Hiyo! Thanks for reviewing everyone.

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The next morning, I was awaken by Shizuka. She seemed a bit scared and her voice was oddly strange. "Anzu, your father wants you to dress and come with him."

"Where?" I asked, but I allowed Shizuka to hand me the clothing I would need.

"There's a shadow game going to happen soon."

"Shadow games...?" I asked. I

thought I had heard wrong. "What's that?" I guess that was the wrong question to ask, for Shizuka stopped everything she was doing to stare at me. I waited for her answer. Finally, she started to multi-task again.

"You'll find out soon." She straightened up. "I want to ask something of you."

"Yes?" I asked, tying my cloak on.

"If you can, can you make sure Jounouchi won't...take any...foolish matters?" Shizuka asked, wringing her hands together. I paused for a moment. If Shizuka this scared for her brother, this must be serious. I grasped Shizuka's hands.

"Don't worry, Shizuka. I'll make sure your brother comes back." I said reassuringly, taking the bag Shizuka placed on my bed. "Cheer up, okay?"

Shizuka smiled at me and nodded. "You're to meet your father, the Pharaoh, the Queen, Prince Yami, and guest Prince Seth at the front gates. Jounouchi will meet you halfway with breakfast."

"Right." I shouldered my bag and walked out of the room, unaware of what the heck I was doing. It pretty much felt like a dream as I walked onward, passing people. It was only when I felt a painful collision that I was fully awake.

"Whoa there, Anzu!" Jounouchi's cheerful voice said. "You okay?"

"Jounouchi?" I asked, yawning.

"I have breakfast for you. Shizuka made me get it." Jounouchi said, handing me a plate. "Let me get your bag." He said, releasing me of the bag.

"Thanks." I said, taking hold of the fork and digging in. At once I began to notice the details around me. It was a bit dark outside, explain why I was sleepy. Jounouchi let me eat my food in silence, it was after I was done that we began to talk.

"So, how do you like living here so far?" He asked, slinging my bag over his shoulder.

"It's very nice, different from what I'm use to." I answered, watching the busy people run towards their destination.

"Did you have a Pharaoh?" Jounouchi asked. I shook my head. I lived in a village with nothing but a chief. I told Jounouchi that and he nodded. "I use to live in a village once." Jounouchi said, nodding his head. "It was a real nice place. It's a shame I don't remember it too well."

"You could be from my village!" I said, nodding my head.

"Maybe." Jounouchi said, smiling at me. "Well, I came here when I was young. Shizuka was born in the castle, so she might ask you alot of questions about villages." I laughed.

"I'll keep that in mind." I said as we made our way out to the front gates. Jounouchi gave me my bag and hurried to his post as I bowed to the Queen and the Pharaoh, then Yami and Seth, before I greeted my father. My father looked positively excited about...whatever we were going to do. He also looked rather young now.

"Hurry now!" He said, leading me to my own horse. I saddled and hitched my bag on my back.

"Father, what's going on?" I asked, but he was already trying to climb on his own horse.

"Well," Said Yami's voice next to me. I turned to him to see nothing but a cloaked figure for now. "We're going to battle."

"The queen too?" I asked. I wasn't use to the fact of battling, seeing as our village was never attacked and we never fought with each other.

Yami laughed. "No, She's watching the battle. It's common for the women to watch their men die or be victorious." Yami explained casually, as if he did battle daily.

"Can you explain everything that's going to happen?" I asked, holding to the reins of my horse as the front gates opened.

"I can explain the basics." Yami said, kicking his horse lightly as the Pharaoh cried, "Let us go!" I kicked my own horse as well to keep up with Yami. The queen's horse was trotting slowly, the riens to the horse were held by an assistant. My father was right behind the Pharaoh and Seth was on my other side, listening. "We're going to the West. There is trouble in a village, raided by thieves and savengers."

"What's the Shadow game?" I asked. Seth was to answer me with a voice chilling to the bones.

"It's very trouble-some to explain. You'll just have to see." He said, keeping his eyes stright ahead at all times.

"It's terrifying to see it up close, Seth." said Yami, giving him a glance. Seth didn't answer, meaning Yami was probably telling the truth about the games. I turned around to see Jounouchi. He was silent and walking in sequence with the others, Yami caught my glance at him.

"Shizuka?" He asked. I nodded to him.

"She wants me to make sure he comes home alive."

"Who is Shizuka?" Seth asked, actually willing to turn his head to look at us.

"Jounouchi's sister." Yami said before I had a chance. "Jounouchi's a guard."

"So the girl is a slave-"

"Servant." I inturrupted, but Seth talked over me.

Servant is only a pleasant word for second-hand labor. The man behind the Pharaoh is a slave." Seth said, blind of who the "slave behind the Pharaoh" was.

"That man is my father!" I said. I didn't voice my anger, for I was stupid enough to backtalk a Prince.

"Yami, why did Anzu come?" Seth asked. Seth started to stare, it would have lasted forever if not Yami spoken.

"Her father is my assistant. She's here to watch her father." He said quietly.

I turned to Yami, a mild look on my face. Father was going to participate in this game? We continued to walk in silence, my mind working hard to understand what's going to happen. When we would talk, I made sure to never look at Seth. The sand ahead would be what I would stare at. Soon, the sun was burning our skin and what was pressumably our destination was visable, even if it was a black dot from afar. I entertained myself by rummaging inside the mystery bag Shizuka packed. I found food and extra clothing, a first-aid kit, and cloth wrapping. Of course, there is only so much interest you can get from the boring stuff, so I began to look around me. It was amazing what I could see when I took the chance.

The queen was a quiet lady, alway's looking deep in thought. She caught my stare once, she smiled at me. I nodded to replace a bow and turned my stares somewhere else. My father was the next target of my stares. I hadn't seen him much, even if I've only been here for two days. It was still the longest I've gone without seeing him, and already he was another person. It was now that he seemed like he was alive and had a purpose in life. It was quite wonderful, but would this consume him forever?

Yami was my next concern. I noticed he was wearing something attactively golden around his neck, something I was sure he never wore before. He was also lost in thought, I don't think he could be any deeper. As I watched him, I couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking about. Seth was trotting behind him, something gold was hitched to his belt. Once again, I had no idea he wore it. Are they stupid? was the question that came to mind. We're going to see theives and scavengers and they decide to wear gold?

I shook my head, but stopped at once as Yami turned to me. "Hurry, it's not far." He said before he kicked off. I was so deep thought, I didn't notice everyone was already breaking into a run for the village. I kicked my own horse as well and managed to catch up with the Queen.

"Lady." She said to me, nodding her head gracefully. The man controling her horse was breaking it into a run, running along side with it.

"Queen." I replied to her, nodding my head as gracefully as I can. It was hard to imagine the Queen beheading someone, but I guess I was true.

"Stay close to a guard." Was all she said before I over ran her. I coaxed my horse to ride with Yami.

"You have to weapon!" I told him.

"I'm not doing combative fighting." He replied back before we rose into the city. I was confused again. Can they just give me a straight answer!?! Right away we were greeted by black armored figures.

I nearly had the breath taken from me at the sight of blood on their weapons. Blood had been spilt in this village. "Your Shadow game is taking hold in the bottom. Follow me." One of them said. I un-saddled my horse like the others and was greeted by Jounouchi again.

"Follow." He muttered as we followed Yami and The Pharaoh into a house. "Don't look at the floor." He also said, gripping my arm.

"Why?" I whispered, thinking this was silly and I felt rebellious to him. I looked at the floor.

I nearly died after that too.

A young child's body laid next to his mother, crying silently and trying her best to be dead. It was no doubt that her mother was dead and she didn't want to die. I tried to tear myself for Jounouchi and comfort the child, I was going to be sick, but Jounouchi gripped my arm tighter.

"She's theirs until we kill them all." Jounouchi told me, steering me to where Father had went. Seth had disappeared and so had the Pharaoh and the Queen. All that was left was Me, Jounouchi, Father, and Yami. We were now inside a large room, the walls were lined with black figures.

Father beckoned us to join him behind Yami. Another person stood across Yami, on the other side of the room.

"Show yourself." The person said loudly, so that everyone could hear.

"If I do," Yami said, also speaking to be heard. "I must be able to see what my opponet I shall defeat looks like as well."

"Fair enough." The person said rudely and nodding. Yami nodded as well and they turned around. Yami started to untie his cloak and handed it to my Father, who handed it to me for some odd reason. Now I could see Yami better.

He was shirtless once more and wearing a red skirt and sandals. I stared at his chest, but for a different reason. Hanging from his neck was the golden item. It was like a pryamid that was turned around. It had an Egyptian eye carved into it and was held on by a leather thong. I looked at Yami, questioning.

"This is the Shadow games." He said quietly before turning around. The man on the other side had not turned yet. He was still trying to untie his cloak. "I have shown myself." Yami called to him. The cloak finally came off and he handed it to a man. Then he turned, making me regret calling him a man.

He was a she.

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Well, I got so freggin tired of studying for my summer work that I don't even want to look up the proper way of the Shadow games. So I just used my imagination and things I saw on TV. So yeah, I'm not sure if girls can fight in shadows games or if the women have to see their men off or blah....hee hee.

I hope you enjoyed, and I would gladly like your opinion in what the heck I'm doing with this shadow game.

Review and Ja!