Ugh, you have no idea how BAD I feel for delaying this, nevertheless I hope you enjoy it.
Chapter 38
Disclaimer don't own Yu-Gi-Oh
In the hall the lottery machine went off, number four was the lucky number to be chosen next. Mai Kujaku.
"I don't need to see my opponent. I'll see you at the finals." she said coldly to the group, she still felt kind of bitter towards Jounouchi,
"We'll be rooting for you!" Jounouchi called out to her.
"Don't bother." Mai snapped.
"And Mai's next opponent will be duelist number 5, Marik Ishtar."
"The real one." Kay clarified.
"Hey Kaiba, since Marik entered under a fake name doesn't that mean he's disqualified?" Jounouchi asked,
"Wishful thinking, but this tournament is based on skill, not names." Kaiba replied with a cocky smirk making Jounouchi's blood boil.
"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked angrily.
"It means that if you want to win you must man up and use your deck, not depend on technicality." Kaiba replied, obviously referring to Jounouchi's last duel.
"Well, let's go watch the duel." Yami said turning away, everybody followed suit.
Kim had heard the announcement broadcasted in Ryou's room and stood up.
"I'll be back, I'm going to watch this duel." she smiled a little before shaking her head and leaving the room.
Cat followed her friends when she suddenly she felt dizzy. Placing a hand on the wall she came to a stop,
the lights of the room seemed to fade out and all was black for Cat.
Cat was standing on a balcony overlooking what seemed to be desert plains, the sun shone brightly making the day hotter. Cat shielded her eyes and squinted out,
"Luna." a voice spoke. Cat turned to see a man dressed in fine clothes decorated in an incredible ammount of jewlery, his skin was tanned, but the spiky hair and piercing violet eyes made Cat gasp. Yami! Nevertheless she felt her lips lift up softening her face. Yami held out his hand with a smile, "Come, let us stroll the gardens my love." he invited. Cat blinked. His love?
"That sounds...lovely." she found herself say as she lifted her left hand to join his.
A sparkling diamond ring was placed on her ring finger.
"Cat!" somebody called, Cat's eyes flickered open. She was laying on the ground and felt somebody shaking her. She turned her head to see Kay who looked concerned.
"K-Kay?" she mumbled starting to stand, she felt a little shaky still.
"You ok?" Kay asked. Cat nodded dazedly. "What happened? You suddenly just collapsed but you're back up in like 10 seconds flat."
"I-I don't know, I just had this...vision." she confided. Kay blinked
"A vision?" she asked
"yeah, I don't know where exactly but I have a feeling it was Ancient Egypt. What Marik says makes me a little scared and this vision...it just proves him right!"
"Well, why don't you tell me about it really quick." Kay encouraged.
"I was standing but then Y-Yami came up to me and invited me for a walk, I had an engagement ring on." Cat admited.
"WHOA!" Kay exclaimed her green eyes wide. "Was there anything else?"
"Um, h-he c-called me h-his love." Cat managed to stutter out. Kay grinned,
"Oh, so Kim wasn't exagerating?" she asked, Cat blushed a deep crimson deciding to ignore that comment.
"Anyway. What should I do?" she asked worriedly.
"For now? Nothing." Kay replied. "Just keep on watch for more visions or something." Cat nodded rubbing her head, "We should get up there and watch the duel."
the two pushed a button for the elevator when they saw Kim walking down the hall looking dazed.
"Hey Kim!" Cat called, Kim looked up and smiled but didn't say anything,
"Come on, hurry up, we're on our way to watch Mai and Marik duel." Kay shouted. Nodding Kim picked up her pace and entered the elevator with them. The three were quiet for a moment until Cat cleared her throat.
"So um. Are you ok?" she asked. Kim nodded,
"Yeah," she replied quietly,
Kay and Cat looked at each other, concern clear on their faces.
"Perhaps you should sit this duel out Kim," Kay told her, she noticed how deathly pale and sick she looked. "I mean, with all the stress you've been going through, and your shoulder and..." she trailed off at the look Kim gave her.
"And what if Bakura wakes up? He'll know that I tried to warn you guys, and despite what many of you think, right now I'm too tired and scared to face him," she looked away embarrassed. "I don't want to be alone."
Cat blinked at Kim's random out burst. She had never seen her friend like this before, as a light hit them Cat could have sworn she noticed a faint red mark on one cheek. But it was gone quickly as it had appeared.
"What he did to you...must have been scary." she said quietly. Kim swallowed,
"All he's done to me so far is injure my shoulder," she replied, she couldn't bring herself to admit that he had imprinted fear of him into her.
Kay and Cat exchanged another glance. Finally the elevator reached the stratos level and the three came out.
"There you are!" Jounouchi exclaimed, "the duel's been going on for a few rounds now." Yami looked over at them, Cat felt herself blush before she turned her head towards the duel,
"Now then, practice time is over." Marik spoke suddenly holding up his millennium rod. "It's time to take this game to whole new level."
"NO!" Yami exclaimed, a thick purple fog covered the entire top of the blimp.
"W-what is this?" Mai asked fearfully "Marik what have you done?"
"Welcome to the heart of darkness."
"What is going on?" Kay asked,
"It's just as I feared, Marik has summoned the powers of the shadow realm." Yami said.
"the shadow what?" Otogi asked, "It just looks like we flew into a fog."
"I remember this place!" Anzu exclaimed. Kim and Cat frowned remembering their twisted duel with Bakura only a few months back.
"But what's the shadow realm?" Adelinda asked,
"A realm of darkness." Kim said quietly, "A shadow game is generally used to confuse and frighten ones opponents." she frowned "I've experienced two so far, and trust me what we went through was no picnic."
"Mai!" Yami yelled, "Forfeit the match now, there's much more at stake!" he warned.
"Yugi are you crazy? I've come too far to let a little bit of fog scare me off." Mai replied.
"But Mai!" Cat protested,
"No buts, I came here to duel and I intend to win." the blonde woman said fiercely,
"Well that's that." Jounouchi said "once the girl puts her mind to it there's not much we can do about it."
"I just hope she made the right choice." Cat murmured.
"Now it's my turn, I summon Amazoness Swords woman." she placed a card down and a moment later a hologram of a woman with darkly tanned skin and a well built body emerged. As soon as the monster appeared a purplish string appeared and attached itself to her and Mai. "Wait..what is this string?" Mai asked.
"You are now playing a shadow game my dear. Rather than having me explain it I'll let you experience it. You'll experience pain like no other, but pleasure like none you have ever felt. It's my turn now. I summon Makurya the Destructor. Now attack her Amazon woman!"
"I activate Amazoness archers, this card will keep your monster from attacking and lower it's attack points by 500. Now Amazoness Swords woman attack!" she commanded,
the monster swung out and chopped off Makkuya the destructor's head off. A moment later Marik's own head fell from his shoulders and to the ground.
"Nice hit." he complimented. Mai let out a piercing shriek.
"Mai! Are you ok?" Jounouchi called.
"His head!"
Marik chuckled as his hand reached down and grabbed his head. "When Markkuya is destroyed I can play a trap card from my hand."
"What happened to Mai?" Kay asked "That scream was not normal."
"she must be seeing an illusion!" Yami exclaimed.
"And illusion?" Adelinda asked turning to him.
"Yes, when you play a shadow game your mind is locked in a hypnosis of some sort, only the duelists can see illusions. Marik must be torturing her mind,"
"What are you so afraid of?" Marik asked placing his head back. "You're the one who cut off my slaves head." he pointed out. Mai just stared at him with her mouth open and eyes wide. "I think I'll activate this trap card. Rope of life. It revives my monsters attack points by 800 extra points although I have to discard my hand." he placed the card on the disk reviving his monster who then proceeded to attack Mai's monster.
As soon as her monster was hit a 3 claw mark gash appeared on Mai's chest and blood exploded out.
Mai let out a gasp before falling to her knees in pain.
"This is my shadow game. When your monster is damaged you are damaged as well, and when you lose 4,000 life points you really die." Marik said with a crazy smirk.
"MAI! Are you ok?" Jounouchi called. The said woman looked shocked and kept looking at her hand which was coated in blood.
"Mai don't be fooled." Yami called "It's just an illusion."
"A-an illusion? This isn't real?" she asked faintly.
"In a shadow game willpower is the key to victory, don't let him break you! These illusions are created by the fear and terror in your heart."
Mai stood up and looked back at her hand. There was no blood. She nodded and drew a card to show that she was going to continue.
"I play Amazoness chain master." she said "Then I'll lay one card face down."
"I'll teach you over and over, that this pain is no illusion." he said darkly then drew a card. "For my turn I play viser dess," a hologram of what seemed to be a headset with drills in it appeared, it went for Amazoness Chainmaster and latched itself onto her head.
"Wait a minute." Jounouchi called out "How come it didn't get damaged? Viser Dess only has 500 attack points"
"Because of it's special ability." Yami noted with a horrified look.
"Yes, Viser Dess cannot be killed for three turns after it's summoning, and it's attack can be deadly." Marik said cruelly, the friends watched in horror as Viser Dess mad some kind of creaking noise as it drilled into amazoness Chainmaster's head. Mai clutched her own head and let out a piercing scream of agony. Yami felt his anger rising.
"Marik stop hurting her!" he shouted over at the twisted demon.
"No one can stop a shadow game, not even you." Marik told him with a satisfied snicker.
"Why you-!"
"Yes, go on, say more. HATE me!"
"Yugi..." Mai said weakly "stay out of this, it's my fight and I'll keep fighting until the end."
"But-Mai!" Cat protested. "You don't have to prove anything!"
"Thank you for your concern Cat, but I'm a duelist, I will finish it." she turned back to her opponent "And now I reveal my face down card. Grave arm"
"heh, sorry, but that won't work on Viser Dess."
"Who said anything about using it on Viser Dess. I'll bury my amazoness chainmaster. My monster has a special ability. Brink of death chain dance."
the monster threw a chain over at Marik and went straight for his deck "When Amazoness chainmaster is destroyed she can take one card from your deck. And I choose the Winged Dragon of Ra!"
"Alright Mai!" Jounouchi cheered.
"Way to go!" Kristen cried.
Kay crossed her arms with a thoughtful look on her face,
"And now I play two cards face down and summon Amazoness Fighter."
Marik drew a card.
"For my turn I'll have Makurya the destructor attack your monster."
"I activate Amazoness spellcaster. Thanks to this card it switches the attack on both our monsters making mine stronger! Counter attack!"
the monster attacked Marik's causing him to lose 400 lifepoints, reducing it to 3600.
"It feels good, when your opponent falls into a trap. Activate Nightmare Wheel. It traps your Amazoness Fighter you'll lose 500 lifepoints per turn along with intense pain."
"I coutner with Dramatic rescue." Mai played a trap. "Nice try though Hon."
Marik didn't look to impressed. "Now in order to summon Ra I need to have three sacrifices, but first I'll return Amazoness Fighter to my hand and play Harpy lady."
"Alright! This is Mai's best combo!" Jounouchi said happily. Kim nodded remembering Duelist Kingdom in how Mai always used her Harpy Lady.
"and now I'll play the magic card Kaleidoscope, it multiplies Harpy Lady into 3. And I will sacrifice these lovely ladies to bring out The Winged Dragon of Ra!"
she placed the card down, almost immediately the sky lit up as a huge golden ball desended from the heavens.
"what the? What sort of trick is this?" Mai asked surprised. Marik smirked.
"It's like a sphere of glowing Metal!" Kim exclaimed
"I get that it's round like the sun," Jounouchi murmured. Mai looked a little panicked wondering if this was a fake, just like Rishid's.
"Relax Mai Kujaku, what you summoned is the real Ra. But alas it's impossible for you to control it, only ones chosen by Ra can use it's power."
"What do you mean I can't use a God card? When a card is in your hand then you control it!"
"In that case take a look at Ra on your disk." Marik suggested, Mai looked down and gasped in surprise. Ra had some sort of Ancient writing on it, but it hadn't been there only a few minutes ago.
"But that wasn't there when it was in my hand."
"That is the key to unlocking Ra's tremendous power, unless you can read that script there's no way that you can use Ra against me."
"A special script?" Kim asked him. Marik turned to her and smirked.
"Yes, it has Hiertic text written on it, it is the same text used in Ancient Egypt for law, literature, and religion. Unlike common demotic text only those of special status were taught it. And we tomb guardians can read this."
"Oh no." Yami said.
"Even Maximillion J Pegasus couldn't decipher it. He was forced to literally transcribe the text from the stones."
Kay gasped. "I'm afraid...there's no way Mai could win this."
Jounouchi shot her a glare,
"But if Marik reads that chant and takes back the card it's all over!" Anzu said,
"and there's so much at stake." Yami said bitterly.
"Hey Seto, what do you think it says?" Mokuba asked. Seto narrowed his eyes.
"go to our satellite room and have it take a picture," he ordered.
"I'm on it big bro." Mokuba said, he took hold of Adelinda's hand and guided her back inside.
"Stare at that card all you want, you'll never understand it. But...I bet Kaiba can read it."
"What does he mean?" Kay asked,
"In fact several people aboard this vessel would probably be able to wield God. Be it family tree or reincarnation. Yugi and Kaiba are obvious as well as me and my family. But I'm sure three more, Cat, Kay, and Kim."
"What are you talking about?" kim asked slightly intrigued.
"I know for sure Kay and Cat will be able to read that ancient text. Hwoever...it would not surprise me if Kim would be abel to understand it. You were all there."
Kim blinked wondering what he was talking about. However Cat and Kay exchanged a knowing glance,
"Well? This is your final chance to control Ra!" Marik taunted towards his opponent. Mai sighed in defeat,
"I play one card face down and end my turn." she said.
"Alright, for my turn I play Viser Shock!" another hologram which looked almost like Viser Dess appeared. Immediately it took hold of Mai's wrists and ankles trapping her. "And now, attack!"
A shock spread across Mai's body and she let out another wail of pain.
"MAI!" Kim called.
"theres' gotta be a way to get her out!" Jounouchi said.
"Did you know Ra has three special abilities?" Marik asked the group "I'll show you one right now."
he turned back to the battle field and crossed his arms in a humble pose
"Great Beast of the Sky please hear my cry, transform thyself from orb of light and bring me victory in this fight!" he began to chant. The golden ball started to glow emitting light and warmth across the field.
"Envelope the desert with your glow and cast your rage on my foe!" he continued, it began to take shape "Unlock your powers from deep within and so that together we may win, appear in this shadow game as I call your name, Winged Dragon of Ra!"
what used to be a ball of light was now a huge golden dragon letting out a roar. "It's time now, to end this!"
Kim's eyes widened and she grabbed her head feeling dizzy. Something about this monster seemed familiar, too familiar. Her hand started to shake, everybody was in an awe of what they had just witnessed to notice.
"on my turn phase I'll have Ra attack this woman and end this duel."
"No! In this game she'll really die!" Yami exclaimed. Everybody looked horrified.
"You're a perfect sacrifice Mai, all bound up, unable to move your hand to your deck to surrender. I'll make this quick, just one shot from ra and it'll be over."
"Marik stop!" Kim shouted up to him fiercely. He looked down at her and smirked.
"I'll kill your friend little Kim, and draw out all your anger and hatred towards me,"
"Why? What do you have to gain from it?" she asked angrily.
"Carved upon my back is the secret to the Pharaoh's memories." he began "For countelss generations my family has carried this burden, hidden away from the world, our birthright was the pain and darkness. Only to one day present it to the Pharaoh for him to reclaim his power." he chuckled "Do you like that? That is the true pain that dominates my other self. Darkness robbed him of his freedom, and what's more is that darkness was born into his heart." he looked up at the sky "I was born on his tenth birthday, his father had filled him with so much pain and sadness, he couldn't handle it all. All he wanted to do was die. so...in order to survive he created me. The darkness and pain is mine."
Everybody looked up at him in either shock or confusion. "I knew that one day I would take over him, but I could only do it when he was filled with so much rage. But that man Rishid...locked me away, he calmed my former self's anger"
"Marik, what do you want?" Yami asked,
"What do I want?" he looked confused, as if that question was in a language he didn't understand "I have no needs. But if you really want an answer, I want to destroy the light, to destroy all living things aside from myself. I want to destroy everything."
"What do you hope to gain from that?" Kim asked incredulously,
"Destruction is my only pleasure, it gives birth in my world."
"Well that's not good." Kristen murmured. Jounouchi clenched his hand into a fist and ran up to the stage.
"I gotta save her."
"Now Ra! Burn this woman!" Marik commanded, Ra's mouth began to fill with a yellow fire, Jounouchi leaped up on and ran to Mai.
"Mai!" he cried.
"Jounouchi? Get out! You'll get hit."
"No, I can't sit back and watch my friend die. Come on," he tried wrenching her free from the torturous hologram "Is this his shadow game?" he wondered, it shouldn't even be solid!
"Jounouchi move! You still have a duel to fight!" Mai cried.
"No...I won't let you die like this!" Jounouchi said placing his hands on the hologram and shielding her with his body.
The fiery power of Ra came at them and Jounouchi clenched his eyes shut waiting for impact.
But it never came
"YAMI!" Cat screamed, Yami had taken the force of Ra's power. Cat started to run to him but Kim grabbed her.
"No Cat!" she cried. Cat's body was trembling as she could only watch Yami being attacked. If it weren't for the surprisingly strong grip Kim had on her she probably would have fallen.
"Is he crazy?" Kristen asked loudly.
"Marik, your anger and darkness, I'll take it all on my back, but I swear! I will send you to the shadows!" Yami said through clenched teeth.
"Yami." Cat whispered her blue eyes widening as tears threatened to spill.
"Cat...you've gotta be strong for him," Kim said weakly, the pain in her shoulder was getting even worse, "don't give up hope."
Ra let up on his attack and Yami sank to the ground unconcious. At this, Cat started to step forward.
"Let me go Kim," she pleaded. Kim obliged sinking to the ground in pain, Kay and Kristen rushed towards her and helped her stand.
"Are you ok?" Kristen asked worriedly,
"yes." she replied.
"You judge, declare me the winner." Marik ordered. Roland obliged
"The duel is over, and the winner is Marik Ishtar." Cat climbed onto the platform and cradled Yami in her arms. Marik came over and extracted a knife from the millennium rod. "Perhaps I should just kill him now." Marik said cruelly, Cat glared up at him,
"Leave him alone," she said, Marik simply laughed
"Relax I still need him." he told her then walked past the two,
"Marik, stay away from her." Jounouchi said angrily stepping in between Mai and Marik.
"You'll regret saving her." Marik said darkly then activated a power from the millennium rod. "You've only prolonged her misery."
Jounouchi felt himself freeze, he couldn't move. Marik strode towards Mai and gripped her chin (illusionshipping ftw!)
"You'll regret getting away with your life in this shadow game, and now I'll go deep within your mind to find a suitable punishment. Penalty game!" he cried aiming his millennium rod at her. Mai didn't even have time to utter a cry, after a few mere moments she slumped to the ground unconcious.
"Marik what have you done to her?" Jounouchi asked angrily,
"I have gone within her mind as punishment. you have 24 hours to defeat me or she dies." Marik said with a cruel smirk, then with a swish of his cape he walked away. The dueling platform was lowered and the rest of the friends huddled around Yami, Cat, Jounouchi, and Mai.
"Katsuya!" Shizuka cried, suddenly Jounouchi fell to the ground,
"Cat, Yami." Kristen said kneeling down. Cat clenched her teeth and gently ran some fingers over his cheek.
"Please wake up Yami." she said softly. Yami's eyes stirred before he opened them. He was a little shocked to see Kristen, Kay, and kim hovering over him. What was even more surprising (to him at least) was the arms that were wrapped around him. Cat let out a breath of relief. "You're alright."
"Of course I am." he murmured beginning to sit up-with her help of course-"What happened?" he asked,
"Marik did something to her." Jounouchi said,
Kim stared down at the unconcious Mai as guilt flooded her, she turned and quickly ran straight towards the eleveator.
"Wait, Kim!" Kay called after her, Kim ignored them and took the elevator down trying to calm her breathing.
Mai didn't deserve this, and if she had warned her friends earlier perhaps they could have prevented this accident.
The elevator reached the bottom and Kim stepped out feeling dizzy, so much was happening. Marik and Bakura had forced her into their plan, she had been injured, next thing she knew she was being dragged around town by Bakura, then flying 4,000 feet in the air watching duels and then Marik had an alter ego who claimed that Kim was involved in some sort of ancient battle.
She took off her glasses and covered her eyes trying to get a grip on reality. Could this all just be a bad dream?
no. she had come to terms in her first ever shadow game that some form of magic existed. Bakura had forced her into another one later on, she witnessed Pegasus's millennium eye trap the Kaiba brothers into cards,
and a few years ago, she had seen firsthand what each millennium item was capable of, why should she doubt it was all some sort of cheap trick now?
"Well well, if it isn't little Kim." a cruel voice said behind her, turning she placed her glasses.
"Marik you scum." she hissed, he chuckled.
"So what do you think of my shadow games? Did you enjoy it?"
she merely glared at him,
"Don't call me little." she managed to say through clenched teeth.
I wasn't exactly refrencing your height," he said stopping a few feet from her.
"yeah yeah," Kim said dismissively.
"Are you going to visit your little boyfriend?"
"None of your business." she snapped. "and he's NOT my boyfriend,"
"Maybe not now, but give him time," this made Kim pause in step and turn around to face him.
"W-what?"
"Don't you want to know your ancient past?" he asked tilting his head a little. Kim bit her lip nervously.
"I-I did, do,"
Marik raised his millennium rod and aimed it at her, she felt her body rise in the air before an invisible push sent her flying ten feet, she landed on the ground with a painful thud.
"Ow, what was that for?" she asked weakly feeling even more dizzy,
"Go and see him. Perhaps some light will be shed." Marik told her before walking away.
"H-hey, wait!" Kim cried standing up. "Why don't you just tell me? What am I?" she asked desperatately.
"Definitely not one of the Pharaoh's friends." he turned around with a wicked grin "How's that for a twist?" he asked her. Kim blinked confused, before she could pester Marik anymore he disappeared into the shadows leaving Kim to her thoughts.
The small girl stood there for what seemed to be an eternity lost in her thoughts. She snapped out of her daze when she heard voices, looking up she dully remembered that she had left her friends, they seemed to be going towards the medical ward.
She sighed and started to take a step in that direction but hesitated.
"Go see him, perhaps light will be shed" Marik had said.
"But..what does Bakura have to do with me?" she thought to herself. Making up her mind she went the opposite direction from the medical ward and ran towards room 6. She needed answers. And soon.
*Collapses* Again SO sorry about this delayed update. It just did not want to be written.
So what do you think? Good? Bad?
Well, review and what not, I'm really busy packing and working but I'll have the next chapter written up soon I hope, I'm going on vacation in like three days. Whoohoo
Anyway lots of litle hints towards the plot. And we've got some MAJOR fun things coming up, And yes I do support illusionshipping, I find it a rather creepy but different pairing.