Okay, here we go again!
Still trying to figure out how to make text cuts, etc. not to mention my bolds and italics went 'bye-bye'.....
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The Shadow at Your Door, Chapter 2 of ?
A Yu-gi-oh!/Stargate SG-1 fanfiction story
By not_hathor
Rating/Warning: 'OT' for swearing, suggestive language, and male/male relationships (Shonen-Ai, yaoi, SKxRB). Character deaths mentioned, but not shown. Japanese names used. Spoilers for the end of the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime series and for StarGate SG-1 season 7.
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Or any of the characters thereof. They belong to Kazuki Takahashi/ Shueisha Inc., FUNImation Productions, 4Kids, etc. Likewise, I do not own Stargate: SG1 or any of those characters. They belong to MGM, Double Top Secret Productions, Gekko, the SciFi Channel and a whole bunch of suits. This piece of fiction was written solely for the enjoyment of myself and fellow Yu-Gi-Oh! and StarGate fans , and no profit is being made by its writing or publication.
2nd Warning: This is a 'song-fic', a 'band fic' (sort of) and a Cross-Over (sort-of) set in an AU in which the anime/manga series Yu-Gi-Oh! and the live action TV series 'StarGate:SG-1' share the same reality. If any of these are immediate turn-offs for you, please feel free to stop reading NOW. The original version of this story that was posted on FanFiction.net did NOT include a Lemon scene between Seto and Ryou. It will be clearly marked (hidden in a Cut) so that sensitive readers can avoid it if they wish. Although it uses some of the ideas from my 'Weight of a Feather' stories, I don't think it's necessary to have read them to appreciate this one. Thank you.
Author's Note: Six improbable things you will need to know to better understand this story: 1) It is definitely Shonen-Ai & yaoi,). 2) It is definitely AU, set after end of the Yugioh manga/anime series, and between the episode "Heroes" and the season finale of SG-1's season Seven. 3) It is commonly believed in the context of this fanfic that the Spirit of the Sennen Ring, aka Yami Bakura, aka the Tomb Robber, no longer exists although Ryou retains certain characteristics & attitudes (especially when he loses his temper); ditto for Marik/Malik. 4) Several of the supporting characters were 'borrowed' from other anime/fandoms -- see later A/N for ID's. 5) For the main story, the following ages apply: Seto is 25 - Ryou is 24 - Mokuba is 19 and in college. 6) It's my presumption that frequent use of or exposure to the Sennen Items results in an increased sensitivity to the presence of magic and limited access to any lingering residue of mystical energies.
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Chapter 2: Sound Check
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'An eclectic mixture of classic rock and metaphysical Metal' one Rolling Stone reviewer had gushed; BILLBOARD Magazine had praised the band for their 'expert blending of space age icons and ancient imagery that speaks to the heart of every soul on the planet'.
Tabloids speculated endlessly over the lives and loves of Sennen, while thousands of fan girls (and a goodly number of fan boys!) swooned over the exotic good looks of the band members: Hané, the mysterious and moody lead singer who admitted to dual Japanese-British citizenship, with a mane of wild silvery white hair, chocolate dark eyes and a tenor voice that sang so eloquently of lost love and timeless passion; Egyptian-born Marc Rishid of the wheat-blond locks and compelling lavender gaze whose skill with percussion instruments was rumored to be surpassed only his luck with the ladies; Joss Asakura, the dark and dangerous Japanese-Italian bass guitarist whom backroom whispers claimed was really a Yakuza ninja assassin using Sennen as a cover for his deadly trade; Vietnamese-American Le Van Wolfe, who could make a bargain bin keyboard set sound like a symphony orchestra one minute, a honky-tonk jazz combo the next, and two bars later a New Age synthesizer; and Second Guitar Ryan Nash, whose boyish Irish-American good looks belied his true age and penchant for fast motorcycles and trouble. Fan Web-sites and Internet BB's were constantly abuzz with rumors and urban legends regarding the origins, habits, likes and dislikes of the five core members of the group. Sennen was a genuine 21st Century phenomenon.
It was also one of the most carefully guarded secrets of the United States Military: a wildly unconventional safety valve for the employees and dependants of a secret U.S. Air Force facility operating under Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado, which had quite unbeknownst to both the country and the world at large been responsible for thwarting and repelling at least four major alien attacks/invasions against planet Earth over the past seven years. Every member of Sennen's touring group --singers, musicians, technicians, PR support staff and roadies -- was in some way connected to the StarGate project, either through family or as current/potential civilian employees. It was a way of letting the younger, non-military members of the project blow off steam in a productive way; proceeds from concerts and recording sales went to the Air Force Dependant's Scholarship Fund. It could also serve as a means of temporarily removing vulnerable personnel from the line of fire when NID came calling. Said service had come in handy only last month when Cassie Frazier had briefly joined the tour for some badly needed 'downtime' following her adoptive mother's death.
Finding or forging the appropriate documentation had been a minor difficulty, compared to dealing with the paparazzi. Fortunately, every member of the touring band understood completely the seriousness of their situation, and self-monitored all communications with an elaborately designed system of contacts and blind drops, not to mention blatant abuse of 'No Comment' to interviewers and media alike. Some, like Ryan and Marc, thoroughly enjoyed yanking media chains; others, like Hané and Joss simply endured it. It was rare for anything in the way of personal information to be divulged in any fashion; one talk show host thought she'd struck the jackpot when, during an interview and a routine query regarding Sennen's penchant for donating concert tickets to disadvantaged youth and foster home programs, after a bit of tuneful patter from 'The Pirates of Penzance' courtesy of Hané and Le Van regarding orphans, the lead singer had quite solemnly revealed that nearly every member of the band's entourage had experienced similar difficulties in their lives.
"I myself have lost my father, mother, a sister, friends…and lover," Hané had confessed quietly in his endearing British accent. "We know what it's like to be alone, with no one to turn to for help."
Sotto voce, Marc had muttered to Joss: "What's he talking about? Kaiba isn't --" An elbow to the ribs shut him up.
"He might as well be," Joss growled back and the subject was dropped. Later, heads rolled (figuratively speaking) at that studio when the sound mixer technician played back the tape and discovered an annoying buzz on the audio at that exact spot in the interview. No one ever quite figured out what had happened, other than to note the presence of an unexplained 'light halo' on the video around both the drummer and the lead singer seconds later.
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That had been two months ago. Now, as he quickly tweaked the tuning on Ryan's guitar, Ryou Bakura (aka Hané) considered his past and impending actions. Every song on the Domino City play list had been carefully chosen for it's potential in tantalizing, luring, and evoking a response; three full concerts of musical pleas, reminders and barbs aimed at one particular person who stubbornly remained aloof. Still, the first night had brought his Aunt Chihiro to the concert, and dear friends Hiroto Honda and Shizuka Jounouchi, now happily engaged to be married. Last night had gifted him with Yuugi and Anzu Motou (Ojii-san was staying home with the baby, Anzu had confided) and surprisingly enough, Yuugi's 'cousin' Atemu -- surprising, because Ryou had been under the impression that Atemu had 'gone home' some years back. Former ruler and reincarnated thief had stared silently at each other long enough to make the roadies twitchy; then with a laugh that was almost a sob Ryou had lunged into the ancient youth's embrace.
"Bast and Anubis, Pharaoh! What does it take to kill you, anyway?"
"More than you can summon up, Tomb Robber! Where have you been hiding, baka?"
"Missed you," they'd added simultaneously, much to the astonishment of everyone except for Yuugi, Anzu and Marik. Later, over post-concert beer and pizza Ryan had admitted that the two of them had been putting out some serious 'Enemy… Must Kill' vibes that made his fingers itch for a sword hilt and had Joss chewing shirukin feathers. Ryou and Atemu had grinned at each other, chorused "Old habits die hard, by Ra!" and laughed themselves silly at the expressions on the others' faces. He and Marik had spent the rest of the night picking the ex-Pharaoh's brains for any scrap of memory from the past that might be able to help in the fight against the Goa'uld. Atemu had gladly given what he could, and promised to contact Daniel-san at the SGC within the next few days about what he remembered regarding the Atlantis legends.
“I’d like to see them,” Atemu had said wistfully, gazing upwards into the night sky. It was still some hours until dawn; Yuugi and Anzu had gone home long since and it was just the three of them standing in the middle of the deserted stadium.
“Don’t see why you can't,” Marik mused. “Between the two of us, we should be able to convince Daniel-san…..” But the former pharaoh was already shaking his head.
“No, perhaps not. The Sennen items are an Earthly power, meant to protect this world from dangers beyond the stars. They might not work on an alien planet.”
Ryou shivered. “They don’t,” he said bluntly, remembering the horrible wrench and emptiness that he'd felt both times he’d gone through the StarGate. Drs. Frazier and Warner had tried to convince him it was merely an extreme case of wormhole vertigo, but he knew better. In leaving Earth, he’d been cut off from an essential part of his soul, but whether it had to do with the Sennen Ring or something - someone - else he wasn't certain. But it was best not to take chances. “That’s why I’m leaving the Ring with Ishizu and Shaadi when I go next week. If anyone can find one of Maha'ado’s descendants after all this time, surely they can.”
“What?”
“It was his originally, wasn’t it? We – I – only had it by default. Atemu,” he changed the subject quickly, “…please. Don’t try to go through the ‘Gate; it might kill you – again – and it would ease my mind to know that you’re still here to pick up the pieces, if worst comes to worst and the Goa’uld get through.”
Former pharaoh and former tomb keeper exchanged glances. “He doesn’t know?” Atemu asked.
“Know what? Is my hair on fire or something?”
“Bakura,” began Marik.
“What?”
“The Ring is yours, not by default, but by right of inheritance. You are one of Maha'ado’s descendants.”
“One of Fate’s little ironies,” Atemu finished dryly. “Apparently at some point during the past three thousand years, the bloodlines of Mahaado’s family and that of the thief Bakhura mingled. To produce you.”
“Holy Mother of God.” Ryou found himself sitting down rather abruptly on the floor of the stage.
In the end, it changed nothing. Even if he was truly one of the Chosen, he had other obligations and his own path to follow. And if that path took him billions of light years away from Earth, in order to protect Earth, then so be it. The Ring of Wisdom would find another bearer.
Hané played a quick arpeggio on his borrowed instrument, then nodded to the crew. Show time.
No one noticed that the band’s drummer had disappeared into stadium minutes ago.
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Marik made his way quickly and flawlessly towards the center gate of the amphitheatre, moving thru the darkness and the chanting crowd as surely as a hunting cat stalks his prey at night. He would not be missed; this particular encore number didn’t require percussion, just nimble fingers on guitar strings and keyboard, and the lead singer’s voice. He had minutes at the most to accomplish his task, before the band took the stage and the opportunity vanished.
There. In the arch.
“Come out, Priest. I know you’re there.”
“Don’t call me that.”
“Then what should I call you? Traitor? Oath-breaker? Disrupter of Ma’at?”
“That wasn’t me.”
Marik snorted. “Right. And ‘denial’ is just a river in Egypt, Seto Kaiba.”
Only a night-trained eye would have seen the shadow that detached from the side of the arch and recognized it as another human being. Only that same eye would have seen the sudden stiffening of that shadow as the three performing members of Sennen took the stage amidst the cheers and cries of the crowd surrounding them. If the other man answered, Marik didn’t hear it. Instead he watched and listened as the opening arpeggios of the encore’s intro began to filter through the noise and the audience began to quiet.
"So, you wouldn't happen to know who's using the seats tonight?"
A sigh drifted through the air. "Mokuba and his girlfriend. And…. Otogi. I think."
"You actually think?" the Egyptian mocked. "Then you need to think about this, Kaiba. In less than a week, Ryou Bakura's going through the StarGate again. He just spent the last few days saying goodbye to this world and he's giving the Ring back to Shaadi."
"What?" the taller man tore his gaze off the pale figure onstage to glare at the man beside him.
"Ra only knows why, but he seems to think that there's nothing left holding him to planet Earth." Marik tapped the latent power of the Sennen Rod just enough to ensure Kaiba's full attention. "He needs a reason to come home, Priest."
"Don't ---" the other started to protest, but Marik was gone.
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(TBC)
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Author's Notes, Ch. 1 & 2: Joss and Jun are (respectively) Joe the Condor and Jun the Swan from (Science Ninja Team)Gatchaman; Ryan Nash is Richie Ryan from the Highlander TV series. Marc Rishid/Marik is sort of obvious; I never have understood the whole Marik/Malik thing, but for this AU series Marik is the main, non-psychotic personality. Le Van Wolfe is Stringfellow Hawke's nephew from Airwolf; Bryce, I'm not too sure where he came from although I suspect he's the nerdy computer hacker from the Laura Croft: Tomb Raider movie (go figure!). 'Aunt Chihiro' is from my WoaF stories.
Also, if you haven't figured it out yet, the Sennen Items were NOT lost or destroyed following the Ceremonial Duel, which also did not exactly occur the way it does in the manga/anime.
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