Chapter IX: The Shadow Inside

Dys: Another song originally inspired this chapter, but then I thought otherwise. A few new surprises will be in here.

Dartz: why is it that a song inspires every chapter!

Dys: Because I want to annoy the hell out of you!

Dartz: You have already done that when you started this damn thing!

Dys: Oh, and some of the cards which FD uses in duels aren't real cards, just made up ones that I created. Please, don't sue!

"Look at the stars, Rika. Don't they look beautiful?"

"They do. I can't wait to draw this when we get home!"

"Ha ha! You draw beautiful pictures, sweetie."

"You really think so?"

"Yes…."

FD looked up at the pitch-black sky, the stars sparkling like rhinestones on a black music box. She didn't remember anything from her childhood, but she remembered staring up at the sky a lot, staring and watching the stars. They added such beauty to the night. She held out a hand and ran her fingers softly against the cold air. The wind comforted her, and a thousand ideas ran through her head a minute. At her side were a sketchbook and her lavender led-pencil. However, she didn't feel like drawing. She just felt like staring up at the sky. She didn't know why, though. She leaned back and stared up at the crescent moon above her.

She felt suddenly so tired. She fell back into the grass and closed her eyes, the night air comforting her, while the gentle sounds of the crickets and wind and nocturnal creatures lullaby her to sleep. She was falling, spinning through an eternal darkness, her fingers trailing through the dark fog in her mind. She heard a distant voice somewhere, but couldn't make out what they were saying. She just wanted to fall through this dark fog and sleep peacefully here for all eternity.

"Isn't this relaxing...?"

Yes, it is. I don't know how, but I always feel relaxed here, as if I belong here.

My grave…will be in a field of flowers…surrounded by lilies and tulips…and the night sky shall always be beautiful as it stares down on my grave…the stars will sparkle like diamonds…the moon would shine like a pearl in the darkness….

"Are you happy here?" came a voice. FD turned to see someone staring at her with a sweet, sincere smile. Someone with flashing red hair and serious, yet dazzling eyes. She smiled at what she saw and tears filled her eyes.

"Amelda!" she ran forward, throwing herself into his arms. He embraced her, and tears fell from her eyes like those that rain drops from the dark sky. She couldn't believe it. Amelda was holding her again. He felt so real, so solid to her. However, his grip was firm on her arms as he pulled her away and looked directly into her moon, silver eyes. He leaned forward and a hand stroke up to the side of her face, tilting it back so he could capture her in a passionate, loving, gentle kiss. She was surprised by how he held her, how he kissed her. This…this couldn't be a dream. This all had to be real.

"Amelda…never leave me…" she gasped as he softly pulled away, tracing her lips with his index finger. A sweet smile crossed his face.

"I had almost forgotten how good your lips tasted," he teased. His hand then went up and ran his fingers through her black hair. She moaned at how he touched her, one hand in her hair, another on her lower back, massaging slightly. She closed her eyes, her hands moving up onto his shoulders. He leaned forward once more to kiss her, and his hand flowed downwards to her neck again, but this time, it traced along the scar.

"Amelda, don't…" she begged. That touch felt so familiar. But from where? No one's touched her there before. No one in her life. Then a faint image came to her closed eyelids. Turquoise…emerald…gold….

No, he's never touched me! He would never touch me! He knows how I feel about Amelda!

"Is this how you like it?" Amelda hissed calmly into her ear, breaking the kiss. She gasped, a weird sensation falling over her. She pushed herself from him, tumbling onto the grass beneath her. He looked at her in a concerned manner, and then he vanished in a group of stars. She gasped. This wasn't real! It was just an illusion! It wasn't real! Amelda was still gone from her.

"I thought you would be happy," came a voice. She looked up and saw a man approach her. His long turquoise hair flowed behind him with each step, like an azure cape in the night's blackness. His discolored eyes looked down at her with pity and sympathy. The crescent moon sparkled in the emerald pool. She let out a hidden hiss, and then stood up. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"What?" she asked.

"Rika, this isn't a dream. It's an illusion, yes," Dartz spoke. His voice was low with sadness and concern.

"Why? Why did you…?" her voice was shaking with despair, but she fought back the tears in her eyes. He approached her and reached over, tracing her lips like how Amelda did.

"I missed that smile you always brought to work. You always had it and it brought a smile to everyone, but over the past few days, it was as if it never existed. Miss Valentine brought it back, but it was only briefly," he explained.

"You didn't have to trick me using Amelda. I know he's gone," she said sadly, an attitude rising in her tone.

"I know, but I had to. He was the only one able to make you smile. I knew you two cared about each other a lot, and whenever he was around, you acted like a sweet child. I just wanted to see that smile again," Dartz confessed. "She had the same smile, also."

"Who?" FD cried. Dartz waved a hand, and the wind picked up suddenly. FD suddenly turned around to face the wind, and looked up. Someone was approaching her. A man only two years older than her, his brown hair falling against his face, his cold, solid blue eyes watching her with both elegance and rage. A white jacket flowed around his body, making him resemble a Blue Eyes White Dragon.

"This shall be your first opponent, Kaiba Seto," Dartz spoke. "He'll be visiting the company tomorrow, along with one of his…friends. If you wish to go into work tomorrow, I insist you not staying too late. The place will become quite crowded after the sun sets," Dartz chuckled. The figure vanished, and when FD turned around, so was Dartz. What did he mean?

The next morning FD did go into work that day, but on her way there, she met up with Mai. Mai was riding on her motorbike, which caught FD's attention in the sunlight, and Mai stopped just to talk to her.

"Hey, Rika!" Mai said cheerfully. FD smiled at her and ran her hand along the metal frame of the bike. "I'll give you a ride to work."

"No!" FD stepped back from the bike, and Mai saw the fear in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" Mai asked. She then noticed the wristband FD was wearing. It was pink with diamond spikes lined up on it. She liked it as it dangled from the Dark Duel Disk.

"Mai…I…I can't tell you," FD said. Mai sighed, and then reached over, running a finger gently along the scar on her collarbone.

"I never noticed that before," Mai said. "Is it new?"

"No, I've had it for years," FD explained.

"It's red, now," Mai said. She pulled her hand away, and FD stepped back again.

"I…I have to get to work," FD spoke. "I'll see you later, Mai!"

Mai watched as she ran off down the street, and then looked at her hand. Blood drops ran down from her fingertips and into her palm. That girl was hurt, but what was going on with her?

The Paradius building was completely empty besides for FD who was there fifteen minutes late. Luckily, she wasn't in trouble. But what worried her was that Dartz was there also. She was nervous now, but it vanished when she reached her office. He didn't even notice she was there.

It was around noon when FD noticed strange things were going on. As she looked out the window in her office into the city, she saw several emerald lights throughout the day, and what made her freak out was monsters were flying around the city. Monsters that scared her completely. She was staring out of the window around two and a monster flew by it, scaring her, and she let out a scream as she fell back onto the floor, shaking.

Though Dartz told her the night before not to stay too late, FD worked until the sky was filled with a pitch-blackness. The moon held a yellowish glow as it hung full in the darkness. The stars glittered elegantly. FD left the building around seven and found herself racing through the city. She didn't know why, but it scared her even more when she saw that these same monsters had invested it. Monsters that wore soldier suits and held a six pointed star on their forehead. That symbol! She's seen it before again.

Matter of fact, she's seen these soldiers before. In her nightmares? No! Somewhere else. Somewhere in her….

"Hey! Watch out!" yelled a voice. FD looked up to see herself running directly into one, but it shattered like a mirror when she reached it. She stared ahead to see two strangers staring directly at her. One was a small boy, about eleven, his long black hair flowed around his face and body in the wind, his grayish blue eyes sparkled like diamonds in the night. He was standing by an open door of a brilliantly red car. The other one FD instantly recognized his duel disk poised and ready for anything. His brown hair flowed in the wind, also, his serious blue eyes watching her with expectations.

"Hey, are you alright?" the boy asked, approaching her. He touched her arm, and she looked at him, her silver eyes glowing. He back up, and she smiled sweetly at him.

"I'm fine. Thank you," she spoke sweetly to him. She ran her hand gently through his hair and then turned to his older brother, her eyes holding an emotionless glare in them. "Are you Kaiba Seto?"

"Yes," he said. He looked her over, taking in every detail of her. The cold demeanor. The shard that hung from her neck. And the dark duel disk that was strapped to her arm, which also held a quivering fist. "And I'm guessing you work for Dartz. Where is that bastard?"

She didn't answer. She just stared at him. How could he be asking for Dartz? He hasn't done anything to him. He's been so nice to FD. He's taken care of her. He's treated her like his daughter. And the stranger that stood before her…took the one she loved! He took Amelda from her! He captured his soul! How could he do this to her! How!

A sharp pain flew through her body, but she ignored it. She wanted only one thing. Revenge!

"Seto Kaiba, I'm going to make you pay for what you did to Amelda!" she screamed, the disk opening. Seto Kaiba watched in horror at this lovely girl. Lovely? What was he thinking? She wanted to duel him!

"What do you mean 'what I did to Amelda!'" he demanded.

"You took his soul from him, Kaiba! I was in love with him!" FD cried. She pushed Mokuba away gently and then looked directly in Kaiba's eyes.

"You? Were in love with Amelda!" Kaiba laughed. FD suddenly couldn't hold it in. She drew one card and played it.

"I PLAY THE SEAL OF THE ORICHALCOS!" she screamed. A pain scoured through her entire body, and she felt a horrible stabbing pain in her chest. She clutched her chest, trying to ignore it. Kaiba was taken aback by this as the seal formed around them. He couldn't believe this. He had just saved this girl's life! Now she wanted to take his! This wasn't right! But then he remembered how gentle she was towards Mokuba, knowing he would get hurt if he stayed near.

"Wait, hold on! Why are you even with Dartz!" Kaiba asked. What was he asking! It was none of his business! He just needed to find Dartz as soon as possible so he could get his company back!

"Can't you see what you're doing is wrong!"

"I don't care! I can't stand him!"

"No! Don't!"

"I'm sorry, but he's dead!"

"NO!"

Where were these voices coming from! They were echoing in FD's head. She couldn't take it! But an anger rose inside her! She needed to take away this fool's soul! She needed to get revenge for Amelda!

"You're going to duel me, Kaiba! And once I've won, you're soul will be sealed! And Amelda shall be avenged!" she cried. Kaiba was never one to turn a challenge, but he felt if he dueled this girl, it would be wrong! Like he was killing her! He then saw it! The symbol of the Orichalcos! It wasn't glowing on her forehead, like with Amelda! It was engraved on her chest, pouring blood from it's open wounds! What the hell happened!

"Wait! Don't you see what this seal is doing to you!" he asked. She looked up at him, her eyes glowing a horrible, deadly silver. Mokuba cowered in fear of that glow. She let out an evil laugh, and smiled.

"People don't know what they'll see when they fall asleep. Will they get a beautiful, memorable dream of their own fantasies? Or will they fall into an empty abyss full of nightmares?" FD laughed. "Well, Seto Kaiba, I'm you worst nightmare."

Kaiba shivered at how her voice sounded. So cold, so emotionless, yet beautiful and deep, like a full-grown woman's. Like Mai Kujaku's, even, but more mature than that. "Who are you!" he asked.

"Just call me FD," she pronounced. "Now let's duel!"

Kaiba obeyed, drawing five cards, and waited for her to finish her turn. Watching them through his power was Dartz, anxious to see the true form of this girl. To see her full potential, her full power at last.

"I place two cards face down, and I play Vorse Raider in attack mode!" FD pronounced, playing a monster on the field. "And thanks to the forbidden seal, he gains five hundred extra attack points, bringing his strength to 2400!"

Kaiba was amazed by the fact she played one of his own monsters. He drew one card, and looked at it. Blue Eyes. That will come in handy quite nicely.

"Relax…let him play…."

Who are you! FD cried in her head. She's heard that voice for so long. She was standing in complete darkness again, staring ahead at an emerald light. She ran toward it, and gasped. Standing in the light was a beautiful woman who looked just like her. Her long, straight black hair flowed around her body, her dark, silver eyes glowing respectively in the light. Gold beads hung around her tips, the outfit she wore resembled an Egyptian queen's garments. On her forehead was a gem. A beautiful, emerald gem hung by gold bands.

"Who are you?" FD asked, holding out her hand to the woman. Her sight comforted her inside. Inside her dark and empty heart.

"I am you, Rika Micamura. I have been inside you all this time," the woman said, reaching out, allowing her fingertips to touch FD's.

"Inside me?" FD asked.

"Yes. You are me, and I am you. I am the queen of Egypt, the only one who possessed an ancient power to save my kingdom and the ones I loved. I am…Cleopatra," the woman spoke. FD gasped!

Dys: Sorry it's so short, wanted to add tension.

Dartz: My opinion…it was alright.

Dys: First compliment.

Dartz: But I think you could have added in a bit more.

Dys: And there it went. Please review, I'm losing my mind here with him.