Disclaimer : I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!, the characters within, or any references mentioned. Shira is copyrighted by me, and remains my creation forevermore.


Chapter 29

Tenchi's POV

When Tenchi and Ryou entered the graveyard, an instant chill dragged its cold finger down her spine. It made her head jerk to the side for a minute. You okay? Shira asked.

She smiled inwardly. I'm fine.

"Hey Tenchi! Ryou!" Adare came running through the entrance, glancing briefly at the old, rusted gate, and caught up with them. "Sorry if I'm late."

Tenchi shook her head and smiled. "You made it just in time."

"Where's that little devil...?" Ryou muttered to himself, eyeing the tombstones, uninterested.

"His name's Bones, isn't it?" the teen asked. "Shouldn't we just...call his name?"

"Hey..." she turned toward Adare, and saw her eyes fixed on something.

"What?"

She looked at her friend. "Has there been anyone grave-digging before we got here?"

"Why do you imply that?" Ryou asked, watching Adare.

She pointed. " 'Cause I think someone's been disturbed from their sleep."

Tenchi and Ryou followed Adare's finger, and the hikari covered her mouth to suppress a scream. A figure seated itself on top of a tombstone, and its face seemed so flesh-less from where she was standing. It wore clothing, but she wasn't sure if they were decomposed or not. The mist in the graveyard made everything so hard to see.

"So what brings you to my domain?" A voice came from it, identified as a boy's. His head lifted up and stared at the three of them. Tenchi now saw that there was indeed flesh on his face, but it had little effect of making him look like a normal, healthy person. No wonder Adare thought that he was a skeleton; he might as well have been one. Blue hair turfed upwards, and his hollow cheekbones sent shadows into his face. A smirk danced on his lips.

"Greetings, Bones," Ryou called out, a demonic smile splitting his face in two.

Bones looked at Ryou, and shouted in anger, "YOU!"

"In the flesh and bone."

"Why are you here?! I just recovered from the Shadow Realm!"

Shadow Realm?
Tenchi thought. Hey, isn't that where you go sometimes, Shira?

Shira said nothing. She got out in her spirit form, and was watching Ryou closely. How is it, that a commoner like him knows of the Shadow Realm?! she thought in annoyance.

the teen glanced at her. You seem quite touchy. Remember, Ryou has the Millennium Ring.

Item, or no Item, it doesn't matter. Only those who hold the power of darkness can open the Gate!

"Still recovering? You must be more pathetic than I gave you credit for," Ryou continued his conversation with Bones. His smirk grew wider.

Bones jumped down from the tombstone, and pointed his bony finger accusingly at Ryou. "That place was a nightmare! My friends aren't the same anymore because of that place! You'll rue the day you came back, Bakura!"

Shira lurched at the sound of the name. Bakura! she screeched. That's the name of the bloody Thief King!

Tenchi tried calming her in her mind. No, no don't you see? Bakura's Ryou's last name. It's not like he came out from the past.

Shira snarled. The name still carries the hatred I feel!

Ryou started laughing maniacally. "I hardly think that you'll ever see me rue. Now, can we start this? I suppose you want to duel again?"

Bones growled. He finally noticed Tenchi and Adare behind him. He glared at him in annoyance. "And are these ladies with you?"

"Yes, and the point of that question...?" Ryou cocked his brow.

Bones looked at Tenchi and Adare. "Oh, nothing. It's just that, why would girls as pretty as these two-" she felt both flattered and nauseated. "-be following you around, when you are the face of evil?" He put his eyes back to Ryou, and smirked. "Unless...they don't know?"

Ryou growled. "Do you have your duel disk, you little skull?"

"I always do."

"Then let's get this over with. Unless... you're afraid of another vacation?"

"What the hell's the 'Shadow Realm'?" Adare asked her friend under her breath.

As if automatic, Tenchi recited the explanation Shira told you, so long ago. "The Shadow Realm is what the demon Zorc Necrophades created, that holds every monster that ever lived. In other words, it's another Hell."

Adare's eyes widened. "Are you serious?" Her eyes stared at Ryou. "And Ryou sent this guy there?!"

Ryou looked over his shoulder, and his cold eyes met hers. He said nothing, but she could read his question perfectly; How do you know all of this? She shrugged, and tried to appear oblivious, as to answer his question. After how Shira felt...she wasn't sure if she'd like to tell him about her yet.

Bones grunted at Ryou's mockery. "I suggest we meet some Terms of Understanding."

Ryou turned back. "And what would these Terms be?"

"Number 1: No one's going to the Shadow Realm. Number 2: This will NOT be a Shadow Game. And Number 3: If these terms were to be broken, than my fellows will do something about the two girlies behind you."

"GIRLIES?!" Adare puffed. "Why, you little-"

Fellows?
Shira asked in the middle of Adare's cussing. Her transparent eyes swept te graveyard, and sure enough, there were other people approaching. That little sneak!

Adare, interupted from her frenzy, looked around, and, too, saw the figures. "Hey! What's the big idea?"

Tenchi looked at Ryou, and he too saw them. He snarled at Bones, "You fool."

Bones lifted his head high and smiled wickedly, his eyes in shadows. "Are the Terms agreed?"

Ryou looked at Tenchi and Adare, thinking hard. Then grimaced. "Agreed."

Bones smiled. "Let's Duel!"

And the duel began.

End of Chapter


Vixen: -phew- For the first time, I'm glad this is a short one.

Star: Yay for short ones! 83

Bakura: You guys are getting desperate now.

Shira: R&R, Vixen loves you, and hopes you liked the chapter!