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Meanwhile at section 6...

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Kitty… don’t be scared. Everyone loves you.

— ⟢ ASABA HARUMASA — “PICTURE BOOK” ⟣ —

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just a sleeping little guy... 💤 

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Im determined to finish my duel links archive fic thanks to the boost in motivation from the latest update. I was so close to finishing it i feel like i cant just post it as a wip. Even if it's not as good as i wanted it to be at least it'll be done

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Jou really just went sorry, I'm built different ™️

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GIVE US THE HIDDEN DUEL LINKS LORE OF WHY SOME PEOPLE REVERT TO HOW THEY USED TO BE AT SOME POINT IN THE PAST AND SOME DONT OR SO HELP ME-

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Noooo 😭😭😭

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They fRICKIN FINALLY ADDED MARIK TO DUEL LINKS. I'm so glad but so so sorry it is causing everyone emotional damage ™️

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want to scratch his ears ฅ(•ㅅ•)ฅ

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Im not a superfan of Alice in zzz but the way she tosses her fencing sword to the side while walking away from the enemy after doing her fully charged attack whatever it's called- like. The aura ™️

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Where Mew's wips go to die: Promise of a King

◇ Anyway like I said, uploading my wips in a previous post because why not lol. I don't have any plans to continue these but I might as well release them out into the wild. I forget who it was now, but in talking with someone a long time ago the concept of a ghost!Seto AU came up and it resulted in this though it quickly grew into something bigger than I meant to be since I was trying to force most of canon events into this AU which well... a lot of it just doesn't work without Kaiba being there as he was in canon which kind of wrote me into a corner. Should have just let it be its own thing.

Yugi’s nose had long since gone numb from the cold. But with delicious dango in his hands he couldn’t care less. Grandpa still ushered him closer to the fire pit that was set up in the shrine's courtyard just to be safe though.

Every New Year’s Grandpa came out here, a couple of hours away via train in order to visit old friends for the holidays. Yugi didn’t really know any of them, but he got spoiled rotten every time they came so he didn’t care.

But as his little round face became sticky with the sweet, he became acutely aware of a boy staring at him from the other side of the fire pit. Or rather, staring at what he was holding.

The boy was in a relatively simple navy-blue kimono, opposite to Yugi’s red. After long enough of a pause for it to be awkward, Yugi gave a tentative wave.

A woman on the other side looked around her, then behind her, before waving at Yugi.

The boy slowly backed into the shadows like a stray cat.

“Wait,” Yugi said, breaking out of the group of visitors to trail after the boy. “Are you a son of one of Grandpa’s friends?”

He didn’t bother specifying which grandpa, for one it just slipped his mind, and two, the hair kind of gave it away to anyone who knew Sugoroku Mutou. The boy looked around nine; Yugi’s age even if the latter didn’t appear to be so.

The other boy wasn’t concerned with Yugi’s question. Instead, his blue eyes were still fixated on the dango Yugi held. As if something was on the tip of his tongue.

“Sweet…” the boy said eventually.

“Huh? Yes, this is a sweet. Dango. Do…do you like them too?”

While Yugi was always friendly he really didn’t have many friends. He didn’t want to scare away a potential new one!

“Yes. I’ve…had it before.”

“They’re great, aren’t they? You want the last one? You can have it,” Yugi offered.

“No, you keep it.”

Silence spanned between them as Yugi awkwardly finished the last one himself.

“Are you lost?” he asked after giving a glance around and not seeing anyone who looked like this boy.

“No, I live here.”

“Oh! Your family works here?”

Another pause. It was making Yugi fidget in nervousness. So he offered the only thing he knew how to do with people. Games.

“Do—do you like games?” Yugi asked, reaching into the sleeve of his kimono he took out a bag of Shogi pieces that he had snuck from home.

The pieces seemed to grab more of the boy’s attention than the sweets did.

“We can play. Uh, I don’t have a board obviously, but the ground should make do if we remember the spaces well enough. You know how to play Shogi?”

Yugi dropped into a squat as to not get his clothes dirty and poured out the pieces and began laying them out in their dedicated spots.

The boy nodded after a moment before mirroring Yugi.

“That’s great! What’s your name? I’m Yugi Mutou, but just call me Yugi.”

Yugi never minded granting the familiarity of his first name out to just about everyone regardless of tradition. Though, this usually caught others off guard, including his new-maybe-hopefully-friend going by his expression.

“Seto,” the boy began, but trailed off. “Seto,” he repeated.

Seto finished laying out the last few pieces on his side of the “board” in the right manner.

The two boys gave a bow to each other.

“Let us have a good game,” they said in unison.

And just by following the etiquette, Yugi knew this boy was at the very least familiar with the game.

Seto played aggressively. Far more than Grandpa ever did when Yugi played him. It was surprising at first, and Seto got a bit of a lead in captured pieces before Yugi adjusted his thought process and started weaseling his pieces out of danger.

Back and forth captured pieces gradually got added to each other’s piles. Yugi couldn’t tell what his opponent was thinking. The other boy seemed completely entranced by the pieces. Was he surprised that Yugi was this good? For Yugi certainly hadn’t expected anyone his age to know Shogi so well. After all, he probably wouldn’t have even learned it if it weren’t for Grandpa, for it wasn’t very popular with kids.

But this boy…he was staying neck in neck with him.

They weren’t talking. But it was still fun. Yugi finally got another kid to play a game with him. Their pieces danced around each other narrowly avoiding demise, constantly switching between offense and defense.

As time went on the pace of the game slowed to a crawl as both their fields had become critical. Seto trying to get ahead by keeping Yugi’s pieces on the run, and Yugi kept redirecting the flow of the game in a moment’s notice, causing Seto to need to adjust his approach.

It was Yugi’s turn and his small face was scrunched up in thought before he was interrupted by the sound of Grandpa’s voice shouting for him off in the distance.

“Yugi? Where are you? It’s time to go!”

No! Not when he was having so much fun! They were even close to determining a winner!

“Grandpa, please five more minutes?”

The request was silly, going at the rate the kids were now five minutes would not be enough unless they implemented a shot clock.

“We’re going to miss the last train of the night if we don’t go!”

“Alright, I’m coming!”

Yugi glanced at his opponent before he scrambled to shove the Shogi pieces back into the bag.

“Sorry, I gotta go. But next time grandpa visits his friends here I’ll come back and we can play again.”

Seto mirrored his movements, gathering up his pieces and dumping them in the bag. Once they were all inside, he didn’t say anything back for a moment.

Then,

“Just go.”

It was clear to Yugi that Seto didn’t believe him. There probably weren’t a lot of kids in a sleepy place like this. Maybe…Seto didn’t have many friends either.

Yugi roots through the pieces once more digging out one of the kings. Having any pieces missing wasn’t ideal, but it was easier to find replacements for pawns and others, but not the king.

He pushes it into Seto’s hand, which feels cold. It made sense, they had been away from the fire for quite a while. Seto longer than him.

“Here then, hold onto this. When I come back you can return it,” he says with a smile. “You were a good opponent! This was fun, maybe next time Grandpa can play with us too!”

Seto’s eyes widen a fraction, but they break contact with Yugi’s at another shout from Yugi’s grandfather.

“Gotta go, till next time!”

Yugi tucks the bag back into his sleeve and scampers off.

As Seto stands, he watches Yugi’s figure join up with an adult closer to the entrance of the Shrine that he assumes is the boy’s grandfather. The crowd was leaving now, and he finally feels at liberty to step up to the dying fire. The king piece still lies in his palm and he debates on tossing it into the blaze.

In the end he tucks it under the side of his Obi instead.

The last few patrons leave, and all that’s left of the fire is embers and ash. No one talks to him for the rest of the night.

_____

It took four weeks for Yugi to follow through on his promise to return for another game. This time with Grandpa as well.

They first stopped to conduct their prayers before asking around for Seto.

But everyone they spoke to said they had never heard of such a boy. Even those who worked there. But Yugi was certain Seto said he lived there.

Right?

Grandpa speculated that perhaps the boy meant in the general area, for no one the old man knew had any children fitting the description.

Yugi went home empty-handed.

It wasn’t the last time he visited and tried to look for Seto with no results. Five more visits over several months Grandpa had with his friends turned into searches on the side for Yugi.

But each time he went, Seto was nowhere to be seen.

Until one day he went at night. And not with grandpa this time. He’d finally solved the millennium puzzle. He had his other self to help him search.

But he was also greeted with a sign at the entrance.

Due to its age, decay, and the expanding city, the place was due to be torn down in two weeks.

Spurred into haste Yugi took off sprinting down the path.

Everything was dark. Unkempt.

I see no sign of anyone, his other self said.

“He’s gotta be here. Somewhere. He’s gotta.”

The ghostly form of his other self examined the dried-out chozuya intently.

Perhaps he moved away when the construction got annou—

“Get away from that!”

Bowled over by an unseen force the other Yugi went sliding across the concrete.

“No evil spirit will take this place!”

That voice, Yugi knew it.

But before he could inform his other self this was who they were looking for, he was already retaliating against the attack.

You were the one who attacked us first so why don’t we play a little game—

But Seto wasn’t having any of that and simply ran out from his hiding spot to take a swing at the other Yugi.

“Ow! What’s you’re problem—”

“Both of you stop! Other Me, this is who we’re looking for! Seto, it’s me, Yugi! Remember?”

Both of them froze.

They glance at each other and then back at Yugi.

“Why are there two of you—”

—wait if this is him, how can he see me?

They asked simultaneously.

“That… is a good question.”

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Where Mew's wips go to die: Stalemate

◇ Anyway like I said, uploading my wips in a previous post because why not lol. I don't have any plans to continue these but I might as well release them out into the wild. This is basically 'what if Diva only managed to grab one puzzle piece? What would have happened then?

“We know the missing puzzle piece is in your cube. We just need you to open it.”

Diva didn’t know why Seto Kaiba thought putting his kid brother in charge of his interrogation was the best approach but he wasn’t intimidated. Though he did admit if only he’d managed to grab more than one piece, he’d be in far better situation. Sera or Manny could have taken the others into a faraway plane that Seto Kaiba could never hope to reach as a contingency plan.

“Even with all of Kaiba Corp’s technology can’t get it open, hm?” Diva taunted, leaning forward in his chair to smirk at the younger Kaiba.

“We’ve not had time to try every technique in the world. But wouldn’t it be easier for us both if you just coughed it up instead of waiting for us to persuade you?”

“I assure you in a test of patience, I will outlast you and your brother by a landslide.”

The implicated threat was clear, but Diva wasn’t concerned about that. He’d already withstood suffering worse than many could even imagine. Try as Kaiba might, Diva knew he wouldn’t break his resolve.

Mokuba paced the front pane of glass to Diva’s cage.

“I’m sure your buddies are worried about you. How long before they try a rescue attempt, hm? Soon as they pop out of their hiding spot Seto will know where they are.”

“Yes yes, the mad dictator that he is I’m sure he knows when someone sneezes in Domino.” The Plana leader gives a pointed glare at the nearest camera, knowing Kaiba must be watching. “But my siblings wouldn’t be so stupid as to try and come after me. They know what’s at stake for us. And that I can hold my own.”

There’s a longer break of silence as Mokuba continues to pace, probably trying to come up with another way to approach to get into Diva’s head.

“I’ll let Seto know that then. He won’t be happy though, I’ll have you know.”

Diva peeled back his lips in a Cheshire grin.

“Oh, I’m counting on it.”

_____

Several hours had passed since the younger Kaiba’s departure. Once whatever drug he’d been sedated with after he’d been caught on the rooftop fully wore off from his body enough to stand Diva searched for any weaknesses in his prison.

It was small and empty aside from the sole chair in it. Clearly meant to be more of a short term holding cell. Though seeing as whatever technology was imbued in the glass cut off his ability to communicate with the Plana just as well as the deprivation mask had, Diva doubted the cell was easy to make.

There was a vent far up in ceiling for air. But even if he could scale the glass to it, it was far too small to try and fit through it. Everything else was sealed. No openings or hinges. Diva suspected that the barriers probably raised or lowered from the floor or ceiling in entirely. So no seams or cracks to chip away at.

There were still a few guards in the room after the little Kaiba left. Not saying anything. Just watching.

But Diva wasn’t bothered by their stares behind their shades either. He was the only one with real leverage here.

Kaiba was probably scrambling to find a workaround. The thought amused Diva.

A hiss of the mechanical doors makes the Plana leader turn his head from his examination.

This time the elder Kaiba strode in.

Arrogant fool acted like he owned the world by his body language alone. In reality he only owned a few piles of bricks in one dimension.

“Given up yet?” Diva asked.

He wasn’t given an answer right away. There’s a small tilt of the brunette’s head.

“We can do this the easy way or the hard way. You open that stupid cube of yours and hand over the puzzle piece or I make your life a living hell.”

Kaiba is inches away from the glass, his breath leaving fog as he lays out his threats.

“I’ve done my research. You don’t exist. Legally, there’s no record of where you came from, your lineage, you leaving another country and entering Japan. You can vanish without a trace and there’d be no one to hold me responsible for what happens to you. And if your freaky friends try anything I’ve already proved I can render their powers moot. I’m in no rush. So what will it be?”

Intimidation. Intimidation gives into fear, and fear was something Diva was beyond.

He claps a few times for the control freak.

“Ooh, an impressive display of puffing up your feathers, I’ll admit.”

Diva steps close to the glass.

“You going to torture me? Starve me out? You’re welcome to try, but I’ve faced worse than you. There is nothing more important to me than the survival of the Plana.”

It was his mission after all. If it was achieved they’d all get out of this cycle of a shattered world. Somewhere better that only they could see. And most importantly, he’d fulfill the dying wish of Master Shin.

“Besides, I know you won’t. Nothing beyond what I would consider mild. I’ve done my research on you too, Seto Kaiba. The naïve teenage heir to a weapons company that flipped it into the most profitable gaming company on the planet. As much as I hate to admit it, you seem to have some morals. I can’t see you skinning someone until they speak.”

“Me personally? Of course not. Too much mess. But I can always get someone else to do the dirty work,” Kaiba retorted.

Diva smirks, twirling a lock or his hair around his finger.

“Right, and just keep that from your little brother without losing a wink of sleep over it? Even have him watch an unarmed person be tortured by some lacky of yours?”

Kaiba didn’t reply. Instead he finally stepped away from the cell to murmur some instructions to the security guards.

The doors hissed open again and the CEO left.

Diva settled back into the provided chair, crossed his legs and shot a grin at the men in suits.

“Let me know if any of you get bored and want to play twenty questions.”

_____

It had been several days, Diva would guess. He’d not seen either of the Kaibas since the last time he spoke with the elder one.

They left the lights on at all times which was the most difficult part of telling how much time had passed. There was a contraption in the floor that would open about one square foot in area that would allow the guards to give him water. It was still much too small of a panel to try and escape through even if Diva could jam it before it could slide closed.

No food though. No matter, Diva would take his coat off whenever he sleep, wad it up and hugged it to his growling stomach whenever he got hungry when he slept. Going to the restroom was a pain though, they’d pass him the deportation mask through the same contraption to put on before escorting him to it. Of course he thought about just taking the mask off but the guards warned if he tried to remove it without the proper access key it would electrocute him.

Kaiba couldn’t ignore him forever. This wasn’t a case where the key could just be thrown away and he’d be left to rot. The CEO was desperate and Diva knew it. Only someone really desperate to achieve something would throw themselves headfirst into trying to travel dimensions despite being warned of the dangers. Sera had almost gotten rid of him if it wasn’t for the little brother intervening. Why was the Nameless Pharaoh so important to him anyway? It didn’t sound like they were friends by all the footage of their past duels.

He continues to theorize while lying on the floor of his little terrarium with his coat draped over his eyes to block the annoying LEDs.

The door hisses open again and Diva, suspecting it’s another guard coming to switch shifts, ignores it.

“Had any change of heart?” the younger Kaiba’s voice asked.

Diva yawned and sat up.

“No really, no. Unless you two also decide to not revive the pharaoh.”

“Nice try,” Mokuba said with a snort.

“Where’s your brother? I scare him off last time?”

“He’s got other matters to attend to.”

“So you mean he’s scrambling to try and find another way to get the cube open while he passes off the less important task of trying to whittle me down to you.”

The younger Kaiba bristled. It was hard to notice, but Diva saw it. The little Kaiba stayed quiet.

“Any food in my future?” Diva tried.

Sure, he could endure the pangs of hunger but he’d rather not.

“If you give us the puzzle piece.”

“Not an equivalent exchange, I’m afraid.”

“Seems like a lot to put up with just for some freaky powers,” the younger Kaiba fished.

“It’s more than a power trip.”

“How so?”

Diva frowned. “I don’t need to explain myself to you. I doubt your brother cares to know. And if he does, he’ll have to ask me himself.”

The younger Kaiba lingered for a while longer. He exchanged a few hushed words with one of the guards.

Then the mechanical doors swished closed behind him.

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Also before I forget again thank you @cartoonsbyandie for once again feeding my brainrot for whatever my current fixation is 🙏 this time Hugo Vlad from ZZZ doing one of Lelouch's poses! (Bc they have the same japanese VA if you didn't know lmao and the parallels are uncanny). You should definitely commission her if you're looking for art!

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lycaon kindly reminds you all to wipe your paws before you come in

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Your Exclusive Tea Break

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