My eyes flew open as I jerked awake, breathing heavily. I was afraid, too afraid to move for several long seconds.

I thought I was in danger.

I thought I… was being blackmailed?

But no.

Maybe it was just a dream.


"You've got shadows under your eyes," Jonouchi told me. Although his tone was teasing, his eyes were worried about me.

Stop worrying.

I laugh. "It's fine - stayed up too late doing homework."

"Let me guess, you played a few games first?" Anzu joined in.

I nodded, smiling. "Yeah. Grandpa just got a new shipment of games, and some of them are pretty good. I keep going back to this one chess set though…"

Honda frowned. "I don't know how to play chess."

"Me neither," Jonouchi said, raising his hands.

Anzu shook her head at both of them before turning to me. "I'll play you," she offered.

I grinned. "Cool!"


I am asleep.

Asleep, yet aware.

Someone sits across a table from me. Before us is a chessboard.

My opponent is white, and already made their move.

So I retaliate in turn.


"Wow! You totally beat me!"

I glance up at Anzu. She beams at me as she studies the board. "I'm pretty sure this is checkmate for me."

I look too. She is correct.

"I won?" I say, slightly confused.

Jonouchi laughs as he slings an arm around me. "Of course, silly! What, were you asleep or something?"

Was I?


The teacher is lecturing.

I can hear him and understand the words, but they string along without connecting.

"You look pretty tired," Jonouchi whispers to me. "Sure you're okay?"

I nod without thinking.

I'm fine.


Cards in my hands. Cards on the table. Cards in someone else's hands.

A game is going on right now.

I look properly at both sets of cards and realize that of the hands holding them, neither are mine.

But that doesn't make sense, does it?

I'm playing right now, aren't I?

Or… is it not me who's playing right now?


I'm asleep.

I must be - because there is red falling before my eyes everywhere.

Rough rope grasped in my hand.

Metal and canvas above.

Is this a dream?

I cannot move.

Must be a dream.


"Hey, Yugi? Are you sure you're okay?"

I laugh.

Too tired to care.

"That's out of the blue," I joke.

Who's talking?

"I guess so."

Are we talking to each other?

But no, they've turned away.


In a game.

Not a game.

Monsters and magic.

They don't exist.

"Yugi?"

I look up to see - not a mirror. Someone looking remarkably like me.

"Who…?" I say, a question and a statement.

Laughter somewhere.

Someone familiar.

But… not him. Not…

Ryou.

What happened to him?

Memories filter into my brain.

They don't make sense.

Stop…

"Magician Hands!"

I look up at the reflection-that-is-not-a-reflection.

He gestures for me to go.

This is right.

That's right.

I'm not a player.

I'm… a pawn.