AN- Its been a long while since I've been able to write a fanfiction, and this is the finished chapter of a blurb that I began last march. Hopefully it will continue into small series of events that lead to a conclusion, but exactly where it will go I haven't quite decided yet. ENJOY!

Disclaimer: The world of Yuugiou belongs to Takahashi-sama and not myself. I do not own Yuugiou. Yuugiou is not my property-

Chapter one: Crawling In The Dark.

Ow...

Where was he? The last thing he remembered was collapsing on the platform on the blimp that was location of the Battle City semi-finals. He had lost, hadn't he? He had lost to Yugi's other side, the Pharaoh that his own Spirit seemed to hate so much. Actually... That wasn't quite true. He remembered outstretched arms and a blinding ray of light, so intense that he could tell just by looking at it that it was dangerous. Blinding and consuming, a punishing blow that would have crushed any soul who got in the way. The words of his thoughts twisted around in his mind, captivating him. Punishment for what? Punishment for a crime? Or for something else, maybe something more intricate and deeply woven. He couldn't get his head around it no matter how hard he tried. Besides, that wasn't the point at the moment, all things considered.

That still didn't answer his original question...

Raising his head slightly from his place on the ground, Ryou slowly pulled himself upright, his legs shaking from the weakness that preyed upon anyone who entered the dreaded realm of darkness. He knew that that was where he was- nowhere else had ever filled him with such a sense of dead and foreboding before, and it was unlikely that there was any other place even remotely like it. Of course, it was rather recognizable from the decoration. There weren't exactly many places resonated darkness, sucked it in, billowed it out. The thick smog was heavy in the air, but at the same time it felt clear and crisp, almost empty in consistency. It didn't make any sense, denying all the laws of reality that he knew.

Why was he here?

He could hardly remember anything from the past few days, even weeks. Bits and pieces here and there, a blurred memory of a blond Egyptian boy and an almost mirror of himself. Joey, Yugi, the others. It hurt, to say the least. His entire body ached and twinged, and that wasn't when he included the mysterious and deep stab wound that decorated his right arm. It wasn't just physical, anyway... His soul hurt, too. He was growing sick of the life he lead, sick of the way he was played around with as though he was a mere pawn. At the same time... At the same time, though, it was now that he felt more alive than he ever had before. He felt -wanted-, as though he had a purpose in life, at least... in a way. The spirit needed him as a means to an end, a vessel... landlord. His friends needed him to protect them from that very same spirit. In that case, what could he do? Did he do as the good guys wished and helped them rid him of the evil that possessed and used him, or did he not? He wasn't alone anymore. Yugi and his friends, as good as they were to Ryou when they needed him, were too tight knit to allow a stranger to join them completely. Castaway as he was, a deep loneliness had grown within him, expanding since the day his family fell to pieces. The spirit, even though it used him, took advantage of him and hurt his friends, was still the only person whohad stayed with him. What could he do when the only moral way was to cast himself back into the depths of being no-one to everyone? But still... Yugi and the others were his friends! They needed him, and he wouldn't let them down. He had a duty to them that he would never forgo. If he could do something to help them, by God he would give up everything he had to do so.

Why was this happening?

As he thought, he had slowly begun to stumble forwards into the dark, evil fog, determination building up deep within his soul. Weakly at first, but gaining in strength as he went, he began to sprint, his feet making no sound on the 'ground'. Desperation was lending him the ability to try and run, but he knew it wouldn't hold out for long. Getting trapped there wasn't an option, not when his friends could need his help! He couldn't allow his own contradictions and plaguing thoughts to get in his way now!

Starting to pant, he sped up, crying out as the darkness swirled around him and snapped at his ankles, almost tripping him over. Shaking his head quickly, he pushed himself onwards diligently. The shadows fluttered and shimmered with malevolent, blood-like sparkles, almost seeming to represent eyes. Mocking and taunting him as he threw himself to the brinks of his physical abilities.

What about the spirit? The evil one who taunted him in his dreams and in reality, hurt his friends and his family alike?

He needed to know! Why was he trapped here? Unless... the spirit could possibly have lost another duel and been banished to the Shadow Realm as punishment, dragging him, Ryou, along for the ride. Such a thing would hardly matter to the puppet master, unless of course his little puppet was damaged. Another question swirled in the recess of Ryou's mind at the thought, one that boggled him enough to make him stumble yet again. Why, if his spirit was such a commander of the darkness and the shadows, was being sent here much of a punishment? His subconscious provided him with a stray notion, a selfish one, but a notion nonetheless. It was more of a punishment for the spirit's counterpart, to be left alone without the malicious presence that lurked silently in some far-off corner of his soul.

But… What if the spirit isn't even here? What if he was alone?

That wasn't a nice thought, and already he could feel his legs start to cave in and his chattering mind numb, dragging him further down into the darkness' abyss.