Thanks to Cha Oseye Tempest Thrain and Sansi for betaing my stuff. It wouldn't be near as good without them.
See previous chapters for disclaimers and lists of terms.
:Telepathy:
private thoughts
Enemies - Chapter 4
Saturday, last day of the week, and Ariel Mitzra found herself heartily glad of the fact. She walked into her first year B-class, the one with Motou Yugi and his friends, and swallowed an exclamation of surprise.
The first thing she noticed was the twenty-something young man leaning on the wall at the back of her class, one hand tugging on a strand of his flyaway blonde hair in an ironic salute.
What the hell is HE doing here?
Phantom smiled gently at her before glancing at one of her students and vanishing. Her eyes automatically followed his gaze to Marik - and she got the second shock of the morning.
Clear, strong shadow-tendrils now linked Marik's backpack - and the golden rod presumably within it - to Honda Hiroto and Jounouchi Katsuya. Both their auras pulsed with anger and fear - those bonds were not willing.
So. That must be what Marik had meant by 'mind-slaves'. Cautiously she reached out, touching their minds, trying not to recoil physically in horror at what she found.
Those two would be utterly unable to disobey anything that Marik told them to do - up to and including killing another or themselves. In a strange way, they wouldn't want to, because he had manipulated their memories to reflect his own will. Jounouchi's mind was the stronger of the two - he might be able to throw off the influence of the artefact on his own, given time and perhaps some kind of encouragement, but Honda didn't stand a chance.
Marik caught her gaze - he smirked at her, lavender eyes dark with cruel pleasure as he played with the golden ornament dangling from one ear.
:You will be one of them someday, sensei: he gloated mentally, loud enough for her to read with no effort at all.
Well, it would be a cold day in Jamaica before she would allow him to get away with that in her classroom, thank you very much. But she would have to move with stealth - if she gave any indication to Marik, he might fight back; that kind of struggle might... damage Jounouchi and Honda's minds.
And that would be a little counterproductive, now wouldn't it, Ari? she thought dryly as she continued with her lesson as normal. She noticed that Motou and Bakura were watching her like cats watch another cat - wary, not certain of what to expect. She wished there was a way she could point out to them that Marik was their real enemy - but they were unlikely to believe her, given the mistrust that they - and the strange spirits in their artefacts - radiated.
Oh, well. Always the hard way. First things first - she studied the shadow-bonds carefully, noting every intricate strand winding into the victim's minds. Absently she told the class to break into groups of three to work on their English verbal skills, retiring to her desk to observe.
Marik sat with Jounouchi and Honda - no surprise, he wouldn't want any of their friends to notice anything out of the ordinary. Bakura sat with Motou and Mazaki - the three were watching Jounouchi and Honda as well, so in spite of Marik's precautions they must have noticed something out of the ordinary.
Good. At least their heads aren't stuffed into pillows. I can make them see sense - if I can just get Marik to unmask himself, maybe... pick something hard, why don't you, silly woman? Ari glanced up at the clock, listening to the mix of broken, accented and fluid English speech around her. Ten minutes to the end of class - perfect.
Rising, she walked around to each of the groups before landing at last beside Marik's trio - not watching, facing or apparently paying any attention to them.
Reaching out with her spirit abilities, Ari subtly unwove the spell binding their minds and memories, turning the backlash of magic back on Marik, who jerked as though she had physically stuck him.
Ari smiled to herself as the bell rang, walking to the head of the class. Looking back, she caught Marik's furious gaze.
:You will pay for that, woman.: he promised.
Ari stared back, cat-like, and smiled.
Bring it on...child
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"What, exactly, did you think you were doing in that classroom? What would you have done if someone had seen you?" Black Diamond demanded in a tone sharp enough to shave rock.
Phantom tried to look sheepish, failing miserably. "No one sees me unless I want them too. You know that."
The assassin poked Phantom in the chest. "You're right; no one saw you...except the teacher."
"And I meant for that to happen." Phantom figeted as an uncomfortable silence descended over them. They watched the traffic in the quiet neighbourhood below for a long time.
"It's Marik - he's the ringleader of the Ghouls." Phantom said finally. "I was trailing Jounouchi and Honda when the left the house last night with Marik - I saw him use a golden magical artefact made in the same style as Yugi's and Ryou's on them."
"Yet you did nothing."
That actually made him wince. "I wasn't sure if I had the skill to break an unknown spell placed by unknown means."
"Well, it's broken, so I guess that's all that counts - I wish I knew what Marik was planning, though."
"He's going after the English teacher, I bet." Settling down on his haunches, Phantom stared at the eves of Anzu's house. "That little stunt - breaking his spell when not even looking at him - really pissed him off."
"I noticed that too." Black Diamond paused. "But that gives me an idea. Do me a favour - keep an eye on Yugi and the others for me. I want to check something out. While you're at it...no, never mind. I'll take care of Marik; he won't make a move without me knowing."
"Hai, kage ore-sama no kaze. 1 "
Black Diamond gave the other a withering look. "I have got to get you out of this country."
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Ari closed her eyes with a sigh, rubbing her aching forehead with one forefinger. Her computer beeped and whirred quietly to itself as it downloaded her e-mail. It had been a very long week, and the fact that the Japanese went to school six days a week instead of five was staring to take a toll on her resources - not to mention the lack of sleep brought on by overwork.
The computer beeped again, warning her that its task was complete. She opened her sore eyes with a sigh, glancing over the messages in her inbox.
One caught her eye, and she sat up with renewed interest. It appeared one of her contacts had finally come through with some information on the artefacts.
The message was brief, but the file attached to it was very informative. It appeared the artefacts were part of a larger group of seven, collectively known as 'the Millennium Items'; Rod, Tauk, Ring, Puzzle, Scale, Key and Eye. Not much was known, except that they were from Ancient Egypt - most likely from the New Kingdom era, about 3000 years ago - and that each was worth a small fortune.
And three of the seven end up in my English class - what are the chances? I wouldn't buy a lottery ticket at those odds.
Her eyebrows raised at the next part of the message - some other artefacts of the same time period were coming to an exhibition in the Domino Museum; the liaison's name was Ishizu Ishitar.
Ishtar - the same as the Egyptian boy in her class with the pretty Millennium Rod that he liked to use so much. This Ishizu - was Marik a relation - perhaps a brother or a cousin? Had she given him the Millennium Rod - or was it just a wild coincidence and he had stolen the Rod...or bought it.
You're babbling, idiot. Ari told herself firmly. You don't have enough information to speculate yet.
Ideally, Ishizu would not be a confederate of Marik's...but would know where the boy's thirst for dominion came from. The rest of the mail held nothing of real interest, so she put the computer into Standby mode and rose, yawning. A good night's sleep would be just the thing before she graded more papers.
As she curled up in the soft sheets, a sharp pain bit her neck and the world dissolved in a swirl of colour.
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Marik smirked as the prone figure at his feet began to stir. This time he held all the cards, and she would die for interfering with his plans.
Hazel eyes fluttered open, glazed with the remnant of the drug in her system. He gestured and one of his slaves brought over a glass of water. She took it, cautiously sniffing before taking a sip.
"Don't worry - it's not poisoned. I have more interesting plans for you." he commented, sneering at her caution.
"Joy." Mitzra-sensei commented dryly in English before switching to Japanese. "How about you just let me leave instead?"
"After all the trouble I went through to get you here? I don't think so, Sensei." Sarcasm dripped from the last word. Marik gestured again and another Ghoul brought over one of the new Mark II Duel Disks he had...acquired... from KaibaCorp along with a couple of different Duel Monsters decks. "Tell me...have you ever played Duel Monsters before?"
"No..." Her tone invited him to elaborate further.
Marik smiled thinly. "I challenge you to a game."
The woman sighed. "I supposed this is some kind of revenge tactic? Will beating me in a game of cards soothe your bruised ego?" She shook her head in the manner of a mother disappointed with her child.
""It's hardly petty, woman." Her head snapped up and her eyes narrowed at the term of address. He smiled at the anger burning there. "Do you accept? After all, there is always a minor chance you will win."
"Look, kid, I don't know..." She broke off, took a deep breath and let it out again. "Fine, I'll play your game." Taking the Duel Disk, she examined it for a long moment before sliding it over her left arm and locking it into place. Marik, meanwhile, had already slid his own on his arm, set the unit, and had his deck in place. He watched her examine the two decks with the same intensity as she had the Duel Disk. "This is one of those collectable card games, isn't it? Those things with so many obscure rules you need a law degree to master them?"
Marik smirked. This would be SO easy. "Yes, it is. Though it is not so complicated as you seem to think. However, I also have a house rule."
A tight sound escaped the teacher. "What rule is that?"
"Loser dies."
Her head jerked up; she stared at him with wide eyes. "Say again? If I lose...you're going to kill me?"
"No...but you will die." Marik held up his Rod, feeling the Shadows move to his will. "Your life force and mine are now tied to our respective life points. When they reach zero..." Marik smiled evilly.
"Marik-san, I think you need to get your head examined. I'm not going to drop dead because I lose a card game."
"You showed me the powers you command, Sensei. Now let me show you mine. Duel start."
Marik drew his starting hand; his grin grew wider. Yes...even if she showed some glimmer of talent, he should be able to summon Osiris the Sky Dragon within five turns and destroy her.
"Go ahead, Sensei. You can take the first turn." He watched as she drew her cards, studying them intently. Thought she never looked up, he felt a delicate touch on his mind - reading it, but not to find out what he held. She was looking for the meanings and uses of the cards she held. So, she was an honest player at least.
Too bad that wouldn't save her.
"I think... I play Mystical Elf in defense mode." She played the card on the field, and jumped a little as Kaiba's holographic technology brought the kneeling elf to life between them. "End of my turn."
"Nice start." Marik commented sardonically. He drew a card and placed another down face-up on the field. "I play Revival Slime in defense mode. Then I play two magic cards face down and Slime Generator." He slipped the cards into the slots - two more giant cards appeared before him, as well as a shifting plasma monster and a giant red dome. He had to admit - Kaiba was a genius with technology. "Your turn, Sensei."
Carefully the teacher drew a card, examining it before placing it down on the Disc. "I play...Tyhone in attack mode. Attack Revival Slime."
A creature shaped like a bowling ball with batwings and a long snout appeared before her. The Duel Monster glared at Marik before shooting a burst of cannonballs out of it's snout, destroying his monster... which reformed instantly.
"But..." she started. Marik grinned.
"Revival Slime reforms no matter how often it is destroyed." Marik informed her casually. "It cannot be sent to the Graveyard...and as long as it is in defense mode, you can't touch my life points." He could help but give a little gloating laugh at the chagrin on her face. "Done?"
"Yes."
"My turn." Marik drew a card, adding it to his hand. "My Machine will generate a Slime Token..." He paused as the hologram reacted. "I place creature card face down and end my turn."
"Okay." The woman drew, smiled a bit, and put down a magic card. "I equip this to Tyhone...Big Bang Shot. Plus 400 ATK points and allows the extra damage to be applied to you directly. Tyhone, attack!" Once again cannonballs spat from the Duel Monster; Marik had no chance to react before his creature died again - but this time 1100 life points dropped from his total. He growled, surprised. She should not have been able to touch his life points.
Well, it would be the last time. He activated one of his face-down cards. "I activate the trap card Pyro Clock of Destiny. Move the turn count forward by one." His Slime Machine produced another token. The teacher gave him a look he couldn't interpret.
"I'm not done." she announced. "I sacrifice Tyhone and Mystical Elf to summon Wingweaver in attack mode." Her two monsters vanished to be replaced by a robed fairy with six feathery wings.
"My turn." Marik snapped. For someone who had never played, she was picking up the game quite quickly. A third token appeared - he smiled as he drew. Her lucky streak was about to break.
"I sacrifice my Slime Tokens to summon the Kame no Cardo, Osiris the Sky Dragon in attack mode. Despair before the power of an Egyptian God Monster!"
He laughed as the whole room darkened, flashes of lightening crackling across the shadows as a massive red wingéd dragon appeared, restless coils scraping across each other. It opened it's mouth, roaring defiance at his master's opponent.
"What the hell?" he heard the woman mutter in English. He wondered if she felt the massive, very real power of the creature he had summoned - unlike the rest, it was no hologram.
"I have 4 cards in my hand, so Osiris' power is 4000 points. Next round, Sensei - you die."
He saw her bite her lip. "Interesting." She drew a card and placed it face-up in attack mode. "I play the Fire Sorceress." As soon as the hologram appeared Osiris' second mouth opened, sending a ball of lightening at the neatly-dressed girl, obliterating her. Marik gloated openly. "My dragon's second mouth..."
"Does 2000 point damage to any creature summoned, yadda, yadda. Got it." Marik shut his mouth, feeling oddly annoyed. He hadn't even felt her read his mind that time.
"I play Stop Defence on your Revival Slime, forcing it into attack mode. Wingweaver... attack!" The fairy opened her arms and flapped all six wings in unison, sending a massive air current out. Marik's life-points dropped to 1150.
Not that it mattered. He smiled as she studied her cards. She had to know he was going to hurt her badly the next round. She just didn't know she was already dead.
He watched as she placed two cards face down on the field. "My turn's over."
"Very well." He drew, adding a card to his hand and 1000 attack points to Osiris. "I flip-summon the monster Old Vindictive Magician." He held out his hand and the face-down monster he'd summoned appeared - a crazy-looking old man dressed in armour and ragged robes, holding a staff. "Destroy Wingweaver!" Dark magic lashed out as Marik utilized it's special ability to destroy any monster on the field. The teacher blinked as her creature vanished - then paled as she realized what that meant.
He let her stew in the knowledge for a moment before he held up his hand. "Osiris - attack her life points directly!" With vindictive glee he watched the attack wash over her - and the shock as she felt the agony turning to the chill of death. When the light cleared, Mitzra-sensei had vanished - her soul torn to shreds by the awesome power of the God.
Marik walked over to where she had been standing - only the Duel Disc and the scattered cards of her deck remained. He frowned - it was strange that her body had vanished, but maybe she was weak enough that the attack had destroyed her body as well as her soul. Either way, she would no longer be a problem for him.
Drawing his cloak tighter around him, he silently gathered his followers and quit the room.
Darkness fell as the Ghouls cut the power to the room, and silence reigned over the apparently empty warehouse.
Two figures stepped out of the darkness. Phantom tossed his blond hair, his eyes serious as he walked over to the place where Mitzra-sensei had been, fingering one of the fallen cards curiously. Beside him, Black Diamond gazed in the direction Marik had gone, crystal eyes unreadable.
"Well..." Phantom murmured at last. "That was..."
"Interesting." the other assassin finished.
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Yugi jerked awake, filled with the overwhelming sense that something was very wrong. He stared at the walls of his bedroom, trying to pick up on what it might be. The moonlight spilling through his attic skylight dimmed suddenly, leaving him in darkness.
Darkness. He shifted his awareness and realized suddenly that the feeling was coming from inside the Millennium Puzzle. He closed his eyes, concentrating, and found himself, as he had been once before, in the corridor that separated his Soul Room from his other's.
With a certain amount of trepidation, Yugi pushed open the heavy door. Inside everything was blacker than a starless night, as thought the very air was wrought of darkness. Cold wreathed the dry stone of the heart-maze where Yami Yugi lived.
The feeling of wrongness grew stronger. Yugi took a step into the room, then another, the only light spilling over from the corridor. Behind him the door slammed shut, dropping him in lightless gloom. Yugi swallowed, trying to bury his fear - Yami Yugi had told him once that the emotions felt in a Soul Room could come to life.
Since he didn't want that to happen, he focussed on the emotion he was sure now came from his other...an echo, maybe, of whatever his mou hitori no boku was feeling? An odd mix of anticipation and trepidation flowed over their link, suddenly almost overwhelmed by...happiness? What was happening to his other?
Slowly his eyes adjusted to the darkness - or maybe the wall started to glow a little. Either way, when he could make out his surroundings, he took his first, tentative steps deeper into Yami Yugi's treacherous soul room.
Finally he zeroed in on a single door, pulling it open. He paused, expecting a trap, but when nothing happened he dared venture a step inside.
"Mou hitori no boku?" he called. "Are you here?" Fear surged over the link, sharp and cutting, as Yami Yugi screamed.
"nn pn! i Ast nD f... Akhet, nsp sDA! nsp sDA, sn!"
Yugi sprinted in the direction of the sound, running right into something that felt thin and thready, like thick cobweb. After a moment of scrambling, Yugi was through it, only to nearly trip over something hard. He stumbled, but caught his balance, glancing around to orient himself.
The main piece of furniture in the room was a strange bed, carved from wood and covered with lumps. The cobwebs turned out to be drapes of translucent white cloth. After a moment's study, Yugi blushed as he realized that the lumps on the bed were mounds of pillows surround his sleeping other- and that only a thin blanket, which had slid down to the hips, guarded Yami Yugi's modesty.
The dark one moaned again, and this time despair, thick as molasses, poured between them. Yugi caught his eyes tearing in automatic reaction. Instinctively he reached over, touching his other's shoulder; Yami Yugi shivered, skin covered in a cold sweat.
"Mou hitori no boku - wake up. You're dreaming. It's okay - it's just a dream."
Dark violet eyes fluttered open, still glazed with sleep. Yami no Yugi blinked once, then a wide, child-like smile appeared on his face.
"Akhet!" He surged up and glomped Yugi tightly with enough momentum to send them both down onto the bed again, sending pillows flying everywhere. Yami Yugi landed on top, his face buried in his aibou's chest. The teenager froze in shock as his other continued to babble in that strange tongue while purest joy sang through the link.
"Hsi nkAn wsir! k Anx!" He squeezed tight enough to make Yugi's ribs creak before curling up, still hugging his aibou, apparently unmindful of his now-total nakedness. He sighed contentedly. Slowly his body relaxed back into sleep, now using Yugi's chest as a pillow. Yugi managed to breathe again as the death-grip on his ribs released; he was blushing like a sunset, and he knew it.
Fearful of...disturbing... his yami further, Yugi tried to shift out from under the weight curled around him. When he moved, however, his other stirred and opened his eyes. Yugi froze; Yami Yugi stiffened.
:Aibou?:
:Hai, mou hitori no boku?:
:Why am I hugging you in my bedroom...naked?: Tones of utter mortification echoed behind the words.
A slightly hysterical giggle escaped the hikari. :Because that's how you sleep?:
One finger at a time, gathering as much dignity as he could with a blush that burned right down his torso, Yami Yugi sat up and wrapped the sheet around himself. :Aibou...not meaning to be rude, but what are you doing in my bedroom to begin with?:
Yugi managed to sit up as well, straightening out his clothes and carefully NOT looking at his yami. :I felt something, and I thought something might be wrong. So I came to make sure you were okay.: Yugi fiddled with a button. :I seems you were having a very bad nightmare, so I tried to wake you up. I think you mistook me for someone in your dream; you were speaking some other language, grabbed me, and well...:
:Oh, Gods.: Yami Yugi groaned, burying his face in his hands.
:It's okay, mou hitori no boku...you probably were dreaming about a past lover or something.: Now that the shock was over, Yugi decided it was time to get some of his own back after all the teasing his yami gave him where Anzu was concerned. He grinned at his mortified darkness. :But why didn't you tell me you floated that way?:
Yami Yugi curled up in a ball, pulling the blankets over his head with an embarrassed wince. :Oh, Gods. Let me die now.:
:'Cause I'm flattered and all, but...you're not really my type. I like girls, and you DEFINETLY not a girl...: He poked at the bundle of blankets; his yami just curled up tighter. :Mou hitori no boku? You still in there?:
:Yugi...:
:Yes?:
:I have a confession to make. Iam...what is the term...bi.:
:...: Yugi stared at the bundle in shock. :Mou hitori no boku...I had no idea...really, I didn't mean...:
Suddenly Yami Yugi surged up from the blankets, now magically fully dressed, with a wicked grin on his face. :Sucker.:
:You...what...AARGH.: Yugi threw his hands up in the air. :Okay, you got me.:
:I win again, aibou.: the yami leaned back against the hardwood head of his bed, a smug look settling over his features.
The pillow hit him square in the face.
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For most people, following two assassins with the apparent ability to teleport would prove impossible.
Yami Bakura was not most people.
The thief slipped through the shadows, the Millennium Ring glowing in his hand as he used its power to track his prey.
He'd watched the entire Duel between Mitzra-sensei and Marik - that in itself told him the two were not working together. But when he discovered that the other two assassins had been there and also done nothing...that led to some very interesting speculation.
Ryou had begged him to stop the duel - the boy was still in his Soul Room, and hadn't said a word. His heart was too weak, too soft for that sort of thing - but, then, wasn't that the reason he had Yami Bakura? To handle things?
:Ryou, stop crying.: he sent to his hikari. :I couldn't stop that Duel even if I'd been inclined to - it was a Shadow Game, and interfering would have had nasty consequences.:
:I'm not crying, mou yami no boku.: Ryou answered softly, his voice contemplative. :What Shadow Game?:
:Pay attention, yandoushi. The woman wouldn't have died from Osiris' attack if it weren't.:
:But...:
:Yes. Marik has the Millennium Rod and knows how to use it. I presume he's the reason I've been sensing intermittent Shadow Magic when you're at school.:
:We have to tell Yugi! He and mou hitori no Yugi will need to know this too!:
Yami Bakura sighed. :Use your brain, yandoushi. Do you really think that the Pharaoh and his host will believe me? I tried to steal their precious Puzzle - tried to lock he and his little friends all away in my Monster World so you would have someone to play with.: Yami Bakura shivered a little at the memory - for that was the same time he had very nearly lost his landlord. And though his was loath to admit it to anyone, that had scared him badly. He didn't know why he felt this way about Ryou, but he hadn't been lying to the boy when he had said that it felt good in him. It did...like he had found something he'd been missing for too long.
Maybe the Pharaoh no Baka was right and Ryou was the lost part of his soul, the part that had died in a small village outside Khemet 3000 years ago...
:They might not believe you...but they might believe me.: Ryou said very softly. The thief froze.
:What?:
:They might believe me. I am their friend - and I saw everything exactly as you did, mou yami no boku. In fact, I think I spotted something you didn't...: With that, he opened a memory to his darkness.
The blast of flame from Osiris' attack lashed out, obliterating all in its path, including Mitzra-sensei. But just before the attack hit, he saw...she gestured, as though to stop the incredible attack.
Yami Bakura felt his mouth dropping open in shock as he ran through the memory again. She had made a peculiar hand gesture, and the attack had flared around her, as though she had thrown up a shield...and then vanished.
:You see what I mean, mou yami no boku.: Ryou whispered in his mind. :I...don't think she's dead.:
:But that's...Shit, Ryou, who would have the ability to throw off the effects of a Shadow Game? Even if the attack didn't hit, she should have died - those were the rules.:
:You would know better than I...Bakura.:
The thief felt a little rush of pleasure from the boy, and realized he'd used Ryou's name again...and that the boy had used his, rather than calling him mou yami no boku like he usually did.
Why did that make him feel...a little happy?
He threw off the flash of emotion, ignoring it. :Which means that she is probably one of these 'wind assassins' as well. And it would explain why Black Diamond and the other one didn't do anything – they knew their confederate could escape the Game. So in fact...she was playing with Marik.: The thief smirked a little at the thought.
:Um...Bakura?:
:What is it, yandoushi?:
:Would you...are we...:
:Spit it out.:
:Can we tell Yugi-kun and mou hitori no Yugi about this? Please? Even if they don't believe me...us... – and I think they will – I would feel bad if we didn't warn them about this.:
Yami Bakura sighed. The less he saw of the Pharaoh, the happier he would be...but damnit, Ryou was giving him the puppy dog eyes from his soulroom – and he didn't want the kid to get the idea of challenging him again.
:Fine, we'll tell them...now be quiet, Ryou. I need to concentrate.: The hikari slipped out of Yami Bakura's conscious mind, leaving him in peace. The Ring flared slightly, suddenly pointing in two different directions rather than one. So, they had split up. Hmm.
Then a new thought entered his mind. If Mitzra-sensei was in fact still alive, where was she? Where had she reappeared after her little vanishing act? He closed his eyes and concentrated again, this time on the mental image of his teacher. The Ring flared to life, pointing him in a particular direction, but before he could follow its guidance purple-robed figures stepped out of the shadows.
"Not you fools again." Yami Bakura sneered at the Rare Hunters, most of whom carried Duel Discs on their arms.
"We challenge you to a duel, Bakura Ryou." The one in the lead stated melodramatically. Yami Bakura felt his sneer deepen even as the Ring allowed him to see the Shadow energies that bound the man to Marik's will.
"A duel...or a game?" the soul-stealer smiled. "Bakayarou. Very well, we will play the Shadow Game...but we will play alone. Ring, sever the strings that bind this man to another's will."
The Millennium Ring flared to life, rainbow light emerging from the Eye in the centre. Yami Bakura felt the struggle as Millennium Item fought Millennium Item – then gasped in surprise as a second source of will joined the match on his side. A ghost-image of Ryou appeared, translucent hands gripping the artifact, which grew luminescent as the sun.
The shadow-tendrils of control from the Rod snapped like old fishing line. Ryou sighed as the ghost-image vanished, while Yami Bakura blinked in shock. What the hell just happened here?
No time. He turned back to his erstwhile enemies, only to find the leader rolling on the floor in agony from the surge of power, his lackeys staring at him in horror. He smirked – there was one way to cut back the numbers without killing them, and Ryou shouldn't even complain.
"I would say you cannot continue – which means you lose." The thief smiled silkily. The powers of the Shadow Realm gathered around him, eager to be used. He searched his pockets, finally pulling out a bunch of gaming dice Ryou had left in there, holding them out, balanced on his palm. "Punishment game!"
The screams as their souls were pulled into the dice rang sweet as music in the night air.
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1 Means 'Yes, O shadow ruler of the wind' in what is probably very bad Japanese. Which is okay, because Phantom doesn't speak Japanese very well.
This section is for you people out there who play the game and might want to know:
Tyhone (Winged Beast) Wind-type (1200ATK/1400DEF)
Old Vindictive Magician (Spellcaster/Effect) Dark-type (450/600)
Wingweaver (Fairy) Light-type (2750/2400)
What Ari does in the duel is a couple of ways I thought of to get around Revival Slime. One more shot and she might have won, ne? Okay, maybe not.
Anyway, if you have a minute, please review! Thanks!