The last part to this mini-fic! Thanks for reading everyone

"Race you to the water onii-chan!"

"Alright Sis, your on!" I opened my eyes slowly. A blue sky...good, no more darkness. I tried to get to my feet but hit my head.

"OW DAMMIT!" I rubbed my head softly. Where am I? I looked down and...WHAT THE HELL?! A BEACH?!?!

"What happened to the duel?" I suddenly realized I was suspended above the beach in some sort of glass prism. I felt the sides gently. Yea, it was definitely glass, and judging by the distance to the ground, I'd rather not break it. This really sucks, what am I supposed to do in a glass jar above a beach while my friends play below me? I guess I could get a tan, but I'm not in my bathing suit! I guess I could take off my clothes and....on the other hand, Jounouchi would have a field day, so that's out of the question.

"Enjoying the view my dear?" I jerked my head to the right and floating in mid air was a very smug looking Malik Ishtar. He too was looking at my friends. My eyes widened in fear as he turned his eagle-like gaze towards me.

"Malik... what have you done to me?!"

"They look happy down there, don't they?"

"My friends?"

"Yes, it looks like they are happy. Perfectly happy without you!" He started cackling.

"No..." Malik spoke no lies though. Everyone was laughing. Yuugi, Honda, even Jounouchi was smiling and laughing. Had I been forgotten so easily?

"Unfortunately my dear, I have more people to kill than just you, so if you will excuse me, I'll be taking back Ra now!" He reached to my cage and pulled out the Sun of God, Dragon Ra. A trickle of sand started to fall. Looking up, I saw that this wasn't just a glass prism...

"Its an hourglass!" I shouted

"My my, someone went to school." He said sarcastically. I clenched by fists while he grinned at my frustration. I held out my palm as the sand slowly trickled upon it. "This is indeed a hourglass. It will continue to pour down, and as more sand enters the bottom, the more you will forget until you will have forgotten the most basic things, how to eat, how to sleep, how to make your heart beat, how to breathe! You will die here Kujaku Mai! In 24 hours you will die!!"

Malik you bastard!!" He was gone though before I even spoke. I pounded on the glass but all I got from it was two very sore hands. Letting out a sigh, I looked down again. My friends still splashed and played in the water. Anzu was standing next to Yuugi while Honda and Otogi were trying to dunk one another. Jou and Shizuka just splashed each other playfully. I wish one of them would look up and see me. Then they could try to help me... try to save me, because they are my friends.

"Yuugi! Anzu! Jounouchi! Please look up!" I was going to scream myself hoarse at this rate. Of course they didn't look. Sinking down, I banged my head repeatedly on the glass. Those probably weren't even my friends, just illusions that Malik created just to torture me. This was all so insane...

I suddenly snapped my head awake. The sand was now a little more than halfway up my shins. I had to be careful not to fall asleep again, anything can happen to you while your sleeping.

"Come on sis, let's go home." I looked down and saw that everyone was leaving the beach. Why though? They were so close to me. Suddenly, a mix of fear and anger overtook me and I began shouting and banging on the glass furiously.

"JOU!!! DON'T GO!!! PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME!!!!" Tears began welling in my eyes as I collapsed. They didn't hear me. He didn't hear me. Wait.... His head was turning around and...YES! He was looking right at me! I waved my arms frantically.

"Jounouchi! Jou!" He is staring at me! Jo-... he looked away. He couldn't see me. A tear rolled down my cheek as my friends left the beach, its sun setting turning the sky from blue to orange.

"I...give up." The world went black.

"Ow..." I woke up to find the fact my legs were buried in sand. Damn...at this rate I'm going to die! That damn bastard... wait... who did this to me? How am I even here? I clenched my head in my hand and closed my eyes tightly. I had to remember. It happened just a few freaking hours ago! All right, calm down Mai. This isn't going to do any good if you keep freaking out. I took a few deep breaths and tried to calm myself. If I couldn't remember, then I couldn't kill him. If I can't remember...then I'll die. I have to try harder to remember so I can live to see another day. I have to... what was I trying to remember?

"Dammit!! Dammit all to hell! I give up... I give the hell up..." I fell on the glass and slowly slid down until I was sitting on the cold hard floor. "Don't give up Kujaku Mai. You are stronger than this." My head snapped upwards. Did someone just speak to me? The voice was deep and masculine, so it couldn't possibly be mine. I looked down and same result, no one was there.

"Hello...?" I called out but it was silent. I could have sworn there was a voice telling me I was strong... to not give up. The voice was familiar though.

"Kujaku Mai, do not give up." I couldn't grasp who it was. His voice though, it was so calm, so reassuring, so soothing. No way Jounouchi or anyone his age could muster a voice like that. Suddenly, the ghostly image of a man drifted down and settled itself right outside the glass. He was in dark robes and his face was covered. It was a GHOUL!

"Kujaku Mai." The rare hunter spoke with that same low voice as before. He was a tall man with broad shoulders. The figure lifted up his head and...

"Your...that man from the blimp." I vaguely remembered the face that was staring at me. His golden eyes were exotic and pierced mine. Around his were dark lines. He wasn't particularly handsome but not bad looking either. Two golden earrings adorned his ears. What made him stand out though was his tattoo. It covered the left side of his face. The tattoo itself was many small figures like birds and snakes. I think it was a different language. The thing was up close; the marks didn't look very cleanly done. It was as if someone who only made a half effort did the tattoo... or he did it himself. Why was he here though?

"Yes, I am. My mind has been imprisoned as well."

"How...are you able to communicate with me?" I asked him.

"I am used to the powers of the Sennen rod through scriptures as well as my master using it all the time. We were trained to travel through the astral plane when unconscious through strict meditation, and I seem to have entered your mind. Please forgive me."

"Your...master?"

"Yes, master Malik. I apologize for his actions and the penalty you suffer now, I will fix his wrongs though."

"Malik...fix his wrongs?"

"Yes, I will keep you alive to the best of my abilities. Its what... the real Malik would have wanted."

"Real... Malik?" This was all so confusing. At least I now remember the name of the monster that imprisoned me.

"Yes, the Malik that sent you here was probably his evil half. Malik was only able to suppress it because of me, but since now I am... incapacitated, I cannot stop the evil."

"Why... are you helping me?"

"Its just the right thing to do." He tried to put his hand on my shoulder but it just went through. I let out a small laugh as he grinned sheepishly. I reached for his hand but I realized my hands were buried now. A lot more sand had entered the chamber since me and... and... what is his name?

"What's your name...?"

"My name is Rishid"

"Rishid..." He has a nice name...its exotic.

"Please Miss Kujaku, reserve your strength to fight off the spell. You have to survive until your friends are able to pull through."

"Friends..." Everything was becoming blurry. I couldn't move and inch of my body except breathe. Even that was becoming hard...

"Mai! Live for your friends! Live so I can keep the promise I made to you..." I couldn't breathe. What was breathing anyways? I couldn't...everything was cold...I couldn't move....

"You must live Mai! Survive so my promise is fulfilled!" I saw a huge golden beast, the same one that attacked me. All these monsters were attacking it. Two more gigantic creatures, a snake and some sort of monster were holding it. I heard a scream as the creature died. I couldn't live any longer...

"Goodbye Malik, goodbye Isis, goodbye Rishid," Yuugi called after his new friends as they waved back. In his arms he held the newly obtained Sennen rod as well as the Sennen ring. I stood behind him and watched. Turns out Yuugi was able to beat Malik and save my life. I'm grateful that he was. I didn't look at Rishid and I knew he wasn't looking at me either. It was awkward, since no one knew what happened between us while I was dying. Did it even happen or was it my imagination?

"Goodbye Yuugi, I apologize for my actions again. I know it can't be forgiven, but I am sorry." Their boat was about to leave. I had to find out if it was real or not. I ran up to him as he turned around to face me.

"Rishid, I have to know if-" I was cut off when he placed a finger on my lips. His golden eyes pierced my own as he spoke in that calm soothing voice, the same voice that gave me hope.

"What happens in a dream has yet to occur in reality. Do not thank me for something that didn't happen on this plane." I giggled as a puzzled look crossed his face. I pulled his down and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He touched his cheek with a shocked but no doubt pleased expression on his face.

"I'll be sure to get in trouble again so you can rescue me." I winked at the man as I made my way to the car.

There, its finished! Sorry it took so long ; Hope you like it sis!