Ranko: You guys thought that I was done? That I dropped off the face of the planet? Or maybe worse…that I was retiring? Nope! I'm back guys and with something I think that everyone will enjoy!

Yami: Because Ranko can't let this poor series die in peace.

Yuugi: Why didn't you bring it back sooner if you knew that you were going to do this?

Ranko: Because I didn't know that I was going to do this. It just sort of hit me one day…

Yami: When she was supposed to be paying attention in class but really wasn't.

Ranko: Yep!

Yuugi: Ranko would also like to apologies for dropping off the face of the planet without any warning.

Ranko: I'm sure that this is an adequate apology though ;) And with all of that said, I am proud to introduce the first chapter of the fourth story in this series of the Shadow Game!

Yami: Really?!

Ranko: Yep! A lot of people pointed out to me that there was so much more potential in this story that I could make one more out of it! So that's what I'm doing! I would also like to apologize for the long wait.

Yuugi: Ranko twin owns nothing that relates to Yu-Gi-Oh or The Forbidden Game series; both belong to their respected owners/creators.

Ranko: Enjoy!

-/-

Ryou awoke with a start. He sat up quickly, gripping the sheets of his bed and breathing heavily. Was he sweating? It felt like his clothes were stuck to his hot and fevered skin. The hand that was grasping onto the sheets tightly like a lifeline was shaking and his head was spinning; nothing was certain in his mind and it felt like he just might fall over. He closed his eyes gently to help steady himself, ground himself to reality.

It felt like he was drowning…

"Ryou, no! Come back!"

His eyes shot open quickly, gasping; the dizziness was back.

He held his head in his hands.

Drowning…he was drowning.

"Ryou!"

He was always drowning. His friends thought when they found him that he was better; that he had gotten over his fears. That was easy for them to say; they got over their nightmares, they beat them.

He was killed by his…because he was too weak.

The nightmares never stopped; even while he was in the Shadow Realm, they never stopped. It was always the same nightmare: him drowning, drowning in garbage and filth and being buried alive, suffocated by the stench.

He shivered in repulse.

When he closed his eyes, he still heard Yuugi's voice calling out for him. Yuugi didn't know this, but Ryou tried to get to him, he wasn't petrified in fear, he actually tried to live.

But then something grabbed his foot and dragged him down.

And for a few short, terrifying moments, Ryou was dead.

Ryou felt the tears build up in his eyes; his skin was tingling like there were bugs crawling all over his body…just like they were in that horrific room that could only be from the very pits of hell! Ryou took a few slow breaths to calm himself. He thought of Akefia, of their past life together before the poor boy became a Shadow Man. He thought of the way he comforted Ryou while he was stuck in the Shadow Realm, waiting for his friends to retrieve him.

He still couldn't believe that was nearly five years ago.

He shook his head; no, so far it has been four years, three months, and twenty-six days.

Ryou heard a soft grown come from beside him and looked down, seeing Bakura lying there on his side, reaching out for Ryou's warmth only to find that he wasn't there. He saw Bakura immediately become alert and slowly wake himself from his sleep. He rubbed his eyes tiredly and then peeled them open. He looked for Ryou on the bed and then finally looked up.

He smiled lazily at his lover, looking like he was about to say "good morning" but then he saw the telltale sign of crying on the fragile boy's face. Bakura furrowed his eyebrows together and slowly sat up, a few of his joints popping after a long night of sleep. He stretched and then his arm fell around Ryou's shoulders, drawing him closer.

"Hey," he said, kissing Ryou's temple. "What's up? What are you doing up this early?" He kissed his cheek this time. "Everything all right?"

Ryou stared at Bakura for a few moments, seeing tan skin and a long scar down his face for a moment. He blinked quickly and it was gone. Ryou forced a smile—he knew it looked strained—and responded, "Yeah, everything's alright. Just had a nightmare, that's all."

Ryou slept for another few hours after his unexpected waking earlier that morning. Bakura had work and Ryou had a day off. Well, he had a day off from work and school, but he still had other preparations to work on. Preparations such as planning for his and Bakura's union.

Ryou was lying in bed, his arm draped over his eyes. He felt fatigued even though his day hadn't even started. He looked over at his phone that was on the bedside table, screen dark; he sighed, he felt like he had nothing to do and he was bored out of his mind. He was usually always so busy but his schedule was completely open this week leaving the poor boy with nothing to occupy his thoughts.

Which was never a good thing to begin with. When his mind was free that was usually when he began stressing or unwanted memories came flooding back. Like the Shadow Realm… His mind drifted back to his dream, or memory, from this morning and he shook his head violently to rid himself of those thoughts. He couldn't allow himself to spiral into that black hole.

He quickly snatched his phone from the side table and dialed a familiar number. He put it to his ear and listened to it ring. It went on longer than he had hoped and then finally it cut to voicemail. He sighed and hung, dropping his phone on the pillow beside him and rolled over so he smothered his face.

Yuugi stood in a room that was plain white. It was oddly familiar to him but not quite, and he couldn't quite place his finger on it. But this room was different than the vague one he had tucked away in the back of his mind. This room had a small bed pushed up against the corner, the legs imbedded into the floor and padding around any object with even the slightest edge.

Sitting on the floor in the middle of the room was a young man. His tan skin had a sickly pallor to it, and his sandy blond hair hung in stringy, greasy strands in front of his face. He had a small, fond smile as his empty, once beautiful, lavender eyes stared into a empty space on the wall, as if it would open up and reveal the universe to him.

Yuugi gulped past the lump in his throat and blinked away the stinging in the back of his eyes. The boy squared his shoulders back and walked up to the young man, who looked around his age, if not only a few years older than him, and knelt down next to him so they would be eye level.

"Malik?" he asked, getting the boy's attention.

He turned to stare at his companion but his eyes were still blank and void; did he even see him there.

"How are you, Malik?" Yuugi asked, trying to smile but his lips were quivering.

Malik's eyes began to clear as he heard his name twice. It looked like he was beginning to register that Yuugi was here with him and his smile had a bit more purpose. He tilted his head to the side curiously. "Yuugi?" he asked in a child-like voice.

Yuugi gulped and nodded slowly. "Yes, it's me…Yuugi."

Malik began to giggle. "Eyes like amethyst."

Yuugi felt his heart stop beating for a moment, and then resumed beating three times faster. He froze as he tried to work the words up his throat. "What did you say?"

"When you're unhappy," Malik continued, as if he didn't even hear Yuugi, and stared off into space, barely speaking above a whisper. "Your eyes are the same shade of purple as the sky as the sun is setting. But when you're happy, their such a light, cheery amethyst color."

Yuugi took a few small steps towards Malik and finally collapsed on his knees in front of him, staring at him in shock. He had heard similar words spoken before, years ago…

Malik finally seemed to look at Yuugi for the first time since he walked in. "You're skin as soft and as flawless as silk; as pale as the snow." Malik giggled. "You look more like a girl than a boy."

"Stop it, Malik."

Malik blinked his wide, emotionless eyes that used to be so full of life and joy at Yuugi. "He wants a rematch."

At that, Yuugi wouldn't take any more. He stood up so quickly, he stumbled backwards and nearly fell over again. He shook his head wildly as he backed up, away from the person who used to be his friend but was now an empty shell. Gone insane from the emotional trauma he went through years ago, his fragile mind unable to support his sanity any longer after the whole ordeal.

Yuugi quickly turned around and ran out of Malik's room, ignoring the strange looks he got from the nurses and doctors who were in the hall. He went to the bathroom and locked the door.

He leaned over the sink, splashing cold water on his face, and then looking up at his reflection. He looked so much more tired nowadays. There were bags under his still vibrant amethyst, jewel like eyes. He had only grown a few inches, but still didn't look his age. Still slimmer than any average male and delicate looking. Not much has changed since he was a teenager.

Now he was adult, but the difference was that unlike when he was a teenager, he was a lot stronger. He may look feminine and small, but he was not one to underestimated. Everyone expected him to be the first one to crack and go insane, so why was he here visiting the strongest of them all reduced to the mindset of a child?

Yuugi had all but buried those memories away, never to revisit them until he could barely remember the names and faces of the past. But Malik found reason to dwell on it, reducing him to the state he was in now.

Before he went completely insane, he told his friends that he could hear the voices, the voices calling from the Shadows and speaking to all of them. Yuugi felt those old memories begin to resurface and he was afraid that he might go insane as well if he had to listen to Malik tell him about how beautiful he was everyday like someone he used to know…

Yuugi rubbed his hands down his face, still dripping wet, and ran his fingers through his bangs; even his hair didn't change from when he was a teen. Still spiked in a very punk like way; black hair tipped with amethyst that matched his eyes and gold bangs that fell messily across his face.

He heard his phone buzz in his pocket, causing him to jump. He had gotten a call right before he went in to visit Malik and had let it go to voicemail, still trying to think of the proper things to say upon seeing his friend. He was glad for the sudden distraction though because he was sure if he allowed himself anymore time to spiral into the part of his thoughts that went untouched, he might have to check himself into this mental hospital as well.

He pulled out his phone that was still ringing, and saw it was from Ryou. Yuugi held back a sigh. He didn't know what Ryou wanted, but it had gotten difficult to talk to him lately. He seemed…sad. And he knew that he would ask him what he was doing because then Yuugi would have to tell him the truth and he didn't really want to hash that up.

Yuugi thought about letting it go to voicemail again as he dried his face, but he quickly dismissed that idea and answered the call.

"Hello?" he asked.

"Yuugi?"

Yuugi put on one of his bright smiles, that wasn't so bright as it used to be, and said, "Yeah, Ryou. What's up?"

A sigh. "Nothing much, sitting around the apartment, bored. What are you doing today?"

Yuugi thanked God that Ryou didn't ask him what he had been doing. "I just have to work at the shop; do you want to come over? It will give you something to do."

Ryou paused for a moment as he considered this. "Yeah, I'll be over in ten."

Yuugi silently cursed. It would take him fifteen minutes to get back to the Game Shop from the hospital. "Can you make that twenty?" he asked, crossing his fingers Ryou wouldn't ask the question he knew he would…

"Why? What are you doing?"

And there it was.

Yuugi held back a sigh. "Nothing, I'm just…out," he said lamely, mentally slapping himself for his sudden stumble over his words.

He could practically feel Ryou's questioning eyes through the phone. But thankfully, Ryou was not one to pry, but he didn't hide his sigh. "All right, just text me when I can head over all right?" he asked.

Yuugi was so thankful he had a friend like Ryou who stayed out of his business when he wanted him to. "Thank you," he said, smiling sincerely, and hoping that it came through with his tone.

He heard Ryou laugh. "Yeah, yeah."

'Click'

Something Seto had gotten used to in the past few years was waking up with Jounouchi by his side. The man was usually pressed against him, their bodies fitting perfectly against each other with Seto's arm draped across the blond's waist. And Seto enjoyed being an early rising so he could get up before Jounouchi and stare at him while he slept.

So imagine his surprise when this morning, which was in actuality close to noon, he woke up and Jounouchi wasn't there.

His mind immediately went into a panic. He sprung out of bed and began looking around the room, checking the bathroom, the closet. He was running all around the house, checking every place he could but he couldn't find him. Seto's mind began to jump to the worst conclusions when he saw that his car wasn't even in the driveway.

Did Jounouchi finally leave him? He knew that Jounouchi was too good for him and he saw this coming, the day Jounouchi would finally realize that he could do better and abandon Seto to be all alone again.

He trudged to the kitchen and collapsed in one of the chairs at the table, his head falling in his hands. He peaked through his fingers and stared at the unoccupied chair across from him, where Jounouchi always was.

Seto rarely cried, it took a huge emotional blow to reduce him to the state of tears. But his emotions of losing Jounouchi were so hysterical that he wept.

He barely register the sound of the front door opening quickly and then slamming shut, followed by the sound of pounding feet as someone ran around the house.

He nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt a hand rest on his shoulder. His eyes flew open, rage suddenly replacing hurt. He grabbed the hand and flipped the person around so they would be pinned to the table beneath him.

His dazed mind suddenly snapped out of it when he heard a familiar voice call out to him in pain. "Seto! What the hell are you doing?"

The taller man finally seemed to register who he was holding beneath him. There was Jounouchi, angry honey colored eyes stared up at him, so unlike the warm and loving way they always shined.

Seto blinked in surprise, trying to wrap his mind around why he was here. His grip on the man's wrist slackened and allowed Jounouchi to free himself and push Seto away, which was the push the man needed that would help him find his words again.

"Jounouchi…what the hell are you doing here?" he asked, rubbing his eyes to try and hide the fact he had been crying moments before.

Jounouchi made a sound akin to a growl and glared pointedly at Seto. "What do you mean, what the hell am I doing here? I live here in case you forgot! Why haven't you been answering your phone?"

Seto, in the years he had Jounouchi as a lover, realized that it was only Jounouchi who could leave him in this state: confused and babbling like an idiot, unable to find his words. "My…phone?"

Jounouchi sighed and shook his head. He grabbed Seto's hand and began to drag him outside to Jounouchi's car, which was still running. Seto was practically tossed into the passenger's seat as Jounouchi ran across to the driver's side, getting and buckling up quickly as he put the car in reverse.

Seto had yet to speak again, unable to find the right opportunity to or not knowing what to say. "But…I couldn't find you anywhere in the house. You're car wasn't here."

Jounouchi gave Seto a look out of the corner of his eye and shook his head. "What you're saying may make sense in your mind, but I don't know what the hell you're talking about."

Now Seto was getting upset. "Jounouchi!" he yelled, nearly making the man swerve off the road in surprise. "I woke up and you were gone! I couldn't find you anywhere, and I thought you had left me!"

Jounouchi took his eyes off the road for a moment to give Seto a pointed look. "Why would I leave you, you idiot?" he asked. He put a hand up before Seto could say anything more. "I woke up earlier than you because there was someone ringing the doorbell beyond belief; I can't believe you slept through it."

Seto looked away sheepishly. "Wh-who was it?"

Jounouchi stayed silent.

Seto noted the sudden tense atmosphere around Jounouchi. He furrowed his eyebrows together in worry as he tried to read Jounouchi's facial expression. "Jounouchi? Who was at the door?"

Still nothing; Jounouchi made it a point to avoid Seto's eyes. Seto saw the way the Jounouchi tightened his hands around the steering wheel.

Seto scowled. "Damn it, Jounouchi! You're scaring me! Now tell me…!"

"It was Mai!" Jounouchi shouted back back, cutting Seto off.

Seto sat there, mouth agape. He fell back in his seat, staring at Jounouchi disbelievingly. "You're kidding…"

Jounouchi nodded, his lips pursed. "She was beaten up really bad and could barely stand. I took her to the hospital, but she kept saying she wanted to see Yuugi. As soon as I got her to the hospital, she passed out completely."

Seto stared straight ahead at the road in front of them. "She can't see Yuugi…"

"I know," Jounouchi said in a short matter-of-fact tone.

"She's been gone five fucking years, she can't suddenly show up at Yuugi's door and request to see him!" Seto had never felt this mad before. Mai was always the person in Yuugi's life that the boy relied on the most, and even during the Games, even whenever she was keeping secrets from him, he still loved her.

When she disappeared without another word after the last Game, it crushed Yuugi and took months for him to recover.

"You don't think I know that?" Jounouchi snapped harshly, making Seto look up in surprise. Jounouchi pursed his lips and ignored looking Seto in the eye again. "I'm sorry," he said quietly.

Seto shook his head. "It's fine." A long, awkward silence stretched out for a while until Seto asked, "Did she say anything else?"

Jounouchi wracked his brain for a moment, trying to think back. While he was driving to the hospital, Mai sprawled out across the back seat, she was mumbling a lot of things. He had never seen the woman like that before. She looked like she had been through hell. She was dirty and bloody, her clothes were torn and her once long, beautiful hair had been chopped off.

He had to think about what she was mumbling though.

"Rematch…"

-/-

Ranko: And there it is! You guys would never believe how long it took me to write this chapter.

Yami: I think they believe you all right.

Yuugi: A lot of shit is about to go down, isn't there?

Ranko: Yep! The fun is about to begin! Make sure to leave a suggestion as to what you think the next Game will have them do in your review!

Yami: And while you're at it, tell us what you liked about the chapter and what you didn't like.

Yuugi: And if you want, tell us what you want to see!

Ranko: Next chapter, more drama unfolds!