The Shadow Games?

Nataki cringed upon feeling the presence of malice surrounding her, masked by the purple fog. Her eyes scanned the area in search of some space around them unsullied by the evil, but to no avail. Turning her attention to Haine, who was tense and on the defense, she felt the compulsion to try speaking to that boy again. Maybe we can still reason with him. She thought while glancing over at Bakura warily. His eyes were truly terrifying – gleaming with the most sick satisfaction upon noticing her and Haine's worried expressions. He's enjoying this . . .

"Listen, you creep!" Haine shouted, her voice cracking from the strain of each syllable. "I don't who you are, and quite frankly I don't care. But you owe us an explanation – where the hell are we?"

Bakura's answer was a loud, foreboding cackle that seemed to echo throughout the purple haze around them.

"Answer me!" Haine almost screamed, her emotions becoming more unbridled by the minute.

"I told you." He began as his laughter finally settled into his throat. "We're in a Shadow Game."

"And what the hell is that?" She countered.

Smirking, Bakura trailed his fingers over the ring-like necklace, which was still emitting a disconcerting glow, although dimmer than before. "A contest of sorts." Casually he continued, "In which the loser must suffer a harsh Penalty Game."

Penalty Game? Nataki could feel her blood curdle – not knowing what, exactly such a game entailed, but somehow sensing the true danger behind it. "You won't get away with this!" She exclaimed, her eyes glaring at Bakura with as much intensity as she could muster considering the circumstances. "Someone is going to see this and call the cops!"

He shot Nataki an amused look. "Heh heh, you misunderstand." Outstretching his arms, as if gesturing to the space around them, which was engulfed in the ungodly purple murkiness he added, "We're not at the pier anymore, but rather a dimension that evil spirits and demons call home."

"Ridiculous!" Haine interjected suddenly. "You can't honestly expect me to believe that we're in hell right now."

Bakura smiled and it made Nataki's stomach twist into knots. "Believe what you will. It doesn't change a thing." Holding his deck up in the air he proceeded with, "The nature of our contest will be more than just a mere duel. It is going to be a battle of wills." Staring at Haine intently he began anew. "You believe you are capable of defeating me?"

Haine narrowed her eyes in challenge, feeling Nataki's fearful gaze piercing through her. "I know I am."

Bakura smirked. "Your arrogance precedes your ability, and you'll see that soon enough." Pointing toward the deck of cards clenched in her grasp he continued, "Our game will be simple. You select one monster from your deck. It can be any monster, even one that generally requires sacrifices or other special requirements."

Haine seemed unconvinced. "So how the hell is that even a contest? If my monster has more attack points, I win."

"I wasn't finished explaining." He taunted, wiggling a finger in the air. "My, my you're in such a hurry to lose."

"Haine-chan . . ." Nataki's voice was shaking, much like the rest of her body at this point. "I can help you-"

"No!" She retorted rather abruptly, which caused Nataki to flinch. "I've got this Nat, so stay back."

"But Haine-chan!"

Turning on her heel a bit Haine looked over at her with the kind of determination that's unshakable. Sensing Nataki's uneasiness she forced out a small smile. "I'll be fine." Returning her attention to Bakura, who was staring impatiently she began anew. "So what? I just pick a card and believe it's strong enough to beat yours?"

"No. You select a card and hope your will to defeat me is stronger than my will to destroy you." He said, his words dripping with venom. "I've already selected my monster."

Haine saw the backside of the single card situated between his index and middle finger and bit her lip as if trying to consider what it could be. She knew, of course, it could be anything. "Tch, whatever." Fanning out her cards in front of her, Haine skimmed through them. Her face looked pensive, as if she knew the gravity of the situation and the urgency behind her selection. But she did her best to remain confident and composed on the outside, if nothing more, for Nataki's sake. After making her selection, she removed the card from her deck.

"Okay, now what?" She inquired.

"Now we summon them." Holding the card up in front of him, Bakura smirked. "Come forth, Diabound Kernel!"

Almost instantaneously, the card in his hand began to shine brightly, and within seconds the duel monster appeared in front of him. Its body looked formidable, and its snake tail snapped and hissed at Haine from across the field, which was really just empty space dividing her and Bakura.

"What the . . . ?" Haine queried. "How did you get that thing to be materialized without a duel disk?"

Chuckling darkly Bakura replied, "Oh I assure you that my Diabound Kernel is no hologram." As if on cue, the monster sent a shock wave in Haine and Nataki's direction, causing them both to take a few steps backward due to the force. "He's as real as you and I."

"That's ridiculous!" Haine spat. "They're just cards!"

"Real monsters . . ." Nataki's eyes seemed petrified as she remembered Akana's explanation of the game.

"The monsters on the cards are said to have been based off real monsters."

Gazing at Bakura, she wondered if he knew just as much about the Egyptian history behind the game as Akana did. Even more disconcerting was the thought that maybe he was involved in it somehow.

Truthfully, I've never seen that monster before, so I have no idea what it's capable of. Haine thought while staring it down. Then again, he did say that it wasn't so much attack points but rather willpower that would win this game, and God knows I've got that . . . "Whatever!" Haine retorted finally. "I'm still gonna kick your ass!"

"Be careful, Haine-chan!" Nataki exclaimed. Truth be told, she had never seen it before either, but she couldn't shake the feeling that it was very dangerous.

"Alright then, I summon one of my favorite monsters!" Raising her hand up into the air confidently she continued, "Come on out, Flame Cerebrus!"

In a flash, a reddish light shone from her card and appeared in the shape of a three-headed canine looking creature before her. It snarled and snapped its mouth at the air in front of it, saliva dripping down near its paws. Nataki's eyes widened slightly at the ferocious beast standing before her friend. It looked like it could rip Bakura's monster to shreds, and God knows she hoped it would. "Good choice, Haine-chan!" She shouted.

"How fitting." Bakura sneered. "To have one of hell's gatekeepers grace our humble field of battle."

Haine smirked. "I thought so, too." Staring Bakura down from across the field, she proceeded with,"Alright Flame Cerebrus! Singe the crap out of Bakura's monster! Insufferable Inferno!"

Nataki watched in a sort of morbid fascination as Haine's monster practically lit itself ablaze with a roar and engulfed the entire field in a fury of fire. Shortly after, Bakura's monster was completely out of sight, barricaded in an unholy onslaught of flames. "Heh, I told you I'd win." She asserted indignantly.

Suddenly, the snake trail of Diabound Kernel emerged from a massive flame and locked it's jaw around the middle neck of Haine's Flame Cerberus. A mixture of surprise and horror filled her, and she imagined Nataki's face reflecting similar feelings. There's no way . . . With a quick motion, the snake tail had rendered one of the three heads of the beast immobile. When the other two heads tried to bite at it, the remainder of Diabound's body, which looked virtually unharmed, emerged from the flames.

"Your will to defeat me is strong, I'll admit." Bakura said with an eerie look on his face. Licking his lips he added, "But I'm afraid my will to defeat you is stronger. Diabound Kernel, destroy her Flame Cerberus and her will to fight along with it – Death Spiral!"

A blast of magic formed between the monster's hands and almost immediately, Haine's monster began to fade into nothingness. In a matter of seconds it had completely disappeared, leaving Haine's side of the field empty, and the look of confidence in her eyes shattered.

"Impossible!" She shouted. Falling to her knees she couldn't stop the shame from rising up inside her. "Flame Cerberus didn't even leave a mark on his monster!" Her hands began to tremble and she used every last ounce of restraint to not throw herself into a fit of rage, sprint over to Bakura, and rip his head off.

"Haine-chan!" Nataki exclaimed while rushing over to her side, coming to a kneel beside her. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Was all she offered as a reply, lying point blank. She averted Nataki's gaze and brushed off her legs.

The sound of Bakura's twisted laughter filled the air around them as his monster disappeared from the field. "And now, as the loser of this battle you must endure a Penalty Game." While walking toward them, the ring necklace began to shine brightly.

"Stay back!" Nataki shouted while positioning herself between him and Haine just as Bakura's hand reached for her.

"Nat, don't!" Haine yelled while pushing her out of his reach.

With a THUD Nataki hit the ground. Proceeding to get back on her feet, she found herself blinded by an intense flash of golden light that seemed to engulf Haine and Bakura.

"Haine-chan!" Nataki cried.

Seconds later the light dissipated, revealing Haine lying unconscious on the ground, and Bakura standing over top of her.

No . . .

"Haine-chan!" Nataki yelled at the top of her lungs, hoping she would open her eyes. Collapsing onto the ground beside her, she proceeded to cradle Haine's limp body against her. Again and again Nataki tried to rouse her, make her open her eyes, but she just couldn't.

No!

Tears fell from her eyes like rain, and she wasn't able choke back the sob that had rose up from inside her.

NO!

"What have you done?!" Nataki shrieked while glaring up at him. "Answer me!"

"She's been dealt a Penalty Game." He stated flatly, completely devoid of any sympathy. "Your friend misjudged her own abilities, and assumed her confidence would reinforce her will to win, but as you can see . . . one must have much more than that to win a Shadow Game."

Smirking as he stared down at Haine's seemingly lifeless body he continued, "Her confidence is being consumed by the shadows as we speak, and with it her will to live . . ."

"What?!" Nataki gasped. Looking down at Haine, who was still unconscious, she felt her fear and anguish for her friend begin to spiral into anger.

Cackling he continued, "Soon she'll be nothing but a corpse."

"Never!" Nataki shouted indignantly. "I won't let you do that to her!"

Ignoring her, Bakura proceeded to turn on his heel and leave, but Nataki ran in front of him, blocking his path. He raised an eyebrow.

"You would honestly stand in my way?" A sinister smile forming as his lips curved upward he added, "Even after witnessing what I'm capable of?"

The words hit Nataki hard, but she was relentless as she grasped hold of the fabric of his shirt. "I'm not letting you leave until you undo whatever you did to her!"

"You mean what you did to her?"

Nataki's eyes widened. What did he . . . ?

Chuckling in amusement, he removed her hands from his shirt and opted to secure them in his grasp, despite her attempts to break free. "That's right." Eyes teeming with darkness he continued, "The whole reason she got into this situation is because she felt the need to protect you."

As he squeezed her hands tightly, Nataki started to hear a few muted cracks, and then she felt it . . . pain – acute and undeniable. "Let go of me!" She shouted. It hurts. But he only squeezed harder. "Stop!"

"It hurts, doesn't it? Knowing that you're the reason she's lying unconscious, enduring the psychological warfare of the Penalty Game!" He was laughing like a madman now, and Nataki felt sick inside.

I . . .

Wincing through the pain, she tried to deny the truth of his words. But as she stared fixedly at Haine's limp form on the cold ground, it became harder for her to convince herself that it wasn't her fault.

She was trying to protect me.

Her dark blue eyes became more solemn as the realization hit her.

Just like she always does.

Instead of fighting back against him, Nataki felt herself losing her fortitude as her guilt bubbled up inside of her and began to weigh her down, like an anchor dragging her down by her very soul.

Because I'm weak.

"You know, instead of trusting that you'll heed my warning . . ." Releasing her hands, Bakura proceeded to grab her by the throat. "I could just end you here and now . . ."

But before he was able to commit to the idea, a sudden flash of golden light shot through his chest, causing him to fall to the ground gasping, releasing Nataki in the process. She remained on the ground for a moment, not quite sure what was transpiring, but before she could react she saw him sprinting off into the distance as intensely bright, almost arrow-shaped waves of light flew into him, causing him to curse in pain. "You've been warned!" He hissed before disappearing from sight.

Nataki didn't know what had just happened, but all at once she began to cry – loudly, uninhibited – as she clutched at her chest. She didn't even look up when she heard footsteps approaching her to see who had come to what she hoped was her rescue – honestly, she didn't care. Her friend was suffering, and she could do nothing about it. When she felt gentle arms enclose around her in a comforting manner, she finally peered up to see her protector. Akana was knelt down beside her, a look of concern washed over her face.

"Are you alright, Nataki-san?" She asked, her voice a bit shaken up. "Are you hurt?"

"Akana-san . . ." Nataki half spoke, half sobbed. "Haine-chan is . . ." She couldn't bring herself to say it, but Akana glanced over in Haine's direction. She had a grave look on her face as she returned her attention to Nataki, her golden eyes gazing empathetically as she reached for her hands. Upon noticing Nataki wince in pain, she sighed softly.

"It'll be alright." Akana whispered gently while wrapping her hands around Nataki's. Then, without a second thought, Akana had began whispering something in a foreign tongue, which Nataki felt pretty sure was Egyptian (for reasons unbeknownst to her). A moment later Akana's hands were glowing a soft golden hue, and Nataki began to feel her own somewhat injured hands tingling from the contact.

"Akana-san . . ." She breathed, the ache disappearing from her hands in a matter of seconds.

While Akana didn't answer her, she began to carefully massage Nataki's hands. After a minute more, she stopped speaking and the light disappeared. She smiled faintly. "How do they feel?"

Nataki cautiously started wiggling her fingers and turning her wrists. Much to her surprise, there was no pain. "It doesn't hurt anymore." Forcing an appreciative smile she added, "Thank you."

Akana nodded. "Of course."

"But Haine-chan . . ." Nataki repeated while heading over to where her friend's seemingly lifeless body lay. Kneeling down beside her, she continued, "Akana-san, can you help her?" Her dark blue eyes pleading.

Soon enough, Akana was by her side checking Haine for a pulse and other indications that she was still, in fact, alive. With a sigh of relief she stated, "Suzude-san is alive, but for how long I'm not sure."

Nataki's mouth stood agape in horror. "What do you mean?" Gazing down at her once lively, rambunctious friend she continued, "She's going to be okay, right?" When Akana didn't answer right away Nataki's voice cracked. "Right?"

Akana seemed thoughtful for a moment as if considering the best way to handle the current situation. "Personally, I've had very minimal experience counteracting the magic involved with the Shadow Games, especially the Penalty Games that follow." Placing her hand on Haine's forehead she proceeded with, "And typically only those in possession of the Millennium Items are able to initiate Shadow Games." With a somewhat solemn expression she added, "So as much as I wish I could help her, I believe we should seek out someone who is more acquainted with this type of magic."

"So you can't save her?" Nataki rose to her feet and almost lost her footing and toppled onto the ground.

"No, not alone." Pursing her lips thoughtfully she added, "But I know someone who can most likely help us." She tried, her voice soft. "We must hurry though. I don't know how much longer Suzude-san will be able to endure whatever that . . . boy did to her." Emphasizing the word 'boy' as if it was masking something far more dangerous. Gesturing to Haine's limp form she began anew, "I'll carry her. You lead the way to Kame Game Shop."

The Kame Game Shop? Nataki wondered briefly. Does she think that Yugi-kun will . . . ?

Nataki was about to ask why, but she knew there wasn't much time for questions. Reacting quickly, she broke into a sprint, determined to get there as soon as possible. "It's this way!" She shouted, only to see that Akana was keeping up with her easily enough despite carrying Haine in her arms. Clenching her eyes shut in an effort to prevent more tears from spilling out, Nataki felt her heart aching with remorse.

Just hang in there, Haine-chan.

Bolting across a few intersections her mind was racing, the thought of never seeing Haine open her eyes again stabbing into her with every step.

Please.

A/N: And with this chapter brings forth the darkness of the Yu-Gi-Oh! verse - the Shadow Games! It also ushers in the darker mood for the fanfic for the upcoming chapters as well.

. . . and I left it off on a cliffhanger because I'm evil xD