A/N: this will be the last for a while.... i've kinda run into a small "hiccup".... anyways, enjoy this chap. in the meantime, i'm going to talk to myself and my computer.... since i'm trying to make a Cowboyshipping video.... and my computer's being a pain.... deleting chapters and all.

Ryo stirred and looked down. Johan wasn't in his arms and he sat up.

Jim was lying on the ground, his face reddening and blood pooling just under him. Ryo jumped off the bed and knelt beside Jim, who groaned and looked up at Ryo. "Johan...."

Ryo ground his teeth together. "Kraig must've had friends." He stood up and grabbed his jacket. "I'm not waiting. Let me get the nurse to check on you." He threw the door open and stopped. There was a nurse standing at the door at gun-point. "Who--?"

"Duel me, right here, in the hallway. I want you to tell me how to get Johan to stop crying!"

Ryo gritted his teeth and pulled out his Duel Disk. "Fine."

---Johan---

He groaned and shook his head. He slowly got up and felt a throb in his head. Two days ago, Johan felt fine. Now, he felt like dirt.

He touched his head and realized there was something over his eyes. He slowly pulled it up and realized he was looking up at Kraig, again. He gasped and scooted back. He didn't want to be near Kraig again. Never again.

"You, you're not getting away this time. I'm going to be sure that they never find you this time! I won't let you take him away from me again."

"Ryo! Jim!"

"Will wake up with a sore head tomorrow." Kraig gestured to the two men propped against the wall.

Ryo's nose looked broken and there was a red mark around his neck, like he'd been strangled. Jim had a bruise already forming on the right side of his face as well as several cuts to his hands and forearms. They both looked worse for wear.

Johan was about to call them when something hit him full in the face. He toppled backwards and hit the wall, exploding stars obscuring most of his vision. He grabbed his head and hissed in agony. He had to remember that he was still shorter than everybody and he was probably just as weak. He knew he was fast, though, and managed to get up and run away from the next attack.

He didn't see where he was going in the dark, concrete room and tripped. He went right over Jim's foot and landed on Ryo. He reached up and touched Jim's face and threw his arms around Jim's neck. "Jim, wake up," he whispered.

"Oh, no you don't!" Kraig grabbed Johan's arm and threw him clear across the room. Johan didn't know how far he flew, but he hit the wall and slid to the bottom, pain echoing in the room with his out-cry. "Shut up! He should've been mine! Mine alone! Not yours!"

"Stop! Please! I'm sorry! Don't hurt me!"

---Jim and Ryo---

Jim turned around and Ryo stopped.

"Did you hear that?" he asked the black-clad duelist. "I heard someone scream."

"No."

"Okay, then I must be imagining--"

"No, I mean I didn't hear someone scream, I heard Johan scream."

Jim sighed.

He had been thrust into this strange place. It was a long, gorgeous hallway, with white marble floors and empty, gold lacquer frames and a light that seemed to be coming from Ryo and Jim themselves. The hallway had no doors or windows and seemed to go on endlessly.

"Jim," Ryo said, suddenly grabbing Jim's arm.

Jim turned to see what Ryo was looking at.

There was a branching hallway. Ryo slowly put his hand out. The last branching hallway they'd come to was nothing more than a picture on a wall. This time, Ryo's arm vanished into the flickering light of the torches.

Jim and Ryo quickly moved down the short hallway to a door.

It was a tall door, probably thirteen, fourteen feet high, easy. It was rich cherry wood with an elegant carving of a goddess with something circling her, like a ring of light orbs. There wasn't a handle on the door, but Jim reached out for one anyways.

His hand grasped something and he turned. The door slowly creaked open and they came into a room that was much smaller than the door permitted. They stood there, looking around.

A mirrored wall reflected them and the highly polished wood floors were littered with exam papers and photos and odds and ends. The top half of the mirrored wall was covered with photos of people or places or cards or trophies. Along the far wall was a whole bunch of shelves dedicated to trophies, most of which were second or first place. There was a heap of cloth in the corner and it was surrounded by something dark that cast light away. A half empty glass of water stood just beyond the darkness.

Ryo advanced, being careful not to scare the thing under the blanket.

Suddenly--

A/N: cliff hanger.... see if i get any reviews..... seems i'm not very popular.... not many of ya'll like meh story nuh mer.... -emo- anyways, i'll probably update this. until then, ja ne!