Here is the next installment of the story. I really have nothing else to add.
Cymorial Avalon: It's okay, I've been busy too! Thanks, I always thought that Mai had a brain, and it bugs me when people make her like a valley girl. Oh well, nothing I can do about it. Thanks for the tip about the capitalization. Yeah, I didn't know that about the Shadow Realm. I don't know much about the anime, I just know about the 4Kids show. I can't wait until you check in again. Thanks so much!
TX gurl: I will and thanks!
Tammiya: She'll be back! After all she is my favorite character, but for the plot to work she has to quit right now!
Darkhope: Thanks, I will!
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! I do own my evil boss and the evil card. I guess that's better than nothing!
Yugi beamed. Despite the horrible fact that his friends were in terrible danger, he was somewhat happy. He had won another duel, and he was one chip closer to the finals. Of course, the finals weren't a major concern of the group at this point. The wind caressed Tea's face. She smiled too. She was Yugi's best friend, and she was proud of him.
"Okay guys, I know we've been distracted lately, but we really need to find out how to defeat these guys. Do they even have a name?"Tea asked. The group didn't know anything else.
"Well, at least Dartz left some clues." Duke sighed. He was cast evil glares from all the group members, except for Serenity. Duke shrugged his shoulders and tried to give an innocent look.
"Who's Dartz?" Serenity asked. The name sounded familiar, and she knew her brother had mentioned it. She often forgot who was who, and there were so many bad guys anyway. Serenity took in the silence.
"Never mind." Serenity said blankly. She wanted to know, but now wasn't the time.
"Yugi!" a voice yelled. Yugi looked around, maybe it was the guy who had taken his grandpa.
"What?" Yugi yelled back. A short figure in a black cape came up to him. He snickered, and Yugi knew who it was.
"Weevil!" Yugi shouted. Weevil's hood fell and his face was exposed. Something was different about it. His expression was blank and his eyes weren't normal. At one time they were green and full of life, and now they were blank. They were soulless.
"Did you join up wit these creeps?" Joey yelled at him. Weevil just gave a small smile.
"These creeps are called Rangers. They aren't creeps. They showed me the way! With my new card, I will be able to get my revenge on Yugi!" Weevil shouted. Joey placed his head in his hands. Serenity stood by him. She heard him mutter something about this not happening again. Joey suddenly looked up.
"I've got to go!" Joey yelled. He dashed off. Serenity tried to go after him, but Duke held her back.
"We have to go after him!" Serenity screamed. She pushed Duke off and started to cry.
"Maybe we should." Tristan agreed. Tea nodded, she thought they should go after him.
"No, Joey knows what he's doing!" Yugi yelled. The group became quiet.
"Well little Yugi, are you prepared to be sent into your own personal Shadow Realm?" Weevil asked. He laughed.
"Let's duel." They both said. Yugi put his deck in his duel disk and drew.
"Joey, I hope you're okay." Yugi whispered. The wind blew through his hair, and Yugi made the first move.
Joey ran. He didn't know why, but he did see a pattern. He could feel the evil in the air. Joey hated entering tournaments, but now he had to save his friends. Joey looked around him. People were dueling, but there weren't nearly as many as before. He sighed, running around in circles wasn't getting him anywhere. He had to find the guys who went after his sister and Mai. Joey suddenly had an idea. He started to run toward the airport, in hopes of finding something.
The weather was now freezing cold, and Mai thought it would snow. She hadn't been in Japan for so long, she didn't know if it snowed or not. She kept walking. She couldn't hurt her friends. She kept hearing things and she thought she was going crazy.
"Mai . . . " someone whispered. Every time the wind blew past her, a voice said her name. She started shaking her head. She looked at the ground and noticed something. She picked it up, and it was a necklace. On it was a little blue gem. Mai threw it on the ground and it shattered. Mai started panting.
"It was just a necklace, don't worry about it." Mai told herself. She walked a little quicker. With each step she took, she looked back. Someone was messing with her.
"Hey Mai!" someone gleefully said. Mai stopped, she had heard that voice before. It confused her because there wasn't anyone else around except for her. Mai turned around, and nobody was there. Suddenly, she saw a man in a cape. His voice sounded awfully familiar.
"Valon?" she asked. The man just laughed.
"No, I just like to mess with you!" he replied. Mai shook her head. His voice didn't sound like Valon's anymore. It was hard and cold. It was the same man from the hospital.
"What do you want?" Mai yelled. She was backing up. Somehow, she backed up into a wall. The man removed his hood. His eyes were black. He was muscular and tan. His hair was brown and it fell all over his face. He had a tiny scar above his right eye, but it was only noticeable if one was standing right by him. Mai gulped.
"I want what anyone wants. I want power." He laughed. He grabbed Mai's wrist. She couldn't escape. He was too powerful.
"I can't give you power . . . "Mai said. All her bravery was gone, and she exposed all her weaknesses. The man just laughed.
"Yes you can. All you have to do is help me, and nobody gets hurt!" the man told her. Mai tried to run, but he pushed her back up against the wall.
"I won't help you!" Mai yelled. The mans eyes lowered to hers.
"Look at this!" he said. He held up a little necklace. It was the same one Mai broke.
"I broke it!" Mai yelled in disbelief. The man just laughed. She hated his laughter.
"Things can be fixed. Of course people cannot. Look into it!" He commanded. Mai tried to look away, but it was to no effect. She gazed into it.
She saw people. They were just falling over. She saw Yugi's grandpa shouting Yugi's name. Yugi ran to him, but he fell over for no reason. Rebecca and Professor Hopkins were crying. Tea had fallen over Yugi's body, so had Tristan. Serenity was hysterical crying in a corner, and Bakura and Duke were trying to console her. Joey was just standing there, laughing.
"What is this?" Mai asked. The tears were dying to spill out of her violet eyes, but they wouldn't come out. The man put the necklace in his pocket.
"This is what happens if you don't join me. I know your future. I know you're supposed to destroy your only true friend. My boss can change your future Mai. He can give you what you wanted, and make sure none of your friends get hurt." The man explained. Mai looked at the ground.
'' No, I won't join you . . . I'm leaving, so none of this will happen." Mai argued. The man grabbed her wrists tight. She wanted to cry out in pain, but she didn't.
"Oh, it will happen. Believe me, because of you everyone will be destroyed. Join me and none of your friends will get hurt, nether will you." He whispered in her ear. Every part of Mai told her to say no, but she didn't. She was speechless. The man laughed.
"You can't escape me, or your memories, but you can escape the future." He whispered. He was getting closer to Mai. She shivered.
"No, I won't do it!" she yelled. She kicked him, and he backed off. She tried to run, but again he caught her.
"You won't get away!" he yelled. He shook her, and she started to cry.
"I know everything about you. I know your past and your future. You can't win." He said. He was so close to her. She could feel him breathing. He held up her head, and she felt his hands. They were burning her face. It was a sinister touch.
"No, I won't . . . "she whispered. Her courage was drained. He knew her weakness. He used it against her, and she knew it was working.
"You already did . . . " he whispered back. He laughed, and he put his head right in front of hers. He pressed his lips upon hers, and she pushed him away and screamed. She slowly fell to the ground. Every awful feeling she ever felt came to her. She felt trapped. She saw glass fall to the ground. Sand slowly came after. Her hourglass had broke again. The man laughed. Mai's surroundings slowly started to spin around her. Something was choking her. She couldn't breathe.
Mai just felt burning. Tears escaped her eyes. Mai completely fell to ground. The man laughed. She was gone.
"I told you I'd win!" the man laughed. He slipped a card in her hand. He was quite happy with his job. Mai laid on the ground. The man slowly walked away. It was happening.
Mai was stuck in a dark place. It looked just like the place she was at during the airport. Air was coming slowly to her. She was sure she was dying. She tried to walk, but couldn't. Mai wasn't trapped in anything. She was just surrounded by darkness. Something was glowing. She followed the glowing. It was a faint blue. Mai grabbed it, and power surged through her. She tried to yell, but nothing came out. Mai broke the stone, and all the light went out.
The boss laughed, it was all working. They were piecing together all of the little clues. Now he had all of Mai's energy to work for him. All of her evil energy was his. He laughed a little at this.
Joey had stopped in his tracks. He had heard the screaming. For some reason, Joey didn't run anymore. He just stood there. A tear rolled out of his eye, but he casually brushed it away.
The group had also heard the screaming. Serenity looked at Tea. Tea shrugged. She was petrified. Yugi sighed. Duke and Tristan looked confused.
"What was that?" Bakura asked.
"I think I know." Yugi answered. His tone was solemn and sad at the same time.
Confused much? If you are . . . then you'll have to keep reading to figure it out! Review if you want, if you don't thanks for checking this fic out. I'm glad you came. Okay, onto the next chapter . . .