These phases are going to contain something called 'artistic licence'. I know it's not right, but it's MY STORY, MY RULES. Excuse the CapsLock.

Phase Five

Jounouchi stared after Honda. He couldn't hear him, but he watched as he turned to Yuugi and Anzu.

'You could listen if you wanted,' Manako urged. 'Just concentrate on them and the Eye.'

Jounouchi was sick of trying to ignore his Yami.

Within a few seconds, Jounouchi felt the sensation of flying forwards through the air towards Honda and the others.

"What the hell does he think he's doing?" Honda hissed. "He puts that Eye thing in and suddenly he can come out with stuff like that? 'I just saw you die?' What the hell?"

"I think it's made him crazy," Yuugi was saying in concerned tones. There was a pause. "Yami thinks so too."

"Shouldn't we help him take it out or something?" Anzu asked, sounding somewhat unsure.

"Hell no," Honda growled. "Not if he's being like that. I'm not going to have him telling me I'm going to die every ten minutes."

Jounouchi blinked, back to himself. 'Well done,' Manako said, heartlessly. 'You have brilliant shadow powers,' he said.

The blonde said nothing. Finally, he stood up, and, saying nothing to anybody, left the school.

The bell rang for the end of first period.

Outwardly, Jounouchi was saying nothing. Inside his head, however, it was a different matter.

'I guess I'm on my own now,' Jounouchi said, the defeat obvious even in his mental voice as he collapsed on his sofa.

'You've got me,' Manako said, trying a hopeful tone.

'You make me feel so good,' Jounouchi replied sarcastically. 'If you didn't exist, this wouldn't have happened to me.'

'Try developing your powers some more,' the voice suggested. 'When you use shadow magic, your mind will become clear. You can think then.'

Jounouchi closed his eye. As he focused on the Eye, new Shadow Tendrils began to appear. 'Where do they come from?' Jou asked, sensing their presence. 'Do they mean we're in the shadow realm?'

'Not really. You just create new portions of it, which is where the Tendrils come from.'

Jou smiled. 'What about everyone else? Can Yuugi do this?'

'Probably, but it's likely that The Pharaoh blocks them. Now, anyway. When he first got the Puzzle, The Pharaoh wasn't terribly civil, was he? He made someone think they were on fire, didn't he?'

'How'd you know that?' Jounouchi asked, a slight frown crossing his features.

A hint of a smile could be heard in Manako's voice. 'I am part of you. I have your memories too.' There was a pause. 'I'm sure the Shadow tendrils would have been around then.'

There was silence.

'Jou?'

'I can't concentrate if you keep talking.'

'Sorry.'

Jounouchi's lips twitched into a slight smile. A few minutes passed, and Jounouchi could sense something swelling in the room, Some kind of energy source, but it seemed to be pulling air into it slightly. He opened his eye a crack and gasped slightly as he saw what looked like a deep purple tear in the air in the centre of the room.

'A portal,' Manako whispered, awe in his voice. 'You've opened a portal to the shadow realm! Do you have any idea how long it to Pegasus to do that?'

Jounouchi stared at the portal, slightly terrified at the power residing in his left eye socket. Suddenly, something hit him. 'Pegasus never sent anyone to the shadow realm.'

'Not quite correct,' Manako said. 'When someone's soul was removed, it was held in the shadow realm very briefly before being transferred into a Soul Card.'

'Why?'

'Not enough power for a direct transfer? I don't know.'

Jounouchi kept his eye on the portal. 'Yami? What would happen if I went though that, with the Eye in?'

There was silence. 'I don't know, and personally, I don't think I want to.'

Jounouchi closed is eye and focused on closing the portal. It took a few minutes, but he managed it.

"I'm going to have to practice that," Jounouchi said out loud.

'Why?' Manako said. 'Why learn to do that, of all things?'

Jounouchi opened his eye, and stood up. He walked over to a mirror, and for once, admired the perfection of the Sennen Eye. When he finally spoke, the gentle words were accompanied by a deadly looking smile. "Everyone needs a trump card."