Chapter 4: Bottom of the Sea?
Aniko
I jumped off the roof landing gracefully on my feet. I heard footsteps walking in my direction and I hid as they passed by. "Malik.. No they got him too.." As he walked off Tea and Joey followed, rare hunters a few feet ahead of them. I stopped in front of Malik, who was shocked to see me, "Aniko…" "Don't tell me. Marik kidnapped you too." I growled. "Yea he did. You shouldn't be here you will get hurt" he said disapproving what I was doing. "I couldn't leave my friends here" I replied. "Watch out!" Before I could turn around and defend myself I was knocked out cold.
Malik/Marik
'Foolish girl! You brought your own demise to yourself. You will be a great answer to my problems' I smirked. "Go set her at the arena." I ordered my hunters that took Aniko away from me. "Let the game begin" I laughed.
Yami
We were on our way to the hunter's hideout I tightened my fist feeling my hand go numb, "We are 2 blocks away. We are almost there. Then we can save Tea, Aniko, and Joey" Mokuba commented.
We arrived to the docks and I noticed Joey standing by the docks, "Joey!" I shouted. "Sorry Joey isn't here now leave a message for him." Marik's voice rang through Joey's mouth. "Marik! Let my friend go!" I growled. "We are going to duel if you win I'll let your friends and your Queen go if I win I get your God Card and your puzzle" Marik smirked. "What have you done to Aniko?" "You will see soon" He laughed evilly. "Yuugi, you better do exactly as I say. Like your friend Joey, Tea is also under my control. Surprised?" "Marik leave her alone she's done nothing to you!" I glared. Tea and Joey walked to a dock, "Welcome to my special duel arena look around you. Should you accept you'll be battling against your best friend" Tea cuffed the boy's legs to a chain. "Notice you both are fastened to a large anchor hanging above you, and look who we have there chained to the anchor as well-"
"No, Aniko!" I shouted noticing her passed out close to Joey and I.
"Oh the Queen is fine… For now. Now the rules are simple 30 seconds after a player's life points reach zero the victor's box will open revealing a key to undo their chain and free themselves or they will be sent in the sea along with the loser. And don't forget about little Tea, but I'll get to her in a minute. And don't think about refusing this duel because if you don't all of you will pay with your lives. If there is no winner in 60 minutes the anchor will automatically drop" He laughed in Tea. "And we can't have any interference" as a crate raised above Tea. "If you attempt to stop it the crate will fall on my head." And he let Tea out of his control. "Where am I? What I'm trapped?" Tea cried out in shock.
'I'll save you guys.' I thought. 'Yami, let me take over. Maybe if he duels me he'll snap out of it' Yuugi said and I hesitantly allowed him to take over.
Aniko
The last bit of the duel I woke up noticing my surroundings. I barely lifted myself up with my shaky arms, "What- What's going on?" I whispered seeing Yuugi and Joey dueling. "Ah, my Queen you are awake I see. I will deal with you after I finish this duel" Joey smirked. "Leave her alone Marik" 'Marik!' I thought loudly as I stood up. "Aniko! Are you ok?" Tristan shouted from the other side. "I'm fine big bro." I replied softly as I started walking towards Yuugi. "Don't move my Queen." Joey shouted. "If you move another step you will send these two under" He threatened and I froze before I noticed my surroundings. Suddenly what felt like I was hit again and I fell to the ground in pain, "Aniko!" "Don't worry. I'm fine" I replied.
My chain wasn't really even attached to me, so I laid it beside me and I stayed down as I watched the end of the duel. Kiba and Mokuba freed Tea quickly and Yuugi's trap absorbed Joey's attack and had the trap attack himself, making him lose. 'Yuugi… No!' "Black eyes attack me with all you got!" Joey shouted as the dragon attacked him dropping his points to 0. After 30 seconds were up the anchor dropped dragging them both down. "NOOO!" I screamed as they both went under. I stayed down frozen as Mokuba ran to me, "Ani, Ani, come on. Snap out of it." He shouted, but I felt trapped in my own mind.
"My Pharaoh, you called for me?"Kahi asked walking in wearing a lovely Egyptian gown. "I see my servants dressed you appropriately" He smiled as a small blush crossed her face. "I wouldn't call it appropriate. I am just a peasant" she replied soothingly. "Since you are in my palace you are my guest. My guests aren't peasants. Now I would like to show you something" he commented before taking her hand, guiding her outside of the palace. "Where are we going Pharaoh?" She asked. "To me… getaway if you will" He replied as he led her to a river before realizing where she was. She laughed softly, "What is it Kahi?" The Pharaoh questioned noticing her sudden mood change. "This river is where I run to when I need space" she smiled as he smiled back at her. "I believe fate chose me to show you this place" he smiled. "Perhaps it did" she nodded as she sat on the bank's side looking out to the river. "Something troubling you?" He asked. "It's nothing my Pharaoh. This brings back nightmares." She frowned. "This was where I went after my mother passed and this is where I was when my father was murdered." She whispered knowing if she spoke louder her voice would crack. "Shall I leave you for your thoughts?" He asked. "It is of your choice my Pharaoh" She replied as he nodded. "I will leave you to your thoughts. I will be in the palace" And with that he left. Kahi stared out in the river before stepping into it until it reached her knees. She stood there for a moment not hearing someone walk behind her. "Well, well, well." His voice frightened her. She jumped before turning swiftly, "Bakura" she gasp stepping further into the river. "What do you want?"
"I came for you. How would I know my love would return here" he smirked. "I am not your love. You killed my father." She yelled. "Yes, that is true, but you are next" he lunged to her pushing her under the water as she struggled for her air, and as her struggling ceased he let her go. "Lady Kahi, the Pharaoh sends for you" a guard shouted and Bakura disappeared. As the guard arrived he saw the woman under the water and he jumped into save her, "Lady Kahi! Who did this to you? Lady Kahi! Someone, send for the Priest!" the guard shouted as he picked up Kahi and rushed her to the palace.
"Aniko! Aniko! Snap out of it!" I looked up noticing Kiba and Mokie standing in front of me. "What happened?" Mokie asked as they helped me up. "I don't know." I lied noticing Joey and Yuugi safe with their friends, not paying attention to me. "Would you like to leave with Seto and I, we know you are the first duelist to enter the semi-finals. Well after my brother" Mokie grinned. "Sure young one. I will." I looked up seeing my friends and brother begin walking off sort of hurt that they just left me. "Well let's go!" Mokie shouted. I glanced at Kiba who shook his head before smiling softly at me, and I returned his smile.
Tristan
We walked away from the docks heading to my place to go eat, "At least we have our six locator cards. Now you, Aniko, and I are in the semi-finals" Joey grinned. Yuugi froze and so did I, "What's wrong?" Tea asked. "We just left my sister" I gulped. I was in for a world of hurt when she got home. "We'll just go back and get her" Duke shrugged not seeing the big deal, but when we turned around and walked back Aniko wasn't there. "Where is she?" Duke asked. "Maybe Marik got her again" Joey joked only to have Tea hit him shushing him. Yuugi's head went down, "If he did he made a wrong choice" we shook it off as we walked back to my house. "Hey Tristan, I think you have a voicemail" Yuugi shouted. "Just push play it's probably just my mom again" I sighed. "Hey Tristan, thanks for leaving me big brother. I'll be staying with my friends for tonight. I already have clothes with me and I will see you in the semi-finals, grrrreeeaaattt." Aniko's voice rang with anger before she hung up. "Well, at least she's ok" Joey whispered.