Sparks Within the Heart
Chapter Fourteen: Game Two and Final Game
The glowing eyes glared up at Yami and Lauren. "W-What is this?" Yami muttered. "Something enormous is lurking there!" And it really doesn't look good… Lauren thought. It was huge, Lauren could tell. She knew that it could jump up out at them at any moment.
We have to get away!
Lauren reached out a transparent hand and tapped on Yami's arm. Both turned around to run, but two monstrous hands reached out from the hole and grasped Yami's arms, holding him in place. "****!" A head drew itself out and Lauren's heart stopped. Oh my God! It was drooling and Lauren made a face.
"Yuugi…" Shadi spoke up. "You are not allowed to run away… You are now caught in the second game… This is a shadow game… 'Deadly Shinkei Suijaku'…"
"What?" Lauren yelled. A shadow game?
"Yuugi!" Shadi continued. "There is only one way to escape Ammit's crucifixtion…" Wait… what? Ammit? In Ancient Egypt Ammit was a female demon that was part lion, part crocodile, and part hippo. It had been the three biggest man-eating creatures the Ancient Egyptians knew of. Lauren had seen tablets of her in her trips to Egypt. "Win this second game!"
"Gah…!" Yami muttered. It was like a giant crocodile…! Yami looked back and saw just how big its mouth was. He knew, however, that it had to be another one of Shadi's illusions. "Indeed… The demon you see is an illusion! Yet, even though it is a mere illusion… Should it eat you, you will die… You will lose your soul! Though Ammit has already gorged on the soul of the Museum's superintendent…"
"Wait, what? You're the one who killed him?" Lauren yelled, even if no one could hear her.
"Yuugi… In order to survive this game, you must dispel Ammit's illusion!" This is insane! Lauren thought. "Now, I shall explain the rules…"
Suddenly, nine tiles appeared before Yami. Each had a question mark over them. "What? Nine slates appeared! What is this…?"
"I suppose you don't know this game… In 'Shinkei Suijaku', you turn over the cards one at a time, trying to find a matching pair of cards! Inscribed on the underside of these slates are different patterns, which can be paired!" But, wait a minute… Lauren looked down at the slates. That can't work…
Yami had the same idea. "Wait a second! There are nine slates! Even if I pair all the slates, there'll be one left!"
"Heh… That is correct… One the center slate would remain… If you can solve this puzzle and guess what is inscribed on the center slate, Ammit's illusion will disappear… But… You are not allowed to turn any of the slates over!"
"What?"
"What?" Lauren exploded. "That's not fair! How's he suppose to figure it out if he can't turn any of the slates over?"
"Yuugi… You have five minutes… If you have not dispelled it in five minutes, the illusion of Ammit will eat your head!" Lauren growled. I'm really starting to hate this guy... Ammit's mouth was wide open, ready to have Yami for dinner. "Heh… I will give you the key to the riddle… Those slates are mirrors that reflect Ammit!"
What? Lauren dead panned. They reflect the monster? She sighed, it wasn't making any sense.
"Now, Yuugi, shake off your fear and solve the puzzle! What is drawn on the center slate?" Shadi yelled. "Game start!"
Gah… Yami thought. What's drawn on the center slate…? Shinkei Suijaku…? They're reflecting that monster…? I don't know! I'm too scared to think! I'm scared out of my wits! Lauren whirled around and saw that one of the little statues were cracking again.
Ah! Lauren turned back around to Yami. Yami, if you weaken those statues are going to break! Lauren did the only thing she could do… She rushed over to Yami, and wrapped her arms around his neck. Come on, Yami, you need to do this! He was the only one that could save her.
Yami's lungs were filled with the scent of strawberries and he took a deep breath, letting it fill his ever nerve. He relaxed and looked over at Lauren's body. It was lifeless as it just stared down at the ground. Lauren! He thought. I won't allow you to die! I can't fail! I have to solve this puzzle! He turned back to the puzzle, now with a determined look on his face.
Yami looked at the puzzle for several minutes. Lauren closed her eyes, determined not to open them so she didn't have to look into Ammit's mouth. Suddenly, Shadi spoke up. "Yuugi! You have one minute left!" Yami finally looked up in shock. ****it! Yami thought. At this rate, Lauren and I… He looked at that ninth plate again. Think it over again! He took a deep breath, strawberries filling his lungs up. There are nine slates… What's the center one? Shadi gave me a key… These slates are mirrors reflecting – It came to Yami – mirrors! Mirrors reflecting the monster's appearance! And if this is 'Shinkei Suijaku'… Then, since there are eight matching slates, there must be four pairs of images!
"Thirty seconds!"
Yami ignored him, determined to find out what the puzzle was… If the slates are mirrors, these pairs will reflect the monster! What things exist in pairs on the monster? And what thing does it have only one of…?
"Things in pairs are… It's eyes! It's nostrils! It's ears! And it's hands!"
"Five seconds!"
"And the one thing…" Yami realized it. "Yes, I know the answer!" Then say it! Lauren could hear Shadi counting down in the background. "The single thing… is…"
"Yami!" Lauren screamed as the mouth of Ammit closed over them.
"It's mouth!"
Another gust of wind blew through the roof and the illusion of Ammit disappeared. Lauren sighed deeply for a moment, keeping herself in his arms. She finally, with heavy arms, ended the hug. She sagged down with a huge sigh. I'm getting to old for this!
"Yuugi…" Shadi said. "Well done! You have beaten the second game! You have reached the final game! Prepare yourself, for it makes the others look easy by comparison!"
Yami looked ready. The final game, huh? Lauren mulled it over. Wonder what it could be…
"Yuugi! The next is the final game!" Shadi announced. "Yuugi! You passed the last two tests surprisingly easily! There are still three Ushabti supporting that girl!" Lauren felt a stress mark come across her temple. Would it kill him to use my name? "But this next game will break them all!"
Lauren raised an eyebrow. He sounds pretty sure of himself, as if he already knows how the next game will end… Wonder what it could be. She wasn't worried really. She had faith in Yami. She knew that he would save her from Shadi's spell. It was Shadi's confidence that worried her.
"Heh… If you are trying to find my weak point, give up… With my mental strength, that Ushabti is like a diamond… Yours are week, like chalky alabaster! You will learn in the next game!" Lauren felt another stress mark come to her. What the ****? She grumbled to herself. Shut up, you arrogant sonova***** and start the game! "Yuugi! Allow me to introduce your opponent for the final game!"
Lauren whirled around and her eyes widened when she saw it to be Jonouchi. "Jonouchi?" Yami didn't understand. What was he doing there? Shouldn't he be running from the Professor?
The American girl titled her head, the look on Jonouchi's face reminded her of when he had been bullying on Yuugi. Without even saying a word, he snatched the puzzle from Yami. "Ah!"
"What the?"
Jonouchi chuckled.
"This is an old version of the other Yuugi's best friend! It's a memory that lives in the other Yuugi's mind!" Shadi said. "His old bullying persona has been resurrected!" I knew it, Lauren thought. So, it's the old Jonouchi… "I caught a glimpse of the memory when I visited Yuugi's mind! No matter how long you live, even if you mange to forget, a bad memory will remain in your mind forever! Yuugi! The final game is a 'game to the death', and you must play it with your friend!"
"What?" Lauren yelled.
"A game to the death!"
The tiles of the roof suddenly feel into a black void. Lauren jumped back. What the ****? She anime cried to herself. "Why can't we ever have a normal day?"
"Your playing field: the valley of cliffs!" Shadi continued. "I shall explain the rules! The two of you will use the 'Millennium Puzzle' as a die! When a player drops the puzzle like a die, their opponent must walk two squares in the direction that it points to! The first to fall into the valley loses!"
"What?" Lauren said. "Jonouchi would never play a dangerous game like this!"
"Now, Yuugi! You must destroy that bad memory!"
"This is insane!" She yelled. "Even if he's a memory, it's still horrible to 'destroy' him by making him fall off the cliff!"
"Jonouchi, I'm not playing this game!" Yami yelled. "Jonouchi!"
"Hey…" Jonouchi grinned. "This must be your treasure! Yuugi… Since you're acting like a girl about it, this must be pretty valuable…" Lauren whirled around and saw that one of the Ushabti cracked, and the first one was destroyed. Lauren squealed as she saw her body wobble on the plank before steadying. She sighed in relief. What was that? Lauren turned around and realized that, though Yami might not have been affected by those words, Yuugi would be. So, the Ushabtis affect both of them. If either one of them show weakness, they respond.
"Yuugi!" Jonouchi spoke up again. "If you want the puzzle back, you've gotta beat me!" Yami didn't say anything. Lauren knew he wasn't about to play this game. "I'll go first!" Jonouchi dropped the puzzle. It rolled a bit before it decided where it wanted to point. "The puzzle is pointing that way!" Jonouchi said, pointing in the direction. "Walk two squares towards the valley!"
"This is nuts…" Lauren muttered, watching the game. Yami turned and walk in the direction.
"Your turn, Yuugi." Jonouchi said.
"I won't throw it!" Yami announced. "I don't want to play this game with you!"
"… Then you pass your turn to me! My turn!" Jonouchi tossed the puzzle down again. It landed pointing in the same direction. "Walk towards the valley again!" Yami got right up to the edge now. "You're on the edge… Next time I toss the puzzle, you'll fall! Pff… Is he going to keep passing…?"
Yami confirmed his question. "I'll pass!" Lauren didn't say anything. She knew what he was doing.
Shadi, however, did not. "Are you quitting on me? Are you admitting defeat?"
"Defeat…?" As if, Lauren thought. "Not quite, Shadi! I believe… In my friends!"
"You believe… Heh… You are unable to break away from the past, Yuugi…" Shadi responded. "You lose! That is the lesson of the final game... To believe in others too much is a weakness!" Yami didn't say anything. He refused to believe that. "Trust others, and your trust will be broken like a fragile Ushabti! Believe only in yourself, and you will find strength! And only fools feel the need to gather together in friendship and comfort each other!"
Lauren was starting to feel another stress mark across her temple. "Oh! So the high and might Egyptian knows everything! Give me a break!" She snapped.
"If you had decided to force your friend into the valley, you would have found true strength…" Lauren rolled her eyes. Oh please… "Now! Toss the puzzle once more! Finish this game!"
"Oi, Jonouchi!" Lauren could feel her skin tingling, and she grinned. I think I know what's happening. Lauren walked up, so she was standing between him and Yami. Yami's eyes widened and turned around, to see that Lauren was now there. "Where's your manly spirit?" She teased. "You're better than this! We all know that! We've got faith in you! You're our friend!"
"W-What? How did she get there?"
Lauren turned to Shadi. "Shadow games are games that show the heart, right?" She grinned. "Since Yami trusted so much in his friends, I think it helped me to let you guys see me, since I'm in his heart!" She turned to Jonouchi again. "Come on, Jonouchi. You're better than this." Jonouchi smiled, and the illusion disappeared.
"Friends don't exist in the present or the past!" Yami said. "If you believe in yourself, your friends will believe in you!"
Lauren smirked, but when she looked out of the corner of her eye and saw the rope her eyes widened. "What? No! The rope!" Yami turned and saw that Lauren was pointing at her body, when he turned he could see that the rope was beginning to break.
"What? The rope is breaking!"
"Yaaaaugh!" Wait, that's… Lauren broke out into a grin. "Lauren! I'm here! Everything's going to be alright!" Jonouchi! Shadi was shocked beyond words. These people… they were supporting themselves? Lauren heard a crack and saw that Shadi's Ushabti was cracking… Lauren nudge Yami's arm and nodded her head at it. Yami saw it.
"Shadi… You still don't get it… To believe only in yourself… is not the true path to strength!"
"The power between friends, Shadi…" Lauren finished. "That's true strength!"
Crack.
With those words, Shadi's Ushabti started to break.