Disclaimer: It's necessary to put in, but such a pain. I don't own YGO! I've tried to convince my lawyers and doctors that I do, put the sad truth is that I really don't.
Thanks to all who reviewed!
When The Light Goes Out
Chapter 3
"Ever play 'Snakes and Ladders' Anzu? You have? Good, because we're about to play just that." Ryou clapped his hands and a big game board appeared on the floor. "Of course, since this is the Shadow Realm, there's a slight twist. You know the snakes, Anzu? Well here, they're alive and you don't want to meet them, because they're hungry. So if you slide down one of them, they will eat you.
"Now, the object of the game is to make it to the last square. If you make it first, you go free. But if I make it first, I get your soul. Again, if you slide down one of the snakes, it'll be game over for you. But I hope you don't. I could use your soul as a power boost for my Millennium Eye."
Anzu gasped. "Mi-millennium Eye! But that was Pegasus's!"
"Key word there Anzu. 'Was.' It was his, but then Bakura and I won it off him and now it's mine."
"Just wait until I tell Yami about this!" Anzu threatened. "Then he'll send you to the Shadow Realm as well! Then you can be with your precious yami!" Anzu spat out bitterly.
Ryou just chuckled. "First you have to win this game. Now, shall we begin? Ladies first."
Anzu huffily picked up the die and rolled a four. She walked forward four spaces.
Ryou grinned happily. "My turn!" He rolled the die and got a ten. He walked forward ten spaces.
Anzu frowned. "How'd you get a ten? A die has only six sides! The highest you can possibly get is a six!"
Ryou smirked very much like his yami. "Ah, but in the Shadow Realm if you believe it it's real. Like I believed that it was a ten sides die, so I was able to get a ten."
Anzu glared at the hikari. "That's not fair! You should've told me before!"
Ryou shrugged. "You didn't ask. Now, it's your turn."
Anzu picked up the die and muttered, "Believe. C'mon Anzu, believe. Here goes." She rolled the twenty-four-side die and got a…seven. Anzu swore under her breath. "What's the use of a multi-sided die if I'm only going to get a seven?"
Ryou just smirked and picked up the die. "My turn."
~*~*~*~
Yuugi glanced at his watch. "Where's Anzu? She was supposed to meet us here thirty minutes ago!"
Jou and Honda just looked at each other and shrugged. "I dunno where she could be pal," Jou replied.
"Maybe she forgot," suggested Honda.
"Maybe…," Yuugi trailed. 'But Anzu never forgets.'
~*~*~*~
Twenty minutes and ten sevens later, Anzu was twenty-six spaces closer to the last space. But ahead of her was the largest of the snakes, and the hungriest too. 'Seven spaces. If I get a seven, I'm dead. And my luck has been so bad, I'm probably going to get a seven too!'
"C'mon Anzu, I'm waiting. Unlike you, I've got better places to be. Now, could just roll so I can have my turn and end this game? Your soul really isn't worth this amount of trouble and use of time. Time is money, or, in my case, power. So roll the goddamn dice already!"
Anzu frowned at the hikari and snatched up the die. "Fine!" she screamed and shook the die. "C'mon, an eight! I need an eight!" She tossed the die and watched in anticipation.
The die rolled quickly away from Anzu, tumbling towards the dreaded space. It started slowing down…it was going to stop…the seven was facing up and…
And it stopped with an eight, just the number Anzu needed. Anzu walked eight spaces forward and past the starving serpent. "Whew. That was close."
"Impressive, Anzu," Ryou remarked from space eighty-four. Ryou picked up the die and rolled another ten. He walked to the very last space. "I won." He grinned.
Anzu gaped. "How did you…? You cheated!"
Ryou shook his head. "No, I just believed that the last space was ten away and so it was. So technically I won fair and square. You could've believed that the last space was eight away and you would've won. Though the snake probably distracted you. Of course, I could've ended the game a while ago, but I wanted to see how you would fare with my snakes. So it's your foolishness that lost you this game Anzu, not my skill."
The life size board disappeared and Ryou advanced towards Anzu. "Now, for the consequences…" He withdrew the Eye from his pocket and a flash of gold shone from it. Anzu's soulless body stood dumbly in front of the white haired teen as he pocketed Anzu's soul card. "One down, four to go…"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
So, did you like? It was really Sakura's idea to involve the snakes, and, I must admit, it was pretty clever, and added to the suspense. Now, please review! Next chapter is Ryou's next victim and a new Shadow Game!
**If you have any suggestions for a Shadow Game, feel free to tell me! I could use ideas! And I'll make sure you get credit for the idea too! Thanks!**