Author's Note- I own only my own characters and concepts. I AM NOT GIVING THIS STORY UP!

Chapter 32- Fire and Pain

Hao grinned. Splitting up? Perfect. "Vincent, send me Flame Polearm."

The tri-bladed weapon appeared in the warrior's hands and his grin widened. He look over the rock formation he was hiding behind. Oh good, the new player was there. The white-haired Egyptian was looking around, flexing and loosening the muscles in his clawed arm. Hao readied his legs beneath him, waited for the perfect moment, and leapt.

"HYAAAH!"

Bakura turned around and, instead of the look of surprise the attacker had expected there was a rather evil grin…

Hao had no time to wonder WHY the thief was grinning before a blast of flame from beneath caught him.

"AH!"

His leap turned into a tumble and Hao rolled to his feet. Now where was the bastard?

"You really shouldn't use traps on the King of Theives."

Hao turned, only to find Bakura staring at him with a look of bemused malevolence in his eyes.

"Goodbye."

Bakura took a swipe at Hao's head. The soldier ducked smoothly.

"ACTIVATE SCROLL OF SHIFTING EARTH!"

Hao turned, surprised, at Nessert's cry. The ground beneath his feet Jutted upwards, placing him in the path of Bakura's backslash.

Game Over

Bakura found himself back in his plush-body. Ryou was smiling happily. THEY HAD WON!

"HRRRROOOOOOAAAAARRRLLLL!"

The duo turned to the Arena next to theirs. A demonic monstrosity in the middle of the Arena spread its wings, roaring in triumph. Nicole nodded.

"Looks like we're going up against Heather and B."

Nessert nodded. Bakura tilted his head to the side.

"What's her strength and weakness?"

Nicole and Nessert shrugged in unison, both looking somewhat more smug.

"Strength? Chaos. Weakness? None?"

"…that's not helpful, woman."

Nessert gave him a look of pure venom, Ryou sighing. He knew this would end in bloodshed. Its how all agreements with his dark-half ended.

"Sure it is. Now you know how you're going to die."

"Great! You're sooo optimistic!"

"Its called being realistic! B's love of death and destruction and pain are great strengths! I'VE FACED HER BEFORE, THERE IS NO WEAKNESS!"

"EVEN THE PHARAOH HAD A WEAKNESS!"

"HE WAS HUMAN!"

"HE WAS A GOD!"

"HUMAN!"

"GOD!"

"HUMAN!"

"GOD!"

Nicole picked up Nessert and, dispite the spirit's protests, hugged her. The plush squirmed.

"HEY!"

"Fighting between team mates is a bad idea. I'm just preventing unnecessary bloodshed."

Andro walked over, pouting slightly.
"I've lost to a lunatic. Thousands of years of experience, countless lives lived, all the power of a god, and I lost…."

Bakura laughed.

"You are weak!"

"Watch it ghost-boy. You may be dead, but your soul is still easy prey to a lord of the abyss…"

Bakura laughed, Ryou edging away from his alterego as Andro gave him an angry look.

"You're lord of nothing! You're just another dead soul!"

Laura looked up at the comment and shook her head.

"Nuh-uh!"

Andro nodded.

"I'll prove it to you later, I'm not 'just another dead soul'. But now you have to worry about your next match."

Bakura turned back towards the other table. Heather laughed and padded over, B materializing besides her.

"Yay! We're going to fight each other!"

B smirked.

"Great, fresh meat. Looks like you're good for SOMETHING, boy."

Ryou blinked.

"I've been meaning to ask, but what does 'B' stand for?"

B smirked.

"Berserker, from the word Bear-sark. It refers to the northern warriors that would don bear-skin and alter their very spirits to enhance their fighting ability. Perhaps, it is a faulty name for yours truly."

"But, then, why?..."

Heather shrugged.

"The word, as B has already said, means to become a beast, though nowadays it can mean any unclassified, inhuman spirit."

Nessert smirked.

"That means you're a freak, B."

B snarled.

"AND YOU SHOULD TALK? YOU SHOULD HAVE STAYED DEAD!"

"THE PHARAOH MADE ME SWEAR TO HELP HIM PROTECT THE WORLD! I AM MEARLY HERE TO FORFILL MY DESTINY!"

"HA! DESTINY? THERE IS NO DESTINY!"

"THAN WHY WAS VESSEL BORN?"

"MEARLY COINCIDENCE! SHE IS A RANDOM REINCARNATION! YOU ALL ARE!"

Heather sighed and pulled a paper talisman out of her pocket.

"Untill the second round begins, I'll have to shut you up."

"BUT!"

Heather stuck a talisman to her copy's forehead, B's eyes going blank. Ryou and Bakura both blinked.

"That's convenient."

"Indeed it is. Rest up, we'll be beginning shortly."