joey and Yugi five each.

It was going good for them.

So they decide to find some more people to duel.

The day was still young after all.

Next

The Queen's Gambit: The Story

The most powerful piece in chess is the queen.

When this piece joins the game of Duel Monsters anything will change.

With two dragon sisters, a magician and her descendant, the queen will take her rightful place.

As it should have been.

After nearly two years, I'm back :D I'm currently watching YGO! in Japanese, and I got the feeling back to write for it and use the Japanese dub now. It's way better than whatever 4KIDS did, so I will rewrite the chapters. ^^

Please enjoy!

Chapter 1: Happy 15th Birthday!

On the day of her 15th birthday, Sehrazat Faizan woke up like any other normal school day.

More asleep than awake and groaning.

She didn’t care that today was also her birthday, it was too early!

Why does school start this earlier?

That was inhuman!

The dark blue-haired girl put her pillow over her head.

Any minute now Kihana would storm her room and drag her out of bed. She loved her best friend, but these were times when she wished Kihana and her family would live in their own house.

…Yeah, Sehrazat didn’t think that would stop Kihana either.

There!

She heard the familiar boom of her door opening and wanted to cry.

Today was her birthday, even a special one in her family, so why couldn’t she stay at home and sleep?

Fuck, school!

“Rise and shine, your highness!”, sing-songend Kihana. She couldn’t be normal. Who was that happy, at this time?! “Today is your birthday, happy birthday my dear Sehra!”

Aww, at least this was cute.

It stopped being cute when Kihana gripped her blanket and left her in the cold morning air.

Sehrazat hissed like an angry cat and rolled herself into a ball.

Cold, way too cold!

Why were mornings so cold in Domino? How she missed the warm mornings in Lisabon!

Kihana just tutted at her.

The white-haired girl with the bluest eyes Sehrazat had ever seen was merciless.

She gripped one of Sehrazat's arms and just let her fall to the floor!

“Hey, what was that for!”, shrieked Sehrazat offended.

The floor was even colder!

Her best friend just put her hands on her waist.

She was already wearing the Domino High School Uniform, her long white hair perfectly groomed into a ponytail, decent make-up which made her blue eyes even more pop and her white porcelain skin glowing healthily.

“That’s the only way to wake you up, Sehrazat and you know it. We do this five times a week.”, reminds her Kihana.

Making a face Sehrazat stood up and had to control herself to make a worse face.

She still reached only under Kihana’s breast.

Why was her best friend tall like a supermodel and she was small like a child?

They were now the same age, so unfair!

Only Sadiye, Kihana’s younger sister, was smaller than her!

And that was because she really was a ten-year-old child.

Again, so unfair.

Pouting she followed Kihana to the dining room, where both their moms already were with little Sadiye eating breakfast.

Even if they all lived in Japan now, they still had a more wester-styled breakfast.

With pancakes, cornflakes, bacon, and eggs, you name it.

That didn’t mean none of them had tasted the local cuisine.

For example, Sehrazat loved Ramen like she was Naruto from the same named Manga, but sometimes you needed a bit of home.

They were all originally from Egpyt, but Rahila, Kihana and Sadiye’s mother, and her own mother Amira grew up in London, England.

Sehrazat’s Grandmother still lives there, like Kihana and Sadiye’s Grandparents.

Besides Rahila and Kihana, who were white-passing, all of them were black.

Sadiye was the first to note them.

“Happy Birthday, Sehra!”, shouted the ten-year-old, which gripped the attention of the two older women.

Her mother smiled and stood up from her seat.

She opened her arms for her.

“Good morning, my little princess, and happy, happy birthday!”

Still tired Sehrazat let herself fall into her mother’s embrace.

Ah, nothing to raise her spirits like her mama’s hugs!

Mama was warm and smelled, like always after jasmine and sandalwood. Comforting and homey.

“Happy Birthday, Your Highness. Now you are finally 15.”, said Rahila to her and Sehrazat felt how her head was patted.

“Thanks aunty Rahila.”

They all sit down at the table and Amira signs wistfully.

“15 years already…I can’t believe time flew so fast. It was like yesterday you were this tiny and I could pick up you whenever I wanted.”

“She still IS tiny!”, joked Sadiye and grinned at her.

Sehrazat looked at her angrily and bit into her pancake.

Kihana tutted her little sister, who shrugged her shoulders.

Sadly it was true.

Didn’t mean like Sehrazat liked to hear that.

“And you can still pick her up Amira.”, reminded Rahila.

Thanks, Aunty!

Sehrazat bit harder into her pancake.

“You know what I mean.”, said Amira and then turned to her daughter. “Don’t forget, today IS a special birthday. Now you will be the Keeper.”

It took Sehrazat any amount of strength to not roll her eyes.

Ah, yes, she became now the Keeper of the mysterious Millennium Fragment which had her family since the times of the great pharaohs.

She never even saw that thing, because her mother kept it in a little golden box with Hieroglyphs written on it.

But nearly anyone treated it like it was something sacred.

Holy!

The dark blue-haired girl thought personally that it was too much.

It was just some jewellery.

Yes, it is really old jewellery, however still jewellery.

There was nothing special about it.

Or let’s say better she didn’t want to believe the stories her mother and grandmother told her.

They were just too crazy!

/*/

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY SEHRA-CHAN!”

Sehrazat and Kihana flinched at the loud shout and the birthday girl couldn’t even look as fast, as Maja, the third in their friend group, launched herself at her, hugging her tight.

The blue-haired girl couldn’t even respond, since Maja’s hug was so strong that it squeezed the air out of her lungs.

“Maja-Chan, let Sehra breath, she is turning blue!”, came Kihana to her rescue.

The brown-haired girl let her go with ups, yet Sehrazat fell nearly on the ground if Kihana and Maja didn’t catch her.

“I’m so sorry, Sehra-Chan!”, whined Maja, while Kihana checked on her.

Sehrazat just made a thumbs-up.

She could feel how nearly everyone in the schoolyard was looking at them.

Like always.

Maja was consistently over the top with her affection, but that’s why she and Kihana loved the other black girl.

The three were a bit infamous in Domino High, the only black girls, even if Kihana was white-passing and Maja half-Japanese and their morning routine got them even more attention.

After Sehrazat could breathe again, Maja handed her a little gift box.

“Here is your birthday present, my dear Sehra-Chan. I hope you like it!”

“Thanks, Maja, that’s so nice of you.”, told her Sehrazat smiling.

Maja grinnend and rubbed her nose.

Kihana looked on as she unwrapped her gift.

A small gasp left her lips.

“Dark Magician Girl and Magical Hats! I searched for them everywhere, where did you find them?!”, shouted the birthday girl happily.

How long she had wanted these two cards for her deck of Duel Monster? She couldn’t remember and Maja found them and gifted them to her.

“Aww, makes me happy you are so happy! I found them in a cute little card shop named Kame Shop. The old grandpa who owns it was nice and he has a lot of good cards.”, explained Maja, rocking back and forth with her hands behind her back.

“We need to totally visit it!”, decides Sehrazat.

Maja raised a fist in the air and shouted a loud Yeah!

“But not today.”, came Kihana, the voice of reason in their group. “You know how important your 15th birthday is Sehra. Our moms expect us back after school, no improvised trips.”

Both Sehrazat and Maja let out a gloomy sound and slouched over.

Sadly Kihana was right.

The brunette was the first to gather herself.

“Is this again some of your guys’ weird family tradition? Reminds me of my Obaa-Chan and her demand that we always have Mochi after dinner.”, said Maja.

“Eh, you could say.”, answered Sehrazat.

It was forbidden to tell outsiders about their family affairs, even if Sehrazat didn’t believe one bit and would like to tell Maja, that she respected this rule.

Also, Kihana was there and would give her a headbutt if she told a thing.

Other than her Kihana believes this shit.

Sehrazat wonders sometimes if she was the weird one in her family or if the others were all the weird ones.

Stupid ancient jewellery and its stupid ancient legend around it.

It was then that the school clock sounded, meaning it was time to get to their classroom.

The three girl pals hocked their arms with each other and followed the long line of their school- and classmates into the building.

/*/

The school day was too fast over in Sehrazat's eyes.

Normally she would be happy, but she wondered what would her await home.

She doesn’t want to participate in that superstition of her family, yet she doesn’t have a choice.

So she had to say goodbye to Maja and follow Kihana home.

Arrived there her mother reminded her that they would go out for dinner today and then the ceremony would take place.

So she had to dress nicely.

Her mother had bought her a pretty white dress, with it she should wear her best golden jewellery.

After a shower and dressing up Sehrazat had to let out a sign.

She looked like a modern version of an ancient Egyptian princess…she really hoped no one she knew saw her like this.

Well, at least she wasn’t the only one.

Her mother looked like a modern Egyptian queen, while Aunty Rahila, Kihana, and Sadiye looked like priestesses.

Besides her, little Sadiye whined to Rahila that she wanted to wear her favourite red dress, she knew the stories too, but she seemed only to half believe them.

Yet Rahila didn’t give her a choice and so not only Sadiye pouted, Sehrazat did it too.

Her mother tutted her and so she tried to smile.

At least they would eat well before the whole weird shit happened.

Since Sehrazat’s favourite food was Pasta, they would eat out in the best Italian restaurant in Domino.

The food, of course, was delicious and as her birthday cake came out, made out of chocolate and vanilla and everyone in the restaurant sang happy birthday to her, the birthday girl forgot for a second what would await her home.

Then it was time for her presents.

From Rahila she got the new CD from her favorite J-Pop Idol Mimi Kawaii! It was even a special edition, with an autograph and an exclusive poster.

From Sadiye she got a self-drawn book, with drawings of her and Sadiye having adventures together.

Also, she gifted her a Kuriboh card, which was adorable since Sadiye used her own money to buy it. Everyone cooed at her.

From Kihana, who had a passion for sewing, she got a self-made bag with a large D and M on it for Duel Monster and a new card holder.

From her mama, she got a new dress in her favourite colour gold which sparkled like the sun, with fitting shoes new earrings, and a necklace.

Her granny had sent her money, which her mother gave her.

Sehrazat already knew she would buy some new Duel Monsters cards from it.

All in all an awesome birthday.

If it wasn’t for one thing remaining.

/*/

“Long ago when the pyramids were still young, the great pharaohs played a game filled with obscure magic. These were the Shadow Games. But these Shadow Games erupted into a war that threatened to destroy the entire world. Until a brave and powerful pharaoh locked the magic away, imprisoning it within the mystical Millennium Items. His name we don’t know, he is only known as the Nameless Pharaoh.”, told Amira the story Sehrazat had heard 100 times or so.

She had to keep herself from yawing.

This was important.

Oh well, for her mama.

She just wanted to get over it.

They were back home.

Currently in their dining room where now the table and chairs were missing and a little altar was placed.

On it was a statue of the goddess Isis, lotus blossoms and the famous golden box of her mother.

Rahila with her daughters stood at the side, and beside Sadiye who seemed to wish to be somewhere else, listened to Amira's words.

Amira stood beside the altar and Sehrazat was standing before her.

God, it sounds like they had a cult meeting or something similar.

People would call them crazy if they saw them.

Thankful the curtains on the window were closed and the room was illuminated by a lot of candles.

“The Nameless Pharaoh had a wife. This wife born our ancestor, the founder of the Faizan family.”, continues Amira. “The great queen gave her daughter a duty which we fulfil to this day.

She gave us the 8th Millennium Item, the Fragment, which belonged only to the queens of Egypt. Sehrazat.”

Oh, dear.

She looked at her mother, who had raised her hands like a prayer, which made this even more sound like a cult meeting and tried to stay impassive.

Even if she just wanted to go to bed.

“Sehrazat, my dear daughter. For thousands of years, we have protected the Millennium Fragment from outer forces who want to use its power for evil. From mother to daughter, when reached the age of 15 the keepsake gets passed down. Now it’s your turn.”

Amira took the golden box in her hands and Sehrazat nearly forgot to hold her hands open, so her mother could place the box in them.

“You will keep it safe till it’s your turn to pass it down to your daughter or when the time will come that its power is needed again, then the great queen, our ancestor, said one day the world would need it again the power of the Millenium Fragment. Fulfil your duty to our family, our bloodline, as all the other daughters before you.”

“I will, Mother.”, she responded and stared at the box which was now hers.

So that was it?

Yeah, of course, nothing strange happened.

It was just a box with jewellery.

Nothing more.

At least this ceremony was over now.

/*/

Sehrazat was freshly showered and wearing her PJs as she retired to her room for the night.

Yawning she closed the door after her.

Well, this birthday was over, she got cool gifts, had an awesome time with her family, ate well and now was the Keeper of a shiny little box.

The Box with the Millenium Item was sitting on her Vanity Mirror where she had it placed before taking her shower.

She frowned at the thing.

Till she had a daughter and she was 15, she had to keep an eye on it. Yeah, she could imagine more fun activities.

Stupid family tradition.

The blue-haired girl bet some of her ancestors got conned with this thing and the story, making anybody believe it to this day.

Well, she surely wouldn’t.

Mumbling to herself about stupid shiny boxes, she sat down on her bed and reached for her deck.

She wanted to put the new cards in it and then in the cardholder, Kihana had made for her.

Just…something was bugging her.

She couldn’t explain it.

It was something in the depths of her mind. Something like a whisper.

Something deep in herself told her to look at what was in the box.

Frowning she placed her deck on her bedside table and took the shiny box from the Vanity Mirror to her bed.

She crossed her arms and sat before it.

“So, now what? Stupid shiny old box, what is so special about you?”, she said to herself.

Meanwhile, a storm was forming with lightning and thunder, and howling wind.

The blue-haired girl took the box in her hand and opened it.

There laid this Millennium Fragment.

It was golden, tear-dropped formed with a big eye of Horus staring right into her soul.

She admitted it looked really…ancient.

And the eye was creeping her out.

“So you are the Millenium Fragment, heh?”, was she really talking to jewelry? What had gotten into her? “What is so special about you?”

To demonstrate, she and anybody else Sehrazat decide to break the rule about not wearing the jewellery.

It was just a story.

She took it out of the box.

It was just a story.

The box was placed on her bed.

It was just a story.

Lighting illuminated its surface and reflected on it ominously.

It was just a story!

Sehrazat took all her courage and put it on.

Her heart beat so fast, that she could feel and hear it.

Sweat has broken out on her body, but it was done.

The Millenium Fragment hung now from her throat.

The storm outside got more intense.

“Heh, that’s it?”, she said with a wobbly voice. “It’s really just-“

The teenager couldn’t even end her sentence as some kind of energy flowed through her being.

A golden eye appeared on her forehead and she threw her head back in a silent scream.

If someone saw this he wouldn’t believe his eyes, but the girl seemed to grow taller, her body taking more womanly curves, her hair reaching her bottom and her eyes becoming shaper.

Her mouth closed and she slowly put her head again forward.

She blinked her eyes a few times and raised an elegant eyebrow as she looked around the room.

“Well, this…this is surprising.”, Sehrazat or not said in a melodious sinful voice who belonged to a woman and not a young girl.

She raised her hand to look at it, studying it.

“Really surprising.”

Next

The Queen's Gambit will return!

Hi guys, I just want to tell you, that I'm currently reworking on this story and will probably soon post new chapters, but I have currently troubles uploading them here.

So please go to my other FF sites to read and comment ^^

A confession

Hello, my loves. After long and hard thinking, I have to confess something. I started a Let's Play/Stream Channel. It's now nearly a week since I do this. I'm telling you this now because I was a coward. I wanted to separate my new hobby from my fanfiction writing, also I was really scared to see comments like: "If you can Stream, why can't you work on your FFs?" But I realised I can do what I want since I'm not getting paid for anything, as you can of course tell me your opinions. So that's me coming clean. I'm EmpressOfTheSun/EmpressOfTheSunWriter and PixelettaGames. I will update all my profiles with links to the other profiles. Again, sorry that I was such a coward. I will try to be better from now on. Until next time!

YouTube

PixelettaGames

I'm a new Streamer/Let's Player. I love a lot of games and hope I can share my love and stupid comments for them with you all.