Disclaimer: I do not, I repeat, do not own Yu-gi-oh. This is a work of fiction for my own (and hopefully yours too) amusement and I am making no money off of it whatsoever.

Warnings: Yaoi, het, crude language, use of the Japanese school year (or at least modeled after it)

It should be noted that I started this several months ago and it kind of represents my first attempt at a fanfic. I was deleting files last night when I ran across this and I figured that I might as well post it and see if anyone was interested in having me continue this. I seem to have two and a half chapters written, and I still have the outline for where I wanted this to go. I guess I should just let you guys read this and be the judge though. That being said, on with the fic.

Chapter 1: The Letter

Talented. It wasn't exactly a word the 17 year old was used to having applied to him. Yet that was how the letter addressed him. Sure, it was the standard letter the school sent out to all it's students, but that really wasn't the point. Glancing down at the letter that had arrived that morning Jounouchi Katsuya read it over once more.

Dear Talented Elemental,

Counting Blossoms School of Elements and Standard Education will begin it's first term on April 4th of this year. You may arrive anytime after 10 am on Saturday April 2nd but no later than 4 pm Sunday April 3rd. The Arrival Seminar will begin at 5:30 pm Sunday and all students are expected to be seated and ready to begin at this time. Upon arrival, please check in at the front office to receive your room assignment and information packet as a few changes have been made since last year. We here at Counting Blossoms expect this to be a productive and enjoyable school year and look forward to seeing you among our student body.

Sincerely,

Buckley Bradshaw

(Level 5 Fire Elemental and Headmaster)

Although he been attending Counting Blossoms for four years now(he would be a High School junior this year), it never failed to amuse Jounouchi that one of the most prestigious private boarding schools in Japan was run by an American, and one by the name of Buckley Bradshaw no less. When he had spotted the name signed at the bottom of his first acceptance letter he had instantly pictured a short pale man with freckles and thick glasses. In actuality, Professor Bradshaw was around six foot three with long black hair(always neatly tied back) and eyes such a dark shade of brown they almost appeared black as well. He was in his late forties and seemed to have a light tan that never faded no matter the season. It wasn't that he was memorizing details, it was just that Jounouchi had become quite familiar with the headmaster's appearance during his numerous visits to the man's office during his time at the school.

Folding the letter and replacing it in its envelope, Jounouchi began a mental list of everything he would need to pack over the next week. Of course, he knew his procrastination would cause him to hastily pack a few moments before rushing out the door, but that didn't mean he couldn't pretend he was going to be more responsible this year. He got as far along as toothbrush before the sound of the phone ringing interrupted him.

Rushing to beat his dad, Jounouchi picked up the cordless in the kitchen."Hello?"

"Oh good it's you Jounouchi. I called the other day but your dad hung up on me before I could even ask to speak with you." The voice on the other line was easily recognizable as that of his best friend Mutou Yugi, a slightly height challenged sixteen year old who had some of the craziest hair Jounouchi could ever recall having seen. He was also a Level 4 Spirit Elemental and one of the nicest people you could ever hope to meet.

"Hey Yugi! Sorry about my dad, he's not all that tolerant of things that don't have a direct correlation to him. That or he was drunk." There was a slightly uncomfortable pause. Jounouchi, while upset by his father's rude behavior, certainly wasn't shocked by it. In fact, making apologies for his father had become second nature to him at the age of nine. That's also the time that he had stopped inviting people over. "Anyway, did you get your letter today too?"

"I sure did, Grandpa even woke me up early so I could read it. Why I don't know, I mean it would have said the same thing two hours later after all. I guess he just got excited for me." While he was usually the first to rise during the school year, Yugi consistently slept till noon or later during vacations, a habit Jounouchi had always suspected the teen's grandpa didn't exactly approve of.

"Yeah, I found mine on the table this morning when I came downstairs. They usually arrive the day after school lets out. I wonder what caused the delay this year because they've left me with only a week to get all my stuff together."

"I know, I was starting to think maybe mine wasn't coming. Anyway, Grandpa wanted me to call and see if you were still going to catch a ride with us or if you had other plans." Yugi did this every year. He and his grandpa had been giving Jounouchi a ride ever since the two boys had befriended each other in their first year and Yugi had learned that Jounouchi had taken a public bus and then walked the rest of the way to get there. Yugi had reasoned that they both lived in Domino and that it was no trouble whatsoever for them to pick Jounouchi up since he was on the way. Jounouchi had eagerly excepted the chance to avoid the less than sanitary crowd that always seemed to be on the bus whenever he was.

" No new plans for me, so if you guys don't mind I'll be tagging along with you." He knew it wasn't a problem, but it never hurt to be polite.

"Of course we don't mind Jounouchi. In fact, we insist!"

Jounouchi couldn't help but chuckle about how cheerfully adamant Yugi was, which in turn caused Yugi to reiterate how important it was that Jounouchi ride with them. The teen made it seem like his best friend's arrival at Counting Blossoms was a matter of national security.

When the laughter stopped Yugi continued on with a more important subject. "Now then, if you haven't eaten yet, or in your case haven't eaten in the last hour or so, do you want to meet for lunch in half an hour?"

Jounouchi's face lit up. "You bet your ass I do. How about we grab some burgers at Henries?"

This time it was Yugi who laughed. "It's like you read my mind, are you sure you're not a Spirit Elemental?"

"Last time I checked I was still an Earth Elemental; it must just be our great minds thinking alike. So I'll meet you there in thirty?"

"I'm on my way. Bye Jounouchi."

After he heard the click letting him know that Yugi was no longer on the line, Jounouchi pressed the off button on the cordless and returned it to the stand to recharge.

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By the time Yugi arrived at Henries, Jounouchi had already ordered his two cheeseburgers, extra large fries, and large chocolate milkshake. Yugi quickly ordered a hamburger plus a medium pop and joined Jounouchi at the table.

Looking at Jounouchi's food, a puzzled look appeared on Yugi's face. "Only two cheeseburgers?" He was used to seeing his best friend polish off at least three of those suckers for an afternoon snack. After all, it wasn't like the blond had earned the nickname "the bottomless pit" by fasting.

"I was running a little short on cash," Jounouchi answered sheepishly.

"Oh." Yugi mentally kicked himself for the embarrassment he had just brought on his best friend. He knew Jounouchi had to take jobs if he wanted spending money due to his father's less than consistent work record, and he also knew it wasn't something the other boy liked to talk about. Jounouchi had lucked out by getting a full scholarship to Counting Blossoms that allowed him to go to the private boarding school that he otherwise wouldn't have been able to afford. A scholarship that his penchant for fighting often put him in danger of losing.

"By the way, I was talking to Grandpa after I got off the phone with you and he thinks he knows why the letters were late this year." Jounouchi raised an eyebrow to show his interest since his mouth was currently full of cheeseburger. "Yeah, apparently something happened to Folds View during their graduation ceremony this year, so all of it's students are being reassigned to other schools. Grandpa figures that would have set them back a bit as they tried to place them all in the proper learning environment for their powers. It's just a theory though."

"Wait a second, Folds View as in the ultra elite school for Level 5 Elementals?"Jounouchi had almost choked on his food at the mention of the school.

"The one and only."

"So we're gonna have Level 5 Elementals at Counting Blossoms now?"

Yugi rolled his eyes. "We already do genius."

"I mean besides the teachers. Level 5 students? That's crazy. Those people are dangerous."

Elementals were divided into levels based on the strength of their powers. Occasionally, with a lot (as in years and years) of training and practice one's level could be raised. However, such cases were rare. Most Elementals simply hoped to master their powers at the level they developed at. As each students reached the end of the sixth grade their powers were tested and they were given their rating. Only Level 3 and above required special training and those that qualified then applied to one of the private Elemental Junior High Schools. Those who tested at Level 1, as the majority of the population did, were considered ordinary citizens as their powers were weak enough that they would probably only surface a few times during the persons entire life. Level 2 powers were considered completely harmless. For example, Jounouchi's younger sister was a Level 2 Earth Elemental and her power was an ability to understand animals. She had to put a lot of focus into it, but it was a power that she adored and used for amusement, not to gain anything.

Once you reached Level 3 though, the powers were considered potentially dangerous. That was why special training was required. Once an Elemental could control their powers they became much less of a threat to society. Students had until the end of their senior year to gain control of their power or their power would be bound and they returned to civilian status. Those that passed the final exams had to register their power with the government so they could easily be tracked down should they improperly use them. Level 4 was the highest rating most Elementals could hope for. It meant your powers were extremely strong and when using them properly you were certainly a force to be reckoned with. Most students at Counting Blossoms were Level 4 Elementals, although there were a few Level 3's who showed potential to possibly up their rating in the future that attended as well.

Being a Level 5 Elemental told everyone one thing: your powers were deadly. All teachers and high ranking officials were Level 5, most of them having raised their rating before their twentieth birthday. Level 5 students were considered a class of their own. There were only two ways for a student to have a Level 5 rating, since they obviously couldn't have raised it on their own during their elementary years. The first way was to be born with an innately deadly power, such as the ability to turn things to stone(including people), which automatically gave you the ability to kill and therefore a Level 5 rating. The second way to get a Level 5 rating at such a young age was to have already used your powers to kill someone. This showed that while your power was not automatically deadly, it was strong enough to kill. Jounouchi was less than thrilled by the prospect of having kids who had possibly killed people going to the same school as him. Unfortunately, if what Yugi said was true he didn't have a choice in the matter.

"I don't know Jounouchi, I think it might be kinda interesting to have Level 5 Elementals around. I mean other than the teachers I don't really know anyone at Level 5." Yugi, although optimistic about just about everything, sounded sincere.

Jounouchi sighed. "Easy for you to say, I'm already having enough trouble mastering my powers. The last thing I need is a bunch of potentially deadly freaks showing off."

"Just because they're Level 5 doesn't mean their any better at controlling their powers yet than we are."

Jounouchi allowed his head to drop onto the table with a thud. "That's hardly a reassuring thought Yugi."

Leaning forward to reach his arm across the table, Yugi placed his right hand over Jounouchi's left and the blond was suddenly overcome by a feeling of warmth spreading through his body and a sense of tranquility.

"Sorry about that, but I'm sure it will all work out. Who knows, maybe the Level 5's that transfer to Counting Blossoms will be able to teach us some new things." Yugi carefully retracted his hand, but the feeling that everything would be alright remained with his friend.

Jounouchi raised his hand and smiled. "Thanks Yugi, but you know your not supposed to use your powers outside of the school until after graduation."

Yugi got a slightly guilty look on his face. "I know, but you just seemed so stressed about it. Besides, I trust you not to turn me in."

The two boys were suddenly interrupted by the sound of Yugi's cell phone ringing. As he answered it Jounouchi turned his attention to finishing off his fries and milkshake. Between bites he managed to catch snippets of Yugi's conversation, not that he was eavesdropping.

"...nothing, just having lunch with Jounouchi...No, I hadn't really thought about it...I hadn't heard that...with WHO?...I could have happily lived my whole life without knowing that...I hope you're planning to make him pay for that...right now?...that does sound like it would be fun...Ok, see you then. Bye." Yugi hung up and turned his attention back to Jounouchi. "Hey, what are your plans for the rest of the day?"

"Let's see," Jounouchi mused. "I was going to go home and watch some T.V. and then surf the net, followed by an eventful evening of more television. So to summarize, I have absolutely nothing planned. Why?"

"Well that was Anzu and she called to invite me to this show at The Factory tonight," Yugi explained. "Apparently Texas Instruments is doing a show there and it's like this big secret. She heard about it cause her dance class was asked to provide 'sexy girls' to dance on stage with the band."

Jounouchi almost choked on his own laughter. "And they thought Anzu fit this description?"

Yugi frowned and rolled his eyes. "For your information Jounouchi lots of people find Anzu to be very attractive, myself included. Just because you find her intimidating doesn't mean she's not sexy."

Jounouchi mumbled something under his breath that Yugi thought sounded suspiciously like "I don't find that pushy loudmouth intimidating" followed by a few choice cuss words, but Yugi couldn't be sure.

"Anyway, she wanted to catch a movie and then hit the arcade until it was time for the show. Do you want to join us?"

"And be the third wheel on your date? I think I'll pass."

"It's not a date,"Yugi immediately insisted, but Jounouchi didn't fail to miss the slight blush that stained the shorter teens cheeks. "Come on, she knows I'm here with you and she invited both of us. I think Honda's coming too so if anything you'd be a forth wheel, which would make a complete set."

Yugi's surgery sweet reasoning was impossible to deny so Jounouchi found himself agreeing to go. He borrowed Yugi's cell phone to call his dad(all he got was the answering machine) and then the two teens set out to meet their friends at the cinema.

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The show lasted longer than Jounouchi had expected, Texas Instruments had done three encores, and by the time Honda dropped him back off at his apartment it was one thirty in the morning. The concert had been great, and he would even go as far as admitting that Anzu had done an amazing job of dancing to the bands pop-rock tunes. When they had first arrived Jounouchi had been a bit worried that Yugi would be crushed by the crowd, but everyone had exited unscathed and only slightly worse for wear.

As Jounouchi watched Honda turn around the corner and out of view he spun on his heel, heading into the building and up to the third floor. Digging his key out of his back pocket, Jounouchi unlocked the door and, with every ounce of stealth that he possessed, entered the apartment.

Unfortunately for him, as soon as he shut the door the light came on and whirling around he saw his father leaning against the wall by the light switch. Shit!

"You're home late." His father's calm voice was unnerving. Jounouchi would have much preferred just being yelled at.

Jounouchi put on his most innocent smile. "Sorry bout that, the concert ran longer than we thought it would."

"It didn't occur to you to leave early in order to meet curfew?"

"I honestly just lost track of time Dad."

A smirk that most would describe as evil appeared on the elder Jounouchi's face."Well then, I'm just 'losing track' of that promise to let you visit your sister this week. I'll be calling your mother in the morning to let her know about the change in plans."

Jounouchi's eyes widened in horror. "That's not fair, tonight was an honest mistake! I haven't seen Shizuka since Christmas and we were both looking forward to this. It's not fair to punish her because I messed up." Jounouchi hands had clenched into fists at this point, and his anger was on the verge of getting the better of him.

For just a moment his father's eyes seemed to soften. "It may make her sad, but maybe now she'll realize what her mother and I have known all along: You're just a troublesome punk! Now get your ass to bed before I decide to really punish you!"

Jounouchi stared into his father's eyes for a moment, but quickly realized the man had every intention of backing up his threat if Jounouchi pushed him. With one last hateful glare, Jounouchi stormed out of the room and into his own.

Silently cursing his father, he stripped off his clothes until he was in only his forest green boxers and collapsed on the bed. As he drifted off to what was bound to be a troubled sleep, he was slightly comforted by the thought that perhaps his father wouldn't remember any of this in the morning.

Author's Note

I haven't really put too much thought into what pairings I'm going to put in here but I can guarantee there will be some yaoi (if I go with the plot ideas I have now it's likely going to include Jounouchi/Kaiba, but that's not a definite yet since I can be rather fickle), so it's probably best to just assume all characters have at least some bisexual tendencies.

Hope you liked it, and please leave a review on your way out!