Chapter Seventeen: Lost in the Maze

The doctor wants me to actually face my dreams and keep a record of them. And he is determined to draw out whatever is in the back of my mind forgotten, as well. All he's going to find is Gozaburo. And that is one ghost I put to rest completely years ago.

Still, this is blocking my future, and so, I must open the past.

His own mansion had turned into a place he couldn't even recognize. Even the walk-through he had done earlier in the day had not prepared him for how changed it seemed at night; no lights shined except a few black bulbs or flickering old ones to throw the senses into confusion.

"You did your homework," Seto said with a grin, looking at a section of hallway flashing to their right. It was like one of those strobe lights used at dances, only here it was put to much better use, Kaiba deemed, for people would get confused and feel they were moving in slow motion.

"You always made me," the boy replied, still wearing those glasses in fascination, wondering if he was taping all this as he walked. The Kaiba Haunted Mansion would forever be memorialized in film!

Mokuba glanced around the area, seeing the different doors, some of which had existed there before and some of which he had set up with cardboard and any other workable material that would pass for walls.

"I think I will check on how they're all doing. You don't think it's too hard, do you? I wouldn't want them to find it too hard and therefore make it no fun for them."

Unaware of all that was included in the place, knowing only the decorations and not even the role of the servants, Kaiba was uncertain of everything. "I doubt it. What kind of challenge doesn't Yugi like to take? And his dumb friends have enough luck that they'll finish right behind him, I'm sure. It's disgusting."

Pondering his brother's words, Mokuba looked around the place, wondering which routes the gang had taken and how they all were faring. Unlike Seto, he doubted that this place would be as easy as other games they had participated in.

Cackling lowly, the thief plunged into the darkness, throwing back his unbound hair and cursing the body that would make him stand out in the darkness.

"White hair, pale skin. No scars. This is sickening. A good thief should always be able to blend in and have some scars to show his experience." Even back in Egypt when the Spirit of the Millennium Ring had existed without the need for a mortal host, his white hair had not been a problem. There, he had clothing able to cover it easily. But this mortal had seemed to forget that his hair might potentially be a problem if one were attempting stealth in the utter darkness.

"What a fool. But I'll win regardless and have a little fun as well."

Bakura padded on through the dark corridors, the damp smell contrasting with his warmed flesh excited by what was going on this night. He couldn't wait to find something that was supposed to scare them. Maybe it'd have something useful on it, like a real knife. One shouldn't go wandering and hunting for treasure without some sort of protection. And if his host hadn't come prepared, he, the Thief-King Bakura, would prepare for him.

Eyes mostly adjusted to the darkness, he still ran smack into a door he hadn't seen. Cursing softly, he backed away softly, feeling out with his right hand to find where the knob was to yank it open.

"That hurt," he snarled, nose still throbbing. "And no one makes fun of me like that!"

Flinging wide the door, which cracked and tore, being cardboard, he strode through with another muttered curse, kicking the door for one last proof of his emotions.

"They won't catch me doing something like that again, idiot boy."

The door immediately behind him, he stopped and looked around, head turning and nostrils flaring for any rogue scent. "Heh…I'm giving this too much of my expertise; this isn't some pyramid or desert where I have to be alert constantly. As if the Kaiba brat would think to change the terrain or something!"

About to laugh, a thick hand gripped around his arm and squeezed, startling the Spirit into shrieking. He ripped his arm free and tore down the hall without thinking or steering with any of his thieving skills; all his body was aware of was escaping the imminent threat behind him.

No sound of steps echoed behind him, but still, the adrenaline urged him onward.

His heart was finally slowing in its frantic pounding that was like one of those girls in scary movies trying to escape the pursuer by knocking on a door that never opens. Bakura slumped his shoulders and tried to gain bearing of his completely black surroundings. Not a hint of light existed.

"How big could this basement possibly be?" he muttered darkly. "And how many more surprises are lurking around the corners for my unsuspecting host's body to fall victim to? Untrained fool!" Bakura had no doubt that had he been in his ancient form, he would not have charged down the hall in surprise. He had long since learned to fight off such basic instincts.

Off a distance, others wondered similar questions.

"How big could Kaiba's basement be? Dis is insane!"

The group cast looks around at everything that had been set up. Even in the darkness, their eyes could make out places in the distance that seemed to have a flicker of light, and some bulky shapes nearby resembled doors or walls. Walking together as they were, all were careful not to pace blindly into something hard.

"And what's so creepy about this place?" Téa asked. "It's too dark to see anything that would even remotely scare us."

Yugi wasn't so certain. He had a feeling the sable air was hiding the very things that would soon surround and trap them…the feeling of being stifled was growing overwhelming to their senses.

Tristan brushed against the wall, backing away quickly with a shout of "Whoa!" when something slimy touched his arm, leaving a sticky residue. Just at that moment, Téa screamed when something thick and clinging dropped over her body and pulled at her like a lasso.

Someone yelled something in a deep voice, reaching to grab Joey and Yugi, the latter of whom was dashing off a ways to escape the predicament, taking one too many turns and ending up in a place he couldn't easily find his way back through. Joey had fainted dead away on the floor.

Drawn forward against her will to one of those places with the black lights shining dimly, Téa dragged her feet and struggled to get out of the sticky web. As soon as she realized what she was indeed caught in—a huge, sticky spider web—she shrieked louder and twisted. A loud clicking and sickening stench came from the widening room, and some trails of red blood reflected the light.

Seeing all the props had more of an effect on Téa than she would have wanted to admit. But it was when the bulbous body of a spider descended from the ceiling that she finally found the willpower to tear the threads and run down the hall, half-stumbling over Joey, which made her go faster. She smacked into Tristan, and the two of them charged down the corridor until their panting lungs made them need to slow.

Behind, alone on the floor, Joey groaned in his unconscious state.
Somewhat uneasily, Yugi looked around the area he was now in, wondering if the blindingly dark passage on his left or the blindingly dark passage on the right was the one he had come from. His friends needed his help back there!

The internal voice that was never too far from him was trying to help calm down his partner with easy words.

Yugi, it's all right. Just take a few breaths. Let me take over for you.

Sometimes, the short punk thought his other persona had too much power and was too well-liked when he was out, but now…not a doubt hid in his mind that what Yami said was for the best. The ancient spirit was better able to take care of matters such as these, and he was, for the most part, better at the games.

The Puzzle flashed and made a blinding light in the tunnels under the Kaiba mansion. Yugi shifted with the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle, hoping all would work out now for the better.

We need to find the others, Yugi thought to his other self, voice more courageous now that his heart was back to normal and this other persona was in charge.

"Right, Yugi. We'll soon have won this game and found our way out of this maze. There's no game I can't win! I thought Mokuba already knew that, but I guess I'll be showing him again."

Unaware of just what those words meant, if it were anything at all (he didn't really recall Yami's earliest duels with Mokuba), Yugi grimly agreed about winning this game. First, find their friends and some cards; then, get out of the maze.

It wouldn't be too much for the gamer, that he knew. Didn't Yami win everything?

The world was dark. He had gone blind! Panicking, he sat up with a gasp, groaning and feeling the spot on his head where he had fallen on it.

"Mebbe I should sue."

Muttering more curses darkly, Joey stumbled to his feet and calmed as he realized his eyes were not blind. He was still in the Kaiba Killing Mansion. Despite Mokuba's assurances that things were different, he couldn't help but feel like this was all Death-T happening again. Half-waiting to hear "I cud you ub wid dis," Joey sidled backward until he felt a reliable wall behind him. Walls were some of the best friends; they so rarely ditched out on you.

"Speakin' a'which, where de heck are my pals? Dey ran out on me!" Joey glared down one side of the tunnel to the other side, wondering which direction they had gone. He could not recall the events before his…minor snooze the best, so he couldn't be certain which way to go now.

A light was dimly glowing off to his left, and thinking that was a good sign of something, Joey headed that way. Maybe a card was in there! How could light be anything but good?

A glance into the room changed his mind very swiftly.

A huge spider was sitting dormant on a gigantic web, but its pincers were twitching in anticipation of a kill, and clicks of them thudded heavily in his head. Just seconds were between him and its awareness turning toward him…hunting for another victim…

Maybe this spider is what made his friends leave him. Maybe they were but another dinner of this bulbous beast.

No! Joey thought frantically, grabbing his head and making his hair even messier. Mokuba wouldn't let things in this maze actually kill us! This is just a fake monster to make me too freaked out to get a card and get out!

Fake or not, the spider was still menacing. And it was turning his way, jittering to itself in a whispery, evil-sounding tone. Rooted to the floor, it was all Joey could do to remain conscious. If he fainted now…Gulping convulsively, Joey decided to not think about fainting at the moment.

"I oughtta dink about runnin' 'stead a'faintin'!" Joey threatened his legs to move, warned them to get him out of here or be amputated. When they still didn't listen—the closest to obeying his order was their growing a slight tremble—Joey tore at his hair and wondered how he'd get himself out of this fix.

The spider was approaching slowly, savoring the impending attack and enjoying the smell of fear on her victim. Spindly legs clicking closer, doing an eight-legged dance of death, the arachnid's eyes gleamed in the black light, gaining a hint of purple.

"Nice, spider. Dere, spider. Just be nice to li'l Joey, now. What'd he do t'a you? Just 'cuz he's stuck doesn't mean he doesn't wanna get away and leave ya 'lone."

His voice was not having the desired effect on the spider; instead of slowing her approach, she continued on, pincers waving wickedly and all attention focused on the youth before her.

Just a matter of time remained for Joey to get his legs to work or think of some way out of this.

Fist curling naturally into its one set of defense, Joey looked at it like it was a foreign part of his body and doing these actions contrary to his will. But then…his fists had never failed him yet. Maybe, just maybe, they'd be of use to him now. Worth a shot, wasn't it?

Chuckling at his own lame humor, Joey wound up with his fist, readying his fist for the shot at the spider, the only shot he'd have before the spider retaliated and speared him for death.

"Fiiiiiist a' death!" Joey yelled like he was some Duel Monster himself, and he attacked the spider's rounded, soft eyes above the pincers.

The body instantly deflated on the eyes, and something like ooze burst out on his hand, covering it with a dark liquid. As the pop sounded in the air, Joey thought it sounded suspiciously like a balloon popping.

Then a grin crossed his face as the spider stopped moving completely, just falling flat to the floor.

"I knew Mokuba wouldn't kill us!" It didn't stop him wondering what strange concoction was sinking into his skin, but he hoped it was all for show. And just what was controlling the spider that it stopped all movements now?

"Some sorta robot?" Legs now functioning completely normally, Joey investigated the collapsed beast.

Just how much had Mokuba used to put together this little haunted house? No expenses spared like his big brother? A rock in the pit of his stomach made Joey feel like hurling—and he knew it was the rock. It wasn't because of the fright he had had or anything so wussy as that. Not him, Joey Wheeler.

The legs were still twitching in a semblance of the throes of death, but normally, a punch in the eyes even if it shattered them, wouldn't kill such a gigantic beast. Joey had, after all, seen The Lord of the Rings. Shelob hadn't given up even with her glittering eye's light put out. With a smirk, the street fighter examined the beast and was certain that was exactly who this spider was supposed to resemble.

Like Joey had originally thought, the arachnid was a type of robot. Imagining those pincers squeezing his middle made him swallow a lump in his throat, for the pincers were glinting evilly, the light flickering on their metal surface. He just had to hope that the robot was never going to actually attack him. After all, breaking the balloon eyes had ceased its movements entirely. Maybe any contact with a person would halt it.

"Maybe I'm dinking too much in dis. I mean, it's more concentration I put in school!"

Joey, shaking his head and getting the blond bangs out of his eyes, took a step over the spider's prone form and debated wiping his greasy hands on the web, but seeing its sticky filaments, thought better of it.

Then, at the center of the gigantic web, he saw it. A card. A Duel Monsters card.

"Awright! I get one! I get one!" He hurried through the web, which was as thick as jump ropes. Fortunately, for their immense size, large gaps were between strands. Nearly getting entangled and touching its strands as he hastened to get through the web, eventually, after a few near trips and stumbles, he was before the podium holding the single card, the black light shining behind it.

Joey took the card and pocketed it. "A piece a'Exodia?"

Whew...longer, but you made it! Thanks for sticking it through! We're going somewhere, I swear!