Response to Reviews:
Pooka228: Sorry if this updates to late, me's bad person! -twaps self, again- heehee... welp, you got that right about Ilia wantin' to help, but read on and you'll find out about it, enjoy!
Chicary: I know, Poor Yujhi's like Yugi, done nothin' wrong but suffers all the same. Poor Yamyam... -glomps- I hate doing this to him! -starts writing this chappy- ... I hate it, but it must be done -is mean- Thanks for the review!
Sorceress Vanessa: no prob about the last chappy, no biggie. As for your opinion, do you just want it to stay coz the Soul Destruction stuff is dedicated to you as well as Teloka, Joey's Girl and Ashla? heehee, kiddin', I'll take it into account. I need to find out if I'm going anywere with this. Glad yaz liked the chappy! Hope yaz like this one!
gladdecease: The last chappy is actually written, and the only changes will be to make it sound better. It's a mixture of good and bad, yaz'll see... Thanks for your opinion, I suppose I'll work on a story-line before I start deciding whether to carry on or not. Glad yaz like it!
Crickett: Thanks for the review! Glad yaz liked!
padfootgrl126: Nah, me's had now clue what PMS meant, heehee. Glad yaz worried about Yujhi, he was turnin' into Yugi, not enough screen time, thats why I introduced the shadow game. Millennium Sponge...? Interesting... I don't have a Millennium Item, but my sister and I have dubbed my fave necklace my 'Stronger-then-millennium-item Item' ...Ya, we're nuts... we even made up little story-lines where we met Bakura and Ryoura and Bakura wanted it, but we were to hyper and he got scared -sweatdrops- I'll shut up now...
YumeTakato: This a late update! Bad me! -bashes self- Sorry for the late update! -gives you Yugi plushie- There! huggle it!
Ashla: Heehee, I think yous was the only person that noticed, but me's fixed it. I hurt Yujhi! Me's so mean! RYOURA!!
Ryoura: -appears- Yes?
-gives him Ashla's mallet- Kill me.
Ryoura: What?! Why me?
Coz your the only one that pops up when I call you.
Ryoura: Umm... look! Fairies!
Where?!
Ryoura: -runs-
Hmm? Ryoura? Where the fairies?
PyroDragon2006: Think your the only one whose given me a straight out answer, heehee, here! Have a cookie! -gives cookie- hate it when com-put-er's mess up for no reason, least it's better now. -pets your computer- Enjoy the chappy!
Imp is Insane: Awwww.... that's one of the nicest things anyones ever said! Thank you! I wouldn't know, the movie was totally awesome in my opinion, but thanks so much! -glomps- Hope yaz enjoy this chappy.
hikari: Ya, I'll ask your opinion. Since Shadi's supposedly the same guy from 5,000 before Yugi's time, would he still be around now considerin' he was already... sorta... dead? hmm... Yup, Kage so evil I want to bash his head in, but I guess I need him for the end of the story... curses... Heehee, Ryoura and co., thats how the groups are known when he's in them, and yup, they's the comic relief XD Hope yaz enjoy the chappy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!
"This is talking"
'These are thoughts'
"High....higher..." Yujhi breathed heavily, the card drifting away from him and turning to face Mark's. Luckily, Yujhi's was Harpies Brother stronger then Mark's Silverfang, so his flying creature was summoned and put on direct assault against Yujhi's opponent. Yujhi was almost positive he was hyperventilating, his mind becoming dizzy from lack of strength and the burning feeling in his lungs making him feel light-headed.
Four monster on his side, while Mark's small army consisted of nine. He didn't stand a chance. Not only was he outnumbered and assaulted brutally, but the Shadow Realm was preying on his weakened soul, while his monsters used his spiritual strength to remain physical. With ever monster he summoned a part of him departed into the monsters being, and with ever monster he was attacked with he lost a piece of himself to the shadows.
He was terrified.
But he didn't give up. Every time he saw the Millennium Puzzle he couldn't help but think of Yugi and how he wouldn't give up if he was in the same situation. He couldn't give up, not when Yugi was counting on him. He wasn't weak of spirit, he would duel to his death, which he was quite positive was looming over him every second that passed, staring hungrily at his now weak and fragile form.
Mark was weakened also, as most of his monsters where weaker rather then more powerful then Yujhi's, but he had great experience in the Shadow Realm, and his magical abilities were much stronger. He growled as Yujhi leaned heavily against his Koumori Dragon, the dragon lowering it's head beside him for him to use for support. "Why won't he fall?" he wonder, holding up another card. Yujhi was tougher then he expected, he had to admit, but his loss was inevitable all the same. He grinned at the card he drew, holding it up. "Your monster is weaker."
Sure enough, Yujhi's Curse of Dragon paled next to Mark's Seiyaryu. The mythical, dark pink and slightly dinosaur-like dragon had an attack power of 2500. "That's to strong..." Yujhi thought fearfully as the dragon appeared, a low growl emitting from the purple dragon beside him. A fury of white, glowing flames erupted from the dragons mouth, pouring over him as he cried out in agony. Ever nerve in his body was on fire, his lungs burning as he cried out, eyes shut tight and limbs weak. His knees buckled and legs gave way beneath him, but a pair of arms grabbed him around his torso.
Looking up he was surprised to see his Dark Magician Girl was standing behind him, her arms wrapped around him in an attempt to keep him standing. She smiled reassuringly at him and tried to help him once again to his feet, though he found himself unable to stand. Instead, she stood next to him, arm around him to help him stand.
"What is going on?" Mark growled in anger. This was highly unusual behaviour for the monster to take on. Why were they helping him? Usually the monsters obeyed commands and only that alone, no personal feelings were involved. But Yujhi.... for some reason some of his monsters seemed genuinely worried about his well-being; Koumori Dragon and Dark Magician Girl namely. "You've got to be kidding me..." he mumbled. Yujhi was drawing another card. "Why don't you just give up already?!"
Coughing heavily, Yujhi's raspy breaths indicated his breathing difficulties. He felt sickeningly dizzy and found himself wishing death would take him. The Dark Magician Girl seemed to sense his thoughts and took his hand, squeezing it tightly to reasure him. "...Y-yours i-is.... weaker...."
"Ryoura..."
"Well it is!" Ryoura whispered back at Steve as he and Bakura looked around yet another corner. "We've been running for ages and can't seem to get anywhere."
"He actually has a point..." Joe pointed out. "We haven't been getting anywhere, all these corridors seem the same..."
Bakura listened to the conversation, his mind curious also. Why hadn't they been getting anywhere? The house was big, but not enough so for them to be lost for this long, and they hadn't been going in circles, he was sure of that. He stopped in his tracks, causing a short-lived domino of people bumping into him, then stepping away. He shut his eyes and lowered his head, concentrating.
"Pep' whacha doin'?" Ryoura question, tilting his head. When he didn't get a response, he literally hopped up next to his yami and poked him in the arm. Bakura shot a glare towards Ryoura, but the teen merely blinked in confusion. "What?"
Bakura sighed heavily. "I'm trying to concentrate... there's a magical force at work here..."
"What kind of force?" Joe asked, looking around rather nervously. He had really come to hate magic lately, especially after the others had explained that a five-thousand-year-old spirit had invaded and taken over his mind. Needless to say he was severely freaked.
"I don't know..." Bakura admitted, looking around the corridor, "But it's strongest here. Whatever it is it's stopping us from advancing any further into the house, most likely making an invisible portal so we keep running in circles. It wasn't active earlier, I would have sensed it when we entered the house."
Ryoura walked further down the corridor, trying to find a difference in the path or some sort of visible sign magic was at work. "Can't we break through it?"
"Our magic isn't strong enough."
Steve growled and through his arms in the air. "What now? Yujhi could be dying somewhere and we're stuck in a frickin' illusion!"
"Calm down..." Joe whispered, placing a hand on Steve's shoulder, only to have it hit away again.
"How can I calm down?" Steve yelled as he spun around to face the group, who were looking at him with slight surprise. "It's my fault they got into this mess! If I hadn't told them about Ilia then they wouldn't have bumped into that Mark guy and they'd still be at home now!" He stopped to turn and punch the wall hard with his fist. "Why did I tell them about her... I guess I thought I could trust her..."
"What made you think that?"
"I dunno..." Steve whispered in response to Joe's question, leaning his forearm against the wall and shutting his eyes. He couldn't understand it himself. Though he said he didn't trust her first off, he sort of had. "Why did I think I could trust her? She's mysterious, snobby, a little weird and she KISSED me against my will! ... She's cute though... Whoa! Rewind! What did I just think?" he blushed to himself at his own comment, receiving a few odd glances from the others. He was just glad the were a bit pre-occupied with trying to discover the source of magic and how to get around it.
"You like Ilia don'cha?"
"Wha?" Steve jumped as Ryoura's playful voice sounded behind him, spinning around to face the grinning teen. He could feel his face growing slightly warmer. "Wh-wh-what are you talking about?"
"Well," Ryoura started, folding one arm across his chest and pointing at Steve with the other, a grin still set on his face. "You shut up straight after talking about her, then ya blushed for 'no reason'," he air quoted as he spoke, "and NOW your stuttering like an ancient engine. Admit it. You like her!"
"I don't!" Steve protested positively, glancing back to make sure Bakura and Joe weren't listening. Ryoura just grinned knowingly, folding his arms and awaiting an answer. Steve looked at him. The gaze gave him doubts. "...Do I...?"
"Puppy love!" Ryoura exclaimed in a voice that, once again, was rather unlike his own. He hugged Steve playfully, grinning. "How cute!"
"Shut up..." Steve growled, pulling away from the younger boy, who merely laughed at his embarrassed expression.
"It's gone."
"Huh?" Joe, Steve and Ryoura questioned in unison, eyes landing on the former tomb-robber standing a little further up the corridor.
"The magic.... it just, stopped." Bakura seemed surprised, but more worried. If that magic was stopped, did that mean they were too late? "Come on, let's get moving!" he ordered instantly, darting down the corridor with Ryoura almost instantly by his side, Joe and Steve quickly following.
"Stop!"
"Ilia?" Steve froze on the spot and spun around. Sure enough a little further down the corridor stood Ilia, a soft glow disappearing from the Millennium Necklace she was wearing. He tilted his head at her. She looked worried. "What?" The others had stopped in their tracks also and were looking back, clearly as bewildered as Steve.
Ilia walked down the corridor quickly, speaking loudly as she did so. "You have to get out of here, this is the only warning I'm giving you."
"Warning?"
"My father will kill you on sight if you don't get out of here." Ilia explained as she stopped in front of Steve, avoiding his eyes as she looked back at the Bakura's. "You two won't stand a chance, he wants you dead, Ryoura."
"I'm not leaving without Yugi and Yujhi," Ryoura growled, voice uncharacteristically angry and serious, "not to mention the Millennium Ring. Even if he's the strongest person in the world, I don't care. I'm. Not. Leaving."
Bakura nodded in agreement, as did the others. He could understand Ryoura's harshness towards Ilia, after all she was the daughter of his parents murderer. Ilia bit her lip nervously, shaking her head. "Now, you don't-"
"Look here Miss Kiss-A-Kaiba," Joe started, earning a glare from Steve, "we're not leaving here without our friends and weapons of mass destruction, ya got that? It's obvious your not all bad, and thanks for the warning, but we've made up our mind."
"Are you with us or against us?"
Ilia looked torn and confused, making Steve feel slightly guilty for asking her that last question. Sighing, he shook his head and smiled reassuringly at her. "Look, it's ok, we don't expect you to turn on your family. Just let us go our way and you go-"
"With you?" Ilia looked up and Steve and smiled slightly. "I know my way around here, I can get you to Yugi."
Ryoura was not completely pleased with the turnout, but tried his best not to react (Or rather attack) when she walked past him. Bakura was similar, not sure whether to trust her or not, and Joe decided to wing it, hope for the best. Steve was the only one that seemed happy with the new group member.
"Alright, we have to hurry." Ilia warned as the group made their way down the corridor once again. "Yugi's in serious danger, and if we don't get there soon we may not be able to bring him back."
To Be Continued
-----------
Yugi will be in the next part, kk?
Don't kill me coz I suck at planning... I'll trying update again soon, ok? Ok, better go before yaz all kill me... slán slán!
Bay Bay!
Bayleef