Good Day Readers and welcome to the sequel to One Last Step! Thanks to all of you for the support and I hope that you all enjoy this latest and final edition of the Hope sisters. Due to certain events that happened at the end of One Last Step, this story will solely be told from Katherine's perspective.

Obviously I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh only Katherine Hope, Yumiko Kazayama, the Hope parents and Kylie Hope along with the unique cards within their decks and whatever other OCs decide to crop up. Also italics symbolise a mind conversation, a flash back or anything spoken in a language that isn't Japanese. I would appreciate any responses that you have, please enjoy

Chapter 2: - Creeping Shadows

After the unexpected meeting with Aigami, I parted ways with Yugi and returned to my home, chattering indicated that someone else was inside of the house. I poked my head around the corner and saw that Yumiko was sat beside mum with Yumiko playing a game as mum worked on a presentation that she was set to make in the next few months; smiling I turned and jogged up the stairs to deposit my stuff in my room before changing and head back downstairs.

"Welcome back Katherine, how was your day?" Mum asked. I had only just stepped into the living room when she asked that question, at her greeting though Yumiko had abandoned her game and leapt to her feet; my little cousin rushed towards me and proceeded to wrap her arms tightly around me causing a laugh to escape as I gently hugged Yumiko to return her embrace.

"It was fine. Although I felt a bit dizzy earlier," I admitted. Mum looked at me with concern present on her face as she rose to her feet and moved over to mine and Yumiko's position; Yumiko pulled back as mum pressed her hand against my forehead before moving the hand down to pressed against a blood vessel in my neck, it was a typical check to see if the dizziness might have affected me in other ways.

"Why did you go dizzy?" Mum asked. As she spoke those words, mum lifted my hands and began to gently rub her fingers across the palms with an intense look within her eyes; I pressed my lips together as I wondered if I should bring up what had happened with Aigami, unfortunately my mum was sharp eyed and snapped her head up. "Tell me Katherine," Mum pushed. Her grip firm but not painful.

"There was this boy in class, he… I couldn't remember his name even though he's supposed to have been in class since school started this year and my magical instincts alongside my Spirit Partners are wary of him," I explained. Mum pulled back as she looked at me, but I could see the worried crease in her eyebrows as her lips pressed against each other quite tightly; meanwhile Yumiko looked on at us, rather worried and confused by the trajectory that this conversation had suddenly veered in.

"Strange," Mum commented. I nodded my head, but there was nothing that could be done about it, seeing how late it was I moved over and got started on making tea since dad was likely to be late back home due to work at the company; as I bustled about the kitchen retrieving supplies for food mum sorted out Yumiko, which left me with my thoughts and those thoughts caused me to realised that I haven't seen or spoken with Seto for a while now.

'I think it's been about… six months since I last spoke to him. Never been that long since we were children.' I thought. Admittedly, none of us were quite sure how well Seto took to the loss of Atem, someone that he considered his rival without having been able to truly beat him, it was reasonable to assume that perhaps he decided to lose himself within his work, but dad hadn't mentioned hearing anything recently either… that caused me to start worrying about him.

A sharp alarm sounded, pulling me from my thoughts and I immediately turned my full attention back to the food I was cooking, I gathered up the plates and quickly dished out the meal. Once done I carried the plates over and set them on the table with mum bringing over drinks as Yumiko bounced happily in her seat as she grinned broadly at the food that was before her; once it was on the table Yumiko dug into her meal with great enthusiasm.

Soon the meals were devoured and I quickly gathered up the plates that had been left behind and took them into the kitchen and began to soak the crockery in hot soapy water. I turned to look at my mum and cousin, seeing Yumiiko talking at ten miles an hour to my mum who was listening intently to her as she showed off a card that Suguroku must have given to her; this card depicted a landscape with marble structures in a green land. I picked up my glass and began to drink from it before having to add it to the washing.

Suddenly something spiked through the world's mana and it was so powerful that a silver and gold aura surrounded me whilst the glass in my hand proceeded to tumble to the ground shattering into pieces, sending the remaining liquid spraying out and my body soon followed after it although I managed to prevent impact against the glass shard using my hands to brace myself.

"Damnation! What was that!" Mum exclaimed. I looked up and saw that a blue aura surrounded mum who was holding Yumiko to her body, my cousin looked terrified as a silvery-blue aura surrounded her own body; a shrill ringing pierced the tense atmosphere and mum moved over to pick it up. "Dear, did you feel that strange sensation?!" Mum questioned. Her tone was almost hysterical and that caused me to final move to my feet.

"Mum, look after everyone! I need to check something!" I ordered. Without waiting for a word of response from my mum or Yumiko, I took off into the garage and hopped onto the bike – gift from Valon and Margaret, lessons from Raphael and Amelda – I owned taking off out into the darkness that currently enveloped Domino City, during the ride I tried to sort through what had just happened.

Something or even worse someone had caused a separation of dimensions to occur and it felt eerily familiar to the sensation that the Shadow Realm normally caused whenever it was allowed to seep into this world and I needed to find out what had happened and where it had occurred before something bad happened to someone else.

Using my magical senses, I located the epicentre of that wretched feeling and immediately rode off towards it revealing that it was an abandoned building that was to be demolished soon. Why was it always somewhere creepy or secluded that these damned Shadow Game occurred? Either people really liked it, or I just had really bad luck.

I hopped off my bike and took the keys out before heading inside so that I could find the source of dark magic that had caused this to happen or perhaps a clue as to who they were. A faint light was brought into my palm as I made my way through the building and up several flights of stairs, before I came to the room where the magic had originated and still lingered which caused a chill to run down my spine as goose bumps appeared on my arms.

Walking in further to the room I found blown out lights and from the glass on the floor, it was clear that something had forced it to blow from inside the bulb. I bent down and placed my hand on the concrete floor beneath me and attempted to sense for any life signs that could have been here and might still exist within the area.

My magic sensed six of them, five were pretty standard human beings and thus of little interest to me since they didn't have magical skills, but the sixth figure intrigued me. He or she felt strange almost out of sync with the world yet a part of it all the same, it was like I couldn't get a proper reading on whoever this person was.

A sound echoed, thus snapping me out of my musings as I leapt to my feet and summoned a silver dagger into my hand as I remained quiet, better to not startle the person who had appeared. I swept my eyes across the room and saw a shadow moving out of the room so I followed after this person since they might have answers as to what had occurred here.

My decision led to a lengthy chase through the building up to the roof however when I arrived, I saw that there was no one there causing a small sneer to pull at my face. This was because I had lost whoever it was; along with the fact that someone new decided it would be fun to mess around with powers beyond their comprehension.

'One would think I'd be done with this nonsense.' I mused. Since there was nothing else for me to pursue here, I headed back down to the bike I had ridden here and was about to leave when a feeling of being watched made me stop and I raised my brown-black eyes up to the person I knew was watching me and I knew it was the person I had chased through the building on sheer instinct.

Atop the abandoned building stood a silhouette but it was still too far for me to actually see any details of this individual except for the glint of gold that was illuminated by the moon's gentle light. This light must have come from the accessories that the person was wearing on their person and I knew that our eyes were locked with each other.

This stare off continued for a few moments before the silhouette miraculously disappeared into thin air and this only caused my hands to tightened their grip on my helmet as I thought about what kind of power this individual must have possessed to transport away like that with so little magical energies being sent out.

"My lady, something is wrong," Andromeda called. I whipped around to see my sister's Duel Spirit floating beside me with a worried look twisting across her normally calm expression. "Something is coming, I sense it, but I also cannot sense it. It is similar to what me and Athena encountered earlier this day… by that Aigami boy," Andromeda continued speaking.

This warning only caused a pit of dread to settle in my stomach at the fact that something bad was going to happen again and this time we were severely lacking in the magical weapons department. I swiftly stuffed the helmet back onto my head and I raced off back home hoping to get some answers about this insanity.

I arrived at the home and parked the motorcycle back in the garage, I stepped into the building and I settled into the soft cushions of the couch as silence surrounded me. I didn't know where either of my parents or Yumiko were but at the moment I needed a moment of calm in order my mind of the urgency that the situation had struck upon my mind.

Soft creaking of wood drew my attention up and I looked over at the person, causing my eyes to widen in shock when I saw that Yugi was standing there, he gave me a gentle smile before moving over to where I sat and proceeded to sit beside me. He took my hands and then my boyfriend started to tenderly sweep his thumbs over the back of my hands as he started to calm the nerves that had been so terribly rattled by the event.

"Your dad contacted me about a strange magic event and I sensed your startled emotions rush into me. But by the time I got here, your mum told me you'd taken off somewhere. I decided to wait here until you returned, allowing your mum to rest after she had a difficult time putting Yumiko to bed," Yugi explained. Warmth and tenderness flowed from Yugi into me and I felt my stressed muscles start to relax, I leaned into Yugi and took a deep breath of his unique scent.

"That magical surge we felt, it was similar to Shadow Realm energy and I'm just not… calm knowing that some unknown and possibly dangerous individual is out roaming so near to where we live and the danger that this could put you, my family and our friends in," I revealed. Yugi had stiffened up once I said Shadow Realm, but no one could blame him due to the havoc that damned place had played with all of our lives.

"I guess that means I'll stay for the night," Yugi claimed. I looked up at him and saw the calm, loving smile that set my cheeks aflame as it always did although I did allow a smile to curve on my lips, Yugi then leaned in and pressed his forehead again mine with his eye glimmering brightly despite the weak light. "I guess that means we'll be Dueling again," Yugi whispered as his smile proceeded to widen.

"You're on my king," I challenged. At some point both me and Yugi had developed the bad habit of challenging each other to duels when we were alone and despite having Dueled many a times, both of us managed to come up with new combinations and tricks that caught the other out several times… it was so much fun.

The two of us headed downstairs to the kitchen with our decks, a pen, paper and a calculator for our mathematics, it was easier and faster than using one's head, we swapped Decks and proceeded to shuffle them before returning them to the proper owner with a quick note of our Life Points we drew our first hand set to begin.

Katherine – LP: 4000

Yugi – LP: 4000

"Ladies first," Yugi teased. I raised an eyebrow at him but didn't react beyond that as I drew a card from my Deck before adding it to my hand and selecting the first card to play in this match and I placed it out for my opponent to see, my Lady of Labyrinths, Ariadne in Attack Mode with two face downs being added.

Lady of Labyrinths, Ariadne – Attribute: Earth, Type: Magician, Level: 4, ATK/1700, DEF/1600

"Interesting gambit Katherine, you're never going to make this easy for me," Yugi noted. He had drawn a card already and was currently looking over his options, before pulling a card free and sliding it onto the field. "I'll play one card in face down Defence Position and a face down card, with that I'll end my turn," Yugi decided. A smile quirked at my lips as I raised my head to look at the boy across from me.

"I do so love our games," I admitted. This set up meant that either Yugi wanted me to attack the Monster probably to activate a Special Effect of some kind that would benefit him, or he wanted to use a card activated by battle in order to take away one of my Monsters or deduct some of my Life Points, it was so hard to figure out sometimes.

"Ok then, my turn," I decided. I raised a card from my Deck and looked at it before examining the rest of the cards that lay in my hand as I attempted to work out a strategy that would allow me to gain the advantage in this Duel even for a short while. "First I set one card face down, then I activate the Trap Magic Torch, this destroys one of your cards and you take five hundred Life Points as well," I announced.

Since we weren't playing with our Duel Disks there were no flashing projections or loud noises to accompany any of the moves that we made instead there was only the serene silence that came after each move was dealt, I quickly made a note of the Life Points that my opponent had lost on the paper.

Yugi – LP: 4000 – LP: 3500

"Thank you, Katherine. Since you destroyed Marshmacaron, I'm allowed to Summon two more from my deck," Yugi revealed. So, it had been the first option to begin with, I watched as the boy removed the two cards from his Deck and shuffled it then proceeded to play the two new Monsters on the field, this time face up but still in defence.

Marshmacaron – Attribute: Light, Type: Angel, Level: 1, ATK/200, DEF/200

"Don't think this will scare me. Ariadne attacks one of your Marshmacarons," I retorted. The fight would get rid of one of the monsters and ensure that Yugi's strategy was stopped prematurely however instead of being worried my king allowed a smile to grace his face as he reached for his face down clearly meaning I'd stepped into a trap of his.

"I activate Holy Barrier – Mirror Force, bouncing your attack right back at you," Yugi declared. I gritted my teeth as this but fortunately I was far from a fool, as I quickly flicked over the Trap I had played earlier, revealing it was Attack Nullification thus preventing Ariadne from being destroyed and ending the Battle Phase, so I ended my turn by switching Ariadne into Defence.

"Alright my turn, I sacrifice both of my Marshmacarons to summon forth Black Magician," Yugi declared. He removed the two Monsters from the field allowing the mighty Magician to emerge into our game and shimmering behind Yugi was the Magician as the boy's Duel Spirit causing me to grin upon seeing his appearance.

Black Magician – Attribute: Dark, Type: Magician, Level: 7, ATK/2500, DEF/2100

"Hello Mahado," I greeted. We had since fully learned of exactly who the Black Magician was to Atem and now with his Pharaoh safely at peace in the afterlife, the mighty Magician had elected to continue serving the boy who had hosted his master and admittedly the ancient being had grown close to Yugi during all the battles they'd endured together.

"Black Magician! Attack Ariadne! Black Magic!" Yugi commanded. Even though my Monster would be destroyed, I decided now wasn't the best time for me to use the remaining face down I had played so I allowed Ariadne to be destroyed but whispered my thanks to the Lady of Labyrinths for the sacrifice that she had made as I deposited her into the Graveyard.

Since that had been done and with nothing else to do, Yugi proceeded to end his turn allowing me to make my own move as I drew another card from my Deck. Upon lifting the card, I saw a move that I could make which would help me in this Duel so I slid the card into my hand as I pulled out another and lay it on the field in order to activate its' effect and my plan.

"I activate Angel's Charity allowing me to draw three cards so long as I discard two," I began. I discarded the two cards I needed to before pulling a second Magic card from my hand and throwing that onto the field causing Yugi to frown as he didn't understand my move. "I use Resurrection of the Dead to revive Mistress of Magic, Hecate and I end my turn," I explained.

Mistress of Magic, Hecate – Attribute: Light, Type: Magician, Level: 7, ATK/2500, DEF/2400

"Interesting," Yugi muttered. He reached out and pulled a card from his Deck before looking at the card then at the situation on the field as he debated the move he had to make before looking at me with a firm look in his amethyst eyes. "Ok Kathie, let's play. Black Magician attacks Mistress of Magic, Hecate with Black Magic," Yugi decided.

"Just what I wanted. I activate Shield Maiden, by paying five hundred Life Points I get to choose the target and I select myself," I announced. Yugi furrowed his eyebrows not understanding why I would sacrifice my Life Points instead of letting the match end in a draw until his eyes zeroed in on my remaining face down.

Katherine – LP: 4000 – LP: 3500

Katherine – LP: - 3500 – LP: 1000

"Now I can activate my final face down card! Olympian Rage! When I take a Direct Attack this card turns that damage into my monster's extra Attack Points," I revealed. Yugi's eyes widened whilst Black Magician smiled slightly as I heard Hecate unleash a laugh from beside me obviously my own Magician had dropped in at some point.

Mistress of Magic, Hecate – ATK/2500 – ATK/5000

"What will you… do now… Yugi," I spoke. However as I did, my eyelids started to droop and my vision started to go fuzzy as a yawn escaped from my mouth, I blearily blinked as I tried to clear my head; the faint sound of a chair scraping briefly tickled my ear but the next moment I felt a hand clasp around the back of my head and I was gently pulled into an person's chest.

"Sleep Katherine," Yugi pushed. The soothing tone of his voice, I felt my eyes drift close as my consciousness faded away.